My Alpha's Mark

138 Sense

Kacie

“I don’t like the person I was today,” I said. “It didn’t sit right with me.”

Viktor is still quiet as I stare at him. The way he’s looking at me tells me he can see right through me and knows there’s more to the story. Leaning forward, he grabs my hand and lifts it to his lips.

“Sometimes, it helps to be someone else when you have the heavy weight of responsibilities on your shoulders,” Viktor said. Sighing, I nod. I know this. “Your gift is powerful and will be trying at times. This is only the beginning and one day you’ll have to use those gifts to protect our pack. I need you to brace yourself for when that day comes, my queen.”

Jake’s fingers disappear and I have to bite back the groan. My massage is done for now. I wait for Jake as he maneuvers his way around me until he’s seated in front of me beside Viktor. Jake is giving me a knowing look and I twiddle my fingers as I try to figure out if I’m going to tell them about what Clara said.

“I’m sensing there’s more to this story,” Jake said.

“Your tingly senses would be right.” “I’ll show you what’s tingling,” he teased.

“Jake!”

“Out with it woman!” He exclaimed. Fine, he asked for it. They both did.

“I may or may not be a witch.” It was best to get it out anyway, there wasn’t any reason for me to keep it all bottled up. Viktor blinked twice and Jake’s jaw dropped.

“What do you mean by a witch?” Jake asked after he picked his jaw up off the bed. There was a serious look on his face and I couldn’t help but swallow the lump in my throat. In front of me was the Beta, not the lover that had been massaging my shoulders a few minutes ago.

“Before you get into that, why don’t you tell us where you got this idea?” Viktor asked as his eyes darkened. I’d been with Clara all day, he already knew.

“Clara told me.”

“Didn’t I tell you this was a bad idea?” Jake asked Viktor before turning back to me. “You can’t just believe whatever the witch tells you,” Jake spat. Looking back at him, I was shocked to find the disdain and anger on his face.

“Why are you angry?” I asked. “This is about me, if anyone should feel any type of way about it, it should be me!” I watched as Jake tried to calm himself down.

“I’m sorry for my outburst, Kacie.” He ran his hand through his hair, a movement I had come to recognize as a nervous habit.

“He isn’t wrong, love,” Viktor said. My eyes darted to him.

“You can’t be serious?” I asked. “What reason does Clara have to lie to me?”

“She’s got a lot of reasons,” Jake growled. “I don’t know why you think she has a reason to tell you the truth.” Viktor stepped in before Jake could say any more.

“Let’s take a step back,” Viktor said. “Why don’t you tell us why Clara thinks you are a witch.”

“Clara cut out lesson short. As we were heading back to the packhouse we got into an argument.” I filled them in on my earlier discussion with Clara.

How I’d pressured her for an answer on why the three of them came to help. Her response stated they came to help because I was a witch and how she’s known from the beginning. If Viktor was surprised, he was good at hiding it. Jake struggled with his facial expressions. It was easy for him to hide his thoughts.

“If she knew from the beginning why didn’t she say so?” Viktor asked.

“If she knew she could have exposed you. Everyone knows witches are banned. She could have made things difficult for you. Why didn’t she?” Jake asked. The suspicion was clear on his face.

“She saw how good I had it. I had a family, a home, a mate,” I said as I looked at Viktor. “A witch never gets all three if one of those. It was a miracle and she chose to overlook the fact that my mate was also her destined. She kept my secret.”

“it sounds like bull shit,” Jake said.

“Jake!” I said. I was surprised but maybe I shouldn’t be. His line of thinking has been straight and narrow when it comes to witches.

“I’m sorry but I don’t trust her. If anything, this only makes me trust her less,” Jake said.

“Why didn’t she say anything to you?” Viktor asked, his hand resting on my thigh.

“She thought I knew,” I said with a shrug. “She was surprised that I didn’t know. She assumed I was keeping it a secret and respected that.” Jake didn’t say anything but I could see the wheels in his head churning.

“Clara said she wouldn’t have ratted out a sister,” I said. Jake scoffed and shook his head.

“You can’t seriously be buying this?” Jake asked.

“I’m not buying anything,” I said, “I believe her.”

“If she thought of you as a sister, she wouldn’t have helped Ken kidnap you!” Jake said.

“Ken had her little sister, he forced Clara into helping him,” I said. It was the truth.

“Jake, I need you to calm down,” Viktor said.

“Whether this piece of information is true or false, it won’t change anything,” Viktor said. “You are my mate and my Luna.”

Jake was quiet and I searched his face for confirmation or denial. When he didn’t say anything, tears pricked the corners of my eyes. Immediately, I was pulled into an embrace and my shoulders sagged when I looked up to find Jake holding me.

“I’m not angry at you, Kacie. I’m sorry for the frustration, I’m just… My mind is a jumble of words and I’m saying all the wrong things. I love you. No matter what… I love you,” Jake said.