Marked Twice by the Alpha King novel Chapter 62

Chapter 62

“You okay?” I managed, trying to sound normal and failing.

Her chin jerked up in that stubborn way that drove me crazy. “Fine.”

My temper flared. “Fine? That’s it? I walk in and find Jackson manhandling you, and all you’ve got is fine‘?”

“What do you want me to say?” She yanked her combat jacket straight. “Thanks for the save, now I’ll get back to work?”

I stepped closer, crowding her space. “I want to know why my daughter’s fiancé had his hands all over you.”

Her eyes flashed, bright green fire. “You think I wanted him to touch me? Are you serious right now?”

“You must have given him some reason-

“Oh, that’s rich.” She jabbed a finger at my chest. “Blame the victim. Real Alpha move.”

I caught her wrist. “A trained warrior like you could have broken free if you really wanted to.”

The second the words left my mouth, I regretted them. Her face went blank with shock, then flooded with hurt before hardening into fury.

“Fuck you, Blake.” Her voice dropped dangerously low. “Let go of me.”

I released her wrist like it burned. What the hell was wrong with me? I knew Jackson was the aggressor. I’d seen it with my own eyes.

“Ava, I didn’t mean-”

The door swung open. Sophia walked in first, her smile bright, followed by Lucas and–goddammit–Jackson. How had that snake composed himself so quickly? He slunk in behind my children, keeping Sophia between us like a shield.

“There you are!” Sophia beamed. “We’ve been looking everywhere.” Her eyes darted between me and Ava, picking up on the tension crackling in the air. “Everything okay?”

Lucas peered around his sister. “Dad? What’s wrong? Your eyes are still gold.”

I forced myself to breathe. My wolf pulled back reluctantly, claws retracting.

“Training discussion got heated,” I lied, watching Jackson hover near the door, unable to meet my gaze. Good. At least he knew his place now.

Sophia nudged Lucas. “Tell Dad what the kitchen said.”

Lucas bounced on his toes, momentarily distracted. “Chef says dinner’s gonna be super late ‘cause they messed up the moonlight herbs!” His disappointment quickly shifted to hope. “But maybe we could go somewhere instead? All of us? Like old times?”

The naked longing in his voice made my chest ache. When was the last time I’d taken my son anywhere that wasn’t pack business?

Lucas would be disappointed,” I countered, ignoring the real reason I wanted her there. “And we have unfinished business.”

A flicker of something crossed her face–wariness, curiosity, maybe a hint of that attraction she tried so hard to hide. She glanced at Lucas’s hopeful expression and sighed.