Adrian Hunter POV

It has been two days. Two! Alpha Storm is nowhere to be found.

I have been having a hard time here at the castle. It is harder when Melany isn't around and the other alphas dates try to come on to me. There has been two that try to corner to the restroom and one that tried to get handsy with me in the banquet table. They do not understand that Melany is the only one that I want to be with.

Melany and I are enjoying our time together at breakfast when I see some brunette's eyes take me in. When her eyes go to mine she does not look away but instead she smiles at me. Her lips move and she signals up with her finger and then she puts up three fingers.

She wants me to meet her on the third floor.

She's the fourth girl to do that. You need to do something before they jeopardize what you have with Melany.

I know. I look over at Melany and Andrew has her attention at the moment. Andrew is says something and from the smile on my beta's face I know it is funny. I laugh and Melany looks at me as if I finally lost my marbles.

"Let's go for a stroll." Pushing my chair back it the screeching sound gives us more attention than I want on us. The women eyes are like hawks zeroing down on their prey. I get out and grab the napkin on my lap and put it on my plate letting the waiters know that I am done and walk over to Melany. I give her a hand and she takes it putting her napkin on her plate as well. I help her out and she releases my hand.

"Do you have a particular place you want to go?" I grab her hand once again and run my thumb over her knuckles it something that calms me. Walking through the hall I know women look at me and I tend to ignore them but the brunette is burning holes at my skull. I look over at her and give her a small smile that is all she is getting from me.

"No. I just want to spend some alone time with you and plus I want to talk to you about something." I look at Melany and I see that she does not have that gleam in her eyes the one I love so much.

"And we need to be alone for this?" I nods and she swallows down and looks at me better. She then darts her eyes ahead. She is having an argument with her wolf from the looks of it.

We walk out the front door and towards the trees. I hold on to her hand as we walk into the surrounding trees I can feel myself tensing up from what I have in mind. Should I even ask her?

You like her don't you?

Like? My feelings towards Melany are much stronger than like but love does not seem to fulfill my feelings towards her there is no words to describe it.

She's your soulmate.

I stop and let go of her hand. My nervousness makes me scratch the back of my neck as I try to rummage through my mind and find the right words.

"Mel...I-" I run my fingers through my hair and I start biting my lip as if that can buy me more time.

"Hunter?" Her voice falters.

It's now or never.

"Melany this has been on my mind since we arrived and I feel like I need to tell you now before..."

I can see it in her facial expression something inside snapped. "Before what? Before I-I see you with someone else? Before I make a fool of myself in front of all these people? Before what Marcus?" She snaps and suddenly starts pacing in front of me. My eyes go wide as the word sinks in.

Marcus? She's thinking about Marcus!

"Marcus?" I breathe it is an emotional punch to the gut but I rather feel a real hit than this. I feel my wolf waver as he also knows that she is thinking about him. I shake my head, "Is that what I am to you? A distraction from Marcus?"

Don't go there if you're not ready for the answer.

"No." My wolf sighs, she seems truthful. "I'm sorry I'm just not use to this..."

"Use to what Melany? Being treated the way you're supposed to be treated?" I cannot stop it I need to let it out, she nods. "Well think about this Melany we all fuck up at times and you're not the only one with emotions. I keep mine under control but if you only knew."

You keep everything hidden. Tell her how you've been feeling this whole time...Tell her about Derek.

Tell her that Derek is trying to mate with her and that her fearlessness towards him is making me think that she likes being close to him as well.

"Hunter I'm sorry I just see how those girls look at you and usually you don't pay attention to them but today...you did. Then Marcus popped into my head and even though he was my mate it reminded me of how easily he replaced me. He replaced me with some other girl and you're not my mate, so you can easily replace me as well." She hates that other girls look at me as well as I hate Derek looking at her.

I feel as if there is not enough air coming in. Melany drops her head and turns away from me.

"Melany, I brought you here so that I can ask you something and we still haven't discussed it." I stay in my spot.

She does not turn around to look at me. "What do you want to talk about?" She crosses her arms and I see her cheeks are red and her hands go to her underarms trying to keep them warm.

"I may not be your mate..." I walk closer to her and my hand grips her shoulder, "but know this there is no one and I mean no one that can replace you. You seem to have forgotten that your mate wanted you back and that didn't end well for him. I know what you mean about Marcus popping into your head Haley does it to me all the time." I wrap my arms around her and rest my cheek on her shoulder her breathing becomes more rapid, "I came here with you to ask you something. Something you only ask the person that you are willing to spend the rest of your life with..."

She grasps, "You want to marry me?"

That's not a bad idea letting the humans know she's taken as well.

"No, not right now but in the future I see that happening...I want the werewolf equivalent of an engagement ring." I let it sink in. "I want you to mark me."

"Isn't the male supposed to mark the female first it's like tradition?"

She would find a way to buy time. I frown.

"Melany I may not have known you for long but there is nothing traditional about us. Two alphas getting together has never happen before. I want to feel closer to you and maybe eventually be able to mind link you. Our connection will go deeper than the one we had with our own mates. Your body language says it all you're not ready and that's fine but I am willing to wait for you to be ready. I, on the other, want to let everyone know that I am off the market," I close in and my lips caress her neck as I gently kiss her, "by the most amazing girl to walk this planet."

"You want me to mark you then." I nods and she sinks further into my body I cling onto her and keep the both of us standing.

"If you want to that is...you will always have another option with me." I am not going to force her to do it.

"Hunter," she pulls away from me, "I-..."

"What?"

She seems to think it over. "I would love to mark you...and you can mark me as well. You're the reason I am the way I am. Strong and brave it's all because of you." She goes to her tip toes and I lower my head and kiss her.

"Are you sure?" I want her not to have a doubt. She nods. Her eyes turn hard as her wolf surfaces. To mark a person you need to connect with your wolf and they bite the side of your neck. Only werewolves can see it. The mark leaves the other person's scent embedded into your skin so the wolves know you are marked.

Melany is concentrating and when she is ready she looks up at me her eyes are glowing her fangs are protruding and she is ready.

This is going to hurt.

Melany looks at me for reassurance. I nod and she takes in a deep breath. I kneel so that she can reach without any trouble. Her head lowers and her breath fans across my neck. I close my eyes preparing myself. Her lips touch my neck and a shiver of anticipation runs through my body.

I close my eyes and that is when the penetrating pain hits me hard. My wolf swells up within me and I scream in pain as my wolf howls a deafening howl in my head.

The pain soon numbs and it is like morphine is running through my veins and my pain dulls. My breathing relaxes and I open my eyes. Melany is no longer standing before me but instead she is in the fetal position her eyes close tight and her hand over her ears and that is when I see the tears coming down her face. I forget about the pain.

"Melany," I grab her and lift her body towards me. "Are you okay?" She removes her hands from her ears and I see the crimson liquid in them. She is bleeding. "Shit!" I grab her and stand up. "I'm taking you back," I run as fast as my feet can carry me.

Ken, get the doctor.

What the hell happened?