Page 31 of The Alpha's Fallen Spell
“I’ll do it,” I cut her off, my voice steadier than I feel. “If there’s a chance I can be human again, just human, I want to try.”
Maya looks troubled. “This isn’t only about Erik, is it?”
I shake my head. “This is about me. About finding out who I am without all this.” I gesture vaguely, encompassing the palace, the shifter world, everything. “I never asked for this life. I want a chance to choose my own path.”
After a long moment, Maya nods. “We’ll start tomorrow. Just some preliminary tests. I’ll be with you the entire time, I promise.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, meaning it more deeply than she can know.
After she leaves, I stand by the window, watching palace staff move through the gardens below. Normal people with normal lives. Could I have that someday? A life without constantly fighting the beast inside me? Without the painful awareness of a mate bond that leads nowhere?
The thought both terrifies and exhilarates me.
The library has become my sanctuary. Between rows of ancient books, I can disappear for hours, losing myself in knowledge andstories that take me far from my broken reality. Today, I’m deep in the reference section, researching human medical schools. If Maya’s procedure works, if I become fully human again, I want to be ready. I want to have a purpose.
I’m so absorbed that I don’t notice the approaching footsteps until voices drift between the shelves.
“I still don’t understand why the commander even bothers with her,” a female voice says—Elina’s voice. “She’s not even a real shifter.”
“I heard she was some kind of experiment,” another female responds. “Something to do with the Silver Ring.”
I freeze, pressing myself against the bookshelf. I should announce my presence, but old habits die hard. When you’re prey, you learn to stay hidden.
“Whatever she is, she doesn’t belong here,” Elina continues. “The way she follows Erik around with those sad, puppy-dog eyes—It’s pathetic.”
I don’t follow Erik around. In fact, I’ve been avoiding him completely since that night in the forest.
“I heard they were mates,” the second voice says cautiously.
Elina scoffs. “That’s impossible. Erik wouldn’t be fated to something like her. Besides, he’s made it clear where his interests lie.”
The hurt is immediate, a sharp pain beneath my ribs. I should leave, slip away unnoticed. Instead, I step into view, books clutched against my chest like armor.
Both women startle. Elina recovers first, her surprise morphing quickly into disdain. Her friend—a petite redhead I recognize as one of the palace guards—looks mortified.
“Fiona,” Elina says, her voice falsely sweet. “I didn’t see you there.”
“Clearly,” I reply, my voice soft but steady.
The redhead murmurs something about needing to check schedules and hurries away, leaving me alone with Elina.
“Eavesdropping isn’t polite,” Elina says, crossing her arms.
“Neither is spreading rumors.” I meet her gaze directly. “I don’t follow Erik around, you know. I haven’t spoken to him in days.”
Satisfaction flickers across her face. “Good. He doesn’t need distractions right now.”
“Queen Maya was human once, too,” I point out. “And she is accepted here. Respected.”
Elina’s expression hardens. “Maya is different. She’s Griffin’s mate. And she has proven herself.” She looks me up and down dismissively. “You’re just odd. Out of place. Everyone sees it.”
Her words sting, but I don’t let it show. I’ve endured far worse than this woman’s pettiness.
“Is that why Erik rejected our bond?” I ask before I can stop myself. “Or is it because of you?”
There’s a flash of surprise in Elina’s eyes, followed quickly by something else—triumph, perhaps, or pride. “Erik and I have history. We have a connection that goes back years. He cares about me. Always has.”
I nod slowly, pieces clicking into place. “I see.”
