Her Chosen Mate

Part 34

(POV - Marcus)

Marcus slowly turned, his eyes flashing a dangerous silver. His wolf was not happy about the intrusion, least of all by this new Alpha, who had obviously put Aria through so much already.

"What do you think you're doing?" Aiden growled, his eyes yellow and fixed on the hand that held Aria to his chest. Marchs cocked an unimpressed brow and almost snorted.

"I don't believe anything I do concerns you, pup."

He heard Aria's sharp intake of breath and squeezed her hand in reassurance. He felt her inch closer, as if trying to hide her body behind his, and his wolf growl louder. "This is my territory," Aiden said, taking a step closer. He was shorter than Marcus by at least a head and had to crane his neck to meet Marcus' eyes. It shouldn't have, but it brought a vicious smirk to Marcus' face. "Everything you do on my territory is my business."

"Would you like to see how well that works out for you?" Marcus sneered. Aiden had opened his mouth to snarl in response, but Aria pressed her body to Marcus', her free hand wrapping around his wrist.

"Marc," she whispered, forcing a smile when he looked down at her. "It's okay. You can let me go."

He wanted to do no such thing, but she let go of his hand, his wolf howling in protest as she was pulled roughly to Aiden's side.

Pushing down his rage, Marcus slipped his hands into his pockets.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced," he said, not bothering to extend a hand in greeting. "My name is Marcus Zain Mercia, of the Ashryver Pack in the north."

The crowd that had gathered around them rippled in fear, some of them outright turning around and walking away upon hearing who he was. But Aiden only scoffed.

"Is that supposed to impress me?"

Marcus laughed easily, his shoulders shaking in amusement. He felt the familiar presence of Jaden and Ryder step in behind him, their scents betraying a hint of bloodlust. To them, disrespecting their Alpha was the worst crime a wolf could commit. But Marcus waved a hand, signaling them to stand down.

He could handle a belligerent little pup who had forgotten his place in the social hierarchy. And he would gladly remind the little runt who'd hurt Aria how things work.

"I don't need to impress a fledgling Alpha," Marcus said with a grin. "But I do have a question, and I'm sure the rest of the Alphas here would like to know as well. You rejected your true mate and chose another, and yet you want them both. Is that supposed to impress me?"

Aiden growled in warning, but Marcus continued ignoring him entirely.

"What kind of Alpha are you to take a chosen mate over a true mate, your true mate, and now here you are, demanding that I tell you what I'm doing? I'm helping the wolf you hurt, pup, in case you're too blinded by narcissistic pride to see it."

Aiden pulled his arm away from Meredith, disregarding her whimpers and let his eyes flash yellow once more.

"Get out of my territory right now and be careful. You mind your own business on your way out." "Gladly," Marcus chuckled. "I've been itching to leave since I caught a whiff of you."

Without another word, Marcus reached past the little Alpha, his fingers lacing gently with Aria's and moving to pull her forward.

Aiden lost control in that moment and lashed out, partially shifting and launching sharp claws at Marcus, who managed to dodge them just in time.

Aria was not so lucky. In his fit of madness, Aiden had almost lunged at Marcus, and Aria had tried to stop him, her hands pressed flat against his heaving chest. But he'd sliced through her dress. His claws tore through the skin of her waist and sending her crashing to the ground. Marcus saw red then, not just from the wound at Aria's side, but he remembered the sight of Helena laying on their bed, motionless and covered in blood.

With a shove that sent Aiden stumbling back, Marcus dropped to his knees next to Aria and lifted her into his arms as gently as he could, before handing her to Jaden.

"Take her outside and wait for me," he ordered. "We're leaving."

Jaden nodded once, cradling Aria's shivering body close to his chest. Ryder escorted them both out, snapping his jaw at any wolf who looked too closely.

Marcus rounded on Aiden, who hadn't managed to get up off the floor yet. His chosen mate worried at his side, whining and trying to help him stand. Marcus stepped over Aiden and crouched down, pinning the downed Alpha to the ground. His knees dug into Aiden's shoulders, the Alphas hands caught uselessly near Marcus' feet.

Bending low so that only Aiden would hear the full weight of his words, Marcus snarled.

"That is the last time you ever lay a hand on Aria," he warned, and there was no threat in his voice, just a cold, cruel promise. "You have your mate. It's time you back off and stop hurting her because you were too stupid to see what could have been yours. If I catch your scent on her one more time, I'll make your Luna watch you drown in your own fucking blood. And the next time you decide to challenge me, issue a real fight. I'll gladly accept."

Sensing that he was wildly overpowered, and slowly realizing just how terrifying Marcus truly was, Aiden backed down. His eyes dropped and his chin lowered in subservience.

It almost made Marcus laugh.

If anyone had the odds stacked against him, it was Marcus, whose only pack mates had left to take Aria some place safe. He was surrounded by Aiden's entire pack, not to mention a horde of other packs, who could have torn him to shreds if they'd been ordered to do so.

But not even Aiden's Beta had stepped forward to protect or defend his Alpha.

It was then that Marcus realized that Aiden would not last long as an Alpha. He would either grow tired of defending his title and eventually lose, or his own pack would turn on him for being weak and stupid.

He grimaced in obvious disgust and got to his feet, straightening his shirt before leaving to find Aria. He ignored the gasps and scurried footsteps as he passed, not caring that he'd probably just proved to all the guests that he was the insane Alpha they had all heard about.

He had to get to Aria and make sure she was okay.