Page 74 of A University of Betrayal

“If you don’t believe me, at least believe her.”

He pointed at the mirror and I saw his eyes turn yellow, as if he were a dangerous animal.

I backed away a little, but then remembered Julian’s words and that he was one of them and hopefully not interested in hurting me or uncontrolled.

Alarik pulled me back to the mirror, where I watched the veins on his neck and then on his forearm standing out in black, just like when I used to have my seizures.

I couldn’t stop staring at him. My gaze wandered back up to his yellow eyes. He smiled and nodded at me. Then I looked at my reflection... and froze.

Yellow eyes blinked at me, widening. I lifted my arms a bit – the dark veins standing out – and held them in front of my reflection’s eyes.

My skin tingled, and I could feel the blood pumping through my arteries. I felt my body with the same intensity as when I woke up from my coma, only even more intense. Every bit of life in my cells, I seemed to feel it.

“Do you believe me now?” Alarik asked calmly. I looked at him. His eyes were still glowing. “You belong with us and not with the Quatura.”

I looked at him, dumbfounded.

Nothingmade sense. At first, I was supposed to be a Quatura, like my mother, but now? A Senseque? A goddamnwerewolf?

There was no need to deny what I saw in front of me. My nightmare had come true.

“I think I need a minute.”

I was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Alarik smiled. A smile that made me stare at him for a moment because it reminded me of someone else, then the thought faded, and I ran to the couch to let myself fall.

“I don’t know what to say right now. Maybe I really am dreaming. It’s just that I’ve never dreamed this long before, and it’s so absurd... I’ve never read any werewolf books and...”

I still couldn’t believe that had just beenmein the mirror.

“And you’ve never turned before. Am I right?”

I looked at him. He had sat down again, supporting himself with his elbows on his knees. His eyes were the soft green again.

“I think I would remember that,” I said quickly.

My knees were shaking a little.

I was a werewolf.Holy shit?

“Something may have blocked your transformation, but I can’t be more specific about that.”

“I thought I was sick. These veins standing out... I thought they were part of my disease.”

“Disease? What disease?” Alarik raised his eyebrows.

“I always had headaches and then these veins appeared.”

“Very peculiar...” Alarik replied with a strained look.

What was even more peculiar was that I hadn’t had the pain until today. “...since the bite.”

“The bite...” he murmured thoughtfully. “You being one of us explains why you survived it. Senseque are extremely strong, especially females.”

“It still doesn’t make sense. My mother is a Quatura, so shouldn’t I be one, too?”

“Apparently not necessarily. That’s the part that’s concerning me the most right now.”

---