The Alpha Who Marked Me Before I Was Born

The Strange Man In The Woods

† Melissa’s POV †

“There are so many crazy people on earth,” I said immediately as I met Arthur in his shop. He was packing up ready to close.

“My neoma,” he smiled and pulled me into a hug instead. Neoma was the doting name he gave me.

My Arthur was very eye-catching, but I was more invested in telling him my encounter.

“On my way here, I faced the craziest thing ever,” I said, not even dramatizing it as I was meant to.

“What was that?” he asked, slightly resting on his sewing machine as he stared at me.

“There was this man on a horse shouting ‘Tierra, Tierra,’” I said. I was honestly so scared and had to hide because I could never tell who was who. “And then he got down and was looking for Tierra.”

“Maybe his Tierra is missing,” Arthur said jokingly with a smile, but I was not having it. I had been scared because I felt like I was pulled to him, and yet I was not meant to stay close to him. I felt a strong pull and yet a bad energy.

“It wasn’t funny, Arthur. He nearly chased after me,” I said, and Arthur became more serious.

“I already told you to stop passing through the woods. It is very dangerous. He could be a rogue, and you’re not even ripe enough to protect yourself at the very least,” he started reprimanding, just like my parents. I stopped and stared at him.

“Are you calling me weak?” I asked because that’s how it felt, everyone was always trying to protect me like I was something that could break anytime, and a smile broke on his face again.

“No, you’re the strongest woman I know, but stop risking yourself. I was just about to close the shop,” he said, and I got closer as he extended his hand and wrapped me in his arms.

That was my sweet boy.

“I can’t wait till when I shift and we can openly love each other. I am scared for you, Arthur,” I said. I was honestly scared for him. “If you get killed or banished, I’ll really hate myself, and I can kill myself…”

“Shush, don’t say that,” Arthur said, reprimanding me with his eyes, then took my hands in his. “Your birthday is coming up, and let’s hope you shapeshift then,” he said.

I stared at him, and my fear came again, he would leave me if I didn’t shapeshift, and I would remain mateless forever. What exactly was my offense to Selena?

“What if I don’t shapeshift?” I asked. “Will we run away from the pack together and start a new life outside the pack?”

“No, Melissa, why would you think of such? I have a job here, and I have a life going for us. We’ll wait, we’ll wait till you shapeshift,” he said, but there were many ladies who wanted my Arthur. I stayed silent. I had forgotten what had even brought me there in the first place.

“You’re not saying anything,” he nudged.

“I have nothing to say,” I replied, then looked around his shop. Some fabric caught my attention. “Did you get new wool?” I asked.

“That, yeah,” he started carefully. “The Red Moon Festival is coming up, and some customers are seeking new materials,” he said. Oh.

The Red Moon Festival, another thing I cannot be involved in.

I gulped, pulling my coat tighter over myself.

“Do you want one?” he asked, and I shook my head, not like I could participate in the festival.

“No, thanks. I have to get going,” I said.

“I will make one for you. A handcrafted dress, and I will give it to you on your birthday when you finally clock the big twenty-one and you shift,” he said, beaming. I looked at him.

“And if I don’t?” I asked.

“I will still give it to you,” he replied assuringly, his eyes still locked on mine.

“I have to start going before my parents start looking for me,” I said leaving his arm and making to leave.

“Let me lock the shop,” he stopped me, and we both walked out. I watched him shut the shop and then he attempted to escort me.

“What if someone sees us together?” I asked.

“Then we are just friends,” he said. I took that in, and then we both started on the path back to my house. When we passed the place where the strange man had gotten down from the horse, I started looking around.

“This was where he got down. You can’t believe I had to start hiding behind trees. Thank God for my coat,” I started

explaining, the whole occurrence still hit me as some crazy action when we sighted some hunters coming.

“Goodbye, Arthur,” I said immediately. “I will get home safely from here.”

“Take care, Neoma,” he said. I waved at him and hurried home.

I kept walking faster than usual, my heart beating, and I couldn't tell if it was because of the hunters or because of the strange man that I had seen earlier. I pulled my coat and hugged myself tighter.

Tierra.

Somehow the name stayed with me, and I wondered why he ran into the woods with so much pain in his eyes. It wasn't even the pain that comes from losing money or power; it was way deeper, and I could feel it in me.

Who was she?

"Melissa, that's none of your business," he's just another crazy man.

Talk of crazy men... My alpha was crazy too. Was he as crazy as that, or did my papa just detest him?

Why was he so angry when I mentioned the palace, or is he just scared like everyone else in the pack?

Maybe all of that was in my own good. A little display of madness from some stranger, and I was already scared and shaken. I released a breath I didn't know I was holding as I reached my house and quietly opened my window, peeked into my dark room before jumping back in and locking the window after me. My parents were obviously asleep.

I shouldn't be bothered, no, I shouldn't. I dropped my coat and packed up my hair for the night before getting into my bed and pulling my blanket over me, curling into a small ball, but as sleep slowly pulled me in, the last thing that echoed in my mind was his broken voice calling into the woods.

"Tierra…”