Chapter Eighteen

Aria's POV 

What?” his voice resounds, he’s completely frozen, shock written all over his face.

“I said, I want you to mark me, or don’t you want to?” I tease with a faint smile playing on my lips.

“O..of course I do,” he splutters. “Are you sure? Because there’s no going back after this. Even now I can’t let you go, marking you seals your fate with me mate.” he finishes, with a deep reverberating voice, Alec is definitely surfacing.

“I have never been so sure of anything else in my life, you have successfully started breaking my walls. Thank you for making me feel so loved.” I explain.

“This will hurt a bit, sorry mate.” His teeth elongate slightly, leans towards the delicate part of my neck and sinks his teeth in slowly.

Excruciating pain shoots through my neck. A silent plea escapes my lips. He pulls his teeth out, then gently laps at the open wound.  The pain eased slightly, to the feel of a slight burn. After a while of his soothing actions, my eyes droop uncontrollably. My eyes flutter shut, everything faded instantly.

***

My light footsteps echo faintly in the hallway. I am late for training again. It’s been two months since Kael marked me. A sweet smile pulls at my lips, the memory sweet and worth it. I woke up in his arms the morning after, he took care of me even though I was completely fine. Our relationship has bloomed into something beautiful. I’m just so scared, as if something bad happens and ruins everything. 

Lately I have been dealing with a lot of nausea. I can hardly stomach much, I have been able to successfully hide it from my mate. I feel it’s nothing serious so telling him will only make him worry unnecessarily about my health. 

“I’m surprised, your lap dog is nowhere to be found.” Alicia’s awfully sweet voice stops me in my tracks.

“I don’t have time for whatever this is, Alicia,” I answer, barely sparing her a glance. She then steps right in front of me. I step sideways, but this doesn't stop her. It seems to have infuriated her, she intercepts me again.

I  take a deep breath, “What is it you want, Alicia.” I say exasperated. “I’m pretty certain you don’t have anything reasonable to talk to me about.”

“You have truly grown wings. My mate was hospitalized because of you. I’m pretty sure you had something to do with it.” 

I raise a brow in response.

“He chose me, get that into your thick skull. This won’t go down just like that. Watch your back, and I mean it this time.” She says with a sneer on her face, hits my shoulders and walks past me.

I shake my head at her foolishness, I have better things to do than trade words with an air-head. Sun rays hit my face as I step outside, I race towards the training grounds. I see my partner, Anita standing alone observing others as she waits for me.

“I need to stop covering for your lazy ass,” She mutters, clearly sensing me behind her. 

I give her a light jab, “You know you love me too much to tell on me.” I tease. Anita and I have become fast friends, I have made a few good friends in the pack but it seems I would have to earn my place with most though. They feel I may not deserve the title.

I lead Anita towards a clear side of the field, so we can spar. I have improved a lot faster than anyone anticipated. Anita throws a neat blow at my face, taking me unawares since I was distracted. My face whips to the side, I close my eyes for a while to clear the dizzy feeling threatening to take over.

“Are you good?” Anita asks with concern. “You seem a bit under the weather these days?”

“I’m good, it's just stress.”

She gives me an unconvinced look. “Sure, but I’m here to listen to whatever problems you may be having.”

I give her a little smile and nod. “Come at me again, you  won’t be so lucky this time.” I say to end the awkward conversation. I’ll always respect Anita because she isn’t unnecessarily vicious on the training ground which makes her a perfect sparring partner. 

She rushes at me swiftly, I block her paying attention this time. I land a kick, in turn making her land on her back. “Good, you’re getting too good at this. I miss always winning.” She teases as I give her a hand.

We go for each other again. We are able to intercept each other’s attacks then she says something slowly. “You should be careful of Jessica.”

I crease my brows in confusion. “Is something wrong?” She gives me a long look, breathing hard.

“She seems hell bent on winning the tournament, and with the comments she is making, she can do anything to get what she wants.” She is able to  sweep me off  the floor.

I landed rather clumsily, since I was getting tired. These days I easily get tired. She lends me  an arm.  “Thank you for telling me, I’ll be very careful.”

“It’s no……” A loud commotion pulls us out of conversation, we then walk towards the middle of the training grounds.

“I won’t take your degrading words any longer, Valec,” A lanky teenager with lots of freckles littered all over his face screams in the face of a large wolf twice his size.

Anita then curses under her breath. “You know what’s going on?” I ask sparing her a short glance, distracting myself from the altercation in front of us.

“Valec is a bully, he picks on smaller wolves that are smaller than he is. I’m pretty sure, Gad isn’t here and he saw it as a perfect opportunity.”

“Is nothing ever done about it?” I ask in surprise, since I’ve been treated with a bit of dignity since when I got here, unlike back in Blood Moon.

“The Alpha doesn’t tolerate bullying, even Gad, but they can’t be everywhere at the same time.” 

“Fight, fight, fight,” echoes round the  training grounds. This will definitely not end well for the smaller wolf. Valec or whatever he calls himself, is definitely stronger. I am pretty sure those chanting this were troublemakers.

“Well I won’t  ever back out from a challenge.” Valec taunts with so much arrogance. I am pretty sure I didn’t hear the smaller wolf challenge this wolf, he just stood for himself. 

“Gad,” I call out using the mindlink.

 “Yes, Luna.” he answers, surprise evident in his tone.

“There is an issue here,  please can you come.”

“I’ll be on my way, Luna, I am finishing up a discussion with the Alpha.” Hopefully he makes it on time before the younger wolf gets hurt.

Valec picks up the wolf and flings him hard against the bare floor. The smaller wolf winces in clear pain. He is able to maneuver and slip from Valec’s tight grip which infuriates him, a growl escaping his lips. He lands a bone cracking blow to  the smaller wolf’s jaw, standing atop him he begins to hit blow after blow. Without giving it much thought, I sprint towards them before Anita could stop me.

I reach out and expertly climb onto the larger wolf, able to roll him off. I then stand between the two opponents facing off Valec. “Little Luna, you dare interfere into what does not concern you?” He spits with anger. “You will surely regret this,” he finishes.

He comes at me with so much ferocity, I am able to expertly deflect most of his advances. I take a few hits though. I see an opening, he is fighting angrily so I take advantage of it. I am able to drop a round kick with precision and stamina, sweeping him off his feet. Shock is written all over his face and murmurs echo through the training grounds.

I give him a stern look, “The Cantara pack is powerful for its might to protect not oppress, you’re not fit to fight if you don’t care for fellow pack members. We are nothing if we turn on each other just for the fun of it.” I say my voice resounding with so much authority. The training grounds grow silent.

Valec looks at me with indignation, obviously not remorse and stands up swiftly, coming forward to attack me. To my surprise an unfamiliar man stands between us, facing him and says, “You’ll have to go through me to hurt Luna.” My eyes widened in surprise.

Another comes forward, “Me too.” Numerous voices resound around me saying the same thing. It sounded like almost the entire members of the pack stood up for me.

“Luna, what is going on?” Gad sprints towards me, trying to make sense of the scene in front of him.

“It’s all sorted out. Can you please ask someone to take this wolf to the infirmary, he’s hurt.”

Gad looks at me in surprise, then peers at the wolf sitting on the ground holding onto his face.

“Yes, Luna.” He surprises me, when he picks up the wolf and rushes towards the infirmary.

“I, Wendy Snow, renounce my challenge for the Luna position at the Luna Trials, and accept you as my Luna.” A loud feminine booms in front of me, bowing her head slightly in respect.