Marked Twice by the Alpha King Chapter 38

**Ava's POV**

"Lucas! Put those claws away! This isn't the wild on a full moon night!"

Sophia's voice cracked through the air like a whip. I froze mid-stance, suddenly aware we had an audience. How long had she been watching us?

Lucas's face went ghost-white, the golden wolf glow instantly snuffed out. His claws slid back with that soft *shik* sound as pure terror crawled across his face.

"Ava..." his voice shrank to almost nothing. "My wolf wouldn't listen. It just came out..." His eyes went glassy with tears he was fighting like hell not to shed.

Fire bloomed across my back where his claws had torn through my combat gear like wet paper. But looking at this kid—this terrified little boy trapped in a body that could kill—I couldn't bring myself to make it worse.

I dropped to his level. "Hey, every wolf cub screws up while learning the ropes. Your juice is stronger than most, so the control part's harder too."

"Dad's gonna kill me..." His voice bottomed out.

I ruffled his hair. "Your dad definitely lost his shit before he was ten. There's not an Alpha in history who hasn't clawed something they shouldn't have."

Hope flickered across his face. "For real? You won't tell him I wigged out again?"

"Warrior's secret." I squeezed his shoulder, fighting to keep my face neutral despite the warm trickle down my spine. "Now go get Hunter and wash off that training funk. Real warriors know when to chill too."

Lucas swiped at his face, shoulders straightening a bit. "Thanks for not freaking, Ava." He took off toward the house, Hunter padding after him with one last golden-eyed glance my way.

I stood carefully, teeth gritted against the fresh wave of pain that sliced through me.

Sophia crossed the yard, silk cloth in hand. "Your blood's gonna draw every stray wolf within miles." She held out the fabric. "This'll mask some of it, at least."

I took it. "Didn't peg the Alpha's daughter for a training session stalker."

She tilted her head, those gray-blue eyes—so like her father's—catching the light. "Lucas hasn't shut up about you for days. Had to see how it works between you two."

I gathered my gear one-handed, keeping pressure on my wound with the other. "He's a good kid. Just needs someone to actually see him"

Something like guilt flashed across her face. "Few years back, I was with him constantly. Now..." She sighed. "Wedding stuff eats up everything. Sometimes my wolf feels torn in two."

My mark twinged at her words, but I kept my poker face. "Lucas doesn't need 24/7. Five quality minutes beats hours of half-assed attention."

Sophia studied me, head slightly cocked. "You're really not what I expected, Ava."

I shouldered my bag, feeling blood soaking through my suit. "Better jet. This marked blood's gonna be a magnet for trouble."

Her eyes dropped to my back, widening. "Holy-! Are his claws that sharp already?" She grabbed my arm. "I've got herbs for that. Without treatment, you'll be sporting some nasty permanent souvenirs."

I tried pulling free. "I've patched up worse back in Shadow Creek. Nothing some bootleg meds can't fix."

Sophia's grip stayed firm. "This isn't some regular scratch. Morgan blood claws need special treatment. If you lose fighting juice because my brother sliced you up, my father's gonna have questions."

A wave of dizziness crashed over me, the wound apparently deeper than I'd thought. "Fine. Make it quick. Gotta check on my mom tonight."

Sophia guided me through the manor's back entrance, avoiding the main hallways. "Dad's stuck in elder council meetings all day. Wilson's riding herd on Lucas. We're clear for now."

As we climbed toward the family wing, my stomach knotted. "This is family turf. I shouldn't be up here."

Sophia laughed, soft but genuine. "I don't need a permission slip to bring whoever I want, Ava."

When we passed a massive door carved with running silver wolves, my mark jumped like it'd been zapped. Sophia caught my flinch.

"Dad's room," she explained. "His energy affects other wolves."

We finally reached a door decorated with intricate moon patterns. "Mi casa," Sophia said, pushing it open. "No one gets in without an invite."

The second I stepped inside, Jackson's scent sucker-punched me, tangled up with Sophia's in a way that made my mark flare hot and angry. The room screamed Silverpeak royalty—tapestries showing the Moon Goddess, and books scattered across a thick carpet. Wedding samples and tribal ceremony papers covered her desk.

My eyes snagged on a photo—Jackson and Sophia by Moonlight Falls, looking picture-perfect. My mark burned like someone had pressed a hot coin to my skin.

Sophia pulled an ancient wooden box from her closet. "Family healing herbs. Perfect for wolf-blood infections."

The box opened, releasing a scent that partially drowned out Jackson's, giving me a second to breathe.

"You really don't have to play nurse," I said, backing toward the door. "I can patch myself up."

"Don't be stupid," she insisted. "Lucas did this, so I'm helping fix it. Plus, you can't leave this place dripping—Dad would notice in a heartbeat."

She rummaged around, producing herbs and a deep blue shirt with silver embroidery.

"My pants are fine. Just need something that's not slashed to hell."

"This'll make you look like a normal visitor instead of a wounded warrior sneaking out," she countered.

"Got anything less...princess?"

She held it up against me. "Just try it. You'd kill in this blue."

I gave in, the throbbing in my back sapping my will to argue. Hated admitting it was gorgeous fabric—and hated even more that I was starting to like Sophia herself.

"I'll grab bandages," she said, slipping out.

Alone in her room, Jackson's scent pressed in from all sides, making my mark throb like a bad tooth. A photo of them together sat on her nightstand like a cruel reminder.

Sophia returned with bandages and mixed herbs into green paste. "Turn around. Need to see what we're dealing with."

I hesitated. "I got this. Just tell me how."

She raised an eyebrow. "Planning to grow eyes in the back of your head? Don't sweat it, I did medical training."

Reluctantly, I turned, easing up my shredded top.

She sucked in a breath. "Three full Alpha claw marks... Lucas is developing way too fast." Her fingers ghosted near the wound.

I bit my lip.

She coated her hands with the mixture. "This'll sting like a bitch, but it kills the infection. Deep breath."

When the herbs hit open flesh, it felt like someone had poured liquid fire down my back. I bit my lip hard enough to taste copper.

After a moment, the burning faded to weird numbness.

"Need to get that top off completely," Sophia said, eyeing the ruined fabric. "I'll lend you something."

Carefully peeling away my gear, I discovered one of my bra straps had snapped clean through.

Standing with my back to the mirror, I tried to gauge how bad the damage was.

That's when the bedroom door swung open. Blake stood in the doorway, his deep voice slicing through the room: "Sophia, about the wedding..."