Marked by the Alphas

Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Kane POV

I am sitting at my desk, studying our laws, when Axel enters.

“Did you get any sleep last night?” He asks, slouching down into a couch.

“Nope,” I reply, turning the page. “Not a wink. I was here the entire night.”

“Alice is thoroughly pissed,” Axel snorts. “I went to see her last night, but she wasn’t in her room. I think she went out by herself since we couldn’t go.”

“And Elara?” I look up. All I wanted to do was to go to her, but I locked myself in here instead. It will take a lot more than an apology and whispering sweet nothings to her to get her to forgive us.

“I didn’t even try,” Axel sighs. “But Erin informed me she’s fine. She ate her dinner and went to bed.”

“Getting rid of Alice is easier said than done,” I growl. “Her reputation is already scarred from being mated so late. And then we helped her worm her way out of the Council’s intended match. I don’t know what will happen if we reject her, too.”

“You mean, besides you and me looking like idiots,” Axel grimaces. “At best, she’d be banished, forced to live as a rogue, and at worst, she’d be killed.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I groan, wiping my hands over my face. Axel is right. We fought the Council publicly for Alice, and it will reflect poorly on us if we reject her. The pack might lose confidence in our ability to lead the pack.

“I need a run to clear my head,” I stand up.

“Sounds good,” Axel nods, following me.

I am wrecking my brain as we run through the woods towards the lake. Every idea I get sounds worse than the one before.

The breeze shifts, and an overwhelming scent fills my nose, stopping me in my tracks.

“Do you smell that?” Axel stops and turns his head in the direction of the smell.

Elara.

For a brief moment, my brain short-circuits. With Hunter at the helm, my senses are heightened, and her scent is even more overwhelming.

“Find her.” Hunter urges me to follow the trail towards Elara. “Take her. We need her.”

“What is she doing out here?” Axel asks.

“I don’t know, but we’re about to find out.” I start running, chasing the sweet smell carried on the wind while Axel follows close behind.

We reach the edge of a lake in record time, and it takes a moment to register the sight in front of me. Elara is there, but she is not alone.

She is with another man, and a low growl rips from my chest. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Who the hell is this guy, and what is he doing with Elara?

Jealousy bubbles up inside me like a volcano ready to erupt. Hunter paws at the ground, his teeth bared, ready to pounce.

I am about to shift back, clothes be damned, and give him a piece of my mind, when another scent hits me. It is not the warm, animalistic scent I am used to with other wolves. It is something colder, more ancient seeming. He is not a shifter ... but he is not human, either.

Axel’s muzzle is raised to the sky, also trying to decipher the strange scent.

“What are we dealing with here?” he asks me.

“I don’t know. I hate to admit my ignorance, especially since he is with Elara. “But I’m sure we can take him, whoever or whatever he is.”

Suddenly, Elara stands up and turns around to face us.

“Don’t attack, Kane!” she calls.

Shit. I forgot she could hear us.

The man also stands up and turns around to face us with an amused expression, and another hot wave of jealousy surges through me. Even I can see he is handsome, and I am certain Elara feels the same. So, what the fuck are they doing here together?

“He knows who you are,” Elara gestures towards the man. “I’m in good hands.”

Good hands? What exactly is he doing with those good hands?

Besides me, Axel snarls. He is thinking the same thing.

“Fine.” Elara plants her hands on her hips.

“If you’re afraid of the competition, and don’t feel your equipment is up to par ...” She raises an eyebrow, “then by all means, stand over there and continue barking at us.”

A strained sound rips from my chest, something between a howl and a snarl. I shift and march straight over to Elara, Axel not far behind me. Our equipment is very much up to par. Axel and I are about to remind her of that.

“Who the fuck are you?” I demand, locking eyes with the motherfucker who is still just standing there smirking. I am about to wipe that shit straight off his face.

“And what the fuck are you doing with our mate?” Axel steps up, fixing the guy with an ice-cold glare.

Elara POV

My heart rate picks up, and the two glorious naked men walk towards us. Goddess, they are beautiful. But I quickly push the thoughts aside when they start threatening Braden.

Nope. No way am I going to tolerate this pissing contest.

“Well, that’s rich coming from you,” I sneer, placing my hands on my hips. “Did you forget about our conversation when you told me I could have fun as long as I don’t get pregnant? I’m perfectly capable of doing Alice’s Luna duties and getting my freak on when I need to.”

As I say the words, I recall the way it felt when Kane pushed himself inside me. It was a pleasure I never felt before, and I am dying to feel again. And when I took Axel into my mouth, I ... no! No, no, I am not going there again.

“So,” I grab Braden’s muscular arm, pulling him closer. “Meet my sidepiece.”

I glance sideways at Braden. He narrows his eyes ever so slightly before a wide grin spreads across his face.

“Braden,” he says, looking at Kane and Axel. “So nice to meet you both.”

He extends his hand, but Kane and Axel stare at him, their faces twisted with disgust. I can feel the rage radiating off of Kane as he contemplates how to react.

“Don’t,” Kane steps closer to Braden, pushing his hand aside.

“Fucking,” he jams a finger into his chest. “Speak to me.”

“Hey,” Axel whispers, placing a hand on Kane’s shoulder. “We don’t need a dead body on our hands on top of everything else.”

Braden scoffs, and my heart stops. What the hell? I raise my eyebrows at him.

He is a vampire and obviously not afraid of shifters, but it is two against one, and Kane and Axel are huge compared to him. He is really pushing his luck.

Braden meets my gaze, giving me an impish grin.

If I do not step in, he will get his head ripped off ... literally.

“Can you two leave me alone?” I push myself between Braden and Kane. “Before I call off our deal?”

It probably is not the wisest thing to double down on my blackmail threats, but after everything I heard from Braden about the way she-wolves were treated, I do not have much patience for the Alphas’ bullshit right now.

“You wouldn’t,” Kane spits the words. “You have just as much to lose. I know why you’re doing this, Elara, so you better not fucking test me.”

He is right, I will not, but not for the reasons he thinks. If there is even a remote chance for me to change all she-wolves’ futures, I must be precise and calculated.

“Try me,” I say firmly, and an awkward silence grows as we maintain eye contact.

“Okay,” Braden clears his throat, breaking the silence. “I think ...”

“Yes,” I interrupt him, afraid that he might say something that will add fuel to the fire. “I should get back, it’s almost lunch time, and I’m starving.”

“I’ll see you later,”I whisper to him and deliberately kiss Braden on the cheek. Then I see the twins’ eyes go wide.

But I simply ignore Kane and Axel as I walk away.