Marked by the Alpha Team (Luna Merrick) novel Chapter 133

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Chapter 133

Third-person POV

Theo felt off immediately after getting off the phone with Luna. The conversation hack lasted less than a minute, yet something about it refused to sit right with him. The way she had called out of nowhere had already been surprising enoug since Luna was not exactly the type to call him first. In fact, most of the time, getting her to answer his calls felt like a small victory.

Then there was the way she had sounded. She hadn’t seemed angry exactly, but she hadn’t sounded like herself either Mor importantly, she had asked where he was, and after he told her that he was at the football held, she had abruptly ended the call without offering any explanation whatsoever. The entire interaction left him confused, and for several minutes after putting his phone away, he found himself replaying the conversation in his head while trying to figure out what hard happened.

Had something gone wrong? Was she upset about something? Had somebody bothered her again? The questions kept circling through his mind, but eventually he forced himself to let them go. As strange as the conversation had been, he highly doubted Luna would actually come all the way to the football field looking for him. She hated attention, and she hated being seen publicly with any of them. Considering that Jace, Orion, Ryder, Knox, and the rest of the football team were all currently present, the field was probably the last place she would voluntarily visit. Reaching that conclusion. Then ›ushed the matter aside and returned his focus to practice.

Roughly ten minutes later, he had almost forgotten about the call entirely. The team was in the middle of drills. and Coach had already yelled at three different players for losing focus. Everything felt normal again until something strange happened. One by one, players started slowing down. Some stopped moving entirely, and others began turning their heads oward the same direction.

The unusual behavior immediately caught Theo’s attention, and at first he assumed Coach had arrived behind him again. but when he followed everyone else’s line of sight, he froze. Walking toward the field was Luna. She wasn’t sneaking around. vasn’t trying to stay hidden, and wasn’t standing awkwardly at the edge of the field debating whether or not to approach she was walking directly toward them, and more specifically, she appeared to be walking directly toward hum.

The sight was so unexpected that Theo forgot what he was doing entirely.

surprise

Across the field, Jace noticed her at almost the exact same moment. Unlike everyone else, his first reaction was out concern. Something about the way Luna was moving felt wrong. Her posture was stiff, her expression looked tens whatever had brought her here clearly wasn’t good. Still, even he couldn’t hide his shock. He knew better than most nuch Luna hated being the center of attention, and seeing her willingly walk to a football held packed with players s dmost unbelievable.

The reactions weren’t limited to Theo and Jace. Ryder spotted her next and nearly missed the ball

le was staring. Orion stopped what he was doing entirely, confusion uninechately appearing in his face Kock briefly, frowned, and then looked like he was already regretting whatever chaos was about to

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The rest of the team wasn’t much different Whispers immediately spread through the players are ch cross the field. Some of them exchanged knowing looks because of the rutors that had been chaudding tus simply looked curious Whatever the reason, every eye seemed fixed on hier Unfortunately. Find apps at her destination to notice Her attention remained entirely on the and the higie ading low and broncs a suddenly stopped her

“What exactly are you doing here? Their team coach demanded

The question finally snapped Fund out of whatever thoughts had been consuming her. She died trist su toward the coach Every bit of attention that had already bicca on her summehow intensified and to entry 4 hit secum silent while everyone wanted to hear her answer

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m here to speak to Theo, Luna responded as calmly as she could. “It’s important.”

Coach looked at her hike she had lost her mind.

Luna didn’t blame him. Interrupting practice to have a conversation was ridiculous under normal circumstances, and interrupting practice to have a conversation with Theo specifically was apparently even worse.

Coach opened his mouth, clearly preparing to tell Luna exactly where she could go and how quickly she could get there Fortunately. Theo moved before the man could say anything.

“Coach, give me five minutes,” Theo said quickly as he jogged over.

The moment he reached them, he immediately noticed how tense Luna looked. Up close it was even more obvious. Her eyes looked slightly red, her shoulders were stiff, and she looked like someone who had spent hours fighting with herself before finally making a decision. Whatever this was, it wasn’t casual.

Coach looked thoroughly unimpressed. “You have five minutes,” he responded. “Not a minute more

Theo nodded immediately. “Thank you.”

Without waiting for Coach to change his mind, Theo gently guided Luna away from the group. As they walked, he lowered

is voice.

Do you want to go somewhere private?” he asked. “If we stay here, they’ll probably hear everything.”

Back near the team, reactions varied wildly.

ace watched them leave with a complicated expression on his face. He didn’t know what bothered him more, the fact that una had come looking for Theo specifically or the fact that this was now the second day in a row she had sought out one of is friends. First it had been Orion, now it was Theo. Meanwhile he was still stuck in the same place, unable to decide whether staying away from her was the right thing to do. If he was frustrated, he had nobody to blame but himseit

tyder’s reaction was different. He was simply curious, very curious. Considering Luna had practically run away from hun arlier, seeing her voluntarily seek out Theo made him desperate to know what was happening. Unfortunately he was too ar away to hear anything, and it was against his moral ethics to eavesdrop on purpose.

Orion was having a harder time.

The jealousy he had spent all day suppressing was becoming increasingly difficult to manage First there had be

icture of Luna with Jace, then there had been the realization that she had spent time with Jace the previous suffe hadn’t mentioned it. Now she was seeking out Theo. Rationally, Orion knew Luna wasn’t doing anything th lating any of them, and she wasn’t obligated to report her movements Emotionally, however, be war situget

<nox remained the least interested person present. In fact, if anything, he looked mildly annoyed Every districtions hat Luna’s appearance was about to create unnecessary drama, and judging by the expressions on www.code’s laws wasn’t wrong

As for Luna, she considered Theo’s suggestion for exactly two seconds betore rejecting it mice sails t wanted privacy, but right now she didn’t care Let them hear let every single person on the mad her she wash the with something to hide, and the realization hardened her resolve froicada short distance and turned toward thro

Salkrog Farther away the stepped out

Theo immediately noticed something was wrong very wrong What happeriod beoked

Luna took a slow breath, then another She was trying very hard to stay calm uying very hard is to jump sut mah conclusions, and trying very hard not to cry

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Infortunately, all three tasks were becoming increasingly difficult. “Do you know someone named Katie?” she asked.

The moment the name left her mouth. Thee froze. Not everyone would have noticed, but Luna did. His shoulders stiffened. his eyes widened slightly, and for the briefest moment, genuine fear crossed his face. Then it disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared.

Theo recovered fast. “Katie?” he repeated casually. “I know a lot of Katies, so you’re going to have to be more specific”

The answer immediately made Luna’s stomach sink because it didn’t sound natural. It sounded forced, like someone buying

time.

She closed her eyes briefly and then opened them again. A terrible feeling was growing inside her chest, one she desperately wanted to be wrong about.

Did you have something to do with me getting locked in the locker room weeks ago?” she asked quietly.

The question hit Theo like a truck. His heart skipped, then dropped, and then sank even further because suddenly verything made sense.

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