The Mark of an Alpha
Chapter 11

**Marcus POV**

Anticipation fills me as I want to hurry to her. I cannot get enough of her, she is like a breath of fresh air.

“Marcus,” my body stops at the edge of the forest. I am just about to run to the clearing when someone stops me.

Melany must be worried, I am late to meet her.

Dr. Graham kept me later than usual when two small kids came into the infirmary with high fevers.

“What?” I nearly snap but when I see who it is I calm down. “Andrew.”

“Do you know where Mel is?” I don't want to be interrupted but there is a look on his face that makes me want to ask him why does he want to know.

Before I can say a word Andrew’s head snaps to the side and he listens intently.

“The alpha wants us all to head home. Trouble is brewing in the forest.”

“Trouble?” I question. What kind of trouble?

“Rouges. Alpha Blake is sending his Beta and Omega to get anyone out in the forest and send them back onto our turf.”

“Rouges,” my breath gets caught in my throat. “Melany is out there.”

Panic surges through my veins as my heart hammers at my chest. Those vile creatures are out there.

She is out there all alone.

Andrew’s eyes darken as he shifts and bolts to the trees.

I should do the same.

I should shift and go after Melany, replace her and keep her safe.

Except I have a huge problem my wolf goes silent. I summon him with all my power and he does not surface.

I need you.

Silence.

We need you.

Nothing.

“Damn it,” I run into the trees and head into the direction of the trees just as I start running a howl rips through the packhouse and a moment later Alpha Blake is plowing through the trees.

I try my best to stay on his path but he is too fast. The trees whisk by as I stumble and push myself to get to my mate.

The ground descends as I make it to our spot. At the moment it is just my spot.

Melany is not here.

My eyes scan the area and there is a sign of a struggle at the other end of the clearing as I run to it.

The pushed up dirt is directed back to the packhouse.

The claw marks on the dirt send my mind plummeting. There was a fight here. Someone was here and in trouble. The knot in my stomach makes me sick.

The marks are heading back to Moonless territory.

Melany must have gone back.

Without hesitation, I follow the path back to the packhouse. There are people out searching. Women and children crying as I step out of the trees.

Faces invade my vision but none of them are of the girl I am searching for.

“Andrew,” someone says and my eyes zero in on the direction of the branches snapping.

On the other side, Andrew walks out of the trees with Melany before him. She is wrapped in a blanket. Her beautiful face smeared with blood as tears run down her cheek.

“Melany,” I gasp, my feet making their way to her. Andrew lets her go and walks towards the house. His face showing an array of emotions.

Melany stands emotionless before me. There is no gleam in her eyes. No smile on her lips. Her bottom lip quivers as she looks at me for a brief moment.

Oh, baby. I try to hug her but just as my arms wrap around her she pushes me away. She doesn't give me a chance to say that I am sorry for leaving her alone out there.

She looks at me as if I were no one.

A stranger in her path.

A nobody.

Melany walks to Andrew as she wraps an arm around him and they walk inside the house.

“How could this have happened?” A middle-age man says as he questions a younger man.

“Alpha Blake went to get his daughter when he was attacked by the rogues. From what the others said she was holding him. He had died defending her and us.”

Oh no, Melany!

No wonder she is hurting.

“What about Cas and Denis?”

The mention of Alpha Blake’s beta and omega perks my ears. One of them will surely be taking Blake’s spot.

“Cas was found dead in the water and Denis,” the younger male sighs, “we are going to search for him.”

This pack is leaderless.

The Moonless Pack is in a frenzy. Wolves and men run to make sure that their territory is well protected.

Their alpha is dead.

I climb the stairs two at a time as I make it to Melany’s room. Opening the door I see that she is asleep with Andrew next to her.

She chose him over me.

He is her best friend.

Her brother.

The one that did not leave her when she needed him the most.

I know that I should not be jealous but my heart constricts.

My wolf wants to sink its teeth into Andrew for touching her. For being so close to her. For taking my spot.

Before my wolf can take action I close the door and rush downstairs.

Dr. Graham is rushing towards the stairs as tears run down her cheeks.

She had feelings for the alpha.

My wolf finally chimes in and I do not answer back.

From what I learned Dr. Graham is single. I am not sure if it is because she lost her mate or never found him. She is a very private person.

Dr. Graham wipes her tears away, “Get the private from ready. Melany needs attention stat.”

Melany.

I rush behind Dr. Graham as she runs to the infirmary Andrew is helping Melany to the infirmary. She looks as is she is losing an inner battle. Dr. Graham rushes her and helps Andrew get her into the infirmary.

The wheezing and struggle for air are clear in her face.

Her father’s death is killing her.

Andrew stops at the door as Melany is rushed in. His eyes puncture mine, “You should be with her.” Is all he says.

I stare at him.

Her pain will be mine.

The reason why she is like this is that I could not stay away from her for a moment.

This pack’s demise is all on me.

“I can’t do it. I can’t sit there and see her suffer.” Before he could stop me I run out of the packhouse.

Run into the trees.

With the mountain air, my wolf surfaces and allows me to shift.

Instead of feeling whole, I feel as if a piece of me is missing.

A scream erupts through the packhouse. A scream is full of pain and despair. One that cries for the one that they lost.

The night sky shifts from dark blue to purple to orange as the sun rises.

Dirty from spending the entire night running I run back home. Not to the packhouse but the home Julian Blake assigned for me.

It is cozy. Small kitchen and living room. One bedroom and a bathroom. What more would I need?

The hot water pounds at my body as the steam radiates off of my body and vanishes up in the air.

The path from my home to the packhouse is a short one. No one is out. Not even the children dare to come out and play.

I do three rounds of the house making sure that there is no one trying to do something when the pack is at its weakest.

Dr. Graham has ordered anyone that sees me send me to her right away. A teenager asks if I would go and I nod and keep walking.

Melany needs me.

Needs me to help her heal and to keep her together.

Needs me but does she want me?

The thought that Melany would rather break our bond drives me to give her some space.

Would she reject her mate?

Bennett, a trainer, asks if I am willing to patrol at Julian’s funeral. I agree. If I can't help her at least I can help the pack.

Melany spends the next two days in the infirmary. I patrol with the other wolves keeping her safe, in away.

On the day of her father’s funeral, I stand guard. I have not showered. I have not eaten. A human would be weak with hunger but I stand before the pack. Looking and searching for anyone or thing to make a move.

Andrew and Melany make their way to the area that is set out for them. Mel looks exhausted. Beaten even.

For a fleeting moment, a smile spreads across my lips as I see my mate for the first time in days. That smile wipes away when her cold dead eyes stare at the casket. Andrew ushers her to their seat.

My Melany.

Yaziel speaks. Then he is followed by Andrew.

My eyes dance between Mel and Andrew. His eyes are trained on her as if she were to give him strength. In the end, Andrew loses it. Apart of me wants to rush to him and tell him that they will be okay. They will be taken care of, but the asshole from the party, Sam, grabs Andrew and guides him to his seat.

Dr. Graham gasps as she tries to stifle her cry. Her love for that man gleams in her eyes and it breaks my heart. They never had a chance.

The patrolmen whisper amongst each other.

“Someone is coming,” they say.

I look at Andrew but he is no state to be bothered. I clear my throat and Melany looks at me.

“Andrew,” I panic. I want to talk to her but I just cannot muster the words.

“What is it?” She hisses at me.

“We have some visitors.” The leaves rustle as the footsteps come closer. My eyes follow the noise and before is a pack of wolves.

Not werewolves but of actual wolves.

They stop at the trees as Melany gets to her feet.

Is she insane?

I step towards her but the man close to me grabs my arm.

“Ms. Blake,” someone says and Melany ignores them.

What are you doing?

Panic rises. My heart constricts.

She is putting herself in harm’s way.

“Release me,” I snarl at the man and he does what I say.

Melany walks up to the biggest wolf. He is covered in pitch black fur and stature towers over her. With her standing before him he bows his head and Melany closes her eyes for a brief second. As if thanking him for coming.

The natural-born wolves have come to pay their respect to a fallen alpha.

Dr. Graham walks up to Melany and whispers to her. Melany nods her head and walks back to her seat.

Yaziel then proceeds to talk about Alpha Blake’s Last Words.

When he gets to Melany’s part my breathing halts, “It is with great sorrow that I tell you this. I know that you never saw this happening but I need you to be brave. Brave for you and brave for the pack that will follow in your footsteps.”

Melany will be alpha.

My wolf connects the dots faster than my brain.

Alpha.

My mate is an alpha.

Yaziel words stun the pack. The patrolmen step closer to the elder as if hoping for him to have made a mistake. As everyone rushes closer to make their voice heard I step back. Back into the trees. Back into the place where I can take cover.

Forcing my wolf down I run into the trees. This has been my home for the past couple of days.

This is what I am good at.

Running away from everything.