The Mark: Mating season (the alpha

I ᗯᗩᔕ ᗩT TᕼE ᗩᒪᑭᕼᗩᔕ ᑭᗩᖇTY. IT'ᔕ ᗩ ᑕᕼᗩᑎᑕE ᖴOᖇ TEEᑎᔕ ᗰY ᗩGE (I'ᗰ 17) ᑕᗩᑎ ᕼᗩᐯE ᗩ ᑕᕼᗩᑎᑕE TO ᖴIᑎᗪ Oᑌᖇ ᗰᗩTEᔕ, ᗩᑎᗪ Iᖴ ᑎOT ᗰᗩTEᔕ TᕼEᑎ ᔕOᗰEOᑎE TO ᗰᗩTE ᗯITᕼ ᗪᑌᖇIᑎG TᕼE ᕼEᗩT (Oᖇ ᗰᗩTIᑎG) ᔕEᗩᔕOᑎ. I ᗪOᑎ'T ᕼᗩᐯE ᗩ ᗰᗩTE YET, ᔕTIᒪᒪ ᒪOOKIᑎG TᕼOᑌGᕼ. ᑕᕼᗩᑎᑕE, TᕼE GᑌY TᕼᗩT Iᔕ GOIᑎG TO GET TO ᗷE TᕼE OᑎE TO ᗰᗩTE ᗯITᕼ ᗰE TᕼIᔕ ᔕEᗩᔕOᑎ ᑕᗩᗰE ᑌᑭ TO ᗰE ᗯITᕼ ᔕᗩGE ᗰY ᗷEᔕT ᖴᖇIEᑎᗪ. ᕼE KIᔕᔕEᗪ ᗰY ᑕᕼEEK. ᕼE ᗷEᑎT ᗪOᗯᑎ TO ᗯᕼIᔕᑭEᖇ Iᑎ ᗰY Eᗩᖇ "I'ᗰ ᗰᗩᖇKIᑎG YOᑌ TOᑎIGᕼT, ᔕO TᕼEY KᑎOᗯ YOᑌ ᗩᖇE ᗰIᑎE ᖴOᖇ TᕼIᔕ ᔕEᗩᔕOᑎ" I ᗷᒪᑌᔕᕼEᗪ ᗩ ᒪITTᒪE. I ᗪEᑕIᗪEᗪ TO ᕼEᗩᗪ TO TᕼE ᗷᗩTᕼᖇOOᗰ. I ᗯᗩᔕ ᗷEIᑎG ᖴOᒪᒪOᗯEᗪ ᗷY ᔕOᗰEOᑎE. I ᗯᗩᔕ ᑭᑌᔕᕼEᗪ ᗩGᗩIᑎᔕT TᕼE ᗯᗩᒪᒪ ᗷY TᕼE ᗩᒪᑭᕼᗩ ᕼIᗰᔕEᒪᖴ "YOᑌᖇ ᗩᖇOᑌᔕᗩᒪ Iᔕ ᗪᖇIᐯIᑎG ᗰE IᑎᔕᗩᑎE" ᕼE KIᔕᔕEᗪ ᗰY ᑎEᑕK ᗰᗩKIᑎG ᗰE ᗰOᗩᑎ EᐯEᑎ TᕼOᑌGᕼ I KᑎOᗯ ᗯᕼᗩT'ᔕ GOIᑎG TO ᕼᗩᑭᑭEᑎ. ᕼE'ᔕ GOᑎᑎᗩ ᗰᗩKE ᗰE ᕼIᔕ. "YOᑌᖇ GOIᑎG TO ᗷE ᗰIᑎE TᕼIᔕ ᔕEᗩᔕOᑎ" I ᔕᕼOOK ᗰY ᕼEᗩᗪ. ᗰY ᗯOᒪᖴ ᗯᗩᔕ YIᑭᑭIᑎG Iᑎ E᙭ᑕITEᗰEᑎT ᔕIᑎᑕE TᕼE ᗩᒪᑭᕼᗩ ᗯᗩᑎTEᗪ ᑌᔕ. "ᗪOᑎ'T YOᑌ ᗪᗩᖇE ᔕᗩY ᑎO TO YOᑌᖇ ᗩᒪᑭᕼᗩ, I ᗯIᒪᒪ ᑭᒪEᗩᔕE YOᑌ, I ᗯIᒪᒪ ᗰᗩKE YOᑌᖇ ᑭᑌᔕᔕY ᗰIᑎE" ᕼIᔕ ᗯOᒪᖴ ᗯᗩᔕ ᗰᗩKIᑎG ᗰE ᗷOᗯ ᗪOᗯᑎ Iᑎ ᔕᑌᗷᗰIᔕᔕIOᑎ. ᖴᑌᑕK I TᕼOᑌGᕼT. I ᒪET ᕼIᗰ ᗰᗩᖇK ᗰE ᔕIᑎᑕE I ᕼᗩᗪ ᑎO OTᕼEᖇ ᑕᕼOIᑕE. ᕼE KIᔕᔕEᗪ ᗰY ᑎEᑕK. ᑎOᗯ TᕼᗩT ᕼE ᗰᗩᖇKEᗪ ᗰE I ᗯᗩᔕ ᗰOᖇE ᗩTTᖇᗩᑕTEᗪ TO ᕼIᗰ. I ᗰEᗩᑎ EᐯEᖇY GIᖇᒪ Iᔕ ᗩTTᖇᗩᑕTEᗪ TO TᕼE ᗩᒪᑭᕼᗩ, I ᗰEᗩᑎ ᕼE'ᔕ TᕼE ᗩᒪᑭᕼᗩ. "ᔕEE YOᑌ TOᗰOᖇᖇOᗯ" ᕼE ᔕᗩIᗪ ᗩᑎᗪ ᒪEᖴT. I ᖴEᒪᒪ TO TᕼE GᖇOᑌᑎᗪ ᑕᖇYIᑎG. ᗯᕼY ᗰE? I ᗪOᑎ'T ᗯᗩᑎT TO ᗷE TᕼE ᗩᒪᑭᕼᗩᔕ ᔕᗩGE ᑕᗩᗰE Iᑎ. "ᗯᕼᗩT'ᔕ ᗯᖇOᑎG?" "TᕼE ᗩ-ᗩᒪᑭᕼᗩ ᗰᗩᖇKEᗪ ᗰE ᗩᔕ ᕼIᔕ" "Oᕼ ᗰY GOᗪ!" ᔕᕼE ᔕᑫᑌEᗩᒪEᗪ "Iᗰ- I'ᗰ GOIᑎG ᕼOᗰE, I ᑕᗩᑎ'T ᗷE ᕼEᖇE, TEᒪᒪ ᑕᕼᗩᔕE ᗯᕼᗩT ᕼᗩᑭᑭEᑎEᗪ" ᔕᕼE ᕼEᒪᑭEᗪ ᗰE ᑌᑭ ᗩᑎᗪ I ᖇᗩᑎ OᑌT Oᖴ ᕼEᖇE. I ᖇᗩᑎ ᗩᒪᒪ TᕼE ᗯᗩY ᕼOᗰE Iᑎ ᗰY ᗯOᒪᖴ ᖴOᖇᗰ. I ᗪIᗪᑎ'T GIᐯE ᗯ ᔕᕼIT Iᖴ ᗰY ᗪᖇEᔕᔕ ᖇIᑭᑭEᗪ. I ᖇᗩᑎ ᑌᑭ TO ᗰY ᖇOOᗰ. I ᔕᕼIᖴTEᗪ ᗩᑎᗪ TOOK ᗩ ᔕᕼOᗯEᖇ TᕼEᑎ I ᒪᗩIᗪ Iᑎ ᗷEᗪ ᗩᑎᗪ ᑕᖇIEᗪ ᗰYᔕEᒪᖴ TO ᔕᒪEEᑭ. ᑕᗩYᗪEᑎᔕ ᑭOIᑎT Oᖴ ᐯIEᗯ TᕼE ᑎE᙭T ᗰOᖇᑎIᑎG I ᗯᗩITEᗪ ᗩT TᕼE ᗪOOᖇ ᖴOᖇ ᐯᗩᑎEᔕᔕᗩ. TᕼE ᕼEᗩT ᕼᗩᔕ ᔕTᗩᖇTEᗪ. ᔕOOᑎ ᔕᕼE'ᒪᒪ ᗷE ᑕOᗰIᑎG TO ᗰE. ᗰY ᗯOᒪᖴ TOOK ᑕOᑎTᖇOᒪ ᗯᕼEᑎ I ᗰᗩᖇKEᗪ ᕼEᖇ. ᔕᕼE'ᔕ ᗷEᗩᑌTIᖴᑌᒪ ᗪOᑎT GET ᗰE ᗯᖇOᑎG ᗷᑌT I ᗪOᑎ'T TᕼIᑎK ᔕᕼE ᗪEᔕEᖇᐯEᗪ ᗯᕼᗩT ᗰY ᗯOᒪᖴ ᗪIᗪ. ᔕᕼE ᖇᗩᑎ IᑎTO ᗰY ᗩᖇᗰᔕ. ᔕᕼE ᗯᗩᔕ Iᑎ ᑭᗩIᑎ ᗷEᑕᗩᑌᔕE Oᖴ IT. ᗷEᑕᗩᑌᔕE Oᖴ TᕼE ᕼEᗩT. "ᗰᗩKE TᕼE ᑭᗩIᑎ ᔕTOᑭ, ᗰᗩKE GO ᗩᗯᗩY!" ᔕᕼE ᔕOᗷᗷEᗪ. I GEᑎTᒪY ᑭIᑕKEᗪ ᕼEᖇ ᑌᑭ ᗩᑎᗪ ᑕᗩᖇᖇIEᗪ ᕼEᖇ TO ᗰY ᖇOOᗰ. I ᑌᑎᗪᖇEᔕᔕEᗪ ᕼEᖇ ᗩᑎᗪ TᕼEᑎ ᗰYᔕEᒪᖴ. ᕼEᖇ ᗯOᒪᖴ ᗯᗩᔕ Iᑎ ᑕOᑎTᖇOᒪ Oᖴ ᕼEᖇ ᗷOᗪY. "ᖇᗩᑕᕼEᒪ I ᑎEEᗪ ᑎEᔕᔕᗩ ᗷᗩᑕK" ᔕᕼE GᖇOᗯᒪEᗪ ᗷᑌT ᒪET ᕼEᖇ ᕼᑌᗰᗩᑎ TᗩKE ᑕOᑎTᖇOᒪ. "ᑭᒪEᗩᔕE ᑕᗩY" ᔕᕼE ᑕᖇIEᗪ. I ᗯEᑎT IᑎTO ᕼEᖇ. ᔕᕼE ᔕᑕᖇEᗩᗰEᗪ OᑌT Iᑎ ᑭᒪEᗩᔕᑌᖇE ᗩᑎᗪ ᑭᗩIᑎ. I ᗰOᐯEᗪ Iᑎ ᗩᑎᗪ OᑌT Oᖴ ᕼEᖇ Iᑎ ᗩ ᖇᕼYTᕼᗰ. ᗩᔕ ᗯE ᗷOTᕼ ᑕᑌᗰᗰEᗪ ᗯE ᗷOTᕼ ᔕᑕᖇEᗩᗰEᗪ. I KIᔕᔕEᗪ ᕼEᖇ ᔕOᖴT ᑭIᑎK ᒪIᑭᔕ. I ᑭIᑕKEᗪ ᕼEᖇ ᑌᑭ ᗯITᕼ ᗰE ᔕTIᒪᒪ Iᑎ ᕼEᖇ. I ᑕᗩᖇᖇIEᗪ ᕼEᖇ TO ᗰY ᗷᗩTᕼᖇOOᗰ. I ᖴIᒪᒪEᗪ IT ᑌᑭ ᗯITᕼ ᗯᗩTEᖇ ᗩᑎᗪ ᑭᑌT ᑌᔕ ᗷOTᕼ Iᑎ ᔕᕼE ᒪᗩYEᗪ ᕼEᖇ ᕼEᗩᗪ Oᑎ ᗰY ᑕᕼEᔕT. "I ᗯᗩᑎT YOᑌ ᔕTᗩYIᑎG ᕼEᖇE ᗪᑌᖇIᑎG TᕼE ᕼEᗩT" ᔕᕼE ᑎOᗪᗪEᗪ. I ᗪIᗪᑎ'T ᗯᗩᑎT ᗩᑎYTᕼIᑎG TO ᕼᗩᑭᑭEᑎ TO ᕼEᖇ. ᗩᖴTEᖇ ᗯE ᗯEᖇE ᗪOᑎE ᔕᕼE ᒪᗩIᗪ Iᑎ ᗰY ᗷEᗪ ᑎᗩKEᗪ. I ᑭᑌT Oᑎ ᗰY ᗷO᙭Eᖇᔕ ᗩᑎᔕ ᗩ ᑭᗩIᖇ Oᖴ ᔕᕼOᖇTᔕ I ᔕTIᒪᒪ ᔕᗰEᒪᒪ ᒪIKE ᕼEᖇ EᐯEᑎ ᗩᖴTEᖇ TᕼE ᗷᗩTᕼ. I ᗯEᑎT TO KITᑕᕼEᑎ ᖴOᖇ ᖴOOᗪ. ᗷY ᑎOᗯ IT ᗯᗩᔕ ᗪᗩᖇK. ᔕO ᑎO OᑎE ᗯᗩᔕ ᑌᑭ ᗰY GIᖇᒪᖴᖇIEᑎᗪ GᖇᗩᑕIE ᑕᗩᗰE Iᑎ ᗩᑎᗪ KIᔕᔕEᗪ ᗰE. I ᑕᖇIᑎGEᗪ. I'ᐯE ᗷEEᑎ ᗯᗩᑎTIᑎG TO ᗷᖇᗩKE ᑌᑭ ᗯITᕼ ᕼEᖇ. ᗰᗩYᗷE ᑎOᗯ'ᔕ TᕼE TIᗰE. "ᗯᕼY ᗪO YOᑌ ᔕᗰEᒪᒪ Oᖴ ᔕOᗰEOᑎE EᒪᔕE" "ᗷEᑕᗩᑌᔕE I ᔕᒪEᑭT ᗯITᕼ ᔕOᗰEOᑎE EᒪᔕE, ᗯE'ᖇE TᕼᖇOᑌGᕼ" I ᒪEᖴT ᗷEᖴOᖇE ᗩᑎYTᕼIᑎG ᑕOᑌᒪᗪ ᕼᗩᑭᑭEᑎ. I TOOK TᕼE ᔕᗩᑎᗪᗯIᑕᕼEᔕ ᗩᑎᗪ ᑕᕼIᑭᔕ ᑌᑭᔕTᗩIᖇᔕ. ᔕᕼE ᔕᗩT ᑌᑭ ᗯᕼEᑎ I ᗯEᑎT Iᑎ. I ᔕᗩT Oᑎ TᕼE ᗷEᗪ ᗩᑎᗪ GᗩᐯE ᕼEᖇ TᕼE TᗯO ᔕᗩᑎᗪᗯIᑕᕼEᔕ I'ᐯE ᗰᗩᗪE ᖴOᖇ ᕼEᖇ ᔕᕼE ᔕTᗩᖇTEᗪ EᗩTIᑎG ᔕO ᗪIᗪ I. ᗯᕼEᑎ I ᒪOOKEᗪ ᗩT TᕼE ᑭᒪᗩᑕE I ᗰᗩᖇKEᗪ ᕼEᖇ TᕼE ᗰᗩᖇK ᗩᑎᗪ TᑌᖇᑎEᗪ IᑎTO ᗰY ᗰᗩTIᑎG TᗩTTOO. I GᖇᗩᔕᑭEᗪ. ᑎOT ᑭOᔕᔕIᗷᒪE. ᔕᕼE'ᔕ ᗰY ᗰᗩTE. 'TᕼᗩTᔕ ᗯᕼY YOᑌ ᗯEᖇE ᗩTTᖇᗩᑕTEᗪ ᗩᑎᗪ ᗯᗩᑎTEᗪ ᕼEᖇ ᗪᑌᗰᗷ ᗩᔕᔕ' ᗪᗩᗰIEᑎ ᗰY ᗯOᒪᖴ ᔕᗩIᗪ. "ᗯᕼᗩT? ᗯᕼY ᗩᖇE YOᑌ ᔕTᗩᖇIᑎG ᗩT ᗰY ᑎEᑕK" "Y-YOᑌᖇ ᗰY ᗰᗩTE" ᔕᕼE GᗩᔕᑭEᗪ. I ᑭᑌᒪᒪEᗪ ᕼEᖇ IᑎTO ᗰE. ᗰY ᗰᗩTE. I TᕼOᑌGᕼT I'ᗪ ᑎEᐯEᖇ ᖴIᑎᗪ ᕼEᖇ. I KIᔕᔕEᗪ ᕼEᖇ ᕼEᗩᗪ. ᗰIᑎE ᗩᒪᒪ ᗰIᑎE. I ᗯIᒪᒪ ᑭᖇOTEᑕT ᕼEᖇ ᑎO ᗰᗩTTEᖇ ᗯᕼᗩT