Marked by the Alpha Team (Luna Merrick) novel Chapter 51

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Chapter 51

Luna’s POV

I swear I almost forgot how to breathe the moment they walked into the room.

It wasn’t even just one of them this time. It was all five. Jace, Ryder, Orion, Knox, and Theo. Every single one of them stepped into the room like they owned it, like they belonged there, like the air itself shifted to make space for them, and the second they crossed the door, it hit me. That scent, that same scent that had been driving me insane since the first day saw them, only this time it was stronger, thicker, like it filled the entire room all at once.

It wrapped around me before I could even prepare for it, slipping into my lungs with every breath, making my chest tighten and my head spin. My legs felt weak almost immediately, like they couldn’t hold my weight anymore, and I had to sit down on the bed before I embarrassed myself by collapsing in front of them.

My heart was racing so fast it felt like it was trying to escape my chest, and the worst part was the heat. That same heat from last night, not as bad but still there, still crawling under my skin and making everything feel too much.

I hated it.

I hated how my body reacted to them like this. I hated how I couldn’t even look at them properly without feeling dizzy, without feeling like something inside me was pulling me toward them in a way that didn’t make sense, and I hated the thoughts. God, the thoughts were the worst part. Thoughts that didn’t feel like mine, thoughts that made my face heat up in embarrassment, thoughts that made me feel like I was losing control of myself.

For a few seconds, no one said anything. The room was quiet in that awkward way where everyone knew something needed to be said, but no one was sure where to start. I could feel all their eyes on me, and that somehow made everything worse.

Ivy shifted beside me, and I was grateful for that small reminder that I wasn’t completely alone. She cleared her throat a little and spoke up, her voice soft but unsure.

“Do you guys… want me to step out?” she asked, glancing between them.

My head snapped toward her immediately. “No,” I said quickly, probably a little too fast, but I didn’t care. “Don’t go anywhere.”

I tightened my grip on the edge of the bed, forcing myself to stay steady. The last thing I needed right now was to be left alone with all five of them. That was just asking for trouble, especially with how my body was acting right now. I didn’t trust myself, and I definitely didn’t trust whatever was happening inside me.

Ivy looked at me for a second, like she understood more than I was saying, and then she nodded, settling back into her place without another word.

The silence stretched again, feeling a little heavier this time, until finally, Jace stepped forward slightly.

“How are you doing?” he asked.

I stared at him for a second, then let out a small, disbelieving scoff, “How do you think I’m doing?” I shot back, my voice sharp with sarcasm. “I wake up in a stranger’s house, get told I’m some kind of… what was it again? A werewolf? And now I’m supposed to just sit here and act like everything is fine?”

Jace didn’t react the way I expected him to. He didn’t get annoyed or snap back like I expected him to since he had always given me the impression that he was a man of few words and also very little patience. Instead, he simply raised his hands slightly, like he was trying to show he wasn’t here to argue.

I was just trying to be courteous,” he said calmly.

I rolled my eyes, leaning back slightly on the bed as I tried to steady my breathing. My head still felt light, and their scent

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Chapter 51

wasn’t making it any easier.

Jace continued, his tone still even. “Do you have any questions?” he asked. “I imagine you’re still trying to process everything, and if there’s anything you want to ask, we’ll answer as best as we can.”

I stared at him for a moment, then looked at the others. Ryder was watching me closely, his expression serious but not as stern as the others, Orion looked calm as always, though his eyes were focused in a way that made it feel like he was studying me. Knox stood with his arms crossed, his face unreadable, and Theo.. Theo looked like he didn’t even want to be here which was surprising since he was the one who stalked me the most and seemed the most interested in talking to me until the incident at the field parking lot.

I swallowed slightly, my throat suddenly dry. “Am I really a werewolf?” I asked.

The question felt ridiculous even as it left my mouth. It sounded insane. It sounded like something out of one of those ridiculous movies, something that shouldn’t exist in real life, and yet… everything that had been happening to me didn’t feel normal either.

Orion was the one who answered. “Yes,” he said simply with no hesitation and not a shred of doubt in his tone. Just a straight answer like it was the most normal thing in the world.

My chest tightened at that.

He adjusted his glasses slightly before continuing, his voice calm but softer now. “We’re sorry we didn’t tell you sooner,” he added. “We didn’t know how to. It’s not something you just… say, and to be honest, it’s our first time meeting someone like you.”

“Someone like me?” I asked, my brows pulling together.

“An omega wolf who’s half human,” he said.

I blinked at him, then let out a short, dry laugh. “An omega wolf?” I repeated, shaking my head. “What the hell does that even mean?”

I rubbed my forehead, my head starting to ache from everything. “This is insane,” I muttered. “This is actually insane. My life has officially reached a point where I’m sitting in a room with five guys who are trying to convince me I’m a werewolf.”

Jace stepped in before Orion could answer again. “We can explain that later,” he said. “Right now, that’s not the most important thing.”

I looked at him, already annoyed again. “What is more important than that? What could be more important than explaining what an omega wolf is and what I am?” I asked.

“It’s more important that you stay here, Luna,” he said, and I rolled my eyes again, leaning back slightly as I crossed my

arms.

“Yeah, I figured,” I muttered. “I’ve already been told that I’m basically not allowed to leave, so I’m not even going to bother arguing about it anymore. Clearly, you guys have already made up your minds, and it’s not like I have much of a choice.”

Jace’s expression didn’t change. “It’s for your own good,” he said. “Whether you believe that or not.”

I let out a small, frustrated sigh, shaking my head. “Everything is for my own good.” I said sarcastically. “That’s what everyone keeps saying, even though it’s starting to really irritate me.”

For a moment, no one said anything again, and the silence felt even more toxic than before. My head was still spinning, and their scent was still messing with me in ways I didn’t understand. I shifted slightly on the bed, trying to get comfortable, but nothing felt right.

Then a thought crossed my mind, and my stomach tightened slightly. “Am I going to be in a lot of pain?” 1 asked quietly,

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Chapter 51

The question came out softer than I expected, and I hated that. I hated that I sounded unsure, that I sounded like I needed reassurance from them. No one answered immediately, but I didn’t need them to because I could see the answer written very clearly on their faces.

They all had that look, that same look on all of them that was nothing short of pity.

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