Her Chosen Mate

Part 35

(POV-Marcus)

All he could think about was getting back to Aria.

Visions of her blood dripping onto the floor made him dizzy, and Aiden had been so lucky that Marcus had been more focused on getting to Aria as quickly as possible, or else he would have murdered the young Alpha.

Maybe he wouldn't have, he mused.

He knew how much it hurt to lose a true mate. And he knew it would destroy Aria, and he couldn't ever be the one to put another wolf through that kind of trauma.

And he realized that he would rather die than hurt Aria that way.

It scared him, as it should have, that he would so readily give his life for a wolf that wasn't a part of his pack.

He stormed out and into the cool evening air, searching for the three scents of his packmates. Jaden must have carried Aria toward the main exit of the compound. The trail of her blood left behind in her scent was strongest where the sleek, unnecessarily expensive cars had been lined up outside.

It was completely deserted, all the wolves huddled inside the banquet hall, probably whispering amongst themselves about what had just happened between the new Alpha and one of the most feared Alphas they'd heard of. He jumped down the stone steps, following the dimly lit path lined with gravel that led to the main gates.

The gravel crunched under his feet but he didn't care about making a noise, not when it was so quiet.

Except, he wasn't as alone as he thought he was.

He paused and slowly turned around, his eyes zeroing in on the figure that stood just out of sight behind one of the lampposts lining the gravel path.

"If you have something to say," Marcus said, not bothering to raise his voice. The other wolf would hear him clearly enough. "I suggest you spit it out before I rip it out of you."

The other wolf stepped forward into the light, his hands raised in a show of peace. Marcus recognized him as the Alpha who had stared at him earlier, his hair almost silver beneath the cool moonlight.

"I don't want to cause any trouble," he said, his voice as slippery as the smirk on his face. Marcus immediately distrusted him, a hundred walls going up defensively. "I had just come out for a walk. It can get a bit... stifling, being surrounded by so many Alphas for so long."

Marcus narrowed his eyes, not wanting to make any more enemies than he had already. But he needed to get to Aria, and he wasn't interested in starting a pointless conversation with some strange Alpha he had no business with.

"All those pheromones mixing like a dangerous stew," the Alpha chuckled to himself. "Sorry, I haven't introduced myself."

He walked closer to Marcus, closing the distance that Marcus had purposely put between them, and held his hand out.

"My name is Griffin," he said, his teeth sparkling as white as his hair. "I'm also a new Alpha, although I haven't met my true mate yet, so I can safely say I'm a little more stable than Aiden."

With a little bit of hesitation, Marcus stuck out his hand and clasped Griffin's, giving him a firm shake before pulling away.

"Marcus," he offered. "I'm not a new Alpha."

He hadn't really meant for it to come out quite so threatening, but some part of him wanted this pup to know that Marcus wasn't looking to babysit, nor did he want to risk know that Marcus wasn't looking to babysit, nor did he want to risk alliances with a young, untested Alpha.

"Oh, I know," Griffin chuckled, slipping his hands into his pockets the way Marcus had earlier. He pegged it as a very similar show of disrespect, and he swallowed the growl that bubbled in his throat. "I've heard so many stories about the fearsome Alpha who had wiped out an entire pack in less than a night. You're kind of a legend where I'm from."

"Is that right?" Marcus mumbled in disinterest. He didn't care where this wolf was from or what he had to say, least of all what he thought Alexandar and his past crimes. "Sorry to disappoint."

"On the contrary," Griffin implored, his smile too bright, eyes twinkling with secrets that put Marcus on edge. His shoulders were far too loose, especially if he was supposedly a brand new Alpha at his first gathering. "I've always wanted to meet the wolf that took on all those rogues and came out unscathed."

Marcus had been far from scathed. Both physically and mentally, he'd sustained enough damage that he'd been unable to function for months during the time he spent with that wild wolf pack.

"Why is that?" Marcus pressed, feeling uneasy and agitated. Griffin just shrugged, that unsettling smile never leaving his face.

"I've always been fascinated by strong wolves," Griffin explained. "I like to learn from them"

Marcus could sense that this conversation would yield nothing worthwhile, so he nodded in silence before turning around.

"Keep learning," he said, beginning to walk away. "There's a lot to learn and you don't have many role models to choose from. Good to meet you."

"You seem to have a penchant for taking things that do not belong to you, Marcus Mercia," Griffin called, forcing Marcus to a halt, freezing in his tracks. "Some might say it could be called an obsession."

"What the fuck did you just say?" Marcus' patience had worn dangerously thin, and he wouldn't regret removing Griffin's spine through his mouth.

"Well, you seem to be very fixated on Aiden's true mate," Griffin shrugged. "To anyone watching, it seems as if you're interested in her. But it also seems like you're trying to start a war with a pack whose Alpha is dangerously unstable. Are you looking to expand the ranks of your own pack? Or is this a bid to impress the lovely Aria?"

"Are you trying to challenge me, pup? Because I would seriously reconsider that. I'm not in a forgiving mood, and you look far too young for your mother to get your head delivered to her doorstep in a box."

"God, no," Griffin said with a sarcastic chuckle. His smile didn't quite meet his eyes though, but he bowed his head in subservience nonetheless. "It was just an observation. Like I said, I like to learn from strong wolves."

Marcus growled softly and sized Griffin up, looking at him differently. He was obviously playing a very intricate game, considering Marcus could disembowel the kid right there and then and none of the wolves inside would be the wiser.

"You seem like a smart kid, Griffin," Marcus growled. "Learn how to wield the weapon you call your tongue, or it will end up on another Alpha's wall."

"I'm not worried," he said jovially. "Bad things always come to those who deserve them."

Marcus found himself one snide comment away from bashing this pup's face into the gravel.

"Take Aiden, for instance," Griffin said, glancing back towards the banquet hall. "He's so adamant on keeping both his true and chosen mates that he's willing to let his wolf consume him from the inside out. I think that's why I'm out here with you instead of in there, watching him hovel over his true mate's departure."

Griffin laughed again, sounding a lot more deranged than he had before.

"It's absurd, really," he commented. "With all those Alphas in attendance and watching his every move, he couldn't even restrain his wolf for a second once he saw you with her."

"Fascinating," Marcus said flatly. "I have somewhere to be, and you shouldn't be wasting my time."

He didn't bid Griffin farewell or spare him a nod of acknowledgement; he simply turned on his heel and walked, the gravel crunching under his feet.

He couldn't shake the sick, oily feeling of Griffin's eyes boring into his back as he left.