CHAPTER 10: Between Two Alphas
1551 Words
Open this diary only if you’ve ever discovered that love is never truly tested when everything is peaceful.
Love is tested when every person around you tells you to let go, when misunderstandings grow larger than the truth, and when your heart insists on choosing someone who belongs to a world you were never meant to enter.
Dear Diary… today I realized that my greatest battle isn’t against werewolves. It's against the distance growing between Jack and me.
The cold hand resting on Jack’s shoulder made my heart stop.
The moonlight barely illuminated the figure standing behind him, but I could see enough to recognize the long blonde hair dancing in the night breeze.
It was Eliza. Jack slowly turned around without making a sound. His expression remained calm, but yet I noticed how tense his shoulders had become.
“Eliza,” he said quietly, lowering his voice so no one inside the house would hear, “what are you doing here?”
Eliza folded her arms and sighed softly. “I should be asking you the same question, Jack,” she replied, her voice carrying disappointment rather than anger. “Your father has ordered every member of the Briggs family to remain inside the estate until further notice, yet here you are, standing outside Marionette’s bedroom.”
Jack glanced toward my window before looking back at her. “I needed to make sure she was safe,” he answered firmly.
Eliza shook her head and laughed. “You keep saying that,” she muttered. “Every decision you make somehow leads back to her.”
Jack’s expression hardened trying to defend himself before her. “Because she is in danger.”
“No,” Eliza replied, taking one step closer to him. “It is probably because you have become emotionally involved.” I held my breath behind the curtain.
Every word they exchanged felt like a needle piercing my heart. Jack remained silent for several moments, then finally, he spoke. “That isn’t something you need to concern yourself with.”
Eliza laughed bitterly like Jack is possibly her personal property which she can’t share. “It concerns me more than anyone else,” she replied, forcing a smile that never reached her eyes. “I’ve spent my entire life preparing to become your Luna. I trained beside you, fought beside you, attended council meetings beside you, and stood by your side whenever the world expected perfection from the Briggs heir. Then one ordinary human girl appears…”
She looked directly toward my bedroom window, at me. “…and suddenly I’m invisible.” My chest tightened painfully, then I slowly stepped away from the curtain.
I didn’t want to hear anymore of their family talk, yet I couldn’t stop listening because Jack was simply involved. Jack lowered his voice. “Eliza, this isn’t your fault.”
“Then whose fault is it?” she asked quietly. “Mine? Yours? Or hers?” Jack didn’t answer in that moment. That silence answered enough.
The following morning, I arrived at school carrying far more than my backpack. I carried doubt, I carried jealousy and most of all, I carried the memory of everything I had overheard.
Maybe Eliza wasn’t stealing Jack away, or maybe she was simply protecting the future she had been promised. The thought hurt more than I wanted to admit when I try to think about it.
Mina immediately noticed my expression. “You look like someone stole your happiness,” she said gently as we walked toward class. I forced a smile. “I’m just tired.”
She raised an eyebrow at me with suspicion. “Marionette,” she replied softly, “I’ve known you long enough to recognize the difference between being tired and having your heart broken.”
I couldn’t argue with her, because she probably was right.
As lunch approached, the atmosphere around campus changed. Students gathered outside, luxury cars once again lined the entrance, this time, however, they weren’t there for donations. They were there for something far more important.
Two groups of businessmen entered the school ground. One group wore black suits bearing the Briggs crest. The other wore silver suits embroidered with the Sterling emblem.
Teachers exchanged nervous glances, that even the principal looked uncomfortable. Whispers spread throughout the courtyard.
“They’re meeting again.”
“Something big is happening.”
“I heard both families are buying the school.”
“I heard they’re declaring war.”
Nobody knew the truth, not even me at this point.
Jack stood near the fountain reading a file. I stared at him from across the courtyard. He looked exhausted.
The confident Alpha everyone expected him to become seemed weighed down by responsibilities no seventeen-year-old should have to carry. I wanted to walk over, I wanted to ask if he was alright since yesterday, I wanted to tell him he didn’t always have to carry everything alone, but my feet refused to move.
My own insecurity chained me to the spot. Then Gabriel appeared from nowhere. “Marionette,” he said warmly, holding out a bottle of juice. “You skipped breakfast again, didn’t you?”
I blinked at him. “How do you know that?”
“You looked at food this morning the same way students look at mathematics,” Gabriel replied with a small laugh. “Complete fear.”
Despite myself, I laughed that instant, “You’re observant.” Gabriel smiled as well, “I observe you because I care.”
His honesty caught me off guard, before I could respond, Jack looked up, our eyes met, then his gaze suddenly shifted toward Gabriel standing beside me. His expression became unreadable.
He quietly closed the file in his hands. Without saying a word, he just turned around and walked away. “No…” I whispered. Gabriel sighed that moment, “He misunderstands.”
“I have to explain,” I said urgently. I started running after Jack. “Jack!” I called loudly, then he stopped slowly. He turned around and for a moment, hope filled my heart. I finally reached him, breathing heavily.
“I…” I began nervously. “Please don’t misunderstand. Gabriel and I aren’t…” Jack smiled faintly. “You don’t owe me an explanation.” His calm voice hurt far more than anger would have.
“I want to explain,” I insisted. He looked into my eyes. “I know Gabriel likes you,” he replied quietly. “Everyone can see it.”
“But I don’t…” I tried to talk but he Instantly interrupted me before I finished. “I also know,” he continued before I could finish, “that he can probably give you a life much happier than the one waiting beside me.”
I stared at him. “What?” Jack looked away. “My world is dangerous, Marionette.” His voice became softer. “The people around me get hurt.”
“I don’t care,” I replied, with sadness in my heart. “You should,” he replied Instantly. He smiled sadly at me, “I wish it were that simple.”
Before I could stop him, he gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face. His fingers barely touched my cheek. The simple gesture made my heart race uncontrollably.
“I’ve already brought enough danger into your life,” he whispered. “I won’t bring you any more.” Then he walked away again, leaving me frozen, leaving my heart chasing after someone my feet could never catch.
High above the courtyard, Eliza watched everything from the second-floor balcony. Her hands tightened around the railing.
“So,” she whispered bitterly. “You really have fallen for her.” Behind her, Max Briggs stepped out of the conference room.
“I warned you this would happen,” he said calmly. Eliza immediately lowered her head. “I’m sorry, Alpha.” Max looked toward Jack walking alone across campus, and for the first time, even he looked troubled.
“The Sterling family has already made their move,” Max muttered. “Gabriel’s interest in Marionette isn’t merely romance anymore.”
Eliza frowned. “What do you mean?” Max’s eyes narrowed. “If Gabriel marries the girl carrying the Luna Mark…” His voice became frighteningly cold. “…the Sterling family could challenge the Briggs bloodline for the Alpha Throne.”
Eliza’s eyes widened in surprise, “So Marionette isn’t just Jack’s weakness…” “No,” Max interrupted. “She’s becoming the greatest political weapon in werewolf history.”
At that very moment, far beyond the school walls, inside the magnificent Sterling estate, Victor Sterling stood before dozens of Alpha leaders gathered around a massive circular table.
He smiled slowly. “The Luna has finally appeared,” he declared. The room fell silent. Victor placed one hand on the ancient map spread across the table.
“Prepare every pack loyal to the Sterling family.”
One Alpha frowned. “For war?” Victor’s smile widened. “No.” He looked toward the moon shining through the enormous windows.
“For the girl.”
His final words echoed through the chamber. “Before the Briggs family realizes it, we’re going to take Marionette Miche.”
- Writer
