Marked Twice by the Alpha King Chapter 109

**Third Person POV**

Sophia slumped in an old leather chair, pretending to read while her brain replayed yesterday's scene on loop. Jackson grabbing Ava, yanking at her scarf, touching something on her neck. Then Dad appearing out of nowhere, eyes blazing that freaky wolf-gold. The weirdest part? How Jackson and Ava looked at each other—like they had history. The intimate kind.

*What the hell was that mark? And why did Dad look ready to rip someone's throat out?*

Her fingers drummed against dusty pages until the click of heels on marble made her look up. Victoria Morgan—all silver hair and old-money posture—glided into the library like she owned it. Which, technically, she did.

"You look like someone stole your dessert," Victoria said, settling across from her granddaughter with a grace Sophia had never mastered.

Sophia chewed her lip before diving in. "Grandma, weird question—can fated mate marks ever change?"

Victoria's eyebrow shot up. "Well, that's out of left field." She leaned forward. "Marks are permanent unless the marker dies or releases the claim. That's Pack 101."

"But what about exceptions?" Sophia pressed, watching her grandmother's face.

Victoria's eyes went distant. "Old stories mention rare cases where marks transform when a marked wolf meets their true soul mate. But that's just campfire talk—nobody's seen it happen in forever." Her sharp eyes narrowed. "Why the twenty questions?"

"Just curious," Sophia said quickly. "What makes it so rare?"

"It spits in the face of Moon Goddess law—marks are supposed to be forever." Victoria squeezed Sophia's hand. "A mark changing would mean the Goddess basically admitted 'oops, I messed up.'" She tilted her head. "Trouble in paradise with Jackson?"

"God, no," Sophia forced a smile, mind racing a million miles an hour.

After her grandmother left, Sophia sat frozen. Dad and Ava? The pieces didn't fit, yet somehow they did. And Jackson knew something. She needed answers.

That afternoon, she spotted Ava drilling Lucas in the training yard, waiting until her brother tore off to play with his oversized furball before making her move.

"Lucas is killing it these days," Sophia said, leaning against a wooden post.

Ava spun around, shoulders instantly tight. "Kid's a natural."

Sophia didn't miss how Ava's scarf practically swallowed her neck today. She drifted closer. "Got a question for you."

"Shoot," Ava said, stuffing practice knives into a bag with too much focus.

"You know about Shadow Creek's inheritance ceremony, right?" Sophia switched tracks.

Ava's shoulders dropped an inch. "Yeah. Standard stuff for Alpha wannabes."

"Jackson's is in three days," Sophia watched Ava's face like a hawk. "I'm supposed to show up and play perfect fiancée. Honestly? I'm freaking out a little."

"You? Nervous?" Ava snorted. "You're literally royalty. They'll practically kiss the ground you walk on."

"That's the problem," Sophia's voice dropped. "Everyone watching, waiting for me to screw up." She swallowed hard. "Ever since... you know, the cellar... crowds make me jumpy."

Something flickered across Ava's face—recognition. That underground hell had bound them together in ways neither expected. Ava had stood between Sophia and death that night.

"Come with me," Sophia looked straight into Ava's eyes. "I know it's awkward as hell, but I need someone real there. Someone who gets it."

Ava winced. "Sophia, you know me and the Hayes clan mix like oil and water."

"Yeah, I've noticed you and Jackson practically snarl at each other," Sophia pushed. "What's with that? Feels personal."

Ava's fingers twitched toward her scarf. "Ancient history. Not worth digging up."

"If I'm marrying the guy, don't I deserve to know his 'ancient history'?" Sophia pressed, letting an edge creep into her voice. "Especially history that makes my friend look like she wants to claw his eyes out?"

Ava opened her mouth, closed it, then sighed. "Not my story to tell."

Sophia bit her lip, shifting tactics. "Please, Ava. After everything..." She raised her voice just enough. "We promised to have each other's backs in that dungeon, remember?"

Heads turned across the yard. Ava's eyes flashed with recognition of the trap she'd just walked into. Refusing now would make her look like an oath-breaker.

"Fine," Ava muttered. "I'll be there."

Sophia hugged her, victory buzzing under her skin. "You're the best."

Walking away, Sophia's smile turned calculating. Three days until she'd uncover what everyone was hiding—what Jackson and Ava shared, why her father watched Ava like she might disappear, and why her fiancé seemed haunted by a woman who wasn't her.

**Ava's POV**

Rain drummed overhead as I crept toward our cabin. Twice I doubled back, paranoid about being followed. This sneaking around was getting old.

I found Blake at the window, rain streaming down behind him. When he turned, his eyes flashed gold that still made my stomach flip.

"Thought you'd stood me up," he said.

I kicked off my boots. "Yeah, well, Lucas wouldn't stop talking about some wolf dream, and Wilson was lurking around every corner."

Blake's hands found my face like he needed to make sure I was real. "Heard Sophia roped you into Hayes's ceremony."

"Word sure flies when you're king of the mountain."

"Think she's onto us?" His jaw tightened.

"She grilled me about Jackson," I said, warming my hands by the fire. "And her scarf was practically choking her today. Exact same style as mine."

"That girl misses nothing."

His fingers brushed my cheek, rough and warm. These stolen moments had become my addiction—dangerous, necessary, never enough.

"I'm scared," I admitted. "If someone sees the mark, if she connects the dots..."

Blake's mouth crashed into mine, swallowing my words. This kiss wasn't careful—this was raw need from days of pretending we were nothing to each other. His fingers tangled in my hair, yanking out my tie.

"We need a plan," I gasped between kisses.

"Plan later," he growled. "Need you now."

He tugged my scarf away, exposing our mark. His fingers brushed it, and I felt the jolt—like touching a live wire.

"It's brighter," he murmured, lips replacing fingers. "Any wolf will recognize an Alpha King's mark soon."

"Can't play pretend forever," I breathed.

"Then let's stop pretending," he pressed me against the wall. "Let them all see who you belong to."

I knew it was just heat-of-the-moment talk, but damn if it didn't kick my heart into overdrive. Our eyes locked, his burning gold against whatever he saw in mine.

"Crisis first," I whispered. "Life-altering decisions later."

"Be careful at that ceremony. Jackson is desperate."

"I can handle myself," I promised, then pulled him back to me, tracing his bottom lip with my tongue. "But tonight, I don't want to think about any of them."

My back hit the mattress, his body covering mine, firelight catching the hungry edges of his face.

Pack drama, Sophia's suspicions—screw it all. There was just this—his hands, my sighs, and the mark that tied us together.