Marked by the Alpha Team (Luna Merrick) novel Chapter 84

Third–person POV

Jace simply stared at Orion after Orion said he was done with him, and for a long morrent, he still did not say a word. He stayed where he had fallen, his back partly against the floor and one arm braced weakly beside him, his chest rising and falling slowly as he tried to steady his breathing His face throbbed with pain, and the taste of blood sat in his mouth, but none of that seemed as important as the words Orion had just thrown at him.

Those words stayed in his head, repeating over and over again in a way that made his chest feel tight, like something was pressing down on it. He wanted to speak, to defend himself, to explain that what had happened had not been planned, that he had not set out to cross the very line he had warned all of them about, but even as that urge rose in him, he knew it would not matter right now.

Orion was too angry, too far gone in his emotions, and anything Jace said at this moment would only make things worse. On top of that, his face hurt enough that even opening his mouth felt like a chore, and so he stayed silent, his gaze locked on Orion, his expression unreadable but heavy with things he was not saying.

Knox shifted where he stood, clearly uncomfortable with how things were unfolding, and he took a small step forward. placing himself more firmly between Orion and Jace as if he expected Orion to lunge again at any second. His voice came out calm, but there was a firmness to it that showed he was not going to let this go any further.

‘Orion, that’s enough,” he said, his tone steady but serious, like he was trying to anchor the moment before it slipped completely out of control. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly as he glanced back at Jace for a second before eturning his attention to Orion. “We should not be dealing with this, like this, not when everyone is this agitated and motional.”

He paused for a second, choosing his words carefully before continuing. “Just leave. We will talk about this later when things have cooled down.”

Orion let out a breath through his nose, his jaw tightening as he looked at Knox like he could not believe what he was hearing. His fists were still clenched, his knuckles slightly red, and there was still a dangerous kind of tension in his posture hat made it clear he was not as calm as Knox was trying to make him be.

‘You think I’m just going to walk away?” Orion asked, his voice low but filled with disbelief, like Knox had just said something completely ridiculous. “After what he did?” His gaze snapped back to Jace, and for a second, it looked like he night step forward again, but he held himself back, his shoulders rising and falling as he tried to contain himselt

Knox opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, the door opened, and both Ryder aus Theo stepped inside. They did not look like they expected to walk into anything serious, and for a second, they both paused as inside the doorway as their eyes took in the scene in front of them. Jace was still on the floor with blood on has calve Knot stood between him and Orion, and Orion stood there with a dark expression and a fist that sal looked like it had so on ago hit something hard.

The air in the room felt heavy, and even without anyone explaining anything, it was oby tous that something had gone very

wrong

Theo was the first to speak, his brows lifting slightly as he looked at Jace and then back al or Wharfi helt happene he asked, his tone more curious than anything else, and there was a famt hint of amusement in his voice that did not that the situation at all. He took a few steps further into the room. his hands sliding cavirally nicchus porkers as he looked pre over again. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this before he addest glancing at Orion with micryst Who did

him?”

Ryder did not say anything at first, but his expression had already shifted his eyes narrowing slightly is he took my the same scene. He was not amused like Theo was there was a more serious look on his face like he was trying to piece together what had happened before reacting

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Chapter 81-

55 youchery

Bron dul not was for anyone else to explain. Without hesitation, he spoke, his voice loud and clear “He mated with Luna. he said, and the moment the words left his mouth, his anger seemed to rise again, like saying it out loud made it more real “And he marked her

The room went still.

Ryder’s head snapped toward Jace, his eyes widening slightly as the words sank in. For a second, he looked like he could not believe what he had just heard, but that disbelief quickly turned into something else. His jaw clenched, his expression darkening as anger took over. “What?” he said under his breath, and then louder. “Are you serious?”

Jace did not answer. He did not move or even look away, and that was enough.

“You son of a bitch!” Ryder suddenly shouted, his voice breaking through the silence as he lunged forward without thinking. his body moving before his mind could catch up. His anger was immediate and raw, and there was no hesitation in him at all as he aimed straight for Jace.

But Knox was already moving. He stepped in quickly, grabbing Ryder before he could reach Jace and pulling him back with force. “Ryder, stop!” Knox snapped, his voice sharp now, no longer calm as he struggled to hold him back.

‘Let go of me!” Ryder shouted, trying to break free, his eyes locked on Jace with pure anger. “He…”

‘I said stop!” Knox repeated, pushing him back harder this time, his grip firm as he refused to let him go.

Ryder struggled for a moment longer before finally going still, though his breathing was heavy and his anger had not faded in the slightest. He glared past Knox at Jace, his expression filled with frustration and disbelief.

Theo, on the other hand, had not reacted the same way at all. He stood where he was, watching everything with that same calm, almost amused expression, like this was something he had expected to happen sooner or later. He let out a breath before speaking again, his tone casual in a way that felt out of place in the tension–filled room.

“So… it finally happened,” he said.

All eyes turned to him.

Theo shrugged slightly, like he did not see what the big deal was. “I mean, one of us was going to do it eventually” he added. glancing briefly at Jace before looking back at the others.

Orion stared at him in disbelief. “That’s what you have to say?”

Theo raised a brow. “What do you want me to say?”

Ryder scoffed loudly. “You’re joking, right?”

Theo ignored him and continued, his tone steady. “If anything, this just makes things simpler” he said crossing his artis loosely. “Jace was the one setting rules for all of us, telling us not to cross any lines, telling us to control ourselves. He likest his head slightly, his gaze flicking toward Jace again. “And now he’s the first one to break those rules

No one argued with that

“So,” Theo went on, “there’s no reason for the rest of us to hold back anymore

Knox frowned slightly, shaking his head “That’s not how this works” he said, his voice calin but him

Theo looked at him. “Then how does it work?”

Knox did not answer immediately. He exhaled slowly before speaking agam Just so you know, I’m not interested in competing with any of you over a girl,” he said simply

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7:11 pm P P

Chapter 84

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