Page 37 of The Possessive Alpha’s Reborn Luna

He puffed his chest out, looking so smug I couldn't help but laugh.

My tension eased.

Caspar smiled back.

Then his smile froze. His hand lifted slowly to touch the birthmark on my cheek.

"Wait," shock filled his voice. "Alice, your birthmark—it's much fainter."

"What?" My eyes went wide. I rushed to the mirror.

My reflection stared back. And I saw the deep purple birthmark that had covered half my face since birth...

It really was fading. The dark purple had turned pale, and in some places it had vanished entirely, revealing white skin beneath.

I raised a trembling hand to touch my face.

How come?

"What's happening?" My voice shook.

Caspar came to my side, eyes bright with joy. "But this is wonderful! Alice, your birthmark is disappearing! Do you know what this means?"

"You'll be beautiful! Everyone who said you were cursed will shut up! You—"

"Caspar!" I spun around, cutting off his excitement. "Please, no one can know about this. Pretend you didn't see anything."

"Why?" He looked confused. "This is good news."

"Promise me!" My voice turned pleading. "Please, don't tell anyone. Especially... especially Cedric."

I didn't know how to tell him I wanted to leave the palace. Couldn't tell him what I'd been through. This birthmark fading now wasn't good—it could cause more trouble.

Caspar looked at me. Complex emotions flickered in his eyes.

"All right." He finally nodded. "I promise."

Relief flooded through me. I turned to my cabinet and rummaged through it. I found a bottle of dark pigment and painted it over my face until the exposed skin was covered again. I looked like myself—the girl with the massive birthmark.

"Alice..." Worry colored Caspar's voice. "Are you hiding something? What happened? What can I do?"

My hand stilled.

Should I tell him? Tell him about the rebirth? That I knew the future? That I needed his help to fake my death and escape?

I turned to face his concerned expression.

Caspar had always been my best friend. He'd stayed with me through so much. Until he came of age and his family sent him to the border for training—we'd been apart for years. When he returned and became Cedric's most trusted deputy, he'd witnessed my love for Cedric. And all that pain.

I remembered—last time, Cedric suspected something between us and punished him severely.

I couldn't hurt him. Couldn't let him suffer because of me.

"Nothing." I forced a smile. "I just... just want to wait until the birthmark's completely gone before I tell anyone."

Caspar studied me, doubt in his eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "Besides, if I told people now, they'd say I used dark magic. That I'm a Black Witch..."