Marked Twice by the Alpha King novel Chapter 86

Blake’s POV

In the dead of night, Blackwood Manor lay silent and dark, except for the training room light still burning. I stood in the center, shirtless, sweat coating my muscles. Each strike against the training dummy carried enough force to cripple an ordinary wolf. This had been my ritual for years–when my mind was restless, my body paid the price.

Tonight, though, the dummy wasn’t enough to drain what was building inside me.

“Thought you’d hit the sack early tonight, Tyler’s voice came from the doorway.

I didn’t break rhythm, continuing to pound the dummy. “Can’t sleep.”

Tyler stepped into the room wearing simple training gear. “Obviously. Your sleep’s gone to hell since that girl showed up.”

I stopped mid–punch, turning to face him. “It’s not about her.”

Tyler raised an eyebrow. “How long have we known each other? Twenty years? Thirty? You can bullshit the council, the elders, even yourself, but you can’t bullshit me.”

I stayed quiet for a beat, wiping sweat from my forehead. “Spar with me.”

No more words needed, Tyler instantly dropped into fighting stance. We launched into an intense match–no weapons, just pure physical confrontation. This wasn’t training; it was two wolves testing each other. Tyler was one of the few who could hold his own against me. Though he couldn’t match an Alpha King’s raw power, his technique and experience made him a genuine challenge.

Sweat flew as we fought to exhaustion. Finally, I swept Tyler’s legs out from under him, but he rolled immediately back to his feet, and we locked up again.

“You’re worried about Steven and Ava,” Tyler said during a brief pause, “or are you worried about what you feel for her?”

I didn’t answer, but my attacks grew fiercer. Tyler was forced back, yet he didn’t yield. “Elizabeth’s been gone seven years, Blake. She wouldn’t want you alone forever.”

“Enough!” I growled, landing a punch to Tyler’s chest that sent him sliding several meters. “Don’t bring her into this.”

Tyler sat on the floor, breathing hard. “Then face what you’re feeling now. This isn’t about Lucas’s training. You’re scared Ava might turn to Steven.”

“She wears Jackson’s mark,” I turned toward the water jug, pouring myself a drink. “Whatever I feel doesn’t matter. She belongs to someone else.”

“Marks can change, Tyler stood up. “Her connection with Jackson is already broken. You said it yourself–her mark is changing.”

I downed the water in one gulp. “So what? I’m the Alpha King. She’s a temporary employee. My daughter’s about to marry her ex–fated mate. There are too many complications.”

“So you’d rather watch her end up with Steven?” Tyler asked.

My grip tightened around the cup until it nearly shattered. “She has the right to choose her own life.”

“You’re a terrible liar,” Tyler chuckled. “At least to me.”

I set down the cup and walked to the window. Moonlight cut across my face, highlighting harsh angles. “I can’t mess everything up because of selfish desires. Sophia’s wedding, Shadow Creek’s stability, Lucas’s training–none of it can be disrupted.”

“Elizabeth,” I whispered to the moon hanging in the night sky, “forgive my weakness.”

“Have you considered that maybe your happiness matters too? Tyler came to stand beside me. “As Alpha King, you’re always thinking about others, but you’re still a wolf, Blake. You have the right to chase what you want.”

I stared out at the moonlit forest, peaceful and beautiful. “What I want and what I should do rarely line up.”

“So you’ll just watch her become your nephew’s mate?”

I didn’t answer, but my silence was loud enough,

Third Person’s POV

Curiosity pulled him down the corridor, Hunter padding behind him. As he neared the training room, he caught his father’s conversation with Tyler. He’d never heard his dad speak so openly about his feelings, especially regarding his mother.