Her Chosen Mate

Part 26

(POV - Marcus)

After his run, which lasted two whole days, Marcus had slowly fallen back into the routine he'd been familiar with before he met Aria. And even though she still plagued his thoughts, he'd been able to get through his work without completely zoning out every few minutes.

He'd recovered enough that he was able to join a few of the patrols to the border, curious to see for himself what his wolves had been telling him for weeks.

There was a strange scent there, something he'd easily picked up during his first visit. Just beyond the border, the scent of an unknown wolf from an unnamed pack lingered, taunting him with its anonymity.

It had been spread out, almost as if the wolf had been trying to spread their scent as thin as possible, denying Marcus and any other wolf the chance to pinpoint their presence. In fact, it seemed as if the wolf had been trying to use the thick scent of the dense forest to mask their scent.

It was smart. Marcus would give them that, but he'd been an Alpha long enough to recognise the kinds of schemes that would put his pack in danger. He'd picked up on it quickly, and Jaden had confirmed his suspicions.

They were dealing with a very clever wolf, the kind of clever that couldn't be underestimated no matter how much Marcus wanted to put the little runt in his place. It was either a very brave or very stupid new Alpha behind it. No seasoned Alpha worth his salt would ever do something that bold.

He checked his peripherals, glancing back over his shoulders as he prowled between the trees, carefully navigating the upturned roots that had split through the earth and curled around the tree trunks. It hadn't been the wisest choice, going on patrol in his human form, but he was far quieter and less noticeable this way. He could mask his Alpha scent easily when he wasn't a hulking mass of fur and teeth.

Even in his human form, he could pick up Jaden's footsteps a few hundred feet from his position, staying close as he'd promised just in case they came face to face with the wolf that had been testing the strength of their borders. He knew that Mercucio was nearby as well, and Inara had fallen further back to make sure they weren't ambushed.

They carried no weapons save for the wolves that lurked beneath their skin. It seemed to be a quiet night, and even the scent of the wolf had faded somewhat, probably because of the weather or because their increased patrols had scared him off.

Marcus hoped it was the latter, not quite ready to spill more blood unnecessarily, even if he wouldn't hesitate to do so to protect his pack.

"Alpha."

Marcus paused, allowing Inara to catch up in her human form. She wore her favorite leathers, every part the warrior wolf she enjoyed playing. Her long blonde hair had been pulled back into a high ponytail, the ends swishing lightly against the leather on her back.

"You always were theatrical," Marcus teased, keeping his eyes forward and staying vigilant. She scoffed softly.

"I always thought it was a byproduct of being your High Guard," she mocked. "I hear it's pretty contagious."

"What are you here to report, Inara?"

"Touchy," she observed, and he swore she and Jaden could have been siblings in their insistence of mocking him any chance they got. "Anyway, it's quiet. The other sentry patrol I sent south came across a new scent and tracked it past our border and into Lahun territory. I called them back."

"Good call," Marcus sighed. "The last thing we need is to start a war with another pack just because we went too far trying to drive a potential rogue off our lands."