Page 39 of Marked by Alphas 2: Claimed (The Blood Moon Chronicle #2)

Before I could protest, he was running a comb gently through my fur, smoothing down the unruly tufts. The sensation was strangely soothing, and I leaned into his touch despite my determination to maintain some semblance of dignity.

“There,” he said finally, setting the comb aside. “Much better.”

I peered at my reflection again. I had to admit, I looked less like a deranged dust bunny and more like a proper wolf—albeit a miniature one.

“Ready for breakfast? Jorge’s been up since dawn preparing something special.”

I gave a resigned whine. No doubt “something special” meant another round of gourmet dog food and the humiliation of being hand-fed at the table.

Marcus dressed with military efficiency, then scooped me up again. I wriggled in protest, trying to communicate that I was perfectly capable of walking downstairs myself.

“Nice try,” he said, tucking me securely against his chest. “Those stairs are too steep for you, and Derek would skin me alive if you took a tumble.”

I huffed in annoyance but stopped struggling. He wasn’t wrong—the grand staircase that had seemed perfectly normal when I was human now resembled a death-defying cascade of doom from my current height. Still, the principle of the thing rankled.

The manor was alive with activity as we descended. I could hear Jorge singing in Spanish from the kitchen, the dogs racing through the great room, and what sounded like Derek on a business call in his study. Normal morning chaos, except for the tiny wolf being carried like a furry football .

“There he is!” Maria exclaimed as we entered the kitchen. “Our little wolf! Did you sleep well, carino?”

I managed what I hoped was a dignified nod, though it probably looked more like a head twitch.

“Good, good. Jorge has made special breakfast for you—very nutritious, very good for shifting energy.”

Jorge turned from the stove, beaming with pride as he presented a shallow bowl filled with what looked like the world’s fanciest scrambled eggs, mixed with bits of meat and some kind of herb.

“High protein, special herbs for transformation,” he explained, setting the bowl on the table where another stack of books awaited my royal wolf behind. “Stone’s recipe for shifters who get stuck.”

Marcus placed me on my book throne, and breakfast commenced with all the dignity of feeding time at a very upscale zoo. Derek joined us halfway through, his expression softening when he saw me attempting to eat without covering myself in egg.

“Any progress?” he asked Marcus quietly, as if I couldn’t hear them perfectly with my enhanced wolf hearing.

Marcus shook his head slightly. “Still stuck. Dr. White’s video call is at eleven.”

I pretended to be fascinated with my breakfast, but my ears swiveled toward their conversation of their own accord. Apparently, wolf ears were traitors too.

“Luke and Min-seo are coming back,” Derek continued, his voice low.

“They just left yesterday,” Marcus frowned. “What about Luke’s job?”

Derek shrugged. “Said it was a family emergency.”

Family emergency. The words sent a warm feeling through my chest, even as I worried about Luke dropping everything to rush b ack. What if I was stuck like this for weeks? Months? Would everyone’s life be put on hold because I couldn’t figure out how to switch back to human form?

The morning passed in a blur of humiliating wolf activities.

I needed to go outside for… personal business, which required Derek escorting me to a secluded part of the garden.

I tried to communicate that I’d like some privacy, please, but he just chuckled and turned his back, still standing guard like I might be kidnapped mid-squat.

Caleb found the whole situation hilarious, of course. He spent twenty minutes taking photos of me from every angle, cooing about how “Social media would literally explode if they could see this.” I made a mental note to delete his entire camera roll the moment I had thumbs again.

By the time Dr. White’s video call was set up in Marcus’ study, I was thoroughly done with being a wolf. The novelty had worn off somewhere between being carried everywhere and having to be helped onto furniture like a geriatric Chihuahua.

“Fascinating,” Dr. White murmured, peering at me through the screen. “Can you hold him up closer to the camera?”

Marcus obliged, lifting me so she could see me better. I felt like a show-and-tell project.

“Silver-white fur, distinctive markings along the spine… classic First Blood traits,” she observed, making notes. “But much smaller than I would have expected, even for a quarter-wolf. Almost fox-like in proportion.”

“Is that normal?” Derek asked, his concern evident.

“For pure First Blood descendants? No. For a mixed heritage like Kai’s? It’s not unheard of.” She tapped her pen against her chin thoughtfully. “The size could be influenced by his Asian heritage. There are documented cases of East Asian shifter bloodlines producing smaller, more agile wolf forms.”

Great. Even my wolf form was vertically challenged .

“But why can’t he shift back?” Caleb pressed, the humor gone from his voice.

Dr. White frowned slightly. “There are several possibilities. First shifts often last longer, especially with mixed blood. The body needs time to remember both forms.”

“How long?” Marcus’ hand settled protectively on my back.

“Hard to say. Could be hours, could be days.” She hesitated. “There’s something else, though. Something in his energy readings that I can’t quite place. Almost like there’s another factor interfering with the shift.”

“Another factor?” Derek’s voice sharpened. “What kind of factor?”

“I’m not sure. I’d need to examine him in person.” She glanced at her watch. “I can be there by three.”

The call ended with promises to run more tests when she arrived, leaving me with the unsettling knowledge that I was even more of a supernatural oddity than I’d thought. Not just a quarter-wolf, but a quarter-wolf with… something else. Something that might be keeping me stuck in this form.

Fantastic. Just what I needed—another supernatural mystery to solve while trapped in a body that couldn’t even reach the kitchen counter.

B y the time Luke and Imo arrived, I’d been poked, prodded, and examined by Dr. White for what felt like hours.

Blood samples—which hurt just as much when you’re a wolf—energy readings, and a series of tests that involved me trying to access my “inner spark” or whatever mystical nonsense she thought might trigger a shift back.

Nothing worked.

“His energy patterns are unlike anything I’ve seen before,” she told the brothers while I pretended to nap nearby. “The wolf blood is there, certainly, but there’s something else—something ancient and powerful that seems to be interfering with the normal shifting process.”

“Dangerous?” Marcus asked, his voice tight.

“Not necessarily. Just… different.” She packed her equipment with efficient movements. “I’ve seen mixed bloodlines before, but this is something unique. Almost as if his body can’t decide which form is dominant.”

I cracked one eye open at that. Which form? As far as I knew, I only had two options—human and wolf. Was there a third door I didn’t know about? Maybe I could turn into a potted plant next. That would really round out my week.

“Keep me updated on any changes,” Dr. White said, packing her equipment with efficient movements. “And call immediately if his energy readings spike again.”

Marcus nodded, his hand never leaving my fur. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”

“Of course.” She paused at the door, her expression concerned. “And Marcus? Be careful. Mixed bloodlines can be… unpredictable.”

After she left, the brothers exchanged loaded glances that did nothing for my anxiety. Great. More cryptic supernatural nonsense to add to my growing collection.

About twenty minutes later, the sound of car tires on gravel caught everyone’s attention. Derek went to the window.

“They’re here,” he confirmed, just as Maria bustled in to announce the same thing.

I perked up immediately, scrambling to my feet. Luke was here. Luke, who would either have a brilliant solution or at least make me feel better about being a permanent pocket-sized canine.

Marcus scooped me up before I could make a break for the door. “Careful, little wolf. You’ll hurt yourself. ”

I huffed in annoyance but didn’t struggle. I was getting used to being carried everywhere like a furry accessory.

Luke burst through the front door without waiting for Johnson to announce him, Imo following at a more dignified pace. His eyes scanned the foyer until they landed on me in Marcus’ arms.

“Holy shit,” he breathed, rushing forward. “You’re still stuck?”

I gave a small whine that I hoped conveyed “Obviously” with the appropriate level of sarcasm.

“Let me see him,” Imo said, her calm voice belying the concern in her eyes. Marcus hesitated only briefly before transferring me to her waiting arms.

Imo held me with surprising strength, her eyes studying me intently. “Silver-white fur,” she murmured. “Just like in the old stories.”

“What old stories?” Derek asked sharply.

Imo ignored him, carrying me to the living room where she sat with me in her lap. Her fingers moved through my fur with purpose, stopping at certain points along my spine and head. Each touch sent a strange tingling sensation through me, not unpleasant but definitely not normal.

“Two bloods,” she said finally, looking up at the assembled group. “Not just wolf.”

“We know he’s quarter-wolf,” Caleb said, confusion evident in his voice.

Imo shook her head. “No. Two supernatural bloodlines. Wolf and… something else. Something old.”

The room fell silent. Even the dogs, who had been excitedly greeting Luke, went still.

“What do you mean, ‘something else’?” Marcus asked carefully.

“His mother never told you?” Imo looked surprised. “About her family? ”

I would have given anything for a voice in that moment. My mother had barely told me anything about her family, let alone some secret supernatural heritage.

“Kai’s mother was very private about her past,” Derek said diplomatically. “We knew she was running from something, but she never specified what.”

Imo sighed, her hand still stroking my fur. “In Korea, there are old families. Very old. Some with blood that is… special.” She looked down at me, her expression softening. “I suspected when I first met him. The way energy moves around him. Not just wolf.”

“Are you saying Kai has another supernatural bloodline? From his mother’s side?” Marcus looked like someone had just rewritten his entire understanding of the universe.

“Yes,” Imo said simply. “And now his body is confused. Two bloods fighting for dominance.”

Luke, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke. “Is that why he can’t shift back? Because his… whatever-it-is blood is interfering?”

“Possibly.” Imo’s fingers found a spot behind my ear that sent a wave of warmth through my entire body. “Or possibly his body is preparing for something else.”

“Something else like what?” Caleb demanded.

Imo just shook her head. “We must wait and see. These things cannot be rushed.”

Great. More cryptic supernatural nonsense. Just once, I’d like a straightforward answer like “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning” instead of “Ancient blood mysteries that defy explanation.”

“So what do we do?” Marcus asked, his voice carefully controlled. “How do we help him?”

“We wait,” Imo said simply. “And we prepare. His body will find its way when it is ready.”

“And if it doesn’t?” Derek’s question hung in the air .

Imo met his gaze steadily. “Then we find another way. But first, we wait.”

Luke moved to sit beside me, his hand joining Imo’s in stroking my fur. “Don’t worry,” he told me quietly. “If you’re stuck as a wolf forever, I’ll build you the world’s fanciest doghouse. With Wi-Fi and everything.”

I growled half-heartedly, but the familiar teasing was comforting.

“What about your job?” Marcus asked Luke, his tone somewhere between concerned and suspicious. “Won’t they mind you taking off so suddenly?”

Luke shrugged. “Family emergency. Besides, my boss thinks Comic Sans is an acceptable font for client presentations. I’m doing the world a favor by not being there to witness that crime against design.”

“You can’t just abandon your career,” Derek frowned.

“Watch me,” Luke replied, his tone light but his eyes serious. “Kai’s more important than some marketing job I hate anyway.”

The simple declaration made my chest tight with emotion. Even stuck as a wolf, I had people who would drop everything to help me. It was both heartwarming and terrifying—but what if I never shifted back? Would they all put their lives on hold indefinitely?

“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.