Page 35 of Marked by Alphas 2: Claimed (The Blood Moon Chronicle #2)

T he morning sun filtered through the kitchen windows as we gathered for what Imo had declared would be a “proper farewell breakfast.” Jorge and Imo had established an uneasy culinary alliance, resulting in a spread that covered nearly every inch of the dining table—Korean pancakes beside Spanish tortillas, kimchi next to paella, and at least three different types of protein shakes that Derek kept pushing in my direction.

“Eat,” Maria commanded, adding another helping of something to my already overflowing plate. “You need strength for training.”

The word “training” sent a nervous flutter through my stomach.

After breakfast, Luke and Imo would head back to Seattle, and I would begin learning how to access my wolf side—whatever fraction of one I had.

The brothers had been frustratingly vague about what that entailed, but their barely contained excitement was both thrilling and terrifying.

“Stop looking like you’re headed to execution,” Luke said, elbowing me as he reached for more kimchi. “Though if you end up with a tail, I expect photo evidence. ”

“I hate you,” I whispered back, but there was no heat in it. I was going to miss him.

Across the table, Marcus watched our interaction with that intense focus.

His eyes hadn’t left me all morning, tracking every movement as if memorizing me.

Derek and Caleb weren’t any better—one of them always within touching distance, casual brushes of their hands against my shoulder, my back, my wrist.

It should have been annoying. Instead, each touch sent little sparks of heat through my body, the mate bond responding eagerly to their attention. Traitorous body.

“Now,” Imo announced, setting down a ceramic pot with suspicious-looking steam rising from it, “protective tea before journey. Everyone drink.”

The Stone brothers exchanged glances but accepted the small cups she poured. I’d learned enough about supernatural politics to recognize this as the gesture it was—Imo offering protection, the brothers accepting her as an ally.

“To safe journeys,” Marcus said, raising his cup in a toast. “And new beginnings.”

The tea tasted like herbs and something else—something that tingled on my tongue and seemed to settle warm in my chest. When I caught Imo’s satisfied nod, I knew this was more than just tea.

Loading the car became a production. Jorge insisted on packing enough food to feed a small army.

”For the drive!” he protested when Maria rolled her eyes.

Derek personally inspected Luke’s car, checking everything from tire pressure to the engine, while Caleb programmed emergency contacts into both Luke and Imo’s phones.

“I’ve added direct lines to our security team,” he explained, showing Luke how to access the emergency protocols. “Any problems on the road, you call immediately.”

“Is this standard procedure,” Luke asked dryly, “or are you expecting trouble? ”

The silence that followed was answer enough.

As the last bags were loaded, I was suddenly reluctant to say goodbye. Luke had been my anchor through all of this—the one normal thing in my rapidly shifting reality.

“Don’t look so pathetic,” Luke said, pulling me into a hug. “I’ll be back to visit your furry ass before you know it.”

“You better,” I mumbled into his shoulder. “Who else is going to appreciate my impending identity crisis?”

Luke pulled back, his expression suddenly serious. “Be careful with the wolf stuff, okay? And if anything feels wrong—anything at all—you call me.”

“Yes, mom.”

“I mean it, Kai.” His eyes flicked to where the brothers stood, giving us the illusion of privacy while obviously monitoring every word. “They’re good guys, I think. But there’s a lot happening that none of us fully understand.”

Imo swept in, enfolding me in a hug that smelled of herbs and home. “You listen to your wolf,” she said firmly. “It knows more than you think.”

She pressed something into my palm—a small pouch that felt warm to the touch. “For protection during transition,” she whispered. “Keep close.”

Then she turned to the brothers, her small frame somehow imposing as she fixed them with a stern look. “You take care of my boy,” she said, not a request but a command.

Marcus inclined his head, the gesture respectful. “You have our word.”

The goodbye stretched on with last-minute instructions, more food being shoved into the car, and Jorge extracting a promise from Imo to share more of her recipes. Finally, with a last round of hugs and warnings, Luke and Imo pulled away, the car disappearing down the driveway.

I stood watching long after they were gone, the pouch warm in my hand. I wasn’t alone—three warm bodies surrou nded me, their scents wrapping around me like a physical embrace.

“Ready?” Marcus asked, his hand finding the small of my back, that simple touch sending heat spiraling through me.

“For what?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“Time to meet your wolf,” Caleb said, his smile promising both danger and delight.

Derek’s hand closed around mine, strong and steady. “We’ll be with you every step.”

As they led me toward the training area, I couldn’t help wondering what exactly I was about to unleash. Whatever it was, I had a feeling nothing would be the same after today.

And strangely enough, I was okay with that.

The training area was nothing like I’d expected.

I’d imagined some high-tech facility with monitors and equipment, maybe medical staff standing by in case I grew an extra ear or something.

Instead, we headed deep into the forest behind the manor, following a path that gradually disappeared until we were walking through pristine wilderness.

“Where exactly are we going?” I asked, stepping over a fallen log. “If this is where you secretly dispose of quarter-wolves who fail Shifting 101, I should warn you I’ve left detailed notes with Luke.”

Marcus’ lips twitched. “No disposal plans. Just privacy.”

“Shifting is… intimate,” Derek added, his voice dropping on that last word in a way that made my insides do gymnastics. “Not something for an audience.”

“Oh good, just the four of us for my potentially catastrophic transformation. Much better.”

We emerged into a small clearing ringed by ancient trees. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, creating dappled patterns on the moss-covered ground. At the center stood a large flat stone, its surface worn smooth by what looked like centuries of use .

“This is the heart of Stone territory,” Marcus explained, his voice taking on a formal quality. “Our family has shifted here for generations.”

“Our mother brought us here for our first shifts,” Caleb added, his usual playfulness subdued. “It’s… sacred ground.”

“No pressure or anything,” I said, but even my sarcasm couldn’t completely mask my awe.

The clearing felt different—like walking into a cathedral after hours of wandering in a crowded mall.

My skin prickled with awareness, that strange part of me that had been waking up since I arrived in Cedar Grove suddenly alert and reaching.

“What do I do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Is there a special dance? Magic words? Do I need to howl at the nonexistent moon?”

“First,” Derek said, his eyes gleaming with something that definitely wasn’t just amusement, “you need to be comfortable. Clothes don’t shift with you.”

I blinked. “You want me to get naked? Here? Now?”

“You’ve seen us shift before,” Caleb reminded me, his lips twitching. “You know how it works.”

“Yeah, but watching you guys strip down is a completely different experience than doing it myself,” I countered. “You three look like you walked off fitness magazine covers.”

“You’re filling out nicely,” Derek observed, his eyes tracking over my frame with obvious appreciation.

“Unless you want to destroy those jeans,” Derek continued, “clothes off is the only option. First shifts are hard enough without worrying about shredding your wardrobe.”

“They’re from a clearance rack,” I corrected automatically, then realized that was so not the point. “Wait, you’re serious? Full birthday suit in the middle of the woods?”

“We can turn around if you prefer,” Marcus offered, though the heat in his eyes suggested he’d rather do anything but.

“Right, because that’s not awkward at all. ‘Don’t mind me, just s tripping down for my supernatural debut while you all pretend to be fascinated by tree bark.’”

Despite my protests, my fingers were already fumbling with my shirt buttons.

This was ridiculous. We’d had plenty of heated make-out sessions that had left me frustrated and aching when they’d pulled away, but we’d never actually crossed that final line.

Something about “waiting until I could fully shift” and “mate bond completion” and other werewolf technicalities that seemed designed specifically to drive me insane.

And now, here I was, getting naked for completely non-sexy reasons. The universe had a twisted sense of humor.

“Just… don’t laugh if this goes horribly wrong,” I said, pulling my shirt over my head and trying not to notice how all three pairs of eyes tracked the movement. “And if I end up with extra limbs or something, I expect hazard pay.”

“Never,” Derek promised, his eyes darkening as I reluctantly shed my jeans.

By the time I stood naked in the clearing, my skin was flushed with a combination of embarrassment and something else entirely. The way they looked at me—like I was something precious and delicious all at once—made it hard to remember why we were here.

“Now what?” I asked, fighting the urge to cover myself. “Do I just… think wolfy thoughts?”

“Now,” Marcus said, stepping closer, “we help your wolf find its way out.”

He placed his hand over my heart, palm warm against my bare skin. The simple touch sent electricity racing through me. Derek moved behind me, his chest pressing against my back, while Caleb flanked my other side. I was surrounded, their scents and body heat enveloping me.