Marked Twice by the Alpha King novel Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Ava’s POV

“Dinner? With me?‘ I blinked, caught off guard by Lucas’s invitation.

Wilson’s mouth pinched like he’d bitten a lemon, but he nodded. “Kitchen’s already set a place for you.” The don’t–screw–this–up undertone in his voice couldn’t have been clearer.

Lucas scuffed his boot against the floor, his tough–guy mask slipping. “Dad’s always stuck in meetings. Sophia’s never around since Jackson put that ring on her finger. His shoulders hunched. “Wilson usually sits with me, but he’s busy tonight.”

He lowered his voice. “This place is huge when you’re eating alone.”

My chest tightened. After this morning’s scroll incident, I could see beyond the bratty exterior. This wasn’t just some spoiled Alpha kid – he was a lonely boy desperate for attention.

“Count me in,‘ I said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “After we eat, I’ll show you some kick–ass wolf tactics.”

The kid lit up like I’d handed him Christmas. He grabbed my arm and practically dragged me toward the dining hall, his excitement rolling off him in waves.

Wilson’s suspicious glare followed us out. Clearly, he wasn’t thrilled about Lucas’s instant trust in me.

The dining room was ridiculous – all vaulted ceilings and stone fireplaces straight out of a medieval castle. An oak table that could seat thirty had exactly one place setting at the far end. The sight of that lonely little plate hit me harder than expected.

A server hurriedly set another place beside Lucas’s, shooting me a nervous smile. At the head of the table loomed Blake’s empty chair – bigger than the others, a not–so–subtle reminder of who really ran this show.

The meal came – fancy bison with roasted roots, traditional pack food loaded with protein and whatever else growing werewolves needed. My stomach growled so loud the server probably heard it.

First bite, and I couldn’t hold back a groan of satisfaction. Meanwhile, my mark hummed warm against my skin, way different from its usual burning pain. Being in Blake’s territory felt weirdly… right.

“Kids at Academy can’t even half–shift,” Lucas said between bites. “Dad says I’m special, but that means no playing like normal cubs.”

“No fun allowed, huh?” I asked, savoring the perfectly cooked meat.

‘Alpha’s kids gotta act proper. He rattled it off like a line he’d memorized. “Setting examples and stuff.”

I put down my fork. “That’s bullshit. His eyes widened at my language. “Even the toughest wolves need to cut loose sometimes. My dad always said balance matters most – be a warrior when it counts, but don’t forget to actually live.”

Lucas chewed on that thought along with his food. Watching him enjoy having company made me realize I actually wanted to help him – not just to get closer to his dad and save mine.

After dinner, I stood to help clear plates – force of habit from home. The server looked horrified.

“We handle that, Miss Rivers, she insisted.

Lucas nodded. ‘Everyone’s got their job here.”

‘Sure,‘ I said, “but saying thanks never killed anyone. Respecting people’s work is what makes a good warrior, not just knowing how to fight.”

Lucas mulled this over before bouncing up. “Can we do those tactics now?” He practically vibrated with excitement.

‘Definitely. But we’re learning the fun way.”

The sitting room looked like a cozy museum – ancient weapons on walls, stupidly comfortable leather furniture, and an elaborate ‘Wolf Hunt board game in the center. Not your average Monopoly – this was how pack leaders had trained young warriors for generations.

I flopped onto the couch beside Lucas and grabbed a playing piece. “See this? Alpha – moves slow but packs a punch. These fast ones are Gammas – quick but need backup. And these little guys?” I picked up smaller pieces. “Regular pack wolves. Weak alone, deadly together.”

R

I hesitated, then ruffled his hair. “You’ve earned it, champ. But tomorrow we’re back to the sweaty stuff before any more games. Deal?”

We played another half hour, laughing at bold moves and sneaky traps. Hunter occasionally grumbled his “expert” opinions from the floor.