Marked Twice by the Alpha King novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Lucas bit his lip, looking so young and vulnerable it hurt my heart. “He’ll be mad.”

“Probably, I agreed. “But he’ll also be relieved you’re okay.”

After a long moment, Lucas carefully rolled up the scroll, his small hands still shaking slightly. The symbols dimmed as it closed, and the oppressive energy in the room began to dissipate.

He held it out to me. “You won’t tell him today?”

I took the scroll, feeling ancient power tingle against my fingertips. “Not today. First, we’ve got training to do.”

Some of the tension left his shoulders. ‘Yeah. You said you’d teach me the real stuff.”

I glanced back to find Wilson still hovering in the doorway, his expression oscillating between disapproval and amazement.

“Mr. Wilson,” I called over my shoulder, “could you have someone repair this door? I’ll cover the cost.”

“That won’t be necessary,” he replied stiffly. “I’ll have it seen to immediately.”

I tucked the scroll safely into my training bag and turned back to Lucas. “Now, why don’t we head to the training grounds and start our actual lesson?”

“Can we do something cool? Like claw techniques?” His eyes brightened with hope.

“First, I need to make sure that scroll didn’t do any lasting damage.” I held out my hands. “Come here.”

He approached cautiously. I could still see faint gold flickering in his eyes–residual energy from the scroll.

“Sit, I instructed, pointing to the floor. When he complied, I sat cross–legged across from him. “Give me your hands.”

Lucas hesitated, eyeing my outstretched hands with suspicion. “What are you going to do?”

“The scroll’s energy is still affecting you. I can help your system process it.”

After a moment’s hesitation, he placed his small hands in mine. The contact was like touching a live wire–residual energy from the scroll zapped between us, making my mark tingle strangely.

‘Close your eyes,” I said, keeping my voice steady despite the uncomfortable sensation, “and imagine pushing that buzzing feeling out through your palms.”

Lucas squeezed his eyes shut, his face scrunching with concentration. For several long moments, nothing happened. Then I felt it–a pulse of wild energy traveling from his hands to mine. It stung, but I absorbed it, grounding it through my connection to the earth beneath us.

We sat like that for nearly ten minutes, Lucas gradually relaxing as the scroll’s influence drained from his system: When he finally opened his eyes, they were their normal stormy gray–just like his father’s.

“Feel better?” I asked, gently withdrawing my hands.

He blinked, looking surprised. “Yeah. The buzzing stopped.” He flexed his fingers, examining his now–normal nails. “How did you do that?”

Wilson cleared his throat from the doorway. “Perhaps you should continue this lesson in the proper training area, Miss Rivers.”

I nodded. “Good idea. Ready for some real training, Lucas?”

Lucas jumped to his feet, suddenly energized. “Yes! Let’s go!”