The Alphas' Daughter (Alpha Eyes: Book 2)

Chapter 18

Two weeks later

I pushed the balcony door open and stared at the gorgeous Grecian scenery before me. The ocean sparkled in the morning sunlight, and a gentle breeze drifted off the water. The overnight rain washed the earth and made it smell fresh. This place was the essence of peace and rest.

Something fluttered in my abdomen. Okay, it was more of a kick than a flutter. I sucked in a breath and pressed a hand against my stomach. Oh, baby...this was something different. Just when I thought the kick had passed, another one sparked something deep inside me to life.

A wave of power surged through my veins. My wolf reared to attention and yet bowed to something more powerful than her. I could feel my eyes glaze over as the power within overtook my wolf. It freaked me out a bit that I didn't have control, yet I wasn't scared of whatever this was.

Karina...

The voice echoed in my head. She sounded similar to my wolf, but clearly wasn't. She was calming and reassuring, a force to be reckoned with.

Karina, it's a pleasure to meet you.

"Likewise..." I didn't know who I was addressing, but I couldn't help but answer.

I know you're probably a bit overwhelmed by me right now, but I promise that I mean no harm. In fact, I'm dormant more than active, she promised.

"So, who and what are you exactly?"

She chuckled. My name is Amy. I am what is called a guardian. My job is to help you when you need it, give you extra strength, and guide you through tough patches of life.

"And how do you relate with my wolf?" I had to ask.

She and I understand each other, Amy explained. We each have our roles to play.

"So why did you come out like this now? Do you sense something that I don't?"

Oh no! Nothing like that. I just wanted to introduce myself because I'll be stepping forward more. Now that you have a baby on the way, you'll need me more.

Something clicked in my head, and I think I understood.

"Are you the power of my family line? ...the unknown power they could never understand?"

I could almost feel her shrug. I wasn't fully developed yet in your ancestors. They would have abused and drained me until I had nothing left to give. You are the first one who has met me. Your mother was almost ready, but I transferred to you before I could show her.

Well that was news I hadn't expected. So my family's secret power was no longer a secret. My parents would be happy to know that their heiress had cracked the code.

I'm here to help you, she promised. You and your baby will always be safe with me around.

As smoothly as she'd come, she slipped back into the recesses of my mind. The power surge died away, and the glaze left my eyes. Like waking up from a dream, I stepped back into being me.

"Morning." Lucas wrapped his arms around me from behind. His touch sent warm tingles all through my body and set my wolf purring. I leaned back against him and hummed. Together, we stared out at the amazing Greek scenery.

"You're up early," he murmured against my neck, inches from his mark. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I turned my head and kissed his cheek. "I just wanted to see the sunrise."

He spread his fingers over my abdomen and caressed my future baby bump. "And this little one?"

Another kick answered his question. We both smiled and waited for any other responses from our wee wolf. After a calm minute, Lucas sighed and kissed my cheek. "Our first day in Greece. What would my baby momma like to do?"

I tightened my hold on his arms and took a deep breath of fresh sea air. "I would love to sit by the beach, soak up some sun, and spend time with you. Nothing big on day one, yeah?"

"I like this idea a lot." He kissed his mark on my neck, sending an explosion of sparks across my skin. "Hopefully a day of rest will help you feel better."

We watched the sun for a few more minutes. Even as the warmth heated my skin, I shivered. My 'meeting' with Amy had brought up a lot of questions that wouldn't be answered any time soon. I could only hope that she would resurface and tell me more about herself.

"Hey." Lucas spun me around to face him and clasped his hands behind my back. "Are you sure you're okay? Is the baby bothering you?"

I placed my palms on his chest and watched him relax under my touch. He hadn't gone completely alpha lycan protective on me yet, but it was nice to know that I could still calm him down.

"We're both fine," I assured him. "I had something of a break-through this morning, and the details are a bit mind-boggling. I don't know what to make of it."

He cocked his head to the side. "What kind of break-through? Is it about your family's secret power?"

"Yes, actually." I raised up on my toes and pecked his lips. "Why don't we order breakfast, and I'll tell you all about it."

Lucas

They sat on the balcony overlooking the ocean. The breakfast dishes were neatly piled on the tray waiting for the staff to pick it up. Karina stared out at the water, her fingers wrapped around her coffee cup and her feet propped up on his lap. She'd told him about her introduction to her 'guardian,' the mysterious family power that no one had been able to explain.

He took a sip of coffee and used his free hand to rub her ankle. While he wasn't exactly thrilled that there was "someone" else protecting his mate, he was glad that they'd solved this little mystery. Without the worry and stress of not knowing what they were dealing with, she could take better care of herself and their baby.

"I'm glad that you know now," he sighed. "And I'm even more glad that this Amy character is here to help you in any way possible."

She smiled at him, the twinkle in her eyes setting his heart thumping. Gosh, his mate was the cutest thing on the planet. He could stare at her all day and never get bored.

"Seeing you go to war against a part of me would certainly be something," she giggled. "I confess that I have even more questions now than before. I might be more scared now, but at least I have you to help me through it." She took a long drink of tea and leaned her head back against the chair.

A tight knot formed in his stomach. She certainly looked as scared as she said, and that made him scared for her.

"What are you most scared of, Karina?"

She stared up at the sky for a minute. "I don't want to become even more of a target than I already am. If word gets out that I am some sort of protector, who knows what kind of attention it will draw."

"Like you said," he said, squeezing her ankle, "we'll sort through it together. Don't worry. We'll be fine."

She lifted her head and smiled at him again. "I'm counting on you."