Marked Twice by the Alpha King

Blake's POV

shoved her back hard enough that she stumbled. My hand went straight to my mouth, scrubbing at the sticky mess she'd left behind. The lipstick smeared across my knuckles like blood

Lyra caught herself, smoothing down her dress. But when she looked up at me, something flickered in those purple eyes. Not embarrassment. Not even an apology.

She looked... thrilled.

My wolf bristled, hackles rising under my skin..

"What the hell was that?" I kept my voice low, but camera flashes were already going off around us like tiny explosions.

She tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear. "Just giving them what they wanted to see."

Her voice had this breathless quality, like she'd just finished running. Or like she'd gotten off on what just happened.

Christ

The reporters were circling closer, cameras clicking. I turned on them, letting my eyes shift just enough that they'd catch the gold.

"Back off." I didn't need to raise my voice. The Alpha energy rolling off did the talking. "Now."

A couple of the smart ones started backing up. But there's always some idiot who thinks they can push their luck. I took a step forward, letting more of my wolf bleed through.

The rest scattered like roaches when you flip on the lights,

I reached out through mindlink to Tyler. Need pickup. Restaurant district.

When I turned back around, Lyra was still watching me. Her eyes were wide, pupils dilated like she was high on something.

"That was incredible," she whispered, moving closer. "I've heard stories about Alpha Kings, but seeing it..."

She reached for my arm. I jerked away before she could make contact,

"Lyra," I kept my voice level, "you just crossed a line. This stops now."

Tyler's car appeared at the corner, engine rumbling in the quiet night. "Get in," I headed for the passenger seat.

She followed behind me, her heels clicking on the pavement. When she tried to touch my arm again, I pulled away without trying to be polite about it.

'Don't touch me."

The drive back to Blackwood was torture. Every few minutes, she'd let out this little laugh. Soft and satisfied, like she was

1/

pier Toz How Many Times?

replaying something good in her head.

It made my skin crawl.

When we pulled up to the guest quarters, she leaned forward between the seats.

"Tonight was... educational," she said, her breath warm against hy ear. "I learned so much about you, Blake.

I didn't answer. Didn't even look at her.

"Sweet dreams." She slipped out of the car, all grace and silk.

I watched her walk to the building, every step confident as hell Like she'd just won something important.

"Boss?" Tyler's voice cut through my thoughts. "Want me to handle the photo situation?"

"Too late for that." I rubbed my face, suddenly exhausted. "Drive me to the villa." "It's almost eleven-"

"I know what time it is."

The northern roads were empty, just me and Tyler and the headlights cutting through darkness. I couldn't get Lyra's expression out of my head. That look when I'd used my Alpha voice on the reporters.

She'd liked it. Hell, more than liked it.

What kind of woman got turned on by raw power like that?

The kind I wanted nothing to do with.

But underneath all that disgust was something else. This gnawing need to see Ava. To wash away whatever the hell had just happened with something real.

1

Ava's POV

I pressed my face into the pillow, trying to muffle the sound of my crying. But the tears just kept coming, hot and endless.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I let it ring three times before picking up.

"Hey." My voice came out all scratchy and wrong.

"Jesus, Ava. You sound terrible." Ella's voice was sharp with worry. "What happened?"

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"Bullshit. You've been crying. I can hear it." There was rustling on her end, like she

was sitting up in bed. "Did Blake do something?"

I rolled onto my back staring at the ceiling. The chandelier blurred through my tears.

"I saw him today. With her."

21

Chapter 162: How Many Times?

Her who?

The priestess from Northern Lights. Lyra. Her name tasted bitter on my tongue. They were..., close,

Close how?

I closed my eyes, but the image was burned into my brain. "She kept touching his arm. Leaning in real close when she talked. And he was just... focused on her. Like really focused."

"Where'd you see this?"

"Sophia showed me. Said they looked perfect together." I laughed, but it came out hollow. "Guess she's not wrong.

"Wait." Ella's voice got sharper. "Sophia showed you?"

"She thought I should see-

"Ava, honey, listen to me. Why would Blake's daughter want you to see him with another woman?"

I frowned. "Maybe she was just being honest? Preparing me for

"For what? For her dad to dump you for some fancy priestess?" Ella made a frustrated sound. "Think about it. What twenty-four-year-old goes out of their way to show their dad's girlfriend that kind of thing unless they're trying to start

shit?"

I sat up slowly. "You think she was trying to hurt me?"

"I think that girl's got her own agenda. And it probably doesn't include you sticking around."

My chest tightened. I hadn't even considered that. The whole time, I'd been so

focused on what I'd seen that I hadn't questioned why Sophia wanted me to see

it.

"But what I saw was real," I said quietly. "He was interested in what she was saying. And she's... God, Ella, she's gorgeous. Like, supernaturally beautiful."

"Okay, so she's pretty. So what?"

"So what?" I laughed again, harsher this time. "Blake's the Alpha King. He could have anyone. Why would he

"You." Ella cut me off. "He'd want you."

"I'm nobody special."

"Stop." Her voice went firm. "Just stop. You wanna know what makes you special?"

want-

I didn't answer.

"You make him work for it. You don't just roll over and worship him like every othernoveldrama

woman probably does. You challeng him."

"I don't know if that's enough."

Chapter 162: How Many Times?

"Have you two slept together yet?"

Heat flooded my cheeks. "Ella..."

I'm serious. Because the way you're acting... this isn't just a crush anymore, is

it?"

I was quiet for a long moment. Then: "Yeah. We have."

"And?"

"And what?"

"How was it? Don't give me some bullshit non-answer. I wanna know if he treated

you right."

My face got even hotter. "He was... gentle. Patient. He made sure 1-" I stopped,

too embarrassed to continue.

"Made sure you came?"

"God, Ella!"

"What? It's important. Most guys don't give

1

a shit about that."

buried my face in my free hand. "Yes, okay? He made sure I was... satisfied."

"How many times?"

"I'm not answering that."

"More than once, I'm guessing. Based on how red your face probably is right

now."

She wasn't wrong. Blake had been incredible. Patient and thorough and completely focused on my pleasure. He'd used his mouth, his hands, taken his

time until I was shaking and gasping his name.

Chapter Comments

LIKE