Page 56 of Marked by Alphas 2: Claimed (The Blood Moon Chronicle #2)
“It is overwhelming!” I exclaimed, feeling the gold flecks in my eyes warming with emotion. “And in case you haven’t noticed, I didn’t exactly ask for any of this. Not the wolf genes, not the dragon blood, not the ancient evil stalking me since childhood.”
“We know,” Marcus said softly, understanding in his eyes. “And if there was any way to shield you from this, we would. But the Coven will return, Kai. And when it does, you need to be prepared.”
I was silent for a long moment, processing everything I’d learned. The memory of crimson mist reaching for me, of my mother’s desperate fight, of silver-blue fire dancing across my fingertips—it all felt both foreign and familiar, like a language I’d once known and was just beginning to remember.
“Fine,” I said finally, meeting Marcus’ gaze with newfound determination. “But I have conditions.”
“Name them,” he replied without hesitation.
“First, no more secrets,” I stated firmly. “I want to know everything—about the crimson mist, the Coven, about my herita ge, about what happened that night. No more protecting me from the truth.”
“Agreed,” Derek nodded, respect evident in his expression.
“Second, I stay here,” I continued. “No whisking me off to secret dragon training grounds or whatever. If I’m going to learn to control these… abilities, I do it on my terms, in a place where I feel safe.”
“The White Tiger Clan might prefer their traditional methods,” Caleb said thoughtfully, “but I’m sure they’ll be flexible. They’ve been searching for you for so long, they’d probably train you in a shopping mall if that’s what you wanted.”
“They’re just happy to have found you,” Marcus agreed. “What else, Kai?”
“I want Luke and Imo to stay involved in everything,” I said firmly. “I need them both to be part of this training too. They’re the only ones who see me as just Kai, not some prophesied twice-blessed whatever.”
“Of course,” Marcus agreed immediately. “Luke and Min-seo have already proven themselves valuable allies. Min-seo’s knowledge of protective magic will be particularly useful against the Coven.”
“And finally,” I said, my voice softening slightly, “I need you to understand something. I’m choosing this—choosing you. Not because of some prophecy or supernatural destiny, but because I want to. But that means we do this together, as equals. I’m not just some prize to be claimed or protected.”
The tension visibly drained from Marcus’ shoulders, and I realized he’d been expecting something else entirely. Had he thought I was going to reject them?
“You’ve never been just a prize, Kai,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “You’re our mate. Our equal. Our everything.”
“And we’ll prove it,” Caleb added, his smile warm but his eyes intense. “In every way possible. ”
Derek’s low growl of agreement sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with fear.
“Good,” I managed, trying to ignore the heat building between us.
The door burst open without warning, and Maria’s voice preceded her into the room, rising in a mixture of Spanish and English exclamations. “Dios mío! They cannot just walk in like they own the place! I told them to wait, but do they listen? No!”
An elderly man in traditional white robes swept in behind her, flanked by two younger men similarly dressed. Maria threw up her hands in exasperation, though I noticed she was also bowing slightly as she stepped aside.
“The young lord is awake,” the old man observed, his ancient eyes fixing on me with undisguised interest. “We sensed the awakening of your dragon spirit.”
“And you couldn’t wait for an invitation?” Derek asked dryly.
The old man inclined his head slightly, not quite an apology. “The Imperial Dragon bloodline has been lost to us for a generation. Forgive our… eagerness to serve once more.”
“I don’t need servants,” I said, feeling the gold flecks in my eyes warming again. “And I’m not a ‘young lord’ or whatever you think I am. I’m just Kai. The guy who still can’t figure out how to fold a fitted sheet properly.”
The old man’s lips twitched in what might have been amusement. “Just as your mother insisted she was ‘just Sarah,’ though we knew her as Lady Chen Mei-Ling. The dragon blood shows itself in more than just power, young one.”
“Chen Mei-Ling?” I repeated, the name feeling both foreign and strangely familiar on my tongue. “My mother’s real name was Mei-Ling?”
“Indeed. A name that has been in your family for generations, though she abandoned it when she fled to your Western world.” His eyes studied me with undisguised interest. “She never told you? ”
“No,” I said, a pang of loss hitting me unexpectedly. Another piece of my mother I’d never truly known. “She was always just… Mom. Sarah.”
“We protected her family for generations,” he confirmed with a respectful nod. “Until she chose to flee rather than take her place in the Imperial lineage. We have searched for her—and you—since her disappearance.”
“Well, congratulations on finding me,” I said, my usual snark reasserting itself despite the emotional revelation. “But I’m not going anywhere. If you want to help me understand this dragon stuff, you’ll have to do it here. Preferably without destroying Miguel’s flower beds in the process.”
The old man studied me for a long moment, then surprised everyone by chuckling softly. “Indeed, you are Lady Chen Mei-Ling’s son. Very well. We will adapt our training methods to accommodate your… unique circumstances.”
More commotion erupted in the hallway. This time, it was Luke’s voice rising in alarm, followed by what sounded like multiple heavy objects being dragged across the floor.
Luke appeared in the doorway, his expression a mixture of exasperation and disbelief. “The Knox alpha is here,” he announced. “With what appears to be half a forest worth of offerings. And he’s insisting on presenting them to the ‘honored one’ personally.”
“The what now?” I asked, increasingly bewildered.
“That would be you,” Caleb supplied helpfully. “Apparently, saving a pack of wolves from ancient evil earns you some serious supernatural street cred.”
I looked from the White Tiger Clan to the doorway where Luke was now trying to physically block someone from entering, then back to my three mates watching me with varying degrees of concern and amusement.
“This is my life now, isn’t it?” I asked no one in particular. “Dragon training, wolf politics, and supernatural fan clubs. ”
“Afraid so,” Marcus replied, his lips twitching into a rare smile. “Welcome to your new normal.”
“Lucky me,” I muttered, reaching down to scratch Shadow’s ears as the dog pressed reassuringly against my side. “I don’t suppose there’s a handbook for all this? So You’ve Just Discovered You’re a Dragon-Wolf Hybrid: Now What? ”
“If there is, we’ll find it,” Caleb promised, his hand finding mine again.
“And if there isn’t, we’ll write one,” Derek added with surprising humor.
As the chaos in the hallway grew louder and the White Tiger Clan began setting up what looked suspiciously like a ritual space in the corner of my room, I leaned back against the pillows and contemplated my new reality.
Part wolf, part dragon, claimed by three alpha werewolves, hunted by ancient evil, and apparently worshipped by former enemies.
“Just another day in Cedar Grove,” I said to myself. “The supernatural capital of weird.”