The Alpha’s Temporary Mark

Seeing a familiar face, Chloe waved excitedly.

"Well, well. Taking things public, are we? Aren't you going to introduce us?"

Kade glanced at Selena, asking for her silent consent before gracefully leading her over.

So, for someone he truly cared about, he wasn't just accommodating, but considerate in every way.

With me, Kade had never once bowed his head. I was always the one who yielded to his Alpha temper.

Even if it was a warrior training I loved, a single displeased glance from him was enough to make me give it up.

Chloe joked, "I heard you chased her all the way to the human world. That's some serious devotion."

Kade leaned against a stone bench, smiling without a word.

It was Selena who answered, a little shyly. "Chloe, stop teasing me."

She blinked her wide, innocent eyes.

"But I truly never expected Kade, who always acts like such a cold, distant Alpha, could be so thoughtful."

"Actually, he took care of me a lot while I was in the human world. He would send me the best soothing herbs every so often."

"And so I could have food that tasted like home, he spent six months learning to cook from the pack's best chef."

Listening to their sweet history, the heart I thought was numb was torn apart once more.

I couldn't help but remember all the nights I was in agony from arrow wounds, while Kade was in the training room, drenched in sweat, oblivious to my pain.

Once, I was in so much pain I almost passed out. I told him the arrow was laced with wolfsbane and I needed his Alpha energy to ease the poison.

He had just looked at me impatiently. "How bad can a little arrow wound be? Stop being so dramatic."

I had always thought his Alpha nature was simply cold.

It turns out he wasn't incapable of caring; he was just incapable of caring about me.

"Is this really my cold-blooded brother? Anya, do you think he's been possessed by some evil spirit?"

My mind had wandered, so I didn't hear Chloe suddenly say my name.

Sensing the strange silence around me, I snapped back to reality, my eyes meeting Kade's deep gaze unexpectedly.

"Anya," Kade said suddenly, his tone dropping, "do you have a problem with Selena?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"You're not exactly looking at her with kindness."

He gave a lazy curl of his thin lips, his tone casual but threatening. "Anya, I think of you as a sister. You're making this very difficult for me by being so disrespectful."

Remembering their filthy words from the group chat and seeing his innocent, hypocritical act, the last shred of sadness in my heart vanished.

A primal fire of rage ignited from the depths of my wolf.

I put down my glass, suppressing my anger. "Kade, if you want to put on a show, go find your pack of cronies. I don't have time to play these childish games with you."

"Don't be upset, sister. The Alpha is just being protective. I'm sure he means no harm."

Selena feigned reconciliation, rising to her feet with a fragile and innocent look, deserving of pity.

Just then, a Moon Priestess was solemnly passing by, carrying a ritual basin filled with holy oil.

Selena took a seemingly innocent step back, one that put her in the perfect position to "accidentally" jostle the priestess's arm.

The scalding holy oil spilled with a splash, and flames instantly flared up.

Kade instinctively pushed Selena, who was beside him, out of the way. But when he saw the flames leaping towards me, his pupils contracted violently.

"Anya!"

He lunged forward, but his feet were tangled by the falling Selena.

To break Selena's fall, he had no choice but to catch her, watching helplessly as the holy oil flew towards me.

I twisted to dodge, but my arm was still spattered.

The searing pain made me bite down hard, but I managed not to cry out.

"Anya, are you okay?" Chloe rushed over to check my injury.

Kade stood a short distance away, holding Selena, his eyes fixed on me.

I could clearly feel the sharp pain in his own heart.

But he still chose her.

When I regained consciousness, I struggled to lift my heavy eyelids.

In a daze, I heard a low male voice in the hallway.

"Is she awake?"

"Not yet. The doctor said she needs to be observed overnight," Chloe's voice sounded tired. "Aren't you going in to see her?"

"No. Don't tell her I was here."

The voice was familiar, but I couldn't place it.

Chloe chuckled softly. "How long are you going to be her silent guardian? Why don't you just tell her..."

The urgent blinking of a communication crystal interrupted Chloe. The man answered the call and walked away briskly.

"I have to patrol the border for a while. Mind-link me if anything happens."

Chloe couldn't help but roll her eyes at his retreating back before she turned and entered the treatment room.

Seeing me lying on the bed with my arm wrapped in an herbal bandage, Chloe's eyes reddened with guilt.

"I'm sorry, Anya. If I'd known, I wouldn't have dragged you to the festival. Don't worry, after you're discharged, I'll take you to the best healer. We can't let you have a scar."

A dry, humorless laugh escaped my lips.

"You can still laugh at a time like this? I swear, I think Selena did that on purpose. She could have easily dodged, but she deliberately bumped the priestess. And she didn't even get burned, but she was still playing the victim. I feel like she's got it in for you..."

My smile faded.

I was silent for a few seconds before saying, "She's my sister."

Chloe's eyes widened in shock. "She's your half-sister?"

"And your mother is a pack elder?! My god, you kept such a huge piece of news from me. Are we not friends?"

I had to give her a brief overview of the situation, omitting my past with Kade.

Seeing her look at me with such pity and righteous anger, a warmth spread through my heart.

"It's all in the past. I'm doing fine now."

I didn't need to rely on anyone. I could live with my head held high.