Page 19 of Marked by Alphas 2: Claimed (The Blood Moon Chronicle #2)
Marcus’ transformation, though… Marcus’ change was pure alpha dominance.
The air itself seemed to thicken as he shifted, ancient power rolling off him in waves that made my scar tingle.
Darkness rippled across his skin, but not like shadows—like watching the night itself take form.
His pitch-black fur emerged like ink bleeding through water, somehow both elegant and devastating.
When his transformation completed, his wolf form was massive, larger even than Derek’s, with fur so black it seemed to absorb the light.
His crimson eyes blazed with barely contained power, a reminder that while his brothers were alphas, Marcus was THE alpha.
They joined Derek below, three distinct but equally lethal predators moving with their pack.
The training exercise shifted from basic formations to combat scenarios, and I finally understood why other packs feared the Stone brothers.
They fought like they shifted—each unique but perfectly coordinated.
Derek’s tactical genius shone through every movement, his massive gray form anticipating and countering attacks. He fought like the warrior he was, each strike calculated for maximum effect. His team responded to his commands instantly, moving like extensions of his will.
Caleb was pure deadly grace, his smaller golden-brown form using speed and agility where his brothers used power.
He darted between larger wolves like he was dancing, striking so fast his opponents barely had time to register the attack.
Just like t hat night in the forest, his speed made him lethal in a completely different way than his brothers.
And Marcus… Marcus moved like death itself, each motion a perfect blend of power and precision.
His black wolf form seemed to blur between shadows, appearing exactly where he needed to be with devastating effect.
When he fought, there was no wasted movement, no flashy displays—just pure, efficient dominance.
The other wolves gave him a wider berth, their instincts recognizing the apex predator in their midst.
When the brothers came together in joint attacks, it was breathtaking.
They moved in perfect synchronization, years of pack dynamics evident in how naturally they coordinated.
Derek would herd their opponents into position, Caleb would dart in to break their defenses, and Marcus would deliver the finishing strike. The other wolves didn’t stand a chance.
“Impressive, no?” Maria appeared at my elbow with a fresh smoothie. “I think they’re showing off a bit more than usual today.”
She wasn’t wrong. Every time I leaned forward with particular interest, the brothers would execute increasingly impressive moves.
Derek launched into a series of coordinated attacks that had his team moving as a single unit.
Caleb practically danced through his opponents, showing off his speed with unnecessarily graceful flourishes.
And Marcus… Marcus kept glancing up at the observation deck with eyes that glowed like banked embers, his power display becoming more pronounced each time he caught me watching.
“They’re ridiculous,” I mumbled but couldn’t look away as they moved into a three-way sparring match that looked more like a deadly dance than combat training.
Muscles rippled beneath fur, raw power contained but never diminished.
Their movements were pure predatory grace, and I couldn’t help wondering how it would feel to?—
“More smoothie?” Maria’s voice was way too innocent .
“I’m going to need something stronger than smoothies to survive this,” I said. Watching three powerful alphas move with such lethal grace was doing things to my newly awakened wolf instincts that no amount of Maria’s special smoothies could cool down.
The training session ended with one final, impressive display of coordinated attacks that left me clutching my smoothie like a lifeline.
Below, Derek’s team was already shifting back to human form with military efficiency, their movements precise even in transformation.
Johnson barked out orders about cleanup duty while pulling on his tactical gear, the team falling into post-training routines.
Three massive wolves broke away from the organized chaos, heading back toward the observation deck with predatory grace that somehow still managed to look smug.
The Stone Force parted respectfully as they passed, even hardened ex-military wolves acknowledging the power of three alphas moving in perfect sync.
“Show-offs,” I said but couldn’t help smiling.
Derek’s steel-gray form immediately pressed against my side while Caleb’s golden-brown wolf practically bounced around us, clearly still energized from the training.
Marcus’ black wolf moved with more dignity, but his crimson eyes held a distinctly satisfied gleam.
“Well…” Maria gathered the empty smoothie glasses with a knowing smile. “I believe Jorge needs help in the kitchen. Very urgent cooking emergency. Can’t be avoided.”
“Subtle,” I called after her retreating form.
Caleb’s wolf bumped my hand, then trotted with obvious intent. When I didn’t immediately follow, he came back and tugged gently at my sleeve.
“I think someone wants to go for a walk,” I translated, scratching behind his ears. His tail wagged, confirming my guess .
Marcus’ black wolf moved closer, lowering his massive form in clear invitation.
I hesitated only a moment before climbing onto his back, my fingers sinking into impossibly soft fur.
His muscles rippled beneath me as he stood, and I had to bite back a gasp at the raw power I could feel contained in his massive frame.
“This is totally normal,” I informed no one in particular as we headed out. “Just casually riding a werewolf while his brothers flank us like furry bodyguards. Nothing weird about this at all.”
Derek’s wolf made a sound suspiciously like a snort.
The afternoon sun filtered through the canopy as we moved deeper into the woods.
It was strange to realize how comfortable I’d become here, in the very forest that used to send me into panic attacks.
Maybe it was the constant presence of the brothers, or maybe it was my own awakening wolf nature, but the trees no longer felt threatening.
Instead, they seemed to welcome us, branches swaying gently in a breeze that carried the scent of pine and wild herbs.
Marcus moved with impossible smoothness along the worn path, his stride carefully measured to keep me secure on his back.
The soft fur under my fingers and the steady rhythm of his movement was oddly soothing.
Derek and Caleb ranged ahead, their powerful forms weaving between ancient trees with familiar ease.
I relaxed further, letting my fingertips trail through Marcus’ impossibly soft fur as we ventured deeper into what I now recognized as their territory.
A month ago, I would have been counting escape routes and checking for monsters behind every trunk.
Now, surrounded by three powerful wolves, I felt safer here than I ever had in the city.
The forest had changed from a source of anxiety to something almost…
welcoming. Or maybe I was the one who had changed .
“Let me guess,” I said as we approached the sound of water. “Secret wolf lake?”
Marcus’ chest rumbled in what felt like agreement. The trees opened up to reveal a pristine lake, its surface gleaming like polished glass in the late afternoon light.
Caleb didn’t waste any time, his golden-brown form launching into the water with a splash that seemed deliberately aimed at Derek. The larger gray wolf retaliated immediately, and suddenly I was watching two massive predators play like oversized puppies in the lake.
“Real dignified.” I laughed, sliding off Marcus’ back. “Very alpha-like behav?—”
A wave of water cut me off as Caleb’s tail created a surprisingly accurate splash zone. I stood there dripping, trying to maintain some dignity while two wolf faces managed to look completely innocent despite their size.
“Oh, it’s on.”
I kicked off my shoes and waded into the lake, immediately regretting my choice of a thin t-shirt as it clung to my skin. But the water was perfect—cool but not cold—and something about being surrounded by three playful wolves made me forget to be self-conscious.
Caleb darted around me in circles, creating waves that had me stumbling and laughing.
Derek tried to maintain some dignity, but even he couldn’t resist joining in when I managed to splash water right in his face.
And Marcus… Marcus watched it all with those intense crimson eyes, like he was memorizing every moment.
“I can’t wait until I can feel the mate bond,” I said, floating on my back between them. “At least then I’d know what you’re thinking when you look at me like that.” I glanced at Marcus. “Though maybe that’s dangerous territory.”
The wet shirt was becoming annoying, plastered to my skin and heavy with water. Without thinking too much about it—they w ere wolves right now, after all—I peeled it off and tossed it toward the shore. The late afternoon sun felt amazing on my bare skin, and the water was perfect for swimming.
It wasn’t until I noticed all three wolves had gone very still that I remembered these weren’t actually wolves—they were three very male, very alpha werewolves who had been driving me crazy for weeks.
“Um,” I managed eloquently as the air suddenly felt charged with something that had nothing to do with swimming.