Page 2 of Their Marked Mate

Luna had seen Alex several times before, but she’d never interacted with him. She had witnessed his pack in action, however. The bloody fight to overthrow the previous village alpha had taken place in front of the captive females. Many of the women had been traumatized by the brutality. Luna just found it interesting. Survival of the fittest was a concept she knew intimately.

If Luna were honest with herself, there was a lot about the wolves she found interesting. Of the three hybrid groups, the wolves were the most savage. They took what they wanted without regret and damn the consequences. Alex Dawson was no exception. Half a head taller than the males surrounding him, Alex had thick golden hair that fell past his shoulders in distinct waves. His beard was darker than his hair, but the whiskers did little to disguise the handsome arrangement of his features. His nose was straight and well proportioned, but his eyes were his best feature. They fluctuated from light brown to vivid gold depending on his emotions.

Alex walked up to the females and stated in a deep, commanding voice, “I need to speak with Evelyn Miani and Luna Roisin. Step forward now.”

Tension gripped Luna’s belly, but she didn’t move. Why were they being singled out? How the fuck had he learned their names?

“That was not a request,” Alex warned. “Luna and Evelyn, step forward. Now.” The growl in the last word was unmistakable.

Luna stared straight ahead. If her friends chose to give her up, so be it. But she was not identifying herself.

No one moved, and no one said a word. Luna fought back a smile. This group of females had been terrorized and shuffled from captor to captor ever since arriving on this godforsaken planet. Did he really think he could browbeat them into submission?

Alex walked in a slow circle around the five defiant women. His features were locked in a fierce scowl, golden eyes flashing. “Luna and Evelyn,” he prompted for the third time. “Identify yourselves so I can release the others. You will not be harmed if you cooperate.”

“I’m Luna,” Luna said with a challenging smirk, hoping he wouldn’t believe her.

“Aren’t you the mouthy hellion my beta had to gag?”

Nate was second in command to the village alpha? His inherent authority suddenly made sense. She swallowed hard but said nothing.

After a cursory glance at Luna, Alex focused on the others.

“I thought she was Luna,” Tianna, a curvy redhead smarted off. She pointed toward one of the blondes. “I’m pretty sure it was her turn.”

“No, I’m Luna,” Jill insisted. “She got to be Luna last week.”

“Evelyn wasn’t in room six,” Tianna continued, unable to conceal the amusement in her eyes. “She couldn’t stand Naomi. So, she traded beds with Satcha.”

“There is no point in these games. I have a roster of Nuevo employees,” Alex told them, clearly annoyed by their antics. “The roster contains headshots of each of you.” He looked at his unwilling guests, likely assessing their features and coloring. “You,” he pointed to Luna. “You,” he pointed to Evelyn. “And you,” he indicated Shannon, the only other blonde. Then he motioned to Nate and ordered, “Take the other two back to their cabin.”

Nate nodded and ushered Jill and Tianna from the room.

Alex moved in front of the remaining females and crossed his arms over his chest. After a quick glance at the other two, he focused on Luna. “You’re clearly Luna Roisin.”

For just a moment their gazes locked and Luna felt herself tremble. Damn, he was one fine-looking hybrid. Ruggedly handsome and oh-so dangerous. She neither denied nor confirmed his conclusion. Instead, she stared back at him in insolent silence.

He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. “Evelyn is a little harder to identify.” He held the page near Shannon’s face. “No, your nose is different and Evelyn has a small scar just below her mouth.” He moved over to the other blonde and examined her face, comparing each feature to the image. “Hello, Ms. Miani. Can we dispense with these games now or do I need to teach you some manners?”

“There’s nothing wrong with my manners,” Evelyn said softly. “I always say please and thank you.”

Luna tensed as Alex’s gaze lingered on Evelyn. Of the five captives, Evelyn was by far the prettiest. Her long hair was a unique mixture of silver and gold. Thick lashes framed her leaf-green eyes, and her figure was curved in all the right places. Of course the village alpha would choose her as mate. Luna shook her head. She was still thinking like a human. Lupine hybrids required genetically compatible mates. Looks were incidental. Besides, why the hell should she care if Alex found Evelyn attractive?

That concept was harder to resolve. Females had mandatory roles on Rydaria: mate and mother. Being claimed was inevitable and personal preference had little to do with the outcome. Instincts triggered by compatible genetics would drive the male or males into a sexual frenzy. They would aggressively pursue the females, wearing down her inhibitions until she willingly submitted to their mutual need. Luna had been hearing about the intense urges ever since she arrived on this planet, but she had yet to experience Rydarian courting firsthand.

Tension escalated as Alex looked at the two males standing nearby. One was dark, the other light, but both had similar features. Were they brothers?

“Caden, take that one back to the cabin.” Alex pointed to Shannon. “Drake, escort Evelyn to the stockade. I will speak with her later.”

Luna stiffened. Why was he focused on Evelyn and her? What the hell was going on?

“Do you want us to come back here?” The male had pale blue eyes that contrasted dramatically with his dark hair and swarthy complexion.

“I’m not sure how long this will take,” Alex said ominously. “I’ll find you.”

Both males nodded then strode toward the women. They moved with predatory grace evident in all hybrids, but there was something more with these two. From the militant stiffness of their posture to the arrogant lift of their chins, they emanated authority. She’d presumed they were simply hunters. Now it seemed more likely that they were two of the pack alphas.

The blond clasped his hand around Shannon’s upper arm and headed for the door. The dark-haired alpha motioned for Evelyn to precede him and she went without argument. So, the blond was Caden and Mr. Dark-and-broody was Drake. Luna tucked the information away for later use.