MARKED BY THE ALPHA KING

Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7: THE FIRST LESSON

The next morning, I woke before sunrise. For a moment, I forgot where I was. The small wooden cabin, the unfamiliar bed, and the quiet sounds of the settlement outside felt strange compared to the cramped room I had grown up in back at the pack. Then reality came rushing back. Kael’s rejection. The hunters. My awakening. The Guardian bloodline. I sat up slowly, running a hand through my tangled hair as a wave of exhaustion hit me. It wasn’t physical exhaustion, it was emotional. Every day since leaving the pack had changed my life completely. Part of me still struggled to accept it all. Another part knew there was no going back. Even if I wanted to return, I wouldn’t be the same girl who left. That version of me had died in the forest. A knock sounded on the cabin door, pulling me from my thoughts. Before I could answer, Ronan pushed the door open slightly. “Marcus wants to see you.” I frowned. “This early?” Ronan shrugged. “Apparently, ancient bloodlines don’t believe in sleeping late.” Despite myself, I laughed softly. It was the first genuine laugh I’d had in days. Ronan’s expression softened slightly at the sound. “Come on. He’s waiting.”

When we reached the center of the settlement, Marcus was already standing in an open training field surrounded by wooden targets and weapon racks. The older man looked completely awake despite the early hour. Several people from the settlement were already watching from a distance. The moment I stepped into the clearing, their conversations stopped. I hated how quickly I noticed things like that now. Every whisper. Every glance. Every heartbeat. Marcus motioned for me to approach. “Today, we begin your training.” My stomach immediately tightened. “Training?” He nodded. “Your power is growing faster than expected. If you don’t learn to control it, it will control you.” The seriousness in his voice erased any argument I might have made. Marcus picked up a wooden staff and handed it to me. “Show me what you can do.” I stared at the weapon awkwardly. “Nothing,” I admitted. “I’ve never trained before.” A few people nearby exchanged amused looks. The old embarrassment threatened to return. Back at my pack, I had always been the weakest wolf. The one nobody expected anything from. Marcus, however, didn’t seem disappointed. “Good,” he said simply. “Then we start from the beginning.”

The first few hours were terrible. Absolutely terrible. Marcus drilled me through basic movements, balance exercises, and combat stances while correcting every mistake I made. Despite my enhanced strength and speed, I had no actual fighting experience. My body reacted faster than normal, but my mind constantly struggled to keep up. More than once, I ended up flat on my back in the dirt while Marcus calmly pointed out another flaw in my technique. Frustration built with every failure. By midday, sweat soaked my clothes, and my muscles burned. “Again,” Marcus ordered. I groaned. “Again?” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you think your enemies will stop attacking because you’re tired?” I glared at him. “You’re enjoying this.” For the first time, the old man smiled. “A little.” Nearby, Ronan laughed openly. I grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it in his direction. He dodged easily, still laughing. The sound should have annoyed me. Instead, it made something inside me feel lighter. Normal. For a brief moment, I wasn’t a hunted Guardian or a rejected mate. I was just a girl trying, and failing, to learn something new.

Everything changed during the afternoon. Marcus instructed me to close my eyes and focus on the voice inside my head. Immediately, tension spread through my body. Since awakening, the mysterious voice had appeared whenever it wanted, offering cryptic advice and unsettling observations. I still wasn’t comfortable with it. “You can’t keep treating it like an enemy,” Marcus said. “The voice is part of you.” Easier said than done. I closed my eyes anyway and focused. At first, there was nothing but silence. Then slowly, I felt it. A familiar presence stirring deep within me. “You’re distracted,” the voice observed immediately. I nearly jumped. Marcus noticed my reaction. “You hear it?” I nodded slowly. “Good. Ask a question.” My throat tightened. There were a thousand questions I wanted answered. Finally, I settled on one. “Who are you?” The voice remained silent for several seconds. Then it answered. “I am your wolf.” My eyes snapped open in shock. “What?” Marcus frowned. “What did it say?” I repeated the answer. The older man’s expression darkened thoughtfully. “Interesting.” My frustration immediately returned. “Interesting? That’s all you have to say?” But Marcus was already deep in thought. “Guardian wolves are different,” he murmured. “More connected to their human halves. More aware.” The explanation didn’t make me feel any better. If anything, it raised even more questions.

Later that evening, after training finally ended, I wandered through the settlement alone. My body ached from hours of practice, but my mind was far too restless to sleep. The village looked different at sunset. Warm lantern light glowed from windows, and laughter drifted from several cabins. Families gathered around fires. Children chased each other between buildings. The sight caught me off guard. For years, I had believed every pack was like mine, strict, hierarchical, and unforgiving. Yet the people here seemed genuinely happy despite being outsiders. A little girl ran past me carrying a basket of flowers before suddenly stopping. She stared at me with wide eyes. “You’re the new girl.” I blinked. “I guess I am.” She smiled brightly. “My mom says you’re special.” I nearly laughed. If only she knew. “Does she?” The child nodded enthusiastically. “She says special people are scary at first, but they usually end up saving everyone.” Before I could respond, she ran off toward one of the cabins. I stood there staring after her, oddly affected by such a simple conversation. Special people save everyone. The idea felt ridiculous. I couldn’t even save myself most days.

That night, another surprise waited for me. As I returned toward my cabin, I caught the scent of a wolf approaching the settlement. Every instinct inside me sharpened instantly. My senses locked onto the unfamiliar presence moving through the forest. Within seconds, Ronan appeared beside me. “You feel that too?” he asked quietly. I nodded. The air itself seemed tense. Several guards had already moved toward the edge of the settlement. Marcus arrived moments later, his expression unreadable. “Stay here,” he ordered. Naturally, I ignored him and followed anyway. By the time we reached the entrance path, a lone figure had emerged from the trees. He was young, tall, and dressed in travel-worn clothing. The moment his gaze landed on me, his entire body froze. Shock flashed across his face. Real shock. Like he had seen a ghost. My pulse quickened immediately. I had never seen him before, but somehow he looked familiar. The stranger swallowed hard before speaking. “Impossible.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “You’re supposed to be dead.”

Silence fell over everyone present. My heart pounded as the stranger continued staring at me in disbelief. Marcus stepped forward slightly. “Who are you?” The man didn’t answer immediately. His eyes never left mine. Finally, he took a slow breath. “My name is Adrian.” His voice shook slightly. “And if she’s really Elara…” He paused, struggling to find the words. Then he said the one thing I never expected to hear. “I’ve been searching for her my entire life.” The world seemed to stop spinning for a second. Confusion, fear, curiosity, and disbelief crashed together inside me. I had never met this man before. I had no idea who he was. Yet something in his eyes told me he was telling the truth. Whatever came next, I knew one thing for certain. My life had just become even more complicated. And for the first time since arriving at the settlement, I had a feeling the answers I was searching for might finally be within reach.