The Mark of an Alpha
Chapter 17

There is an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Andrew takes over in welcoming Alpha Hunter into our home.

As I walk straight into my room I can feel his eyes on me as I close the door. My wolf is uneasy with me. I have been in the alpha’s circle my whole life and I have never heard of him.

We’ve never seen him before. She pulls his face front and center of our mind as we try to remember him.

I know. His golden eyes burn into mine as I try hard to place them but I know that we have never crossed paths.

It seems weird since my father would hold meetings at the packhouse all the time with other alpha’s close by and not once did I see Alpha Hunter, not even as a beta.

My wolf searches our mind. Face after face fills my mind, all the faces that came through the packhouse that we have seen walk in and out. Some are very familiar while others I remember vaguely, Hunter is not among any of them.

Maybe he is new to the position.

Maybe.

Maybe he challenged the alpha and won!

Then he must be a strong alpha. The news would have traveled through the packs about such victory.

I climb into bed curling up, pulling my blanket over my shoulder, I face my window.

The moon is high and bright the stars are like little specks of light in the vast dark blanket known as the sky. Staring at the moon always seems to calm me. It never fails to arrive just like the sun it is something that I can count on.

Are we going to have a good night's rest?

I sure hope so. It has been a while.

Forcing my eyes shut I will sleep to come to me. It is not so hard since I have not slept right for a couple of nights now. The darkness is a welcoming vision for both my wolf and me.

The warmth of his body against me makes me feel safe and peaceful.

“Melany,” his raspy voice brings a smile to my face.

“Hmm...” he stiffens against me.

“Why do you hold on?”

The peace within me vanishes and my eyebrows furrow together, “Hold on?”

“You know you’re no good for your pack. You can’t even keep your mate by your side. What makes you think your pack wants to stand by you?” His harsh words are like a slap across my face leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. “You couldn’t even help your father. This pack would be better off without you!” He hisses into my ear his breath sends a shiver through me.

How can he say that?

I turn to look at him and he is not by my side anymore but instead, he is standing a couple of feet away by my window.

“Marcus,” it comes out a hurt whisper. There is a flash of gold in his eyes, his wolf wants to surface.

“A she-wolf can’t take a males place in the wolf world.”

I gasp as his body starts to trembles his wolf is ready to burst through. My wolf is pulling at my core wanting me to allow her to surface as well. He is challenging me for my place in the pack. He broke me and now he wants the little I have left.

“Marcus, stop,” he drops to the ground and convulses.

No!

Move Melany!

My wolf bursts through the surface.

We can’t hurt him, I plea to my wolf.

My chest feels as it has been ripped open but this time it is my wolf doing the damage. Her pain runs deep into my veins and seeps into my blood.

I chose Marcus over her, over the being that stayed by my side when I needed someone.

My room starts to fade away, the darkness taking over the edges of my vision. My wolf howls loudly in my head, a heartbreaking howl. My vision starts to dim and Marcus starts fading as well.

“Blake!” Something pulls me forward and my mind jerks out of its sleeping stage. The pulsing pain on my forearms gives me the extra push to the surface.

“Marcus!” The word leaves my lips as I search for him in the darkness.

“Blake, wake up,” my body is jerked once again and this time my eyes focus on my surroundings.

My dimly lit room comes into view and there is no one in front of my window telling me it was all a dream. The relief washes through me like cold water being poured over my body. Gasping for air my hands fly to my face.

I’m still myself. I didn't shift in my sleep, I didn't lose control.

The silhouette moving towards the door brings my wolf close to the surface once again.

“Hey,” the person freezes and inhales deeply. Their scent is strong, it reminds me of the mossy trees in the forest.

“It’s me.” My eyes start to adjust to the darkness and I can see Alpha Hunter before me.

“What are you doing in my room?” I snap, grabbing hold of the covers and pulling them up to my chin.

“You were shouting so I came to see what was happening. I’m surprised that no one else is here as well.” I cannot make out his facial features in the darkness but I can see him shrugging.

Everyone is used to your nightmares already.

“My walls are supposed to be soundproof!” I growl rolling my eyes in annoyance but surprisingly not at him.

“Yeah maybe but your door was left ajar and I got up to get myself a glass of water and...”

“And?” I growl at him and my wolf snarls in my head not letting me think that she forgot what I did moments ago.

“Your screams made me think you were in trouble but it seems it was just a nightmare,” a nightmare it was, I sigh and lower my head.

“Sorry about that.” Andrew must have checked up on me and forgot to close the door.

“Are you okay?” He shifts his weight from one foot to another seeming uncomfortable.

The moonlight beams through and his eyes are worriedly trained on me. Inhaling deeply I glance at the window, it was a dream.

My heart is pounding away in my chest but I nod. My body suddenly feeling cold.

“Okay, then I’ll see you later today.” Alpha Hunter walks out of my bedroom and I sink back into my bed not wanting to let the darkness take over me again.

Kicking off my covers I jump out of my bed in frustration pacing the length of my bedroom, so much for a good night rest. My wolf is on edge and wants to work out her stress.

Don’t let him get to you!

Him? He was trying to help me out even though I didn’t need it.

I wasn’t talking about Hunter! She growls and her anger lashes through me.

My wolf has nowhere to run, to get away from me, at the moment. I can feel her anger, it is simmering down, but the heat in the pit of my stomach lets me know that it is far from over.

I’m sorry but I’m trying, God knows I am, but he seems to sneak in through the cracks and tear me apart from the inside out.

My wolf does not answer me instead she seethes and growls at the imagines of my nightmare.

I am wearing some short shorts that I only wear to sleep and a camisole. It is supposed to be cold out today but I do not care I walk to my door barefoot and pull my door open.

The dark halls are empty so I tiptoe out of my bedroom and make my way downstairs. There is no one out, it is too early for anyone to be awake. My hand grips the front door’s handle and I step outside.

The second my footsteps on the ground I am running my fingers travel to the hem of my shirt and pull it over my head in one swift motion, and then my fingers move to the waistband of my shorts and panties and pull them down together. My wolf is antsy waiting for me to let her out to let her roam free.

Hold on, girl.

Flinging my clothes behind me I stretch my legs further throwing my body forward letting my wolf surface. My paws hit the floor in record time feeling no pain.

My wolf and I may not be very compatible, in my eyes, but we have a strong bond. The closer you are to your wolf the more control you have over it. We might not have the strongest bond out of the pack we at least know where our faults are and we can work on them.

Most werewolves do not have a bond with their inner wolf so they lose control every time they shift. When they are in wolf form their wolf wreaks havoc. Then the person needs to decide whether they want to let go of their wolf, meaning stop shifting all together and eventually lose all connection with their wolf. Or risk being banished and becoming a rogue.

My wolf is running alongside a creek as the sound of a moose makes her growl as her animalistic side wants to take over.

Moose? Or else I will starve!

Dramatic much? Go for it!

I hate eating in wolf form but I have neglected my wolf for too long.

She needs moments to control her body. I allow this. We both become closer when we have a chance to surface and do what we love. Hunting is dreadful for me. Blood and skin ripping is just not appealing in my eyes.

I am too distracted by my thoughts that when the silence of the forest finally hits me, it is too late. No animals are running around, no birds chirping, and the moose is not moving. Silence like this means one thing.

The hunter has now become the hunted.

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