His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 95: Something’s Not Right

Alaric’s strides were long and powerful as the dark halls rushed by in a blur. I could feel his ire radiating off him, causing servants to back away or dash in the opposite direction, casting cautious glances in the Alpha King’s direction.

I stared at the width of his back, the brown furs wrapped around his shoulders, the cloak flowing behind him as parts of my vision flickered, the poison indeed strong. Yet I was not worried, not like my guards who kept stepping forward, offering me aid any time I tripped or my legs weakened, struggling to keep up with my brother’s pace.

Soren stepped toward me, his hand stretching out cautiously, but I cringed back, flinching like a cornered animal. His face fell, though he quickly masked it. Kharis stepped between us instinctively and looked back and forth until he sent me a silent, questioning stare: Do you need help?

I shook my head. We still needed to talk before I’d make my decision about Soren.

"She poisoned you, didn’t she?" Alaric muttered under his breath, his anger barely contained.

My eyes widened. Over the years, Alaric had never known about his mother’s poisonous tea parties. Some part of me whispered darkly that he did. If that were the case, he wouldn’t be reacting like this.

Alaric halted and turned on me, releasing my hand, eyes like steel on mine, waiting for my answer. I gulped and nodded faintly, my voice soft. "I’ll be fine."

"This isn’t the first time, is it?" he growled, his eyes brighter than I have ever seen them. He cursed under his breath at my unspoken words. "This ends today."

I nod faintly, feeling the world swirl around me a little from the action. Alaric cursed again as Kharis steadied me with a hand at my elbow.

"What’s wrong?" I ask after peering up at him, noting that brightness and anger haven’t left his eyes. He looks like he might have had one too many khaves if he has ever had that little delight Kharis introduced me to.

Alaric glanced at Kharis and Soren. "Not here."

I look behind me. "I will meet you back at the palace."

"Eryx won’t—"

"I am safe by my brother’s side," I add sharply, shutting Kharis down with his silly excuse. He should know better than to name Eryx. It only made me want to disobey any orders from the Alpha Prince. I’m not sure where this side of me came from, but I wasn’t going to extinguish it.

Kharis bowed in answer and walked a good distance away from Soren, leaving us to find an alcove. My brother looked around cautiously, his anxiousness rippling off him, making me just as unsteady. I wasn’t used to seeing him so unsettled.

Alaric was always in control, besides his temper, but mostly in command and stoic. His gaze flickered to every shadow, every sound as if expecting something—or someone—to emerge.

The silence felt louder here, oppressive even. Each echo of Alaric’s boots made the hairs on my neck rise. A shadow flickered briefly to the left—just a trick of my poisoned mind, I told myself—but Alaric’s shoulders stiffened as though he had seen it too.

"What’s wrong?" I whispered, repeating myself, trying to sound composed, though his unease was contagious.

Alaric shook his head slightly, but the tension in his shoulders remained taut. We waited a moment more before his attention flicked to me. "Something’s not right here..." he whispered and pointed at his temple.

My brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly that. It’s as though I have just woke up from a long, shadowed dream and this reality... it’s hard to process... Deyanira..."

Deyanira, not mother. "What?" I step closer, my heart thumping louder and louder in my chest. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing with the poison in my body. "What about Deyanira?"

"Something’s not right," is all he said quietly. I stared at my brother, trying to decipher what was going on. He rubbed at the side of his temples, those bright eyes flickering, dulling slightly.

"With Deyanira?" I probed further. What wasn’t wrong with the woman? But for Alaric to say something about his own mother...

"Maybe," he muttered, but he sounded unsure—more unsure than I had ever heard Alaric sound. My stomach coiled tighter at that thought. If my unshakable brother, the Alpha King himself, was disturbed by something, then it must have been far worse than I imagined. "I’m remembering things that don’t line up, things that shouldn’t..."

Alaric shook his head, not in answer but as though to shake away the thoughts. Then he stared back at me, blinked a few times, and frowned. "Ida?" He looked at our surroundings and focused on me again. "You don’t look well."

I want to say the same about him. But he was right about one thing—beads of sweat were starting to gather at my temple, under my armpits, and my stomach coiled with nausea.

"I..." wanted to continue our discussion and figure out what was wrong with Alaric, but now that we were focused on my own failing body, that was all I seemed to think about. "Just... Don’t panic. When I’m better, we can discuss Deyanira more then."

Alaric tilted his head. "Mother?" He stared at me unblinking for a moment, like he’d forgotten what had happened moments ago. "Oh... You had tea with her. Would you like to rest at yours or mine?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

He was speaking as though nothing happened. Did I just make it all up? Alaric was looking at me like I was the one who was going mad. I clutched my head. "The poison... I think... I must be hallucinating."

Alaric’s eyebrows shot up. "Stay in my quarters. Did you want your guards? You seem... on friendly terms."

"Yes. Kharis, allow him to come." He can report my condition to Eryx. Those were my last thoughts before the swirling world around me began dimming, and darkness snatched my consciousness.