Page 6 of Marked by Alphas 2: Claimed (The Blood Moon Chronicle #2)

I was still trying to remember how basic motor functions worked when Derek burst through the door like a tactical tornado in combat boots. His scowl could have stripped paint.

“Really?” he growled at his brothers. “Your smugness is giving me a headache through the pack bond. Some of us are trying to work.”

“Pack bond?” I managed to ask, proud that words were starting to work again. Though sitting upright was still a work in progress.

“The mental connection between pack members,” Marcus explained, his thumb still tracing patterns on my neck that made coherent thought challenging. “We can communicate telepathically, share emotions, even share strength when needed. It’s especially strong between alpha brothers.”

“And especially annoying when these two are broadcasting their smugness and sending mental replays of those kisses,” Derek muttered, his eyes tracking the way Caleb’s fingers were playing with my hair. “Which is why I nearly took down the wrong tree during patrol. ”

“Wait,” I straightened slightly. “You guys can actually talk to each other in your heads? Like full conversations?”

That’d explain… well, everything. The weird synchronized movements.

The loaded looks. The way they always seemed to know exactly when to tag-team me with their attention.

All those times I thought I was being paranoid about their perfect timing?

Turns out they literally had a supernatural group chat running twenty-four seven.

Great. Because three impossibly hot alpha werewolves weren’t intimidating enough without adding telepathy to the mix.

“Full conversations, images, emotions.” Caleb smirked, tugging gently at my hair. “Want to guess what we’re sharing right now?”

Derek’s growl cut through the room. “Stop showing me that or I swear?—”

“Children,” Marcus warned, though his amusement leaked through his stern tone. “Perhaps we could demonstrate a more… productive use of the pack bond?”

“More productive use like this?” Derek stalked forward, then dropped to one knee in front of the couch where I sat sandwiched between his brothers.

Even kneeling, he was almost at eye level with me—which really wasn’t fair considering I was on a couch.

His tactical vest creaked as he leaned forward, one hand cupping my jaw.

“However, we need to be careful. You’re still healing. ”

“I’m fine,” I protested, trying not to be distracted by how he’d essentially caged me in, Marcus a solid warmth on my left, Caleb pressed against my right, and Derek’s massive frame blocking any escape route. Not that I was planning on escaping. At all.

“You won’t be if we lose control again,” Marcus said softly from beside me, his thumb still tracing maddening patterns on my neck. “Like last night at the cottage.”

“When you all ran away?” I couldn’t help the edge in my voice, even with Derek kneeling before me like some tactical fantasy come to life. “Oh wait, was that why? You were about to… wolf out?”

Caleb’s lips paused against my neck. “You have no idea how close we were. When you challenged Marcus like that…”

“We nearly lost it,” Derek finished, his grip tightening slightly on my jaw. “Could barely hold our wolves back.”

“So that’s why you sprinted for the hills and left me cursing your existence?” I asked, torn between understanding and lingering frustration. “A little explanation would have been nice instead of just?—”

“Instead of just leaving you half-naked and furious?” Marcus’ voice held a hint of amusement. “We couldn’t exactly stop to explain while fighting off the shift.”

“God, you were gorgeous like that,” Caleb groaned against my neck, his grip tightening. “All flushed and angry, shirt hanging off your shoulders, screaming after us like some avenging angel.”

Derek’s eyes darkened at the memory. “Do you have any idea how hard it was not to turn back? To not just take you right there?”

“You looked like pure sin,” Caleb continued, teeth grazing my pulse point. “The way your chest was heaving, those marks we left on your neck…”

“We could hear you,” Marcus added, his voice dropping lower. “Every word. Every curse. The way your heart was racing.”

“Nearly broke our control completely,” Derek growled, thumb tracing my bottom lip. “Especially when you called us cowards. Our wolves wanted to show you exactly how wrong you were.”

I swallowed hard, suddenly very aware of how surrounded I was. “So you like it when I’m angry? ”

“We like everything about you,” Caleb purred. “But watching you stand there, all fire and defiance…” His lips brushed my ear. “Makes us want to see how far we can push that temper.”

“Not helping our control, little brother,” Marcus warned, though his own voice was strained. A low growl rumbled through Derek’s chest where he knelt before me, his eyes flickering between steel-gray and amber as he visibly fought for control.

The memory of last night hung heavy in the air between us, making every touch feel electric, dangerous. I shifted slightly, trying to clear my head despite being surrounded by three increasingly worked-up alphas.

“Speaking of control and crazy things,” I managed, my voice embarrassingly breathy as Caleb’s lips traced fire along my neck. “This pack bond thing—will I be able to do that too? Because your hot-and-cold routine is giving me whiplash, and some supernatural heads-up would be nice.”

The brothers exchanged one of those loaded looks over my head. Marcus spoke first, his thumb still tracing maddening patterns on my neck. “Once we’ve completed the mating bond, yes. You’ll be connected to all of us.”

“Great, when can we do that? Because seriously, this whole ‘kiss me senseless, then run for the hills’ thing is—” I broke off as Derek leaned even closer. Even kneeling, he managed to loom over me, his presence overwhelming.

“We can’t. Not yet.” Derek’s voice was pure gravel, his hands coming up to grip the couch on either side of my thighs. “You’re not ready.”

“Not ready?” I raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore how his position made me feel small and protected and somehow both safe and endangered at once. “Pretty sure my enthusiasm speaks for itself.”

Caleb’s grip tightened on my shoulder, his teeth grazing my neck. “Trust me, we know. But you haven’t fully awakened yet. Can’t shift, can’t access your wolf side.” His other hand slid into my hair, tugging my head back slightly to expose more of my throat.

“If we tried to claim you now,” Marcus added from my left, his eyes darkening to midnight as he watched Caleb mark my neck, “the intensity would kill you.” His hand splayed possessively across my lower back, steadying me as I squirmed between them.

Oh. Well. That explained some things.

“So all this stopping and starting…” I gasped as Derek’s hands moved from the couch to my thighs, his thumbs tracing dangerous patterns through my jeans.

“Is us trying not to lose control,” Derek finished. “Because believe me, once we start…” His hands slid up to cup my face again, completely engulfing my jaw in his calloused palms. “We won’t be able to stop.”

“Then maybe you should stop teasing and start training me,” I suggested, aiming for practical but probably landing closer to breathless, especially with how Derek’s thumbs were tracing my cheekbones.

My hands found his tactical vest, needing something to anchor myself between the three of them.

“Because this whole ‘can’t claim you yet’ thing? Not getting easier with all the—oh.”

Derek’s kiss was nothing like Marcus’ calculated conquest or Caleb’s artistic seduction.

This was raw power, barely contained, like trying to bottle lightning.

His hands held me still as his mouth claimed mine, and I was suddenly very grateful for the couch and his brothers’ support because my bones had apparently decided to melt.

Somewhere in the kiss-induced haze, I registered Caleb’s approving growl against my neck, felt Marcus’ grip tighten on my back.

“Beautiful,” Caleb murmured, his teeth finding that sensitive spot b ehind my ear that made stars explode behind my eyes. “The way you just melt for us…”

I would have protested that assessment, but Derek chose that moment to deepen the kiss, one hand sliding into my hair while the other kept me still.

His tongue swept inside, tasting, claiming, destroying what was left of my sanity.

The tactical vest was rough under my desperate grip, but I needed something to hold on to as three sets of hands branded my skin with possessive touches.

When Derek finally pulled back, I was grateful for Caleb’s support on my right and Marcus’ steady hand on my back.

Derek stayed close, his forehead resting against mine as we both tried to catch our breath.

This close, I could see the amber fighting with the steel-gray blue in his eyes, could feel the tremors of restraint running through his powerful frame.

“Now who’s broadcasting smugness?” Marcus drawled, though his own voice was rough with barely contained need.

Derek’s grin was pure predator, his thumb brushing over my swollen bottom lip. “Can’t help it. Our little mate tastes like addiction.” He was still kneeling between my legs, making no move to create distance despite the dangerous heat in his eyes.

“And you’re both making it very hard to remember why we can’t claim him right now,” Caleb added, his voice rough against my skin as his teeth grazed a particularly sensitive spot.

“Training,” I managed to gasp out, clutching Derek’s vest like a lifeline as Caleb’s mouth did wicked things to my neck. “Definitely… need to start training. Like, yesterday.”

Marcus’ laugh was warm with promise, his hand sliding up my spine in a possessive caress. “Soon, little one. First, you need to heal. Then we’ll see about awakening that wolf of yours.”

“And then?” I couldn’t help asking, even though their darkening eyes told me I was playing with fire. Derek’s hands tightened on my thighs in response .