JEOPARDY: The Cursed Soldier.

25. Cinderella

Kayla looked at Markos. Like really looked at him.

Not as Alex's best friend. But as the person who could answer her questions or find the answer to her questions and keep it a secret. Even from his best friend.

Since she had found out that she had this weird, disturbing connection with Alex, two days ago, she had been looking into it (In other words, she had asked Rebecca about it). And Rebecca had referred her to three people.

Beta Landon, Gamma Andreas, and Markos.

The first two were obviously out of question. She was supposed to steer clear of the beta to keep him from discovering that she was her mama's daughter. And she didn't see herself asking their rigid, always glowering Gamma about her feelings.

It just didn't feel right.

On the other hand, as broody as Markos was, he had something accommodating about him. Something that made her feel like she could try to ask him and he would answer her. And not tell the subject of her inquiry.

"Before I say anything. I want you to swear on your epsilon's honor that you won't mention any of this to anyone."

Markos didn't even take a moment to think. He just nodded. "I swear by my honor as epsilon and heir to title Gamma that I won't betray any of what we will discuss."

Kayla nodded and landed both of her hands on the rough material covering her thighs. "I want to know what it means when a werewolf can feel another werewolf's feelings and emotions."

Markos dragged his intense brown eyes over her face. Trying to read her. But she had expected that, so her face was already the very example of an untouched blackboard. Empty.

His eyes moved to the rest of her body and she unconsciously went rigid and straight. Her epsilon posture. Still giving him nothing.

One edge of his lips twitched. "Are these wolves of the same position?"

Kayla nodded.

"Same clan?"

Kayla shook her head. "No, they are not."

Markos' fingers tapped on the smooth hardwood of his table as he pursed his lips. "It could mean several things, but I would rather do some more research on it before I say something."

That wasn't good enough. She had simmered in that question for 48 hours. She needed more than I will get back to you. Kayla needed clues. She needed something to hold on to as she waited. "Several things. Like?"

"I would rather tell you when I'm certain."

"Can't you just give me some hints?" That came out like a little too forceful, so she softened her tone but not her demeanor. "Please, I need something to work with."

Kayla locked their gazes and pressed her urgency into him. Suddenly something fiery flashed through her body just as Markos' eyes flickered from brown to steel-blue and then widened in shock.

Markos went absolutely rigid, but his wide brown eyes, filled with shock, ran over Kayla's form. Kayla was equally shocked at whatever had just happened, but she couldn't let him see that. So she just closed up and forced herself to stand.

"Will you keep staring at me, or will you give me something to go with?"

At the sharpness of her tone, Markos' eyes lost their shock and turned cold and Gamma-like. His face hardening and his lips tightening, he raised those cold eyes to hers. "I will give you something better. I will tell you that Alex also wonders about his connection to you."—Kayla's eyes widened. Markos' lips twitched—"No, he doesn't feel what you feel. But his wolf is alarmingly protective of you. Quite unnatural, if you ask me.