Marked Twice by the Alpha King novel Chapter 124

Ella’s jaw dropped like shed berk hit with a stun gun. The air between us suddenly fell thick enough to cut with a knife.

The Alpha King?” she whispered, eyes

wide as saucers.

“He has happened to be around,” 1 shugged, trying to sound casual. “Part of the job description, I guess.”

Ella gave me a long look, then shook her head. “Whatever you say. Just glad you’re okay. But if Steven shows his face around here again, I’ll knock some sense into him myself.”

Iled, relieved she was letting it slide. Some things are better left unsaid, even to your bestie.

“Forget about me,” I said, smoothly changing the subject. “You should see Lucas these days. Kid’s on fire. Might end up the youngest elite fighter the pack’s ever had.

Ella took the bait, though I might the skeptical glances she kept throwing my way. Crisis averted–for now.

After wrapping up afternoon training, I did a quick sweep of the grounds as the sky turned dusty purple, Lucas had crushed it today, making me both proud and worried. What would happen to him if people found out about me and his dad?

Lost in my head, I almost missed the ordinary car parked in the shadows until the window rolled down, revealing those storm–gray eyes I’d know anywhere-

My pulse jumped. No fancy pack carriage with the Silverpeak emblem–st a regular human vehicle that wouldn’t catch anyone’s eye. Smart move.

“Hop in,” Blake said quietly.

After a quick check for familiar faces, I slipped into the passenger seat.

“Talk about playing with fire,” I said, my body humming with the forbidden thrill of it

God, I shouldn’t love this dangerous game so much, but the rush

was addictive. “Could’ve just sent a mind–message instead of showing up.”

Needed to see you,” he said, eyes on the road but voice soft around the edges. “Been thinking about you all day.”

His words hit me right in the chest. Playing boss and employee whenever we crossed paths was worse than any training session I’d ever ren

*Wah, me too,” I admitted quietly,

Blake steeted us down a forgotten dirt path. “Human cars have their perks,” he said. “Nobody looks awice at this thing”

“Good thinking.” I said, admiring how careful he was being about our secret meetings.

“Found us somewhere,” he added. “Somewhere safe.”

My heart did a little dance. Somewhere we could just be us, even for a little while. Over the past month, we’d gotten pretty good at stealing moments when nobody was looking, then snapping back into our roles. Exhausting, but worth every second.

The car pushed deeper into the woods along a barely–there trail. Through the trees, I spotted a small cabin. Nothing fancy, nothing like the massive Blackwood Manor, but it had that unmistakable feeling of security that followed Blake everywhere,

“What’s this place?ked.

“My hunting cabin.” Blake said, killing the engine. “Only Tyler knows about it.”

A warm feeling spread through me. Sharing his secret hideaway meant more than he probably realized.

Before we reached the door, he pulled me against him, kissing me like a man who’d been drowning. Every muscle in his body was tight, ready to inap.

1/3

Chapter 124

watching you with Lucas very day, he murmured against

Gozell me about it,, Fauld, ineliung inle him. Evity time there the wolven look at you like you’re dinner

“Jealoun?” His mouth curved into that rocky smile I secretly loved.

“Maybe, I nipped his bottom lip. “But mostly scared that someday you’ll wake up and wonder what you’re doing with someone like me?

His face tormed serima, hands framing my face. ‘Don’t ever think that. You’re everything, Ava. If i could, I’d tell the whole damn world you’re notë tomorrow.”

We Liced again, slow and deep, saying everything we couldn’t put into words,

Inside, the cabin was simple but rury, with a crackling fler that filled the space with warmth. In the corner, I spotted my favorite clothes, even my forky training knife.

“How long have you been setting this up?” I asked

“Since we decided to keep things quiet; he said. “Needed somewhere we could just be ourselves.”

Looking around our little sanctuary, something swelled Th my chest. Here, we weren’t Alpha King and Shadow Creek warrior–just Blake and Ava, two prople who found each other against all odds.

His fingers traced my cheek, eyes darkening. “We’ve got two hour.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck, smiling. “Better make them count, then.“

Third Person POV

A month slipped by, bringing autumn’s first bite to Blackwood Manor. Red and gold leaves dotted the grounds like nature’s way of saying nothing stays the same forever.

Life at the manor looked normal enough, but anyone paying attention could spot the changes. Blake moved through his duties with sharper focus, yet sometimes drifted miles away in his thoughts. Ava pushed harder in training, taking unusual pride in Lucas’s achievements. And Wilson’s knowing en flickered between them, face blank but missing nothing.

In Jackson’s bedroom, tension hung in the air like sake. Sophia perched on the bed, hands twisted together, eyes red–rimmed.

“Just disappeared,” she said for the hundredth time that month. “Not even a goodbye note. Just packed up and left for the Northern Pack.”

Jackson rubbed her back automatically, barely listening to the familiar complaint about Steven’s sudden exit