Page 125 of Marked By Alphas 2: Claimed

The three brothers descended the grand staircase together, a united front despite the tension humming between them. The great hall was already filled with supernatural beings from various factions, their powers carefully contained but palpable in the air.

Marcus scanned the crowd with practiced efficiency, noting potential allies and threats alike. The Blackwood brothers stood in one corner, their pale hair and aristocratic features making them easy to spot. Their attention, he noticed with interest, seemed fixed on Luke—a development worth exploring later.

And then he saw him.

Kai stood near the fireplace, talking with Min-seo and Luke. The midnight-blue suit fit him perfectly, emphasizing his slender frame while hinting at the strength that had emerged since his transformation. But it was the deliberate modifications that made Marcus’ wolf surge forward—the open collar revealing the marks they’d left earlier, the artfully tousled hair that looked exactly like someone had been running their fingers through it, the subtle but unmistakable scent of the shower gel that now carried memories of their gym encounter.

Look at him. Caleb’s appreciation flooded their bond.Magnificent little brat.

He’s doing this on purpose, Derek growled, his protective instincts flaring as he noticed several other supernatural beings eyeing their mate with interest.

Of course he is, Marcus replied, equal parts frustrated and proud.He’s making a point.

The point was clear: Kai might be their mate, but he wouldn’t be controlled. He would surrender on his own terms or not at all. The defiance only made their wolves more determined to claim him, to show him exactly whom he belonged to.

As if sensing their presence, Kai looked up, his eyes meeting Marcus’ across the crowded room. The gold flecks in his hazel eyes seemed to brighten, a small, knowing smile curving his lips. It was a challenge, an invitation, and a promise all at once.

Breathe, brothers, Marcus commanded through their bond, though his own control felt paper-thin.We have guests to attend to.

Derek nodded sharply, forcing his attention back to the security concerns at hand. Caleb’s grin only widened, his eyes never leaving Kai as they moved into the crowd.

“Alpha Stone,” Alpha Rivera greeted them, her crimson gown complementing her olive complexion. “Thank you for your hospitality. It’s an honor to finally meet the mates of the twice-blessed one.”

Marcus inclined his head respectfully, slipping into his diplomatic role with practiced ease. “The honor is ours, Alpha Rivera. Your support during recent events has been invaluable.”

“The old alliances must be remembered in these changing times,” she replied, her dark eyes shrewd. “My pack stands with Stone territory, as we have for generations.”

The formal greetings continued, each faction paying their respects to the Stone Pack while subtly positioning themselves in the new power structure forming around Kai. Marcus handled the diplomatic niceties with outward calm, though his awareness of Kai never diminished.

Through their heightened senses, they could detect flashes of Kai’s emotions—amusement as Luke whispered something in his ear, irritation when an alpha’s daughter approached him too boldly, and beneath it all, the unmistakable scent of desire that matched their own.

He wants this as much as we do, Caleb observed quietly, catching another heated glance from their mate.

Doesn’t mean he’ll make it easy for us, Derek replied, his wolf practically preening at the challenge.

Would we want him to?Marcus countered, already knowing the answer.

Their mate’s spirit, his cleverness, his refusal to simply submit—these were the qualities that had drawn them to him beyond the bond’s pull. Kai was no passive mate to be claimed and controlled. He was their equal in all the ways that mattered, despite his smaller stature and younger age.

“Dinner is served!” Tía Maria announced, her voice cutting through the chatter. “If everyone would please make their way to the dining hall.”

The procession into the dining room followed ancient pack protocol, with Marcus leading alongside Alpha Rivera. Derek and Caleb flanked Kai, their positions making it clear to everyone present that he was under their protection—and their claim. The rest of the guests followed according to rank and status, a supernatural hierarchy that would have been impossible to explain to outsiders.

The formal dining hall had been transformed under Tía Maria’s direction. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light over the long table set for twenty-four guests, the antique silverware and fine china gleaming. The air was filled with the tantalizing aromas of Jorge’s culinary masterpieces—three different paellas as promised, along with dozens of other dishes designed to impress even the most discerning supernatural palates.

Once seated—Kai at Marcus’ right hand, with Derek and Caleb across from him—the real challenge began. Maintaining polite conversation while every instinct screamed to claim their mate was a test of willpower unlike any they’d faced before.

Especially when Kai began his subtle campaign of torment.

It started innocently enough—a brush of fingers as he passed the salt to Marcus, a seemingly accidental touch of his foot against Derek’s under the table, a lingering glance at Caleb that made the youngest brother’s control slip dangerously.

Then came the more deliberate provocations. When Kai reached for his wineglass, he made sure to stretch in a way that caused his open collar to reveal more of the marks they’d left. When he spoke to Elder Grey, he unconsciously—or perhaps very consciously—licked his lips in a way that had all three brothers remembering his performance in the shower. When he laughed at something Luke said, he tilted his head back, exposing the vulnerable line of his throat in a display that had their wolves howling.

He’s going to pay for this, Derek promised through their bond, his eyes flashing amber briefly before he forced them back to normal.

Thoroughly and repeatedly, Caleb agreed, his usual playfulness replaced by something darker, hungrier.

After dinner, Marcus reminded them both, though his own restraint was fraying with each passing minute.

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