Elena’s POV
The weight of Marcus’s presence is suffocating the moment he steps into the pack house. The air shifts, heavy with the unspoken, and I can’t shake the unease twisting in my gut. His sharp eyes sweep the room like a predator assessing its territory. He doesn’t belong here not anymore.
Sebastian greets him with a firm clap on the shoulder, like they’re old friends reunited after years apart. I stay back, my gaze narrowed as fragmented visions flash behind my eyes–Marcus, kneeling to Lyanna, the Crescent Stone pulsing like a heartbeat between them.
“Elena.”
estian’s voice cuts through the fog in my mind. He’s looking at me now, his jaw tight, eyes dark with warning.
“Marcus is back,” he says, as if I haven’t noticed. “And he’ll be staying. We’ll need him for what’s coming.”
I fold my arms, ignoring the pointed edge in his tone. “What’s coming?”
“You’ll know soon enough.” Marcus interjects, his voice smooth but laced with something that makes my wolf bristle. “For now, it’s enough that I’m here. This pack needs its Beta, doesn’t it?”
I don’t trust him. I don’t trust his words, his timing, or the way Sebastian is so quick to defend him. It feels wrong, like an itch I can’t scratch.
When Rowan steps into the room, his presence is like a lifeline. He’s been my anchor through the chaos, the one person I know has no hidden agenda.
“Where have you been all this time?” Rowan demands, his tone sharp and cutting through the tension. “You disappeared when the pack needed you
most.”
Marcus’s lips curl into a sly smile. “I wasn’t aware I needed to report my every move to an outsider.”
Rowan steps forward, his fists clenched, but Sebastian moves between them.
“That’s enough,” Sebastian growls. “Rowan, you have no right to question the Beta of this pack.”
The words hit harder than I expect, and I flinch. The division between us is already growing, and it’s all because of Marcus.
“Sebastian,” I start, but he cuts me off.
“Not now, Elena. We’ve got bigger things to worry about.”
I want to argue, but the look in his eyes tells me it’s pointless. Instead, I turn and leave the room, my heart pounding.
I find Marcus in the training grounds later, leaning against a tree like he has all the time in the world. The sun is low, casting long shadows across the field. My wolf senses every ounce of his deceit, and it makes my skin crawl.
“You’re a hard man to trust,” I say, crossing my arms as I approach.
He doesn’t even look surprised. “Trust is a fragile thing, isn’t it? Especially when debts remain unpaid.”
I stiffen. His words are like daggers, sharp and deliberate. He’s talking about his father, about the mistake that’s haunted me for years.
“My debt was an accident,” I snap. “And you know it.”
He finally looks at me, his expression unreadable. “Accidents don’t erase consequences. But don’t worry, Elena. Your debt will be paid in full soon enough.”
The cryptic nature of his words sends a chill down my spine. Before I can respond, he pushes off the tree and walks away, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the shadows creeping across the training grounds.
By the time I seturn to the pack house, the tension inside feels like a storm waiting to break. Sebastian is in the living room, his posture rigid as he
12:02
Chosen by the Moon: Rise of Female Alpha
54.1%
stares at map spread across the table.
“Why are you listening to him?” I ask my voice low had fam
Sebastian doesn’t look up “Marrus knows what he’s doing
“Does he? Or is he just feeding you lies to manipulate you?
He finally looks at me, and there’s a hardness in his gaze that wasn’t there before. “You dont get *fies You’w bees orange sy battles, you’ve forgotten what it means to be part of this pack
“That’s not fair,” I whisper, my chest tightening
‘s the truth,” he snaps. “You’re so focused on your visions and your mate bond with Larian that you’ve lost sight of what matters. The park, yers. Our survival is what matters”
“I haven’t forgotten-”
“Then prove it,” he interrupts, his voice cold and unyielding.
I take a step back, his words hitting me like a physical blow.
“Prove your loyalty to this pack,” he says, his tone softer but no less demanding. “Reject Larian Be free of him and hifi po day figh Female.”
The room spins, and I can barely breathe, Reject Lucian? He’s asking me to sever a bond that’s as much a part of me as my wel
“I can’t,” I say, my voice barely a whisper,
“You can. You said it yourself that Lyanna is using that bond to corrupt your gifts. Our parents didn’t sacrifice themselves for you, so you c all away for love. The pack comes first, Elena.” He said firmly
I am already shaking my head, as if refusing to hear his words. “I can’t, Sebastian. Don’t ask me to do this.”
“You can,” he insists. “And you will. Or you’ll never truly be one of us.”
I don’t recognize the man standing in front of me. This isn’t the brother who’s always protected me, who’s always fought for what’s right
“This isn’t you,” I say, my voice trembling. “Marcus is poisoning your mind.”
“Marcus has nothing to do with this,” he snaps. “This is about you and the choices you’ve made.”
Tears prick my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. “You’re wrong,” I say, my voice firm despite the crack in my heart. “And one day, you’ll see i
Without another word, I turn and walk away, the weight of his ultimatum pressing down on me like a vice.
That night, I sit on the edge of the forest, the night sky and its stars, spread like a glittery blanket before me, casting its magic on me. My wol pares restlessly inside me, sensing my turmoil.
Lucian’s scent reaches me before I see him. It’s warm and familiar, a balm to the storm raging inside me.
“You’re quiet tonight,” he says, sitting beside me.
I don’t respond, my gaze fixed on the horizon.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, his voice gentle.
For moment, I consider telling him everything–about Sebastian, about Marcus, about the impossible choice I’ve been given. But the words catch in my throat.
“Just pack politics,” I say instead, forcing a smile.
He doesn’t look convinced, but he doesn’t press me either. Instead, he takes my hand, his touch grounding me in a way nothing else can
12.03
Dice of Comala Alpha
Chapter 33
“We’ll figure it out,” he says, his voice steady. “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together.”
I want to believe him. I want to believe that we can overcome whatever obstacles are in our way. But as I open my eyes, the dream fading away lifeu my hopes, I can’t shake the feeling that the worst is yet to come.
For now, all I can do is hold on to the bond we share and hope it’s enough to weather the storm.
