Chapter 5

Sara looked between Marcus and Gabriel, then back again skeptically. She didn’t seem to be buying a word of it.

“I need to speak with Jacob here for a moment and you remember what I told you about being sad?” He asked her.

Sara nodded again.

“Well, it looks like Jacob is going to tell me something that might make me sad or really angry and I don’t want you to see me like that. It might scare you and I don’t want that. Okay?”

Finally, Sara nodded though her shoulders slumped a little and she clung to her blanket a little more tightly.

Marcus walked over and settled her onto Gabriel’s back where she wouldn’t fall off. “Not too fast, Gabe.”

The old wolf gave a rumble of understanding, then he and the others began walking back toward the campground.

Jacob waited until the other wolves were out of earshot before speaking. “Get ready to shift.”

A muscle in Marcus’ jaw tensed, but he did as Jacob had asked, peeling his shirt off followed by his jeans and boots. He held them out to Jacob and the two of them began walking back the way Marcus had come.

Jacob was quiet for a long moment, trying to decide just how he could say the words that would break the other man’s heart. “Lisa’s fine, but you already know that.” He hesitated before stepping a few steps to the side. “Marcus it’s your daughter. The bastards got her. Even if we’d had a healer with us, it was a silver bullet and it—“

Jacob’s words faltered as Marcus let out a sound that was somewhere between a roar and a howl. The sound was something between agony and fury.

Jacob took another step back as the sounds of bones snapping suddenly erupted into the quiet morning air, echoing loudly in the surrounding forest. He watched sympathetically as the sounds of Marcus’ whines of pain mingled with the sounds his body made as he shifted. As soon as it was done, Jacob moved forward and laid a hand on Marcus’ head. “You’ve lost too much tonight and I know that you are now our Alpha and I shouldn’t be telling you what to do, but you should go and hunt. Run it out. I know you want to go to Lisa right now, but she doesn’t need to see you like this. She needs you strong and with your anger controlled. You’re all she has now.”

Even Jacob could feel the emotions radiating off of Marcus right now and it made him uneasy. He could only imagine how it would make the humans and the Gammas feel. Everyone would be cowering in fear with an enraged wolf so near. Marcus stood there, his body shaking with emotion and he lowered his head and gave Jacob his throat.

Jacob’s eyes widened at the gesture. “Marcus? You’re Alpha by birthright.”

Marcus turned his head more, showing more of his throat.

Jacob’s head lowered with the weight of what Marcus was offering him. He nodded once. “If that is your wish, I would be honored.” Marcus didn’t move from his submissive stance. With a sigh, Jacob reached out and touched two fingers to the offered throat. “I will do my very best to make you and your family proud.”

The moment it was done, Marcus turned and disappeared into the woods faster than Jacob could even follow with his eyes. Jacob shook his head, still stunned by what had just happened. Maybe it was just the state of mind that Marcus was in right now. He’d keep his mouth shut about it until Marcus had time to cool off and then he’d ask again if Marcus was sure about his decision.