บท 13: Chapter thirteen
The garden was silent as Marcus took a deep breath, his mind restless with Andel's words. He knew he had to return inside and face the questions that would undoubtedly follow.
"Thank you, uncle Andel," Marcus said quietly. "I appreciate you telling me this."
Andel nodded, a somber look in his eyes. "Remember, Marcus, vigilance and guidance are your strongest allies. You are the Alpha, and your strength will see us through."
With a final nod, Marcus turned and headed back to the house, the weight of the prophecy pressing heavily on his shoulders.
As Marcus re-entered the mansion, he scanned the room and noticed his parents were nowhere to be found. "Maggie," he called out. She appeared quickly, concern visible on her face.
"Where are my parents?" he asked.
"They've gone to the pack quarters," Maggie replied.
"Why would they go there this late?" he asked, puzzled.
"They received an emergency call. They told me to inform you that you're needed there as well, and they're waiting for you."
Marcus pulled out his phone and dialed his mom. Her voice was tense. "I can't talk now, Marcus. Hurry and come."
The call ended abruptly. Marcus hurried to his room, grabbing his jacket and car keys.
"This night couldn't get any weirder. First, I learn my mate could be my doom, and now an emergency call this late?" he said, irritated.
He quickly headed to his car and drove to the woods. He parked in the usual spot, as the pack quarters required a trek through the forest. It didn't take long to reach the quarters, as they weren't far from the mansion.
The pack quarters was a massive one-story building, situated in a clearing where even the trees were removed so the moon could be seen clearly. Upon his arrival, a few warriors greeted him. "Alpha, you are welcome," they said, bowing slightly.
Marcus nodded and entered the building. Inside, he saw that all members of the pack were gathered. They greeted him with bowed heads as he walked in.
"What is going on?" Marcus demanded. "What is so important that everyone is here without my permission?"
His mother, stepped forward. "Don't be offended, Marcus. I called for this meeting. Since you were talking with Andel, I went ahead and arranged it."
Marcus sighed. "Alright, what's the sudden meeting about?"
His mother's expression grew serious. "It's about some rogue wolves. We discovered they were spies."
A murmur of surprise and concern rippled through the room. Marcus's mind raced, considering the implications. " Where are The now?"
" They escaped" she replied.
"How did they escape?" he asked.
"We found them snooping around the eastern border," one of the warriors explained. "They fled before we could capture them. They were highly skilled."
Marcus clenched his fists. "We can't let this happen again. We need a strategy to protect our territory."
He turned to the gathered pack members. "First, we need to increase our patrols. I want double the number of warriors on the borders, especially around the eastern side. We need to establish checkpoints and have rotating shifts to ensure constant vigilance."
The warriors nodded, ready to implement his orders.
"Next," Marcus continued, "we need to enhance our security within the pack quarters. We'll install additional alarms and surveillance systems. Uncle Andel, can you use your magic to help reinforce our defenses?"
Andel, who had joined the group, nodded. "I can create wards and protective spells to alert us if any intruders breach our territory."
"Good," Marcus said. "I also want everyone to be on high alert. Report any suspicious activity immediately. We can't afford to be complacent."
As the pack members discussed their new assignments, Marcus's mind returned to Andel's prophecy about his mate. He couldn't shake the feeling that the two issues might be connected. The night air outside the quarters was filled with tension.
After the meeting concluded, Marcus approached his parents. "Let's talk in the study," he said, leading his parents to a quieter, more private space.
Once they were settled in the study, with the door closed to ensure privacy, Marcus faced his parents. " Uncle Andel had a vision about my future mate," he began, his voice steady. "He said she could bring about my death, but she might also be the key to saving the entire pack."
Dana gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "How can that be possible?" she whispered, fear evident in her eyes.
"It's complicated," Marcus replied. "In uncle Andel's vision, my mate is connected to great power and danger. Her choices and our bond will determine the fate of the pack. If I can guide her, she could save us all. But if she falls into darkness, it could mean my end—and the pack's doom."
Hector frowned, his brow furrowing deeply. "This is serious, Marcus. We need to be prepared for whatever comes. Do you have any idea who she might be?"
Marcus shook his head. "No," (though in his mind he was thinking it might be Sasha), "but Uncle Andel's vision was clear about the danger. We need to be vigilant and ready for anything."
As they continued discussing the implications of Andel's vision, a loud crash echoed from the main hall. They rushed out to find the source of the commotion. The scene that greeted them was one of chaos.
Several windows had shattered, and a cold wind whipped through the hall. Pack members were scattered, some on the ground, and others trying to help those who had been knocked over.
Dana stood in the hall, her eyes scanning the shattered windows and scattered debris. "This is a bad omen," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
"Yes, it is," Hector replied, his expression grim.
Just then, Andel entered, surveying the chaotic scene with a keen eye. His presence added to the tension in the room.
"What's going on, Uncle?" Marcus asked, his voice laced with confusion and worry.
Andel turned to face him, his expression serious. "I told you a storm is coming," he replied. "This is just a sign."
Marcus swallowed hard, the weight of Andel's words sinking in.
The next morning, he woke up in a foul mood. Andel's ominous words echoed in his mind, and the rogue wolf situation only added to his anxiety.
He knew he needed to be more serious and focused; the time for playing around was over. The looming prophecy about his mate weighed heavily on him, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was Sasha or some other girl he hadn't met yet. His birthday was approaching, and he hoped he would find out soon enough.
His thoughts drifted to Alina. He guessed he had been spending too much time with her and decided he needed to stay away from her. He didn't want to risk any complications; he needed to focus on finding his mate.
As Marcus arrived at school, he was determined to avoid Alina. He kept his head down, trying to blend in with the crowd. But the moment he entered the hallway, he spotted her near her locker, chatting with some friends.
His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned on his heel, ducking into a nearby classroom. The students inside looked up in surprise. "Oh my gosh, it's Marcus!" the girls gushed.
Marcus turned and waved to them awkwardly before pretending to be interested in a poster about the upcoming school dance.
In class, Marcus completely ignored Alina, acting as if she did not exist. It wasn't long before Alina noticed his strange and weird behavior.
After class, Marcus immediately left, even when she called his name. He pretended not to hear her.
"Marcus! Wait up!" She called, but he kept walking.
She quickly ran after him and saw him enter the library. The library was a shocker since that was not his favorite place to be.
Alina followed him inside and saw him standing beside a shelf. "Marcus, I was calling you," she said in whispers.
Marcus froze, then quickly grabbed a random book from the shelf and buried his face in it. "Oh, hi, Alina! I, uh, didn't hear you," he mumbled, his voice muffled by the book.
Alina raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing in here?"
"Just, um, catching up on some reading," he replied, not daring to lower the book.
Alina laughed. "You read? You've got to be kidding me."
"Shhh," a student hissed, turning to her. "Keep it down."
"Sorry," Alina replied.
As soon as she turned back to face Marcus, she saw him running out of the library, heading in the opposite direction.
Later that day, during lunch, Marcus was heading to the cafeteria with his friends when he saw Alina approaching from the other end of the hallway. Panicking, he ducked behind a vending machine, hoping she wouldn't see him.
"What are you doing?" Joe asked, surprised. "Are you hiding?"
"Shh, she might hear you," Marcus whispered.
Zack and Kenny couldn't contain their amusement, muffling their laughter with their hands.
Alina stopped near the machine, looking around curiously. "Hey Joe, I thought I saw Marcus with you just now."
"You must be mistaken. It's only us," Joe said smoothly.
She looked around curiously but didn't see Marcus. Something is up, she thought, shaking her head.
Marcus held his breath, crouching as low as he could. The vending machine whirred as a student made a purchase, and he used the sound to cover his escape. He crawled on all fours until he reached the safety of the next hallway.
In the afternoon, Marcus tried to sneak out of the school early to avoid any more run-ins with Alina. As he slipped out the side door, he almost bumped into her. She was sitting on a bench, reading a book.
"Marcus!" she exclaimed, looking up in surprise.
Caught off guard, Marcus did the only thing he could think of—he turned and ran, sprinting across the school grounds like his life depended on it.
Alina immediately stood up, shaking her head in disbelief. "What's gotten into him?" she wondered aloud.
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