Page 81 of Marked By Alphas 2: Claimed

“You will both stay here,” Maria declared, appearing in the doorway with her usual impeccable timing. “I have already prepared the guest rooms. No arguments.”

Imo nodded graciously. “Thank you. We will not leave until Kai is himself again.”

The certainty in her voice should have been reassuring. Instead, it sent a chill through me. What if I was never myself again? What if this tiny wolf form was my new normal?

As if sensing my thoughts, Marcus moved to kneel beside me, his hand replacing Imo’s in my fur. “We’ll figure this out,” he promised quietly. “Whatever it takes.”

I wanted to believe him. I really did. But as I looked around at the worried faces surrounding me, I couldn’t help wondering if I’d just become everyone’s new full-time project—the quarter-wolf with mysterious “other blood” who couldn’t get his supernatural act together.

Somehow, I didn’t think this was covered in the werewolf manual either.

Chapter 18

STONE BROTHERS

Marcus Stone watched the morning sunlight filter through the library windows, illuminating the scene that would have been unthinkable just a month ago: Min-seo Kim, surrounded by ancient tomes on supernatural bloodlines, arguing animatedly with Jorge about the proper way to incorporate Korean herbs into his protein shakes, while Luke sat cross-legged on the floor, designing a new marketing campaign for Stone Industries.

A week had passed since Kai’s shifting mishap, and what had begun as an emergency visit had evolved into something that looked suspiciously like a permanent arrangement.

“The typeface needs to be more authoritative,” Marcus heard himself saying to Luke, who was presenting mockups for the company’s rebranding. “Less startup, more ‘we’ve been dominating this industry since before your grandfather was born.’”

Luke rolled his eyes but made the adjustment on his tablet. “Boring but intimidating. Got it.”

Hiring Luke had been an impulsive decision, but one Marcus didn’t regret. The young man had a natural eye for design and an uncanny ability to predict market trends. When Luke had announced he wasn’t returning to Seattle until Kai could shift back, Marcus had simply handed him a contract with a salary that had made Luke’s eyes widen comically.

“Consider it a consulting position,” Marcus had said. “You can work from the manor or come into town with me.”

The arrangement worked surprisingly well. Luke drove Min-seo back to Seattle on weekends to check on her shop, but otherwise, they had settled into the manor as if they’d always been there. Luke had initially offered to stay at Kai’s cottage, but Derek had immediately vetoed that idea, citing “security concerns” that fooled absolutely no one. The truth was, none of them wanted to let anyone connected to Kai out of their sight while he remained vulnerable.

Speaking of Kai…

A small silver-white form trotted into the library, followed closely by the three massive dogs who had appointed themselves his personal security detail. Despite being stuck in wolf form for a week, Kai moved with more confidence now, having finally mastered the art of four-legged locomotion. He still couldn’t manage the grand staircase without assistance, but he navigated the main floor with a grace that made Marcus’ chest tighten with pride.

“There’s my little wolf,” he murmured, reaching down to scoop Kai into his lap.

Kai huffed in what was clearly annoyance, but he didn’t struggle as Marcus’ fingers found the spot behind his ears that never failed to make his back leg twitch involuntarily. The brothers had discovered all of Kai’s weak spots over the past week, mapping his small body with the same dedication they applied to everything involving their mate.

“You’re looking particularly fluffy today,” Marcus observed, running his hand along Kai’s back. “Did Caleb use that special conditioner again?”

The look Kai gave him could have withered plants.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Caring for Kai in his wolf form had awakened something primal in all three brothers. They’d taken to arranging themselves around him at all times—feeding him by hand, bathing him in Marcus’ oversized tub, taking turns carrying him from room to room. What had begun as necessity had evolved into a ritual that satisfied some deep alpha instinct to provide for their mate.

Marcus had never expected to enjoy it quite so much. There was something profoundly satisfying about being needed so completely, about watching their tiny mate accept their care with grudging grace. The brothers took turns sleeping with Kai, though they often ended up piled together in Marcus’ bed, their wolves content to have their mate safely nestled between them.

Still, Marcus missed Kai’s voice. Missed the sharp wit and sarcastic comebacks that had drawn him to his mate in the first place. The silent, furry version of Kai was adorable beyond words, but Marcus found himself longing for the verbal sparring matches that had become the highlight of his days.

More concerning was the mystery Min-seo had introduced. Two bloodlines. Not just wolf, but “something else.” Something old.

Marcus stroked Kai’s fur thoughtfully, remembering Sarah Chen—Kai’s mother. She had been beautiful, fiercely protective, and absolutely terrified the day she’d fled with thirteen-year-old Kai. At the time, Marcus had assumed she feared for her son’s safety after the Blood Moon attack, a reasonable concern for any mother. But what if there had been more to it?

What if she hadn’t been running from the danger the Blackwoods posed to Kai’s wolf blood, but from what would happen if anyone discovered his other heritage?

“Did Reece know?” Marcus murmured, more to himself than to Kai. “Is that why he chose your mother? Because he sensed something special in her bloodline?”

Kai tilted his head, clearly recognizing his father’s name.

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