Chapter 14: Holding on

Marcus POV

I couldn’t let her go just like that, so I followed them. It was hard to control Shadow when we first saw them together.

When Tyson left me standing there with my own thoughts, I struggled with what to do. I finally snapped out of my daze when I heard the car as it drove away in the distance. My heart squeezed in panic, and I wasted no time as I shifted to my wolf form and followed their scents.

It took me a while because it was hard to follow the scent with it being carried away at the high speed of the car, so I stopped a few times to find the correct direction. Finally, I smelled her.

Her scent was taking over my senses, making me feel as if I was floating on the clouds.

I hid when I saw them in the ocean. I couldn’t see well from the place I was standing, so I searched for a better spot—that’s when I saw a cliff and decided to go there.

Running towards the cliff, I climbed up fast, trying to be as silent and invisible as possible. Thankfully, no one saw me.

I crouched low onto my wolf’s belly and crawled towards the edge of the cliff where I could see her. My eyes were captivated by the sight of her; she seemed as if she were deep in her thoughts, but yet at the same time, content.

The moment I saw movement near her, I noticed Tyson, which immediately made me raise my lip and bare my fangs. I was about to jump over the cliff and dig my fangs deep into his flesh when I heard my mate’s voice.

The hackles on my back were raised upwards. I didn’t trust that asshole. If looks could kill, that would be one ugly, dead Siren right there.

Sometimes I wished I had the laser sight as Superman or that guy Cyclops from X-Men. It would be useful to have such power right now—not to mention for target practicing—but that’s not my luck.

Glaring daggers at him, I scanned the area and my eyes landed on discarded clothes that were laid on the beach. Realizing whose clothes those were, I snapped my eyes to Tyson and Olivia and raised up on my feet, feeling on edge.

Tyson saw me, I was sure of that, as his eyes landed upon me the moment I stood up on my four legs.

He spoke to Olivia and then smirked at me, looking smug as he shifted.

Everything at that moment happened so fast. As soon as Tyson shifted, Olivia followed, and they were gone.

I felt as if I was losing my mind and let out a frustrated howl.

That son of a bitch!

I’ll kill him!

Pacing at the edge of the cliff, I looked over the ocean surface in hopes of seeing her again, but as hours passed, my hopes drowned.

“Marcus, where are you?” My dad mind-linked me.

“At the beach. Why?” I answered.

“You said you were going for a run, what are you doing all the way there?” he asked me.

“I ran until I reached the beach. What’s the matter, Dad?” I asked.

“Come home now, I have to speak with you about something important and it cannot be done this way,” he said in a stern voice.

“Okay, I’m coming back,” I answered him, blowing out a breath.

As soon as I cut the mind-link, I looked at the ocean one more time, waiting for just a couple more minutes, and then I decided it was time for me to leave.

As I ran back home, I thought about everything that had happened. I knew she was upset because Samantha and I tried to apologize, yet she didn’t let me. When she asked me who Sam was to me, I told her honestly. I told her she is my ex-girlfriend and nothing more, yet I couldn’t say that because even after we broke up, we still got together now and then. It didn’t mean anything to me, and I knew that sounded bad of me, but it was just plain sex, nothing more.

But seriously, she is so mad that she can’t look at me now that she knows about my reputation? I mean, what the fuck! I was no angel, but didn’t she get it that… fuck… I just want her. I was fucking smitten over her and she was oblivious.

I guess I would need to show her then, and I had no idea how.

Nearing the pack lands, the warriors on patrol greeted me as they bowed their heads and bared their necks to me. I ran along further until I could see the packhouse ahead.

As I got closer, I could hear squeals that made me slow down.

“Uncle Marcus!”

Turning my wolf’s head to the side, I saw two sets of chubby legs that were running towards me. Their arms connected with my wolf’s fur as they tried to hug me.

Lowering my head to one brown-haired, hazel-eyed a little girl that had a huge grin flashing at me and showing me two missing front teeth, I nuzzled my head to her cheek, licking it gently. She giggled loudly. Turning my head as not to forget, I repeated the movement with the identical replica of a little boy. They both giggled loudly as I licked at their faces.

“Oh, come on! Marcus, stop! Now I need to bathe them… again.”

Looking up, I saw my cousin Aubree scowling at me as she approached us.

“At least help me get them back to the house since they need a change of clothes now.”

I chuckled, which was a weird sound coming out of my wolf’s mouth, and crouched down to let the two little twins who were still giggling climb onto my back.

I slowly trotted towards the house with two toddlers screaming happily, which made everyone we passed smile and wave at us. As we approached, I saw my dad and uncle come outside.

“Papa… look, we captured Uncle M,” Zoe, my little niece, said to my Uncle Kevin. He nodded excitedly at her.

“Oh, did you now? I knew you both were strong, and if you could catch Uncle Marcus, then you proved me right,” Uncle Maxwell said in a teasing tone as he chuckled.

I looked up and saw my father smiling as well. Then he looked at me he said, “Go dress and meet me in the study.”

He turned and went inside, leaving me with my uncle and his daughter with two sets of twins who protested when I tried to get them to climb off of my back.

“Always so serious,” my uncle spoke of my dad as he shook his head, reaching over me and taking Kevin off my back as Aubree did the same with Zoe.

As they walked inside, debating with both toddlers about their bath time, I shifted back into my human form and walked inside the house.

I walked upstairs into my room and grabbed some shorts, and went back to meet with my father. As I walked towards his study, something inside of me was telling me that I would not like what he was about to tell me.

As I passed by a few pack members, I greeted them and walked ahead.

As soon as I came in front of the study, I reached my hand up and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” My father’s voice boomed from inside the room.

I opened the door and entered the room, closing it behind me.

My dad was already working as he had his reading glasses on and was writing something on some papers.

“Take a seat, son.”

I sat in the chair that was in front of his desk and waited for him to finish. A few moments later, he raised his head and said, “Marcus, you are 18 already, almost 19 years old. I haven't been pressured into asking you, but have you found your mate yet?”

Shit…

What was I supposed to say now?

If I spoke the truth, he would want details and that meant revealing that my mate was not a werewolf, and I knew he would try to reason with me and give me the big talk about the Council of Elders and law and rules.

I just… Blowing out a breath, I decided to lie, or at least avoid the conversation for now, if at all possible.

“Why are you asking me this now, Dad?” I asked as I furrowed my eyebrows.

Intertwining his fingers in front of him on his desk, he looked at me and spoke. “You will take my position as an Alpha of this pack, and that is to happen soon. I wanted to know when the ceremony would happen. Will there be just you or will your mate be next to you?”

Swallowing, I said, “That’s still a long time from now, so I can’t say.”

He was silent for a minute. “Actually, son, it will be sooner rather than later and that is why I asked. The tradition usually is for Alpha to lead when he has his Luna…”

“Wait, Dad… why sooner? I thought we spoke of this already and decided it would be on my 25th birthday?”

“I know, but I have to make it sooner.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“Your mother and I spoke, and it is just time. I am honestly looking forward to taking a break, but as my father was there to guide and help me, I will do the same for you. That also leads me to one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

“I am sending you for an Alpha training at the Alpha camp.”

“What?! Dad… but school… you always said education is important, so I can’t go.”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “You will graduate soon and you have trained already. This is just to refresh it all in a short time, plus your school is going there anyway. I only arranged that the practice gets advanced for you while you’re there.”

School? I hadn’t heard of any school trip. If it was the whole school, then Olivia would be in camp too.

“Okay, if it’s as you say, that is fine. I should go and prepare then.” I stood up from the chair and walked to the door when my dad’s voice stopped me.

“One more thing, Marcus…”

I looked at him, waiting.

“If you don’t find your mate and she is suitable to be your Luna by your 20th birthday, you will take a chosen one and mate her.”

My blood froze at his words. “Who?” I knew he had already chosen who it would be.

“Samantha Baker.”