Chapter 42
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
ALENA
Alena hurried through the damp forest, the crisp morning air biting at her skin.
A stubborn chill clung to the shadows, reluctant to release its grip until the sun rose higher.
She wrapped her arms across her chest, muttering a curse for leaving her cloak behind.
The trees parted ahead, and the sound of rushing water grew stronger.
Stepping into a clearing, she drew a sharp breath. Sunlight touched the fine veil rising from a waterfall, casting the scene in a golden glow. Water spilled in a graceful tumble over rocks, and a cool dampness clung to the air, carrying the scent of fresh water and moss.
And there, on a rocky ledge beneath the cascade, was Leukos.
The sight of him struck her, scattering her thoughts into disarray.
He’d discarded the sleeves of his tunic, letting the top half hang around his waist. Water poured over his shoulders, rivulets cascading down the taut, sculpted lines of his bare chest and stomach.
His midnight hair clung to his face in damp strands, accentuating the sharp angles of his cheekbones and jawline.
He was beautiful in a way that seemed almost unreal, a living embodiment of power and grace.
“Leukos!” she called, but the gushing waters swallowed her voice.
His eyes remained shut, brow furrowed in concentration.
She crossed the clearing, sandals crunching over damp earth and pebbles, until her focus snagged on the Mark etched into his skin.
The once-small design on his thigh had spread, now covering his side in intricate, ice-blue swirls.
They shimmered like frost under moonlight, tracing the curve of his hip, curling over the taut muscles of his ribs, and spiralling up to his shoulder blade—a striking display of the power he held.
She hauled herself onto the slick rock, mist beading along her skin and dampening her clothes. Her hands pressed to the slippery stone for balance, guiding each step until she reached the ledge where Leukos stood.
The steady rush of the waterfall filled her ears, its cascade tumbling over him. Stars be cursed—how did he stand beneath it so effortlessly? She spotted his bare feet planted on the uneven ledge, and with a resigned sigh, kicked off her sandals, the cool rock biting into her soles.
Spray drenched the stone at the fall’s edge, coating the rock in a treacherous sheen that sent her feet sliding. She caught herself with a gasp and clutched the outcrop so tight her knuckles blanched.
Leukos jolted and spun to face her. “Alena! What are you doing?”
Ignoring his shout, she pressed on. With trembling fingers, she passed behind the curtain of water, its spray clinging to her hair and slicking her skin.
“Don’t come nearer!” Leukos barked, the sharp edge of fear unmistakable in his voice. He turned fully towards her, his hands twitching as though to reach out, but then stopped himself.
Alena’s heart hammered against her ribs. “I’m fine!” she called over the gushing water.
He stepped out from beneath the spray, and taking a final, defiant step, she closed the distance between them with a triumphant smile.
“You could’ve broken your neck,” he ground out. His broad shoulders tensed, each breath drawn tight with restraint, as if holding himself back was its own battle. Droplets traced the hard planes of his chest and ridges of his abdomen, catching the dim light like molten silver.
Alena’s pulse stammered, heat rising to her cheeks despite the cool mist clinging to her skin. Goosebumps prickled her arms. “It was worth the risk.”
Leukos’ jaw tightened. “What are you talking about? Godsdamnit, Alena, why do you keep putting yourself in danger for me time and time again?”
“Because you’re my soulmate!” The words tore from her in a rush of raw emotion. They echoed through the small space, ricocheting off the cliff at her back.
Leukos went still. The waterfall’s roar dulled, the world narrowing to the midnight depths of his gaze locked on hers.
He didn’t deny it. He didn’t pull away. Instead, his expression softened, layers of resistance falling away to reveal a quiet, resigned acceptance.
He’d known all along.
The visions, the dreams, the longing that had gnawed at her daily. He’d felt it, too.
“You’re my soulmate,” she repeated in a whisper.
“Yes.” Still, he didn’t move—rooted in place as if caught between yearning and fear.
Alena gathered herself and slowly raised her hand.
Leukos flinched, the movement barely perceptible. “Alena—”
“Trust me,” she breathed, her words steady despite the chaos inside her.
Because now, she knew the truth. She hadn’t dispelled the North Wind’s storm during the attack because she was the Omega.
It had been this—them. She was his soulmate. His Gift had known her even before she did.
Her fingertips brushed the sharp line of his jaw. She braced herself for the familiar sting of his magic, but the ice didn’t bite as it had before. Instead, it thrummed beneath her touch, a steady pulse like the ebb of a restrained tide.
A thrill shot through her, settling deep in her bones, the truth unfolding with undeniable clarity. She was Leukos’ soulmate—the North Wind’s magic knew her, answered her, and bent to her will.
Her fingers drifted over the hard planes of his chest before coming to rest against the steady beat of his heart.
Leukos tensed beneath her touch. His dark eyes searched hers, as if afraid the moment would vanish if he let himself trust it.
He hesitated, then lifted his hand and gently covered hers. His palm was warm, and when nothing happened—no surge of magic, no biting cold—his lips parted, a shaky breath escaping him.
Alena smiled. “The Cyprian knew,” she murmured. “I can help you keep it under control.”
Leukos’ eyes churned with emotions too vast to contain—hope, fear, disbelief. Yet he didn’t pull away.
The space between them seemed to shrink, and in that charged moment something shifted. A bond neither of them could ignore awakened, fragile yet undeniable.
Alena’s breath faltered. It was as if some missing piece of her had slid into place, silencing the ache and doubt that had haunted her for so long. She looked at Leukos, truly looked—and found the same raw longing reflected in his gaze.
His heart raced beneath her palm, and warmth unfurled within her, spreading outwards despite the icy chill of the waterfall’s mist. The force of it shook her—a love so consuming and absolute it burned through every thought and fear.
All she wanted was him.
“Touch me,” she whispered.
“I can’t.”
“You can.” She pressed closer. “Your Gift won’t harm me now. I promise. Touch me.”
Still, he resisted, every muscle in his body rigid with tension.
She frowned. “What are you so afraid of?”
Leukos dipped his head, his words a rough, tortured whisper. “That if I touch you now…” His hand rose, fingers trailing along the curve of her throat and down to her collarbone, stopping just above her chest. “I won’t be able to stop.”
His confession sent a shiver through her, and her pulse leapt in answer. “Then don’t.”
The words hung between them like a challenge. For a heartbeat neither moved—suspended in the taut pull between them.
Then his mouth claimed hers, stealing the breath from her lungs. One hand tangled in her hair, tugging her closer, while the other encircled her waist, pulling her flush against him. His warmth engulfed her, an inferno against her skin, as if his very touch could melt her.
His tongue teased her lips, and she opened for him, surrendering to the passion that ignited between them.
He growled against her mouth, the sound vibrating deep in her.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he half-carried her, feet skidding over the slick rock until her back met the rough cliff face.
The kiss was messy, unrestrained—the culmination of every moment of longing and fear they’d endured.
Each touch was a declaration of everything they couldn’t say, a release of the agony of being apart.
His hands roamed her with desperate intensity, leaving trails of fire across her skin.
She gripped his shoulders, her body arching into him as if she could somehow draw him even closer.
He was the air she’d been starving for and, with his lips on hers, she could breathe again.
When they finally broke apart, their chests heaved. Alena’s lips tingled, swollen from his fervent kiss. Her hands remained locked around his shoulders, afraid he might vanish if she let go.
Leukos’ dark eyes bore into hers, a mix of awe and something she couldn’t quite place flickering across his face. Then the corners of his mouth turned up, and a genuine smile broke free—like sunlight after a storm. It was radiant, unguarded, and so unlike the stoic prince she’d come to know.
“I’ve been wanting to do that,” he murmured, the warmth in his voice making her heart flutter, “for a very, very long time.”
His grin was infectious, and Alena couldn’t help but return it. Laughter bubbled up in her throat. “We could have done that sooner,” she teased, “if you hadn’t kept secrets from me… again.”
A flicker of regret crossed his face. “I know, love. I’m sorry, I just…”
He fell silent as his fingers trailed down her face, brushing over strands of her hair. The motion was reverent, as if now that he could touch her, he couldn’t bear to stop.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Alena pressed.
“I was going to,” he said, and she could see the truth written across his face.
“I’d planned to tell you before we set course for the Western Lands.
That’s why I was training so hard. I wanted to gain as much control as possible so that when you found out, I’d be able to hold you. If only for a moment.”
His words sent a pang through her chest, her heart aching for the pain and restraint he’d endured. She rose onto her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Well, you have me now, Leukos, Prince of Megara. All of me.”