The Mark of an Alpha
Chapter 28

**Marcus POV**

Stupid alpha.

Alpha Hunter needs to know his place.

Alpha Hunter roams the trees around us as I try to talk to Melany. She wants nothing to do with me. I am her mate, her other half, how can she not want me.

Melany walks away from me and straight to that...that stranger.

My wolf is beating me up from the inside he did not want to leave her in the first place and now he sees the consequences of my actions. He wants to kick my ass and a part of me wants to let him.

The tingling of my lips does not seem to rest even though she broke our kiss way too soon. I could kiss her all night long if she would let me. She walks up to the hill with that alpha by her side.

Has she moved on?

If she has, could you blame her?

My wolf loathes me and I understand I would too if I was him. I should have just told her that I needed a break and not that I wanted to leave her. She is too headstrong and dominates than me she is the goddamn alpha for Pete’s sake I should have been more understanding of that and not be the jerk that I was.

Look at her now! She is doing better and instead of ripping you to shreds like any other alpha would the second you touched her, she allows your pack to come onto her land and hunt...she is too good for you.

Shut it!

My wolf is getting on my last nerve stating the obvious. I know that I messed up with her but I want her back she is my mate and until that bond is broken I will do anything that I can to get her back.

I stare at her until she is out of sight with that alpha by her side I cannot do much.

Didn’t you smell it? Her scent is overtaken by his!

She is not marked and I am almost sure that she has not started the mating process with him.

Almost sure?

More like I am a hundred percent sure she has not started it.

Her wolf is trying to cut our mating bond don’t you think that she will be able to?

If anyone can do it, it would be her but I’ll give her a reason to hold on.

My eyes wander to the little-secluded area that holds so many memories for Melany and me. This is where we would come when we wanted some time alone away from the prying eyes of the pack.

Closing my eyes I smell the air her scent faintly lacing the air I breathe and the memories come flooding through me her scent is all her own, pine trees and wildflowers.

“Marcus?” Her voice is like a melody to my ears.

I crouch lower in the bushes. I can hear her footsteps getting closer.

“Marcus?” Her voice sounds a bit worried as if she is not sure if I am here. From the sounds of her steps, she is right in front of the bush I am hiding behind. “Mar-” I cut her short as I jump at her and she releases a scream as we are sent flying to the ground.

Our bodies hit the ground with a solid thump but it does not hurt. My hands take most of the impact as I hold my top half above her. She starts laughing and that is one thing that I can predict about Melany after getting scared she laughs.

“I scared you!” I beam at her and she gasps for air after her fit of laughter.

“No!” She shakes her head.

“Really?” I question her.

“I can smell you from a mile away,” she states proudly, “and it is not a pleasant scent.”

“Liar,” I smirk at her.

She rolls her beautiful steely eyes at me and then lowers them. She feels it as well.

Our mating bond nagging us to complete it, she is completely underneath me and when her eyes finally look up once again they are full of lust. Our bodies want to become one.

Lowering my body towards hers I can feel her body tense up against mine. I can see it in her eyes she wants to say something and when she opens her mouth to say it, I stop her.

My lips crash down on hers and I feel this electricity run through my entire body. Her lips against mine are soft, warm, and tingling. With my teeth, I skim her bottom lip and she shivers under me. Our lips move in sync. She is everything I ever wanted and everything I will ever need. The alpha’s daughter was made for me and just me.

“Marcus, are you okay?” My eyes take her in and I did not notice that I pulled away from her.

“Yes, I’m fine.” I know that asking her if she wants to complete the mating bond means that one or both of us are not ready.

Rolling off of her I lay on my back as Melany turns to look at me. I stare up at the sky and I pull her closer to me. She sighs contently and rests her head on my shoulder.

I am snapped back into the cruel reality. I messed up something great and I am sure that I cannot repair it but I am going to try with everything that I have. The rustling in the woods sends my body into alert.

Meeting their gaze does nothing for me and my wolf. There is nothing more than just... annoyance.

Kaley frantic eyes land on me as she sees that I am okay they soften.

“Marcus, you’re okay!” The exhausted smile on her lips makes my wolf growled in disappointment.

I have led her on for too long. She runs to me and wraps her arms around me. The reason that I was drawn to her at first was never clear until now.

She is a cheap copy of Melany.

No one can compare to her.

Her hair is not the same fierce red like hers, her eyes are light brown not gray, and she is easily persuaded to do what I want not like Melany, she is her person. She gets on her tiptoes and tries to kiss me and my actions surprise and hurt her.

I shove her away from me as if she was some kind of disease and I did not want to catch what she has, “Kaley, we need to talk.”

Her eyes water and she rubs where my hands made contact with her body. I know that it did not hurt her physically but emotionally, possibly.

“It’s about her, isn’t it?” Her lips dip as she tries to fight her frown.

Why deny it?

I nod and the pain on her face makes me want to comfort her but I stay rooted in my spot. “She is my mate, she is where I belong and I made a grave mistake leaving her.”

The tears stream down her face. That is something else that I loved about Melany my heart would hammer in my ears when she would cry which was once when I left. Kaley's cries somehow annoy me.

“What if you’re too late? Don’t ruin what we have Marcus, please. We almost started the mating process.” She pleas with me and she comes closer to me seeking some comfort.

“Almost, but I am still connected to her. It’s a weak connection but I felt her pain when I almost mated with you.”

Kaley tries to come even closer to me but I back away from her. I do not want anything to do with her especially not in Melany’s special place.

“Are you sure she’s worth it? It looks like she already moved on with a much better person than you.” She takes a low blow but I let it slide. She is hurt and will say anything to get me away from Melany.

“Tell Anthony that I will talk to him later, I need to do something.”

Kaley glares at me and runs away into the trees. She is off my mind the second she runs off. I run in the direction that Melany left in. I run in my human form the entire way. Her scent makes me run fast but the male’s scent makes me run faster. I reach the familiar house and run around until I reach Melany’s window the second story window also brings back memories.

The tree at the edge of the house was the way that I use to sneak into Melany’s bedroom when her father was home. I give myself a running start and jump grabbing hold of the branch and pushing myself up. I climb up and finally reach her window.

Her light is on so it is easy to see inside. There is someone on her bed my eyes squint a bit to get a better view when I see that it is the same male as before, the alpha. I can feel my wolf whimpering in pain as I take in her bedroom. Everything that had to do with me is gone there is nothing that will remind her of me. Staring at the male in her bed realization hits me, she is over me.

My wolf takes over and makes me jump off the tree he runs into the trees. My mind is lost in the sight that I just saw. I shift without warning and run aimlessly into the forest.

I told you she’s gone!

This can’t be! She was made for me!

I mentally scream in agony as my wolf howls his pain away.