Marked by the Alpha Team (Luna Merrick) novel Chapter 39

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Chapter 39

Third–person POV

Ivy worked quickly, even though her hands were shaking slightly. The room still felt heavy with tension, filled with the sound of Luna’s weak cries and uneven breathing, and second that passed made her feel like she was running out of time. She carefully helped Luna sit up just enough to to ve her shirt, her movements gentle and cautious as if Luna might

break if she were too rough.

Luna barely reacted, her body still trembling, her head falling forward slightly as another pained sound slipped past her lips

stubborn girl she knew.

It hurt Ivy to see her like this, so helpless, so far from the stubicle

Realizing Luna only had a thin tank top on with nothing underneath, Ivy hesitated for a moment before quickly pulling off her own bra top from under her sleep shirt. She didn’t think twice about it since it didn’t matter right now. What mattered was helping Luna. She carefully slipped it on Luna, adjusting it as best as she could before moving down to help her out of her shorts

Luna’s body shifted weakly with each movement, her skin still burning hot under Ivy’s touch, and by the time Ivy was done. Luna was left in just the borrowed top and her underwear. It wasn’t much, but it was what Ryder had asked for, and she figured he wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important.

Ivy took a small step back, her chest rising and falling as she looked at Luna for a second, making sure she hadn’t missed anything. Then she turned and walked to the door, pulling it open slightly before looking out. “You can come in now,” she called softly.

Ryder appeared almost immediately, like he had been waiting just outside the entire time, which Ivy guessed he had been. “Thanks,” he said quickly as he stepped into the room, his eyes going straight to Luna without hesitation.

He crossed the room in a few quick steps and gently picked Luna up into his arms again. This time, she let out a soft, broken sound against his chest, her body still weak, her head falling against his shoulder as if she didn’t have the strength to hold it up anymore. Ryder didn’t say anything as he carried her straight into the bathroom, moving carefully but quickly at the

same time.

He sat her down under the shower, making sure she was steady before turning the water on. The cold spray hit her skin immediately, and Luna’s body jerked slightly in response, a quiet cry escaping her lips as the sudden change in temperature shocked her system. The water ran down her hair, her shoulders, and her arms, soaking her completely within seconds, but even then, the heat coming off her body didn’t seem to fade completely.

“Ivy,” Ryder called from inside the bathroom, his voice steady but slightly raised so she could hear him. “You can come in if you want. Just so you know I’m not… doing anything.”

Ivy stood by the door for a second before shaking her head. “I trust you,” she said simply. “I’ll stay out here.”

Ryder didn’t respond to that. He just turned his attention back to Luna, watching her carefully as she sat under the stream of water. Her breathing was still uneven and still strained, and soft sounds of pain continued to slip from her lips, even as the cold water ran over her overheated skin. It helped a little, but not enough. Not nearly enough.

After a few moments, Ryder reached up and pulled his shirt off, tossing it aside without much thought. His skin met the cold air for a second before he stepped closer and sat down behind Luna under the shower, the water now hitting both of them. He gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest, his hold firm but careful, like he was trying to keep her grounded.

“Relax,” he murmured softly near her ear. “Just… relax.”

He didn’t know if she could hear him, but he hoped she could feel him.

More than that, he hoped his presence would help. His scent, his closeness, everything that made him what he was. He didn’t try to hide it this time since there was no point. If anything, he let it come through, hoping it would reach her, hoping

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Chapter 39

it would calm whatever was happening inside her body.

Behind his calm expression, his thoughts were anything but calm. He hadn’t told Jace: He hadn’t told any of them. If they found out he had brought Luna here without saying anything first, there would be questions, arguments, maybe even a fight, but right now, none of that mattered. None of it felt important compared to the girl in his arms, shaking and burning like she was breaking apart.

He would deal with them later

Right now, he just wanted to help her

Slowly, after a few minutes, something began to change. Lima’s breathing, which had been loud and uneven, started to steady just a little. Her body, which had been tense and restless, began to relax in small ways. She leaned back against him without thinking, her weight settling into his chest as if she had finally found something solid to hold on to.

Ryder felt it immediately.

The shift and the way her body responded to him.

He tightened his hold slightly, not enough to trap her, just enough to keep her close. “That’s it,” he murmured quietly. “Just stay like that.”

The water continued to run over them, cold and steady, and for the first time since he arrived, it seemed like Luna wasn’t fighting it anymore. Her head tilted slightly to the side, resting back against him, her body no longer trembling as violently as before. It wasn’t gone completely, but it was better.

For now, it was enough.

After a while, soft sounds began to leave her lips again, but this time they weren’t cries. They were quieter, almost like she was trying to say something, her voice low and broken, her words unclear.

Ryder leaned slightly closer, his brows pulling together. “What?” he asked gently. “Luna, can you hear me?”

There was no clear answer, just more soft murmuring.

“Luna,” he tried again, his voice a little firmer this time. “Look at me. Can you hear me?”

For a moment, nothing happened. Then slowly, her eyes opened, but they didn’t look the same.

Ryder noticed it immediately.

The color had changed. The hazel he had seen before

as gone, replaced by something brighter, like a mix of yellow and

green that seemed to catch the light in a way that wasn’t normal. It wasn’t just a small change either. It was obvious, clear, and impossible to ignore.

His chest tightened slightly.

Her wolf.

It was waking up.

“Luna?” he said carefully, watching her closely. “Are you okay? Do you know who I am?”

He needed to know. Was this still her, or was it something else?

Her

gaze locked on his, and for a second, everything felt still. She didn’t look confused, she didn’t look lost, she just looked… focused, like she was seeing him clearly for the first time

Her lips parted slightly, and then she spoke.

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