Stranded with my mates: Rejected & Claimed

Chapter 64: Chapter 64

The descent was more tricky then the climb up. I had wished we could stay to enjoy the lake more but Grayson insisted we find the source of the smoke before its maker disappeared.

At the bottom, Jax jumped the last five feet and again kicked around in the dirt while waiting for us.

I found myself immensely relieved as I took my last step down. Grayson had reached the ground before me and removed me from the cliff by my waist without a second thought.

"What if its Dom?" Jax asked, a pointed look at Grayson.

I brushed at the dirt where it mixed with sweat on my skin. Grayson’s anger bubbled through me, his need for blood sending jolts through our bond. A part of me panicked, wanting to protect the man who forced his way into my soul and I fought the feeling, letting Grayson’s anger pull me closer to him.

His lip twitched, "even better."

Grayson didn’t want to wait, heading in the direction of the campfire without stopping for us to rest. I quickly caught up, Jax’s bubbly personality cooling into a jittery worry as we neared our objective. We had to travel around the camp, no trail immediately showing its way into the opening.

Grayson crouched when we found the right way in, quieting us as we approached. I could hear the crackling of the fire before I could see it. It was largely built, a wood crafted device over top of it that held a medium sized pig-looking creature.

The space was empty and Jax and I shared nervous looks as we left the veil of the forest. Stepping forward, I was sure the camp belonged to Marek. His signature woodwork was spread out, letting us know he had been here awhile.

A hammock was tied between trees with a canopy built over top of it. Tools and furniture and trinkets littered the corners of the small space he had inhabited. Grayson picked things up, impressed by the quality of Marek’s craftsmanship.

"He’s not far," Jax said, pointing to the barely browned meat over the fire.

"We wait," Grayson commanded, feeling the edges of a small empty box.

Many of the things were scorched black, some beyond repair, and I realized he hadn’t just been building things in his time alone. He had been collecting what Dominic had burned in our old camp.

A bulb of dread flickered on at the thought of our old camp. If he was collecting things there, had he ran into Dominic? Only Dominic’s hut remained in the ashes, surely a sign that he was planning to stay. What if this was another trap? Another way for Dominic to lure us from safety using Marek as bait?

I turned quickly to Grayson, mouth open and ready to speak when I heard the stomps in the distance. Stealth was not Marek’s strong suit. His size and the unmistakable clomping of his feet as he was running towards us pounded through the air. I sucked into Grayson’s side.

Grayson leaned into a fighting stance while Jax moved towards the sound, ready to defend us if needed. He broke from the tree line with a seething anger. There was no surprise on his face as he barreled forward, head low and hands clenched.

A sigh of relief at seeing him in his human form was quickly sucked back in as I saw how mad he was. Jax met him, a hand on his chest to stop his advancement. His furious glare wasn’t set on Grayson, who he had been fighting with the last full moon, but me.

I hid behind Grayson, only peeking around his bicep briefly to see the angry brute.

"Whoa, Marek. It’s ok, we come in peace," Jax told him in a tone that made me think of how he would talk to a large horse.

"What did she do to me?" He shouted, pointing a finger at me.

Grayson bared his teeth, growling at the threat Marek posed towards me. His hand reached back as though he were making sure I was still there without breaking his stare down with Marek.

"Hey," Jax moved in front of him, trying to obscure his line of sight. "Hey, it was a full moon. We all lost control."

"I can’t control when I turn ever since she... she... did whatever she did."

He looked to be nearly in tears, shifting from one foot to the other with how much emotion he held. Jax could easily be flicked aside if Marek chose to, but he remained behind the wall Jax had built with his body.

"Which means only she can fix it. You need her man."

I stared in horror at Jax, he knew very well I had no power to do such a thing. I didn’t even know what I did in the first place.

"And we need you," Jax continued.

His glare didn’t leave my direction as I saw the golden glow flash and disappear. He shook his head, trying to break whatever spell I had placed on him. I had cursed us both that night.

"Come on, Marek," Jax tried again but Marek was starting to lose his focus.

His head kept jerking, like a bug had flown in his ear. The fur that covered his body grew an inch then retracted back into skin. His head fell forward then and we all held our breath, watching him struggle to keep himself human.

"Jax," Grayson warned.

Jax took a few steps back towards us as Marek fell still. His breathing turned animalistic, shoulders heaving with each breath. His head snapped up, sharp teeth jutting out of a growing snout. He looked half-turned in a way that seemed painful.

Panting growls began as he glared at me. I tightened my grip on Grayson’s arm.

Suddenly, skin shredded as Marek shook out of his human form, landing on heavily furred legs. I sensed Grayson’s beast as he prepared to fight the wolf off.

Jax’s own eyes were beginning to glow as he felt the danger at hand. If Marek wasn’t in control then there would be nothing stopping him from attacking. The need to stop any of them from getting hurt propelled me forward.

I jumped out from behind Grayson who reached for me in his surprise. His grip on my wrist tight to the point of pain but he didn’t pull me back as my eyes met Marek only a few inches away.

Being the largest of them all, he stood to the height of my chest, his giant head almost at the same level as mine. This close, I could see his fur wasn’t just a dark brown, but interlaced with black strands that made his shiny coat stand out with a beautiful vibrancy.

His wolf form held the same white streak below his chin that his human form did, the long snout hiding it from view as he looked down. He looked wise in this form even with the golden glow of his eyes swirling with purple, spellbound and waiting for my command.

I reached a hand out, a tug from Grayson behind me making me pause. He was worried for me, I could feel it. They wouldn’t stop me, though, they could see it too.

My fingers stretched out as his forehead fell into my hand. Jax’s fur had been coarse but Marek’s was soft and fluffy, just like his personality. I giggled at the thought.

I didn’t know how to fix him but something new had emerged, a slight sense of control as I felt my own energy flowing through him.

With my hand on him, I could see into him. I could see the way he had spent his days since the last full moon. It flashed through my mind like a movie.

His wolf emerged every few hours without exception. He was tired, his skin and bones hurt from the constant transformations.

Dominic was nearby but they hadn’t met. Marek snuck around the best he knew how, collecting his things in the dark. When he worked on his crafts the wolf would sleep, allowing him more time before it clawed its way through his body.

He wanted to seek me out but was afraid of what he might do. I felt the things he felt as though it were my own memories. It was the oddest sensation to know what his wolf felt like, to know how he felt. The connection I somehow created was different than what I shared with Grayson or Dominic.

It was like he had become a leaf on the stem of my flower. I pulled my hand slowly back, staring at my palm like it held a secret. His head raised as he stared down at me.

He wasn’t hypnotized, the purple was in him but wasn’t sending him into a stupor. He was still himself; Marek, wolf, my friend. But now I could see so much more.

He had control over himself yet still had the need to bend to my will. It made me think of the alpha hierarchy and now I understood why Grayson loved it so much. The command I held felt powerful, too powerful.

I wanted Marek in my life but as a friend not a minion. If I took away his choice then we both would end up suffering. I had to fix this, I had to make him normal again.

Jax was right, he needed me.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!