Page 112 of Marked

“Really?” I wheezed, dodging another attack while my brain tried to process this new reality. “The three gorgeous men I’ve been fantasizing about are shifters? Luke is never going to let me live this down. ‘Be careful of hot guys in small towns,’ he said. ‘They’re either serial killers or supernatural creatures.’ Turns out it’s both!”

The black wolf—Marcus, it had to be Marcus—launched himself at the alpha who’d been trying to claim me. Their collision shook the ground. Derek’s gray wolf form tore through the pack’s left flank while Caleb’s golden-brown wolf darted around with devastating speed, picking off stragglers.

But the other wolves had numbers on their side. While the brothers fought the main group, two broke away, charging at me with snapping jaws. I grabbed a thicker branch, wielding it like a staff.

“Bad dogs,” I snarled, that strange new power still singing in my veins. “No treats for you.”

I caught one across the muzzle, spinning to slam the branch into the other’s ribs. The wood cracked from the impact, but so did something in the wolf. It yelped, stumbling back.

“Ha!” I couldn’t help the slightly manic laugh. “Look at me now, Luke! Taking down supernatural creatures with a stick. Bet that wasn’t in your risk assessment spreadsheet!”

More howls split the night—familiar ones this time. Scout burst through the undergrowth, followed by Shadow and Storm. The three dogs, who suddenly looked a lot more wolflike than I remembered, joined the fray with practiced coordination.

“The family that slays together, stays together?” I quipped, backing toward a large tree as the fighting intensified. “Also, seriously? Even the dogs aren’t actually dogs? What’s next—is Maria secretly a dragon? Is Jorge a vampire? Actually, that would explain his garlic obsession…”

My rambling cut off as Marcus’ black wolf form sent the other alpha flying into a tree. The massive wolf hit with a sickening crack and crumpled. The rest of the pack faltered, their confidence wavering as their leader struggled to rise.

I should have been terrified. I should have been running. Instead, I was oddly fascinated by the deadly grace of Marcus’ black wolf, the raw power radiating from Derek’s massive form, the lethal speed of Caleb’s smaller frame. They fought like a single unit, protecting each other’s flanks, herding the enemy pack into killing zones.

“This is so messed up,” I muttered, watching Marcus pin the alpha down. “Why is this hot? This shouldn’t be hot. I need therapy. So much therapy.”

The other alpha lay broken at Marcus’ paws, his once-proud form now a bloodied mess. Around him, his pack whimpered and crawled, their arrogance shattered by the Stone brothers’brutal efficiency. Some wouldn’t survive the journey home without immediate care—a fact that seemed to please Marcus’ massive black wolf.

“You dare touch what’s ours?” Marcus’ voice was thunder and fury, each word dripping with alpha dominance. “You dare try to claim our mate?”

The other alpha tried to rise and failed. Blood bubbled from his muzzle, bones clearly shattered beneath his matted fur. His pack’s defeat was total, humiliating—a disgrace that would echo through wolf territories for generations.

“We let you live before,” Marcus growled. “Respected the old agreements for the sake of peace. But you crossed a line tonight.” His jaws snapped inches from the alpha’s throat. “Run back to your territory while you still can. When we come for you—and we will come—pray your death is quick.”

The other wolves retreated, dragging their broken alpha and injured packmates away. Some crawled more than walked; others had to be carried. Derek’s wolf snapped at their heels while Caleb’s golden form darted around the edges, his speed adding to their panic.

As their defeated howls faded into the night, the strange power that had been fueling me suddenly vanished. My legs buckled, every bruise and injury screaming for attention. I slumped against the tree, shaking uncontrollably.

“Oh God,” I wheezed, watching the three enormous wolves pad toward me. “This is real. This is actually real.”

The air shimmered around them, their forms blurring and shifting. In seconds, three very naked, very gorgeous men stood before me. The moonlight carved shadows across their muscled forms, highlighting every perfect line and plane. My brain tried to short-circuit, but even that felt too exhausting.

“Don’t look, don’t look, don’t… okay, I’m looking,” I babbled, my voice trembling as badly as my body. “This is reallyhappening. Shifters. You’re wolf shifters. With very impressive… everything. And I just fought off a pack of them with a stick. A stick! Like some deranged color guard routine from hell.”

“Breathe, little one,” Marcus murmured, stepping closer. His eyes still burned crimson around the edges, but his expression was infinitely gentle. Without warning, he scooped me up into his arms, cradling me against his chest like something precious.

“I can walk,” I protested weakly, even as I curled into his warmth. He felt real—so impossibly, wonderfully real. His skin burned hot against mine, his heartbeat strong and steady under my cheek.

“You’re trembling,” he growled softly, pulling me closer. His lips brushed my forehead, a gesture so tender it made my throat tight. Derek and Caleb flanked us, their hands reaching out to touch, to reassure themselves I was safe. Their warmth surrounded me, grounding me in this new reality.

“Well, yeah,” I managed through chattering teeth. “My car broke down, I got attacked by wolf shifters, discovered I have weird super-strength, and now I’m being carried by three naked men who are also shifters. I think I’m entitled to a minor breakdown. Also, is anyone else cold? Because you’re all very naked, and while I’m not complaining about the view, it’s freezing out here in the middle of the night.”

“Let’s get you home,” Marcus rumbled, his chest vibrating against my cheek. He pressed another kiss to my temple, and I felt something inside me settle at the touch.

“Home?” I asked, my voice small and uncertain. Everything I thought I knew had shattered tonight. Home seemed like such a fragile concept now.

“Home,” Derek confirmed, his hand warm on my shoulder.

“Where you belong,” Caleb added softly, fingers brushing through my hair. “Where you’ve always belonged.”

Scout, Shadow, and Storm materialized from the darkness, falling into formation around us as Marcus carried me through the moonlit forest. I should have been terrified. I should have been running screaming into the night. Instead, I melted into Marcus’ embrace, surrounded by their warmth and protection.

“We have so much to talk about,” I murmured, exhaustion dragging at my limbs. “So many questions. Like, was the sniffing really necessary? Is that a wolf thing? And please tell me someone has clothes at home because as distracting as all… this… is, I can’t have a serious conversation with three naked men. Luke would never let me hear the end of it. ‘Oh, you finally got them naked and instead of enjoying it, you asked about sniffing habits?’ He’d disown me.”

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