Run! The Lost Princess of the Black Wolves

Chapter 17 - Doubts and desires

”Here you are!” Marcus walked into the library, startling Chloe and Freya who were in the middle of their research. “What are you doing? Are you all set for tomorrow?” He wore a sharp, well-tailored suit that accentuated his perfect T-shaped frame, and Chloe couldn’t help but imagine helping him unbutton his shirt, one button at a time.

“More or less,” Freya eyed him up and down with a suspicious frown. "Why are you dressed like that? What are you up to?"

“I have to go do some… errands,” he shrugged, avoiding Chloe’s gaze. “But I’ll try to be back before nightfall,” he suddenly looked straight at Chloe, their eyes locked. “I’ll be here before you go to sleep,” he told her, using his gaze to mindlink her. It was the first time ever Chloe heard his voice in her head, and it felt strangely new but pleasantly familiar.

Before she was able to respond, he turned on his heel and left, and Freya and Chloe exchanged confused glances.

“That was odd,” Freya gazed after him. "So mysterious! As if he was hiding something…” she mused, before she shrugged her shoulders and looked back at the pile of books in front of them. “Oh well,” she yawned. “What do you say... I’m pretty tired of going through dusty old books, how about you?”

“No, I don’t think we’ll find anything here,” Chloe said absentmindedly, her mind still preoccupied with Marcus. Why did he have to leave so sudden? Maybe he was going to see Juliette, she thought to herself. She froze at the thought. What if Juliette had found out Marcus had spent the night with her?

“Earth calling,” Freya waved her hand in front of Chloe’s face.

"Sorry," Chloe chuckled, shaking her head.

"No worries," Freya replied with a grin. "But are you okay? You seem a bit distracted."

Chloe hesitated before answering, not wanting to reveal her night with Marcus. "I'm fine, just tired," she lied. “Want to take a walk or something? Get some fresh air?”

“Sure,” Freya smiled. “But no icy dips today, please!”

“I promise,” Chloe laughed, and they headed outdoors. However, the afternoon weather was far from pleasant. The chill wind cut through their clothing and pierced their bones, while a thick blanket of dark clouds crept across the sky, hinting at an impending snowstorm.

“Oh, I hope Marcus will make it back before that one hits us,” Freya muttered anxiously. “What if he doesn’t? Then we’re screwed!”

Chloe shook her head, trying to push away her concerns about Marcus. "I'm sure he'll be back in time," she said, hoping it to be true.

As they walked, the wind picked up, and even their tough werewolf skin couldn't keep the chill at bay. "I think we should head back inside," Freya suggested, her teeth chattering.

Chloe nodded in agreement, and they hurried back to the warmth of the house. The rest of the evening was spent discussing their upcoming trip and brooding over whether Marcus would make it back in time, and if not, would they still be able to leave?

As they went to have dinner with the rest of the pack, Chloe couldn’t focus. She struggled to engage in conversation, her eyes constantly drawn to Marcus's empty chair. The tension in the air was palpable as Chloe asked where he could be.

“Don’t you worry,” Eyvind clucked, looking content. “He’ll be back tonight.”

Freya looked at him expectantly. "Do you know where he is, father? I can't believe he left just like that, the day before our big trip. What if he doesn't make it back in time? What if he can't take us to the North?" Her voice trembled with worry.

“You haven’t thought about the risk of not being able to drive at all?” Maeve intervened, raising a skeptical eyebrow. “If we’re snowed in, you won't be going anywhere,” she warned.

Vidar, Marcus future Beta, looked at Freya with an amused axpression on his face. "There's no storm yet, and there might not even be one!” he gestured towards the window, his massive biceps unintentionally twitching as he did. “Even if I’m pretty sure Marcus would prefer it that way so he doesn’t have to go anywhere tomorrow," he added with a chuckle.

"He should want to go to the Winter's Ball as much as anyone," Freya grumbled. "He hasn't met his fated mate yet. There's still a chance to find her."

"He gave up on that a long time ago," Maeve declared, setting down her fork and knife.

"So he's just going to settle with Juliette, then?" Freya grimaced. "No, I'm sure he wants to give finding his mate a chance. He would have tried to arrange for Juliette to join us otherwise. It wouldn't be too hard."

"No?" Chloe raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I thought you needed an invitation?"

"Marcus is the upcoming Alpha of the Emerald Lake Pack," Eyvind grunted. "We’re a very important pack, the gatekeepers to the North. If he wanted to bring Juliette, he would have just added her as his plus one. But, as Freya said, he's got other plans… He’s got someone else in his mind, and that’s why he’s not here right now," he added with a wink at Astrid, who smiled brightly in return.

"Don't worry too much about these things, my dear," Astrid turned to Chloe. "Marcus will take you to the North tomorrow, and then we'll see who comes home with a new mate," she added with a knowing smile.

Chloe was confused. So, Marcus wasn't planning for Juliette to be his Luna, after all? Then why were they in a relationship? Did Juliette know no one thought of her as Luna material? Chloe instinctively didn’t like her, but she could still empathize with her…

And if he hadn’t left to see Juliette now, who else was he seeing? Why was everyone acting so strange? It was as if they knew something that neither Chloe nor Freya were aware of.

"Goddess," Freya rolled her eyes. "Do I even want to know what he’s up to? He's such a playboy! But as long as he's escorting us to the North tomorrow, I don't care."

“Well, he certainly wouldn’t let anyone else do it,” Vidar chuckled. “He’s very protective of his… sister,” he added, exchanging an amused glance with Maeve.

Chloe's confusion grew with each passing moment, but she ultimately decided to brush it off. After all, it wasn’t her problem… Right?

After dinner, she excused herself and retreated to her room, feeling restless and unsettled. Sitting on her bed, she stared blankly at the wall as her mind raced with thoughts. Not only was Marcus in a relationship with Juliette, but the others had hinted that he had an another mistress as well. Maybe he wasn't the knight in shining armor that she had thought him to be...

She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice when her door opened, and Marcus stepped inside without knocking.

"Hey," he said softly, closing the door behind him. "I'm back."

Chloe turned around, her heart beating faster as she saw him standing there. "Hey," she replied, trying to sound casual. "Where have you been?"

Marcus hesitated, his facial expression hard to read. "I had some things to take care of," he said vaguely. "But I'm here now. And I won't leave you again, I promise."

“It’s alright,” Chloe chuckled nervously. “I mean, you have no obligations to…”

Within a blink of an eye, he was by her side. He towered above her, and she had to tilt her head back to avoid staring straight into his chest. His heart was racing, thudding loudly in her ears as he reached out and gently placed his hand on her arm. Her breath got caught in her throat as he traced his fingers down her skin, and she couldn't help but shiver with anticipation.

What was he doing? Her thoughts went into a spin as she tried to make sense of the situation. Was he trying to tell her something? She felt a mixture of excitement and fear, unsure of how to respond to his sudden closeness.

"Don't be scared," Marcus whispered. His voice was low and seductive, and he gently lifted Chloe’s chin with his hand, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb.

"But... You...." Chloe didn’t know what to say, her eyes widening in surprise and her breathing ragged. Was he going to kiss her? Didn't he just come from another woman's bed?

With his blue eyes locked onto hers, she could see the intensity of his emotions reflected in them. It was as if he searched for something in her gaze, but she couldn't quite decipher what it was… Briefly, she noticed a flicker of uncertainty in his expression, as if he wasn't sure if he should go through with what he was about to do. But then, he leaned in, his breath hot against her skin.

She felt her knees weaken when he brushed his lips against her cheek, right before capturing her lips in a soft, yet intense kiss.

Her mind went totally blank as she surrendered to the moment, her body responding to his touch. As she closed her eyes, she felt his hand move up to her face, his fingers tangling in her hair. With a gentle tug, he deepened the kiss, exploring her with his tongue.

He was a great kisser! She practically melted in his hands, and she couldn’t help but let out a little moan as he caressed her breast with his free hand.

All lost in her desires, she unbuttoned his shirt, running her hands over his perfectly chiseled chest. With a soft growl, Marcus let his hands slide down her back, cupping her bottom before he lifted her up abruptly with a jerk into his arms.

Chloe couldn’t help but wrap her legs around him as he carried her over to the bed, her mind racing with excitement and guilt. What was happening between them? This was not at all what she had envisioned.