Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Echoes in the Dark
SONIA’S POV
I felt rejuvenated, and pumped to continue for the night. My body hummed with a strange new energy, even after the long, draining day.
Alpha Ramon pulled his lips off mine, but didn’t move back. Instead, he stared at my face, as if he had never seen me before. His eyes traced every feature slowly, dark and intense in the fading moonlight that filtered through the leaves above us. The warmth from his body pressed close, making my heart beat faster against my ribs.
I felt shy, and exposed. My head began to lower when he lifted my chin in place, so he could keep staring at me. His fingers were warm and firm against my skin, sending small sparks down my neck.
That went on for a few minutes, the silence between us thick and heavy, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves and the distant flow of the river. Before he cleared his throat.
"Do you feel like your strength has been renewed?" He asked. His voice was low, rough around the edges, like he was fighting something inside himself.
I nodded, and he mirrored my head movement. The simple gesture felt strangely intimate in the quiet garden.
"In a way, I’m a healer too, I guess." The corner of his mouth twitched, almost like a smile.
My eyes squinted as I stared at him, totally lost. The words didn’t make sense at first, but then I saw the playful glint in his gaze.
"I was making a joke, If I heal you with my kiss, I’m a healer then." His tone lightened just a fraction, but his eyes stayed locked on mine.
"Oh," I chuckled softly. The sound felt foreign but good after the long day. "But you’re not healing me. You’re just—"
He kissed me again, and I melted into his touch. His lips were warm and insistent, pulling me deeper into the moment. The world around us faded — the cool evening breeze, the distant water sounds, everything narrowed to the heat of his mouth on mine.
"How about now? Am I a healer?"
"Not quite." I bit my lips, my voice barely above a whisper. My body felt alive, every nerve tingling with awareness.
He went in for another kiss, this time making sure to suck on my tongue until my toes curled. The sensation sent waves of heat straight through me, making my legs weak.
"And now?" He asked when he pulled away, his breath mingling with mine.
My hand crept up to my beating heart. I grabbed my chest tightly, as my vision spun. The world tilted slightly, colors blurring at the edges. I felt dizzy, like the ground was shifting beneath me. The garden seemed to sway, the trees blurring into soft shadows.
"Sonia?" I heard him call, but his voice sounded distant, echoing strangely in my ears.
I opened my mouth to speak, but it felt like I couldn’t string words together or make any audible sounds. My tongue felt heavy, my thoughts slow and foggy. An invisible force jerked my body forward, and as I swayed, my eyes shut. The world went dark around me, pulling me under like a gentle tide.
When I opened my eyes again, I was staring into the eyes of Alpha Ramon. His face hovered close, filled with something I couldn’t quite read—concern mixed with frustration. I tried to move, but the softness that enveloped my body kept me in place.
The bed beneath me felt different, larger and more luxurious, with sheets that smelled faintly of him.
I whipped my head to the side, and found I was on a bed. Rotating my head all around, I discovered I was in Alpha Ramon’s room.
The space was grander than mine, with heavy wooden furniture and faint moonlight streaming through tall windows. My eyes widened, and I made to get up. He pushed me back to the bed, and wrapped his hand around mine. His grip was firm but careful, warm against my skin.
"The pack doctor says you need to rest. You exposed yourself a little too much to the contaminated water. I guess my kiss couldn’t help fight that," he said. His voice was quieter than usual, almost gentle in the dim room.
My eyes narrowed on him. He was acting very strange. My memories which were frozen in the first few seconds of waking up, had returned fully. From when we sat against the tree, he had been acting really strangely. Very much softer than he usually was with me. The shift left me off balance, unsure where the lines were anymore.
"I feel fine. I guess your kiss worked. I’d like to return to the clinic," I said, trying to get up again. The sheets rustled softly as I moved, but his hand held me steady.
He pushed me back a second time, and swiftly sat on the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, pulling me slightly toward him. "I’m not suggesting you sit down, Sonia. I just gave you a command," he growled lightly. The sound rumbled low in his chest, familiar yet less threatening tonight.
"O-kay," I replied respectfully, pressing my back deeper on the soft sheets. The fabric felt cool and smooth against my skin, a far cry from the simple bedding in my own room.
"Ivy said you were interrupted by Lorena when you were eating. Do you want more food?" He asked, his eyes watching me closely.
The thought of food suddenly made me want to wretch. My stomach twisted at the memory of the earlier chaos. "Please no," I said. My voice came out weaker than I wanted.
"You say one thing, but your wolf says another," he observed. His gaze dropped briefly to my midsection, as if he could sense the hunger there.
I paused and listened to my wolf prancing about inside me. She was restless, but not just from hunger. "She’s just happy to be close to you," I blurted before I could think. The words slipped out, honest and unguarded.
I bit down hard on my lips when he chuckled. The low sound vibrated through the room, surprising and warm. "She’s a rather interesting one."
"Can I go rest in my room? I don’t want to be a bother to you," I said, still uncomfortable. It was one thing being kissed in my room, the bushes, or any other place we’ve fooled around. But something about being in his room, and on his bed, felt a little too intimate.
I was overwhelmed by it, and wanted to just run away. Part of me also feared that it would change in a snap of a finger. He would throw me out, and we’d be back to how it all began. I knew I said I’d embrace the journey, but I wasn’t particularly feeling like riding the rollercoaster train tonight. The fear of the fall lingered too strongly.
"Do you want to know what I’d do when I find the person that betrayed me?" He asked, catching me off guard. The sudden shift in topic made my heart skip.
I couldn’t exactly comprehend the relationship between returning to my room, and what he had just asked. Except he was perhaps implying I was on his radar in the order of suspicion. Wanting me to know what he’d do to the betrayer, just in case it was me.
I knew it! This was why I wanted to leave. It took nothing for us to go from peace to violence. With him inflicting the violence, of course. The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine.
"I– I don’t know."
"Why don’t you tell me?"
"What?!" I squirmed within. My hands tightened on the sheets, knuckles turning white.
"I’m giving you the power to pick whatever punishment you deem fit for a traitorous person."
"Uhmm, I don’t think I can answer that. You alone know what you’d love to do to a traitor. My opinion doesn’t matter." The words felt safe, careful, even as my mind raced.
He looked at me strangely, but just as quickly, he returned to his normal self. His expression hardened slightly, though the earlier softness still lingered in his eyes.
"Wouldn’t you like to pick tamer punishment, just in case it’s you?"
My heart skipped a beat. The whole day had been a front. He didn’t believe my innocence. The realization settled heavy in my chest, mixing with the exhaustion and the warmth from his touch.
"I told you I don’t betray."
"Prove it by picking out a punishment. One suitable enough for my punishment."
I had to say something. My happiness depended on the choice I make. He was watching, and waiting. Probably thinking this was my chance to exonerate myself. If I chose something too harsh, it would look like I was trying so hard to appear innocent. But if I chose something less harsh, it would look like I was downsizing, just in case I got hurt.
I couldn’t win for losing, and he knew that. The smirk on his face told me he could sense my despair.
"Use the poisonous plant on them. It’s poetic justice, right?"
His eyes instantly lit up, and his soul was also illuminated.
"Who are you?" He asked.
And by the moon goddess, I didn’t know the answer to that question, anymore.
