Chapter 13

SELENE 

I sat upright on the bed, hugging my knees, my eyes fixed on the closed door. It was past midnight, and the rest of the pack house was silent, except for the raised voices echoing slightly through the corridor.

Then I heard a voice that sounded like Leila’s. I could recognize her voice because she spoke with me earlier.

I flinched.

“Who are those?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper, my tone low and fragile. I didn’t expect an answer.

But the maid folding my blanket across the foot of the bed, Brielle, quiet and small-eyed. She paused and then gave a tired sigh.

“Don’t mind them,” Brielle muttered. “It happens most of the time. That should be the Alpha’s sister… or maybe she’s quarreling with somebody again.”

I blinked. “Again?”

Brielle nodded without looking up. “Miss Leila doesn’t tolerate nonsense. Especially not from anyone in the pack, I think her room is being occupied by the beta’s friends.”

Another muffled argument echoed across the hallway, loud and full of heat.

Brielle straightened the sheets and moved toward the door. “You should try to sleep, Luna.”

I hated the way the title sounded in my ears.

“Don’t call me that, you can just call me Selene.” I said my voice barely above a whisper.

Brielle smiled and then nodded, just as she opened the door, a figure appeared at the entrance of the door.

It was Zarek.

He had been listening to our conversations the whole time.

“Alpha.” Brielle flinched like she had just seen a ghost.

I sighed and then threw the blanket on my legs away, I stepped down from the bed and then walked towards the door.

“You can leave Brielle.” I said and then she nodded.

“Have a goodnight rest Luna.” Brielle said firmly.

I didn’t respond, I just waved my hand and nodded slightly then she left.

I walked back to the bed space and then turned to Zarek, my arms folded to my chest.

“I should be resting now but you came to disrupt my sleep.” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Zarek gently sat on the couch, his shirt opened a little bit and I could see his tattoos.

“I need an honest response from you.” He said, his voice deep and husky.

The room was silent. I could feel his gaze, piercing through me, demanding answers I wasn’t sure I know.

“What?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“The mark on your neck, how did you get it?” he said, his voice deep, his eyes searching mine for any hint of lies.

I raided my hand up instinctively, my fingers brushing against the tender skin where the mark resided. I couldn’t remember how the mark got there, it was a symbol I didn’t recognize, yet it felt… familiar.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “I woke up with it, look, I can’t remember okay.”

His expression became neutral, he kept clicking his fingers on the arm of the couch. Then he turned his gaze away, pacing around the room.

“That’s not possible,” he muttered. “Marks like that don’t just appear. They’re given.”

I blinked. “Given? By whom?”

He stopped, facing me again. “Those marks are given by someone powerful. Someone who wants to claim you or someone who is your mate did that to you.”

In our world, marks were sacred, a bond between mates, a symbol of possession. But I hadn’t been claimed. I was rejected by Lucien and he was my only mate.

“But I haven’t…” I stuttered, realizing that what he said might be true. “Are you saying someone marked me without my consent?”

He nodded slightly. “It’s the only explanation.”

I felt a surge of anger. “That’s a violation. Who would do such a thing?”

“You don’t know?” He asked.

I shaked my head slightly. “I don’t.” 

“But the mark is appearing again.” He said firmly as he glared at my neck.

I froze for a while, touched my neck and then turned my gaze back to Zarek.

“You marked me? You marked me a few years ago?” She asked.

Zarek nodded slightly and then he smiled, licking his lips like he knew how the mark got there.

“So you did this?” I asked again.

He didn’t say anything, he just stood up. “I protected you, I had no choice. If I didn’t do that you would be dead already.” He said and then walked outside leaving me stunned.

I stood there for a long second, staring at the closed door like it had personally offended me.

“What a damn coward,” I muttered under my breath. Then louder, to no one in particular, “How could he boldly tell me he marked me? And yet he didn’t wait for my response.” 

I scoffed and rolled my eyes, crossing my arms.

“Big bad wolf that can’t even handle a real conversation.”

There was no one in the room to hear me, which somehow made it worse. 

“Zarek the cold Alpha.” I snorted, the nickname slipping out of my mouth so fast. “Alpha of Ghosting and Brooding.”

I kicked off my shoes, turned off the lights and stumbled on the bed.

I closed my eyes but then I heard a knock on the door, it was low. 

“Zarek?”

I said it into the dark, but my voice was very low in the silence. Nobody answered.

The night was becoming strange.

There were no more voices in the hallway, but how come I heard a knock on my door. No faint laughter from the kitchen. 

And then I heard a sound.

Low and deep. It wasn’t close, but it wasn’t far either.

A wolf. Then another.

Not loud enough to raise an alarm. Just…a normal sound.

I blinked up at the ceiling, my blanket tangled around my legs. I hadn’t really been sleeping. 

I turned my head toward the window, slowly sitting up.

“This pack is something else, lots of warriors and different kinds of wolf scents, this is amazing.” I muttered under my breath.