Marked by the Alpha Team (Luna Merrick) novel Chapter 184

Chapter 184

Chapter 184

Luna’s POV

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The moment the last of the boys disappeared through the living room door, I let out the deep breath I had been holding ever since I announced my decision. The silence that settled over the room somehow felt louder than all the arguing that had happened only moments earlier. I slowly got to my feet, folded my arms across my chest, and turned toward Jace with what I knew was a thoroughly unimpressed expression. He remained seated exactly where he had been all along, looking far too calm for someone who had just helped create one of the most awkward situations I had ever experienced.

The more I looked at him, the more I remembered everything he had confidently told me in the car on the way here. He had promised me that he would keep everyone under control. He had promised me that he knew exactly how to handle the conversation if things became tense. Instead, within minutes of everyone sitting down, he had openly admitted that the plan was his idea before calling Orion a bitter little bitch. If Theo hadn’t interrupted them when he did, I honestly had no idea what would have happened next.

Slowly shaking my head, I stared at Jace for another moment before finally breaking the silence. “Didn’t you tell me you were going to make sure things didn’t get out of control?” I asked with an unimpressed look on my face. “So what exactly was everything that just happened supposed to be?”

Jace blinked at me for a second before an innocent expression slowly spread across his face, making him look almost offended that I was questioning him in the first place. If I hadn’t known him even a little by now, I might have actually believed that expression. Instead, it only made me roll my eyes internally because it was painfully obvious he was pretending. He leaned back comfortably against the couch and folded one arm across the backrest before answering me as though the entire conversation had gone perfectly according to plan.

“I didn’t exactly escalate the situation,” he responded calmly with a small shrug. “True to what I told you, if things had actually gotten out of hand, I would’ve stepped in and controlled the situation before anyone did something stupid.”

I could only stare at him for a few seconds after hearing that explanation because I genuinely wasn’t sure whether he actually believed what he had just said. From where I had been sitting, it looked very much like he had personally poured gasoline over a small fire and then acted surprised when the flames grew larger. I slowly folded my arms even tighter across my chest before letting out another tired sigh.

“You honestly expect me to believe that?” I asked as I raised one eyebrow at him. “Jace, you practically challenged Orion on purpose. If Theo hadn’t stopped both of you, I wouldn’t be surprised if the two of you had started throwing punches right in front of me.”

Instead of becoming defensive, Jace simply chuckled quietly to himself, looking far more amused than someone in his position probably should have. There wasn’t even the slightest trace of concern on his face anymore. If anything, he looked like someone remembering a mildly entertaining conversation rather than a potentially explosive argument. “Nothing serious would’ve happened,” he responded with complete confidence. “Even if one of them had decided to lose control, I still had a trump card that I was prepared to use if anyone started misbehaving.”

His answer immediately caught my attention, although it only left me more confused than before. I searched his face for some clue that he was joking, but he looked completely serious now. Whatever this mysterious trump card was, he genuinely believed it would’ve stopped four other angry men from tearing into him. I

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d my moth to ask what exactly he was talking about before deciding against it. Somehow I had the strange Revding de wekt answer that question any way

stead the age of fer quietly standing up and leaving without another word returned to my mind. Then I remembered Theos disappointed expression, Orion forcing himself to stay calm, and even Knox semely walking away without saying a thing. My chest tightened a little at the memory because despite everything hurting them had never been my intention

I lowered my arms and rubbed one hand over my forehead before quietly speaking again. “They’re going to be okay right I asked softly as I looked toward the hallway they had all walked through. I really didn’t want to hurt their feelings or make them think I was choosing you over them”

The amusement disappeared from Jace’s face almost immediately after hearing my question. He slowly let out a quiet sigh of his own before looking toward the same hallway for a brief moment. When he finally looked back at me. his expression had become much gentler than before, and for the first time since this conversation started. I could tell he completely understood what I was worried about.

Right now, they’re probably sitting somewhere feeling miserable, he responded honestly. “Not just them esther, but their wolves will be taking this just as personally. He paused briefly before continuing in a reassuring tone. But they’ll come around eventually. Once they calm down and think about it properly, they I realize this isn’t a rejection. You’re not telling them you don’t want them. You’re simply making a practical decision that benefits you It just doesn’t feel that way to them right now.”

His reassurance made me feel a little better, although it certainly didn’t erase the guilt sitting inside my chest. I kept reminding myself that this take relationship wasn’t meant to hurt anyone. If anything, I was trying to make life easier for myself, and if it werent for then constant hovering in the first place, I would have never needed to make this decision Even so, emotions weren’t exactly logical things. Knowing my intentions wouldn’t automatically stop the others from feeling disappointed, especially after the way today’s conversation had ended

I quietly nodded to myself, deciding that before I returned to my dorm later tonight, I would at least try speaking to each of them individually if they were willing to listen. Even if I couldn’t completely erase the disappointment they were feeling, the least I could do was make sure they understood why I had made this decision instead of allowing them to create their own conclusions.

As comforting as Jace’s explanation had been, there was still one thing weighing heavily on my mind. It was something he had mentioned earlier in front of everyone before Ryder had quickly dismissed my question and told me not to worry about it. At the time. I had let the subject go because the atmosphere had already become awkward enough, and I hadn’t wanted to make things even worse. Now, however, there was nobody else left in the room besides the two of us. If there was ever going to be a good opportunity to finally ask about it, this was it

The more I thought about Jace’s warming, the stranger it sounded. He hadn’t spoken like someone trying to keep an ordinary secret. He had spoken like exposing the truth would create a disaster neither of us could imagine, and that thought alone was enough to keep bothering me

I slowly walked over to the couch opposite him before sitting down again, this time with far more curiosity than frustration on my face. Jace noticed the change in my expression almost immediately and straightened slightly in his seat as though he already knew another difficult question was coming.

I took a slow breath before deciding to be completely direct. There’s something I want to ask you,” I said quietly as I met his eyes. “And this time I don’t want you to dismiss me the way everyone did earlier.”

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Chapter 184

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Jace studied my face for a few seconds before giving me a small nod. Unlike before, there wasn’t the slightest trace of teasing in his expression anymore. Whatever question I was about to ask, he seemed willing to answer it properly. “Go ahead,” he responded calmly. “Ask me whatever you want.”

I drew in another slow breath, choosing my words carefully because I wanted him to understand exactly what had been bothering me ever since the conversation earlier. “Why exactly can’t other people know that I’m mated to all five of you?” I asked as I kept my eyes fixed on him. “Earlier, you made it sound like it would be a terrible thing if everyone found out. Was there a specific reason for that, or are you all just trying to keep it private?”

The moment my question left my mouth, Jace’s expression changed. He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he quietly leaned back into the couch and rested both elbows on his knees, his fingers loosely linked together while his eyes drifted toward the floor. The silence stretched on for so long that I briefly wondered whether he had decided not to answer after all. Almost two full minutes passed without either of us speaking. During that time, I simply watched him think. Whatever answer he was trying to give me clearly wasn’t a simple one. Several times it looked as though he was about to speak, only to stop himself again before a single word came

out.

Finally, Jace let out a long, thoughtful sigh and lifted his eyes back to mine. “Other people finding out isn’t actually the biggest problem,” he responded slowly, speaking far more carefully than usual. “The real problem is the information eventually reaching the council.” He paused briefly before adding, “And trust me, if enough people know, it will eventually reach them.”

I immediately frowned in confusion because his explanation had only created another question. Until now, I had never heard any of them mention a council before, and Ivy, the werewolf enthusiast, clearly didn’t know about it, or else she would have already told me about them. I leaned forward slightly without taking my eyes off him. “What council?” I asked with genuine curiosity. “And why would they care who I’m mated to?”

Jace sighed again, this time looking almost apologetic that he was about to open another complicated subject. He rubbed the back of his neck before choosing his next words with obvious care. “Honestly,” he responded quietly, “if I tried explaining everything about the council right now, we’d probably still be sitting here tomorrow morning, and you might be confused by such an influx of information.” A faint smile crossed his face before disappearing again. “So let me give you the short version instead.”

I remained completely silent, waiting for him to continue.

“The council exists to keep werewolves under control,” Jace explained patiently. “Every region, every state, and every country has councils responsible for maintaining order. They settle disputes, enforce old laws, investigate unusual situations, and make sure powerful wolves don’t create chaos wherever they happen to live.” He paused briefly before looking directly into my eyes again. “They’re basically a higher authority that most werewolves, besides the rogues, answer to.”

I slowly nodded, trying to absorb everything he was telling me. The existence of some governing body wasn’t particularly shocking. Human society had governments and courts, so it wasn’t exactly difficult to imagine werewolves having something similar. What confused me far more was why they would care about something as personal as mates.

Jace seemed to read that exact question on my face because he quietly continued before I could interrupt

him.

“The problem isn’t that you have a mate,” he responded in a much quieter voice. “The problem is that you have five Alpha mates.” He hesitated again before finally saying the part that seemed to bother him the most.

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Chapter 184

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“One mate shared between multiple Alphas is generally viewed as a disaster waiting to happen. History hasn’t exactly been kind to situations like ours. From the council’s perspective, they don’t see a good fate. They see the possibility of rivalry, wars, divided packs, broken alliances, political instability, and a future where several Alphas eventually fight each other over one woman.” He slowly shook his head before finishing, “Whether that’s what would actually happen doesn’t matter. They judge based on history, not possibilities.”

I simply stared at him, struggling to process everything I had just heard.

“So to avoid the council involving themselves in our lives,” Jace concluded quietly, “we have to make absolutely sure the news that all five of us share the same mate never reaches their ears.”

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10:18 Sat, Aug 1