Run! The Lost Princess of the Black Wolves

Chapter 12 - Good riddance

Marcus was pacing back and forth in his living room, the sound of his footsteps echoing against the hardwood floors, his mind racing with thoughts. Every so often, he stopped in front of the mantlepiece and stared into the fire that filled the room with its pleasant heat. However, the sound of the logs crackling and the flickering of the flames couldn’t calm his restless mind as well as they usually did.

The room was decorated with an air of masculinity, from the sleek leather chairs to the striking hunting paintings that adorned the walls. A large mat made of soft sheepskin lay in front of the fireplace, adding some snug luxury to the atmosphere. This was his place of refuge… His fortress. His cave.

But, despite that these rooms were where he felt most at home, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that was settled rock-hard in his chest.

With a groan, he rubbed his face with his hands and went to stand by the window. He couldn't believe he was still so hung up on Chloe… He just couldn't get her out of his head! And he had tried so hard to get over her.

Like, really, really tried.

He hadn’t seen her for months, not since John and Isabel's wedding where he had realized that she had moved on… and so he had tried to do as well.

He had accidently bumped into Juliette, one of his earlier flings from one of the Alpha, Beta and Luna summer camps, and it so happened that she was more than eager to climb into his bed. Before he knew it, she was his girlfriend, and everyone considered her to be the future Luna of the pack.

He didn’t really see it that way, and he was surprised others did, considering his former reputation of being quite the playboy. Nevertheless, when he heard about Freya’s and Chloe’s plans to go to the Winter ball after all in their quest for their future mates, despite everything that had happened, something snapped inside of him! And when he heard that Chloe was also coming to stay for a few days before the event, he immediately invited Juliette to come visit. He even made her stay an extra night, just to make sure that Chloe would see that he had found someone else and moved on.

He realized it wasn't the most mature or thoughtful thing to do, and he had to admit that it was partly a revenge for his wounded ego and hurt feelings. But mostly, he had tried to prove to himself and to Chloe that he had moved on. That he was over her, once and for all.

But boy, had he been wrong!

The very second he laid eyes on her that first evening when she arrived to their pack, he knew he had made a mistake.

He was still hopelessly in love with her.

Nothing had changed… Despite his efforts to move on, she still had a firm grip on his heart.

He had forgotten just how beautiful she was, with her vibrant green eyes and full lips, as well as her strong, yet utterly feminine body. He couldn't imagine anyone more perfect. As he had been passing by her bedroom window the other evening, he had accidentally seen her getting ready for a shower. The sight of her undressing one piece of clothing at a time had been way too much for him to handle! He had almost lost it completely and had to shift and run into the woods for hours to clear his head.

But it wasn't just Chloe’s physical beauty that made him fall for her every time they met. It was the way she laughed, the way she moved… The way she made him feel. Wherever she went, she seemed to light up the room. Juliette was a sweet girl, but she couldn't hold a candle to Chloe.

It had been surprisingly easy for them to fall back into their old ways, flirting and teasing, after Juliette left. As if nothing had happened. As if Nolan, the dickhead who had destroyed everything, had never existed.

How he hated that man! He was furious with himself for not killing him when he had the chance. When Chloe failed to pin that arrow into his head, he should have gone after him himself! It would have saved them both so much pain. But no, he just stood there, watching him escape, like a fool. He had watched Nolan slip away, leaving Chloe shattered into pieces.

With a frustrated sigh, Marcus banged his forehead against the cool glass of the window, over and over. So stupid! It was all ruined now. Chloe had clearly moved on, and he had tried his best to convince himself that he had too.

However, earlier that day in the sauna, everything had changed.

He had felt the heat rising in his body as he watched her, the way the steam clung to her skin, accentuating every curve and angle. His whole being had craved to touch her, and he hadn’t been able to resist offering her to massage her sore neck. He had secretly enjoyed every second of it, every little soft moan and sigh that escaped her lips sending a wave of pleasure through him. His wolf had been stirring inside, and he had to fight to keep his desire in check as he worked her most sensitive spots in the neck and shoulders.

But what had happened next had been a total nightmare. He hadn’t believed his own eyes when Chloe had taken that insane leap, diving headfirst into the pool of ice they had carved in the middle of the lake. Panic had set in as he had watched her continue to swim under the ice, totally disappearing from sight.

He had known he had to act fast. Without hesitation, he had sprinted out onto the ice, driven by the fear of losing her. The ice had cracked beneath his feet, but he had pressed on, determined to find her. And then he had seen her, trapped under the ice, struggling to break free. His heart had sunk as he had realized the gravity of the situation. But he had refused to give up.

By summoning every ounce of strength he had, he had punched his fist through the ice, shattering it into a thousand pieces. Blood had mixed with water as his arm had sliced up into wounds, but he hadn't cared. All he had cared about was saving her.

As he had carried her to safety, holding her close as both of them trembled with fear and adrenaline, that had been the moment when he had realized... He would never get over her.

Chloe was the love of his life.

It had been a moment he would never forget, one that would forever be etched into his mind.

The problem was... She didn't feel the same. He knew it in every bone of his body, and it felt like a punch in the gut. There was mutual attraction, yes. But she didn’t love him. Not the way that he loved her.

And she was even explicitly going to search for another mate. That was the girls’ whole plan for going to the Winter’s ball. Searching for their mates! It was like a knife twisting in his heart, and he felt like the world’s biggest fool. He wanted to scream and shout, to tell her that he was right there. Right in front of her nose! Offering her his heart on a silver plate...

After Freya and Chloe had disappeared suddenly from dinner, his frustration had mounted with each passing moment. His wolf had begun taking over, pushing him into a feral state. He had needed to see her, to feel her, to smell her enchanting scent. She had the most exquisite scent, a soft blend of honey and wild clary, and he followed the sweet and flowery scent all the way to to freya's quarters. Before he had been able to give it further thought, he had opened the door, thinking he would find the two girls chatting.

However, there she had stood before him, all by herself, wearing that stunning red dress, her long legs and black lace thong on display as she had struggled to wriggle out of it. He had been totally overwhelmed by his sudden craving, his wolf howling inside of him! Urging him to claim her, to make her theirs. Immediately.

He had forced himself to dig deep to maintain his composure, pushing away his thoughts about how badly he wanted to tear that dress off her body and push her up against the wall, taking her right then and there. It had taken all of his willpower to step back and leave her be, every fiber of his being screaming for him to do the opposite.

And now, here he was. All by himself, back in his own quarters. Stuck in a relationship with another woman…

Juliette. Flimsy, and quite annoying Juliette, always demanding his attention. She was cute, he gave her that, and she had her good qualities, but she paled in comparison to Chloe. And the way she had behaved around Chloe had grated on his nerves. Juliette wasn’t his future Luna, and never would be.

The weight of his thoughts bore down on him, urging him to take action, and with a deep sigh, he retrieved his phone from his pocket. Freya was right. He couldn't keep Juliette waiting any longer. He had to make that call.

As he dialed her number and waited, a queasy feeling settled in his gut and he almost hung up immediately. However, after only two rings, the sound of Juliette’s voice filled the air.

“Hi babe! I’ve been waiting for your call the whole day," she said. “I was starting to think you forgot about me.”

"Yeah, sorry about that," he apologized unenthusiastically. “I’ve been busy,” he lingered with the words, staring into the crackling fire.

"What are you doing now?" she asked softly.

"I just lit a fire," he replied, sinking into the plush armchair nearby. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and gazed into the flickering flames.

"Ooooh, I love that fireplace of yours," he could hear by her voice that she tried to be seductive, and he felt a shiver run down his spine. "Remember when we did it on that mat in front of the fire?" she continued.

"I remember…" His mind drifted back to that night. Having se.x with Juliette had been the main perks of their relationship, she was very enthusiastic. But he knew he couldn't let himself be distracted by memories. "Julie, I need to say something."

"What are you wearing?" she breathed, her voice low and suggestive.

"Just jeans and a t-shirt," he replied, trying to keep his tone even. "Julie, listen..."

But before he could continue, she interrupted him again, her voice growing more insistent. This was going to be one tough call...

"Come on, Marcus," she purred. "Don't be so serious. Let's have some fun."

He sighed, already feeling the weight of the conversation to come. "Julie, I really don't..."

"I'm not wearing anything at all," she interrupted him again, her breathing heavy now. "I'm in bed and I'm touching myself right where you touched me yesterday."

Marcus let out a dry laugh, but it didn't quite mask the frustration he was feeling. She was unbelievable! He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

"Julie, I need you to be serious,” he leaned forward in his chair, gripping the phone tightly.

“Oh Marcus,” she moaned. “I so want you to f**k me right now.”

“Juliette!” he growled, finally silencing her on the other end. “I’m trying to tell you something. About you and me… Us.”

There was a moment of tense silence. He could hear her breathing heavily on the other end of the line, and he could almost feel her resistance through the phone.

"What's going on?" she finally asked, her voice suddenly weary.

"I think it's best if we go our separate ways."

"What?” Her tone abruptly changed. “Are you kidding me?"

"No, I'm serious,” he sighed. “We just don't work together, Julie.”

"Seriously? Is this about her?" Her voice was laced with venom. "Did that little tramp lure you into her bed already? I saw the way she looked at you!"

“That’s none of your business,” he retorted. "She's not a tramp. She's much more of a lady than you'll ever be."

“Nice, Marcus. Real mature,” she sneered. “Not only are you breaking up with me over the phone, not having the guts to tell me face to face, but you're also ridiculing me? Classy. Go fu.ck yourself!” She hung up, leaving Marcus rubbing his eyes with one hand while holding the silent phone with the other.

"Good riddance," his wolf scoffed. "Finally, you came to your senses."

"I suppose I didn't have much of a choice," he admitted. "But it's for the best."

Marcus exhaled deeply, gazing into the flickering flames of the fire. A deep sense of relief washed over him as he realized it was over, and he sank down into the plush cushions of his armchair, finally at ease. He felt his body relaxing as he listened to the crackling of the logs and let himself get lost in the mesmerizing dance of the flames.

That's when he heard it - a shrill scream piercing the silence, making his blood run cold. And then another scream, louder and even more desperate, shattering the stillness. What the hell? With adrenaline surging through his veins, he sprang into action, racing towards the source of the sound.