MARKED | COMPLETED

Chapter 12

I woke up to a surge of anger that coursed through my veins. It was like fire, maybe poison; I couldn't decide between the two. I ground my teeth together, the noise causing my head to hurt. The anger was so potent at this point that it wasn't just Alpha Aisling's, but it was mine, too.

It wasn't fair. How was I supposed to be in control of my own emotions, that were becoming something of a flurry in my head because of the oncoming ceremony (as well as a destiny given to me at birth), when someone else was in my head, too? I understood that this was part of our kinship, that this sort of bond brought the Alpha and the Luna together. I understood that it was meant to bring us closer. But it was so frustrating.

It was a struggle to pull myself away from the comfort of an actual bed, but I succeeded in doing just that. Outside I could see the beginnings of dawn, the little red-orange tint to the night sky. It was far too early to be awake, and yet here I was—awake and angry because Alpha Aisling was angry.

The cabin itself was dark and quiet—the only sound I could hear came from my tiny footsteps along the hardwood floor. I quickly tip-toed down the stairs and was quite surprised to find Alpha Aisling there.

Alpha Aisling lay sprawled on one of the couches in front of the crackling fireplace. In those familiar sweats and black tee, he looked just as tired as I was. It was weird to see him so—at ease despite the rage that seemed to be boiling beneath my skin. But I didn't bring it up as I sat down across from him. He didn't move a muscle, nor did he make any effort to acknowledge my presence.

"Every time," he began, after what felt like hours to me. "I look at that fire I'm tempted to jump in it."

I nodded. I was unsure if he was saying that to make him feel any better. It surely didn't make me feel very safe around him. I tensed, looking at the fire, trying to understand his statement. Of course, he had some hidden meaning behind it, but I appeared to be rather obtuse about it.

"Fire and silver are our true weaknesses," I mentioned.

This time he made the gesture to nod.

"We can be killed in just about any feasible away—but we have the ability to heal at extraordinary speeds." He sat up and looked at me. Through the light of the fire, I could see the moonshine glimmering in his blue eyes. I held my breath. "The problem with fire and silver is that it disrupts the process. What would really take us mere hours will take us days or weeks."

"What does that have to do with jumping into the fire?"

"It'll make me feel human." He shrugged. "While I'm healing, I'll be a plain old human recovering from some very bad burns. I won't have to spend my late nights worrying about the safety of this pack, while secretly hoping that fate hasn't made the wrong choice with my Luna... that, maybe, she'll quit being so stubborn and uncertain about what she's supposed to be."

Just like that, I wanted to jump into the fire, too.

"So that's what you're so angry about? You're upset because I'm not up to your standards?" I bit back the snarl that landed on my tongue.

"I don't have very high standards. Just do the job you were given." Despite looking so relaxed lying down, the sharp look in his eyes felt like daggers on my skin. He truly was making it difficult for me to keep that snarl back.

Tomorrow we had our Lunar Celebration, and he chose now to wake me up with his complaints? It wasn't fair—why couldn't I have someone else in my head? It wasn't right that he was putting so many responsibilities on my shoulders when the only responsibility I expected to have after my Shifting was surviving. The pack expected me to fix every problem we seemed to have.