Marked Twice by the Alpha King Chapter 91

**Blake's POV**

Steven's question punched me in the gut, though I didn't let it show. The Full Moon Festival wasn't just some dance—it was our most sacred gathering, where pack alliances shifted and potential mates were publicly claimed.

Him taking Ava would be like putting a neon sign over her head: *Mine.*

My wolf clawed beneath my skin, demanding I stake my claim first. I swallowed the growl building in my throat.

"That's up to her," I managed, my voice cooler than I felt.

"Right," Steven nodded, eyes searching my face. "Just wanted to check it wouldn't... ruffle your fur."

I kept my expression blank—a skill mastered through years of alpha politics—but my hands betrayed me, curling into fists at my sides. "Why the hell would it?"

"Because..." Steven shifted his weight, watching me like I was a bomb he might accidentally trigger, "I've seen how you look at her. Not the way you look at Tyler or Wilson or any other person who works for you."

The hallway suddenly felt too small for two alphas dancing around an unspoken challenge. Moonlight cut shadows between us, etching our silhouettes against the stone wall.

"You've got it wrong," I said, words sharp enough to cut. "Rivers trains my son. That's it. Who she spends time with isn't my business."

Steven studied me, head slightly tilted. I could practically hear him sorting truth from bullshit. Finally, his shoulders relaxed a fraction. "Glad to hear it. Thanks for being straight with me, Uncle."

As he headed toward the dining room, I stayed frozen, my wolf raging against my ribs, howling *traitor* with every heartbeat. The logical part of my brain tried to justify it—Ava deserved someone uncomplicated. Someone whose life wasn't a political minefield. Someone like Steven, with his northern pack inheritance and easy smile. 

But logic couldn't touch the raw ache spreading through my chest at the thought of her beside him, wearing his colors, carrying his scent.

I dragged myself toward dinner, each step heavier than hauling a boulder uphill.

By the time I walked in, the dining hall glowed with firelight that softened the edges of a brutal day. Lucas bounced in his chair like he'd chugged ten sodas, while Sophia and Steven huddled together whispering something that made them both smile. Tyler stood nearby, his stance casual but eyes alert—always the protector, even during family time.

"Look what the wind blew in," Sophia teased, tossing her hair over one shoulder. "We were about to send a search party."

I dropped into my chair, breathing in the small slice of normal life around me. "Got caught up with festival stuff."

Wilson appeared with servers carrying steaming platters. The rich smell of roasted meat cut through the tension I'd carried in from the hallway.

"How'd she rate you today?" I asked Lucas, carefully avoiding her name as I grabbed my wine glass.

Lucas beamed, practically vibrating with excitement. "She said I nailed my defensive stance! And Hunter found all three hidden targets without any help!"

"That dog follows her around like she's made of bacon," Sophia laughed. "Been that way since day one. Makes someone jealous." She nudged Lucas playfully.

"Does not!" Lucas protested, his ears turning the color of fire truck.

"Animals can spot the real deal," Steven remarked, twirling his wine glass. "They don't fall for fake."

I stabbed my venison harder than necessary, focusing on the plate instead of the hot spike of irritation at Steven's obvious admiration.

"Festival prep going okay?" I changed subjects, glancing around the table.

"All set," Sophia nodded, setting down her silverware. "Biggest turnout in years. Pretty much every pack that matters is showing up."

"We're bringing our signature moonlight wine," Steven added with a hint of pride. "Only breaks out for special occasions."

"Thought this year's theme is 'Wolf Legacy'?" Tyler chimed in, inching closer to the conversation.

Sophia's face lit up. "Each pack gets to show off their traditions and strengths. There'll be ritual fights and bloodline ceremonies." She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Words Said that it's the biggest festival in forever—could shake up who stands where in the pack order."

I caught Steven watching me, measuring my reactions. The conversation drifted through pack politics and ceremonial details, with Lucas jumping in about possibly demonstrating his tracking skills with Hunter.

I mostly pushed food around my plate, my mind stuck on an image of Ava in traditional festival clothes, her fierce green eyes standing out against ceremonial paint. If she went with Steven, everyone would see it as a pairing announcement. The thought burned worse than silver against skin.

As Wilson cleared dessert plates, Tyler bent near my chair, his voice barely a whisper. "Some doors don't stay open forever, boss. By the time you make a move, she might not be there anymore."

I shot him a glare that would make most wolves piss themselves, but he just raised an eyebrow, thirty years of friendship making him immune to my alpha stare.

After dinner wrapped, I escaped to the terrace alone. The forest stretched dark and silent under a half-moon, smelling of pine and earth and fallen leaves. The scent reminded me of her skin, of how it felt under my hands that night when everything changed.

For just a moment, I let the Alpha King mask slip. No politics, no responsibilities, no centuries of tradition weighing me down. Just a man facing the truth he'd been dodging for weeks.

"Maybe some things matter more than duty," I whispered to the night air, tasting the dangerous freedom of those words.

Then reality crashed back. The pack needed stability. The alliance with Shadow Creek was fragile. Lucas needed consistent parenting. And Ava... Ava deserved better than being dragged into my complicated life.

My wolf snarled its disagreement, pacing restlessly beneath my skin, refusing to accept the choice my human side had made.

The next time I saw Ava, would she already be wearing Steven's colors, claiming her place beside the northern heir? The thought alone made my wolf howl in protest, a sound I buried deep within my chest where only I could hear it.

My foot paused on the threshold, suspended between the freedom of the open night and the responsibility waiting inside. For just one heartbeat more, I allowed myself to imagine a different path—one where duty and desire weren't opposing forces.

Then I stepped inside, back into the role I was born to play, leaving those dangerous thoughts outside under the watchful moon.