All Chapters of Marked by Midnight : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

50 Chapters

Chapter Forty-one

EvaThe rain hammering down on the roof of Colin's car as we pull up to the Monteal mansion, traps us within. It's pouring cats and dogs. Thick sheets of water slashing across the windshield, blurring the world into a gray, watery haze. For the first time since I'd arrived here, I'm witnessing rain. My first rain in this new place.I roll down the window just a crack, ignoring the spray that immediately dots my face, and breathe in deep. The scent hits me like an old friend—fresh, earthy and alive. The smell of wet soil. One of my favorite smells in the world. My chest aches with something bittersweet.Would the moon also shine tonight? I wonder in my head, staring up at the heavy clouds. Probably not. Or it may. Nothing surprises me here anymore, for real. "What are you doing, Eva? Trying to drown yourself through the window?" Colin asks with a low chuckle. He kills the engine and glances over at me. I pull back slightly, smiling as droplets cling to m

Chapter Forty-two

ShawnColin and I quietly descend the stairs, a little bit of the tension from our earlier conversations, still lingering between us. The moment my foot hits the next step, I hear Alice’s voice, sharp and frantic, cutting through the hallway like a blade.“Eva!”My pulse kicks up instantly, and I increase my pace, taking the rest of the stairs two at a time. “Alice? What happened?”She spins around, eyes wide, scanning every corner of the entrance hall as if Eva would magically appear from the shadows. “I’m looking for Eva. We were practicing together in the training room just minutes ago. My subordinate called me out for a quick report. When I got back inside… she was gone.”Colin steps forward, frowning. “Maybe she went up to her room briefly?”Alice shakes her head hard, strands of hair sticking to her damp forehead. “No way. I was standing right in front of the door the entire time I was talking to him. There’s no way she'd have gone up without me seeing h

Chapter Forty-three

ShawnThe rain hasn’t stopped, it’s just… softened a bit. The rod-like drops that had just recently hammered down on my Eva, are now reduced to thin streaks of tired tears, sliding down the glass.The cold lingers too, creeping into the room despite the fire, despite everything.I stand by the bed, looking down at Eva.She’s finally still.Wrapped properly beneath the sheets after that hot bath. Her breathing is soft and steady, but her face… It's too pale. Drained in a way that twists something deep in my chest. Like whatever happened out there didn’t just touch her body—it reached further.A sharp knock sounds that makes me turn instantly. I move before it comes again. She doesn’t need the noise.Carefully, I open the door, keeping it as quiet as possible. Alice stands there first. Behind her is Ophelia. And just beyond them, Colin, of course. “Alice,” I murmur.“She’s here,” she says softly, nodding toward Ophelia.I glance past them once, then step back, o

Chapter Forty-four

Shawn A large oak table dominated the meeting room, our usual spot for meetings like this one. Its polished surface glistens with the shine aided by the muted light that filters through the tall windows. I'm sitting on the North side, my back, ramrod straight against the heavy chair carved with runes of our territory. Colin claims the West, Kaal lounges on the South, and Maureen holds the Central position with her usual composed grace—yes, a woman, and one who had earned that seat through blood and cunning. A cunning very much deserved. She used it like Alice uses her blades –masterfully. The East spot remains glaringly empty, a vacant wound in our circle of five. It's been like this for years, we've gotten used to it. The servants had just finished setting down steaming cups of tea and slipped out quietly, the heavy door closing behind the last one. In the air, the faint scent of herbs and polished wood, of course, carries with it a sense of nostalgia of

Chapter Forty-five

Eva “See? I’m totally fine. No weakness, no dizziness, nothing. I can train today.” I say as I stretch my arms high over my head, feeling the pleasant pull in my shoulders, then widen my stance and bounce lightly on my toes. A small jump follows, and I land softly, grinning at Alice.She shakes her head, arms crossed tightly over her chest. “No way. Shawn will kill me if he finds out I let you train after what happened yesterday.”I roll my eyes, my arms listless by the sides, I drop to the chair. “Oh, come on. Pay no attention to Shawn. He’ll probably just grumble and glare at everyone for an hour, but that’s it. I’m not sitting around doing nothing all day.”Alice stares at me for a long moment, her lips pressed into a thin line. Then, slowly, a smile creeps across her face.“You know what?” she says, tilting her head. “Today’s actually our free day. We get to take a break.”I open my mouth. “But—”“Trust me,” she cuts in gently, “you’ll be grateful for tod

Chapter Forty-six

EvaIt’s my first time in the library, and I don’t think I was prepared for how it would feel.The air is thick with the scent of old paper and ink, something dry and ancient that settles into my lungs and wraps around me, musty, earthy and strangely comforting. Shelves stretch endlessly, towering and packed with books that looks like they’ve been here for centuries. Silence covers the entire hall, broken only by the occasional rustle of a book's page open on the table by the window or the distant creak of wooden shelves. There’s a serenity here that felt almost sacred, urging you to just stay calm and blend into the peacefulness. Shawn had asked me to meet him in the library after I’d requested to see him. I choose a corner near one of the tall arched windows, where soft daylight filters through patterned glass and colourful, faint paint streaks strewn across the long oak table. I sit with my hands folded in my lap, trying to calm the nervous flutter in

Chapter Forty-seven

ShawnWe arrive at Ophelia's domain, Eva’s hand tucked firmly in mine, the cool evening air carrying the sharp tang of burning sage, damp stone and old incense that clings stubbornly to the back of my throat. I can almost taste it. The main shrine looms around us, all towering carved pillars and the flickering silver moonlight filtering through narrow slits high above, casting long, eerie shadows that dance across the cold floors. It feels sacred, distant, and unwelcoming, like always, and I'm forced to recall my childhood days, being at this place, although a lot has changed infrastructurally-wise, the vibe of the place still remains intact. Ophelia emerges from a side passage, her midnight blue robes lightly caressing the ground. Her eyes widen the moment she sees us, eyebrows shooting up in genuine surprise. No one had sent word ahead. Intentionally.“Alpha Shawn,” she says, voice smooth but edged with the surprise her face failed to hide. “And… Eva. I

Chapter Forty-eight

Eva The night is darker than I remember, or maybe I had simply never paid enough attention before. The path that leads from Ophelia's place is almost empty now, the usual quiet replaced by distant, haunting howls that rise and fall as if in union, but at the same time scattered. I haven’t noticed them this much either, until tonight. Probably because I have spent most of my time locked away inside the mansion, and the few times I had stepped out, it had always been during the day—never when the wolves come alive under the moon.The drive back from Ophelia's shrine is too quiet. The only interruptions being the occasional gentle squeezes Shawn gives my hand whenever he senses my thoughts drifting too far. I keep replaying Ophelia’s words in my head, turning them over like fragile glass, afraid they might shatter if I examine them too closely.“The howls,” I say suddenly, breaking the silence… and my thoughts. “I’ve never noticed them before.”“Yes. That’s bec

Chapter Forty-nine

Shawn I stride into Velcar’s hall with my men flanking me like at both sides, their boots echoing off the cold stone floors. The air smells of old wood as it always does, incense, and something else – secrets maybe, or just the residue of whatever foul magic he’s been dabbling in lately. Velcar stands at the far end, tall and imposing as ever, his shoulders squared like he owns the damn wind itself. Even from this distance, the slight shift of his eyes away from mine tells me everything I need to know. His posture is still daunting, yet he is every bit the coward I remember.“Shawn,” he drawls, spreading his arms in a mockery of welcome. “You’ve finally graced my humble abode. I’ve been expecting you.”I stop a few paces away, still studying him. My wolf stirs beneath my skin, restless. Expecting us? Interesting. Who whispered in your ear this time, Velcar? Ophelia? My hands ball into a fist, that I easily let go of. Not my current issue. “How did you kno

Chapter Fifty

EvaThe wooden sticks crack against each other in rapid succession, the impact vibrating up my arms.“Again,” Alice commands, her voice sharp and steady. “Keep your elbows in. Don’t telegraph the swing.”It's probably a good thing she'd given me a whole day to rest. I adjust my grip, sweat already slicking my palms, and lunge forward. Our makeshift training daggers meet with a loud thwack, and I'm genuinely surprised there's no crack on either of them. I wonder what they're made of. Pivoting just like she had taught me, I try to hook her weapon away, but she twists at the last second and sends my stick flying from my hand. It clatters against the far wall.“Better,” she says, though her tone doesn’t soften. “Again. Faster this time. Your wolf’s strength means nothing if your form is sloppy.”I retrieve the stick, breathing hard. My muscles burn, but there’s something satisfying in the repetition, in pushing myself under her relentless instruction. We fall back

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