Claimed But Never Marked Novels & Stories

Instead, I looked around and spotted an Internet café across the street. I went in and typed every variation on “Paine” I could think of, and still there were no results. I was annoyed. We had searched every possible residential and business listing in Salem. We had tried Paine and Payne and Pain and Paiyne. Nothing. Not one single person. Caleb was right: it was a silly idea. If her father did live here, he wasn’t going to make his number public. And I had a feeling, given the mysterious clues so far, that he would never make it that easy on us anyway.

His fists came up, and at that moment a shrill cry stopped him dead in his tracks. “THREE!” I blinked at the disturbance, and as one we all turned to look at Marcia Rockmountain, whose frailness was only emphasised by the display we had been so focused on moments ago. “I was keeping track of our Alpha’s attacks,” the old woman explained remorselessly. “He has had three opportunities, leaving him with only two chances to win.” A moment passed before I realised that she was counting in the attack she had just interrupted, and as this dawned on everyone else angry murmurs spread through the gathered crowd but she lifted her hands helplessly and began speaking.

Dex: “Pietro?” Mark: “Who?” Dex: “Never mind. Will let you know if something comes up. Rival?” Mark: “My rival hasn’t been born yet. But he may be a threat. It’s all gut-feel” Dex: “Your military genes has been proven many times for me to trust your gut-feel” Dex: “I’ll personally look into this. Have you notified General Mills?” Mark: “Not yet, it may be too soon. I will, once I have something substantial”

It read THE CLAIM MARK OF A SERVANT OR SLAVE # A claim mark from a male onto a female servant or slave is just that, just a claim. # A claim mark blocks the females wolf from her true mate. # A second claim mark from the same male cages that females wolf in time killing her turning the female human. Only an Alpha or her true mate can free the female wolf and save her life. # A female with a Claim mark can not carry any pups, as protection for the wolf and the mate bond. So a servant or slave can not have any claim as a mate. - See mate bond / Impregnation

She sighed and briefly told Mary what she had encountered that day, from accidentally having gone into arousal to having had a temporary mark from an alpha. Mary was surprised to hear that, she stammered speechless. She tried to stabilize her emotions, then asked again, "The one who marked you is Stella's CEO, Marcus Hofsess, right?" Calantha nodded, "He just temporarily marked." Confused, she asked Marry, “According to what I've learned, beta can't sense pheromones, right? Why did you and the people I met on the road stayed away from me?”

He said, “Maybe things would be different. With me, my father, and maybe my wolf.” “Speaking of that,” Ingrid said, “Isn’t the marking taking too long? If I had your mark, it would earn me a form of recognition from everyone, including your father.” “I’m trying, love, I don’t know what’s going on myself,” He said. “I’m suspecting it was severed when Azalea died.” “I’m worried, Theo.” “Worried about me? That’s sweet of you.” “Not you, I’m worried about the delay.” Ingrid said, “Sometimes, I wonder if we’re truly fated. This waiting makes me feel uncertain. You could force it; you know?”

“You don’t know that.” “Then tell me what he is.” Rhea’s eyes darted to my hand the burn still faintly visible, red against my skin. She reached for it without meaning to, stopped herself halfway, then pulled back. “That mark… you shouldn’t have touched it.” “You dropped it.” “And you should’ve left it.” “What is it?” “Proof,” she whispered. “Of what?” She hesitated, words choking off before they reached air. Then she said quietly, “That I belong to someone else.”

According to what mom told me yesterday, I was only going to get one mark and that was the mark of my Alpha, but right now, it's a little too different. Mom sighed as she sat on my bed, her hands trembled as she began “This is so much different than what I was told.” I furrowed my brows and glanced up to mom. “What are you talking about mom?” “Well as I stated earlier, you were online going to get one alpha mark but getting a two, it has never happened. Except,” “Except?” I nudged further. “The prophecy. But I was told that it was given years ago and everyone had totally forgotten about it.”

What I didn’t know: How much of what she said sounded official because she said it like it was. “Marks can fade,” Angel went on airily, as if lecturing a freshman. “Trial bites. Emergency claims. There are a dozen ways to make something look like a mark that isn’t one. Press silver nitrate and salt into a scratch and humans swear they can smell the oath. Pretty, but not the thing.” “Is that what you had?” The question came out before I could stop it—my curiosity undressing my fear. “A pretty, not the thing?”

“Why did you put a mark on me? I heard that’s the only reason I matter, that I’m valuable because I belong to you.” Her words sliced through me like a blade. That single, damning accusation, so wrong, so painfully human, was a poisonous, unfair summary of everything I felt for her. ​My jaw tightened. I scrubbed a hand over my tired face, the action raw with pure frustration. "I didn't 'put' anything on you, Ruby. It's not some tattoo or collar. It's a natural function, a scent claim," I explained, the words felt sterile, detached, and I hated how cold they sounded in the silence between us. "It happens when an Alpha spends enough time close to someone who is important to them, who is... who