Chapter 30 - The Mark
1483 Words
Melissa stood in the darkness and watched the enormous house of Beta James.
The mansion rose like a silent shadow against the night sky, its tall windows glowing with warm yellow light. The estate was quiet now. Most of the pack had already returned to their homes after the chaos of the past days.
But the house of the Beta never truly slept.
Guards moved occasionally along the outer path, their silhouettes passing briefly through the light before disappearing again into darkness.
Melissa remained in the shadow of the old oak tree at the edge of the road.
Her eyes were fixed on the house.
But her thoughts were somewhere else.
Slowly, almost unconsciously, she lifted her sleeve.
The moonlight caught the pale skin of her wrist.
And the mark.
The faint silver pattern curled across her skin like a delicate flame. It was small, almost unnoticeable to anyone who did not know what it meant.
But to her…
It felt like fire.
Her mate mark.
Melissa stared at it for a long time.
Her fingers brushed over it lightly.
Warm.
Alive.
It had appeared weeks ago.
And she had hidden it ever since.
Her chest tightened painfully.
Footsteps.
Melissa quickly pulled her sleeve back down.
The door of the Beta’s house opened quietly.
A figure stepped out.
Timothy.
He closed the door gently behind him and walked down the stone path, his hands pushed deep into the pockets of his coat. The cold air curled around him, stirring his dark hair slightly.
When he reached the road, he noticed her.
He wasn’t surprised.
Timothy had always known where to find her.
He walked toward her slowly.
Melissa looked at him with tired eyes.
“How is Stephanie?”
Timothy stopped a few steps away from her.
For a moment he said nothing.
Then he shook his head.
“She won’t leave her room.”
Melissa’s heart tightened.
“Still?”
He nodded.
“She barely speaks.”
His voice was quiet.
“The only thing she talks about is Florence.”
Melissa closed her eyes briefly.
The image of Florence lying broken in the healer’s room flashed through her mind again.
The memory made her stomach twist.
Timothy continued.
“My father figured everything out almost immediately.”
Melissa sighed.
Of course he had.
Beta James was not a man easily fooled.
“The beating… Florence… and Stephanie collapsing afterwards.”
Timothy looked toward the house.
“He connected the pieces.”
“And now?” Melissa asked softly.
Timothy’s jaw tightened.
“She’s under house arrest.”
Melissa lowered her head.
Even she had not been allowed inside.
Beta James had ordered that no one outside the immediate family could see Stephanie.
Not even her closest friends.
Timothy had become the only bridge between them.
The only person who could bring messages.
He looked at Melissa gently.
“When my father calms down,” he said, “I’ll tell him you want to visit.”
Melissa nodded.
“Thank you.”
Timothy sighed.
“But right now… even I’m barely allowed to see her.”
The silence between them felt heavy.
The wind rustled the leaves above them.
Melissa looked at Timothy.
He was tall now.
Much taller than when they had first met as children.
His shoulders had grown broader with training, and there was a quiet strength in the way he stood.
For someone his age…
He already looked like a future Beta.
Or perhaps something even greater.
Melissa felt something twist painfully inside her chest.
She inhaled slowly.
“I should go.”
She turned slightly, preparing to leave.
But Timothy reached out suddenly.
He caught her wrist.
Melissa froze.
His grip wasn’t rough.
Just firm enough to stop her.
The movement caused the sleeve of her sweater to slide slightly up her arm.
For a brief second…
The mark was visible.
Timothy saw it.
Everything changed in that moment.
His eyes widened.
Melissa felt his gaze fall on her wrist.
Her heart stopped.
Quickly she pulled her hand back and hid it behind her back.
But it was too late.
Timothy stared at her.
Shock flooded his face.
Then anger.
“When were you planning to tell me?”
His voice was low.
Dangerously low.
Melissa swallowed.
“Timothy…”
He stepped closer.
“Show me your hand.”
Melissa shook her head.
“You don’t understand—”
Timothy raised his own sleeve.
The mark on his arm gleamed faintly in the moonlight.
Identical.
Two halves of the same symbol.
The bond between them was undeniable.
They were mates.
Melissa felt the world collapse around her.
She shook her head weakly.
“You’re misunderstanding—”
Timothy grabbed her arm again.
Not gently this time.
“Misunderstanding?”
His voice cracked.
“You hid this from me.”
Melissa tried to pull away.
“Timothy, listen—”
But he was already dragging her toward the nearby stables.
The doors creaked open as he pushed them inside.
The smell of hay and horses filled the air.
Moonlight spilled through the wooden slats in the walls.
Timothy finally released her arm.
His chest rose and fell quickly.
“I knew it,” he said.
Melissa stared at him.
“What?”
“My birthday.”
His voice was tight.
“You were there.”
Melissa felt the memory rush back.
The celebration.
The music.
The crowd.
The moment something strange had stirred inside her chest.
Timothy continued.
“That night I felt the bond.”
He looked at her.
“And you and Stephanie both told me it must have been someone from another pack.”
Melissa closed her eyes.
Stephanie.
Her friend had never known the truth.
“She didn’t know,” Melissa whispered.
Timothy frowned.
“What?”
“Stephanie didn’t know it was me.”
Timothy stared at her.
“Why?”
Melissa finally looked up.
Her voice trembled.
“Because of your father.”
Timothy stiffened.
“What does he have to do with this?”
Melissa took a step back.
“Everything.”
Timothy waited.
Melissa forced herself to speak.
“Your father believes women shouldn’t study.”
Timothy blinked.
“He thinks our only purpose is to marry and have children.”
Timothy frowned.
“That’s not—”
“If he found out I was your mate,” Melissa interrupted quietly, “he would marry us immediately.”
The words hung in the air.
Timothy stared at her.
“And you didn’t want that.”
Melissa shook her head.
“I want to work.”
Her voice grew stronger.
“I want to study.”
“I want to build something with my own life.”
She looked at him.
“Not become someone’s wife at eighteen.”
Timothy’s expression changed.
The anger slowly faded.
But something else replaced it.
Hurt.
“So you decided,” he said slowly, “that I was the same as my father.”
Melissa froze.
“That’s not what I—”
“You assumed I would force you.”
His voice was quiet now.
More painful than anger.
Melissa stepped closer.
“I was afraid.”
Timothy laughed bitterly.
“Of me?”
“No.”
Melissa shook her head desperately.
“Of losing everything.”
Timothy turned away from her.
For a moment he said nothing.
Melissa reached out carefully.
“Timothy…”
But he stepped back.
His voice was cold now.
“In the next full moon…”
Melissa felt her stomach drop.
Timothy continued.
“I will reject the bond.”
The words hit her like a knife.
“No.”
Her voice came out barely louder than a whisper.
Timothy didn’t look at her.
“You won’t have to worry about marriage anymore.”
Melissa felt something burning inside her chest.
The bond.
It was reacting to his words.
“Timothy, please—”
“Don’t come here anymore.”
His voice hardened.
“Don’t visit Stephanie.”
Melissa stared at him.
“I’ll send messages through the servants if there’s news.”
Melissa felt her vision blur.
Her mate.
Her other half.
The one wolf the Moon itself had chosen for her.
Was going to reject her.
The pain spread through her chest like fire.
Timothy walked toward the stable door.
But before leaving he stopped.
For a moment he looked back at her.
His expression was no longer angry.
Just wounded.
“I would have waited for you.”
Then he left.
The stable door closed behind him.
Melissa stood alone in the dim moonlight.
Her hands trembled.
Slowly she sank down onto the hay-covered floor.
Her chest burned.
The bond between them twisted painfully inside her.
Her mate…
Was preparing to abandon her.
And for the first time since receiving the mark…
Melissa understood something terrifying.
Even if Timothy rejected her…
Her heart might never recover.
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