Chapter 3 — Alpha's Watch

Marcus

Marcus Thorne stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse office at Thorne Security, tracking Elena Blackwood's Mercedes through downtown traffic with preternatural focus. Even from twenty stories up, his enhanced senses detected her unique scent – jasmine and silk with an undertone of old magic that made his wolf stir restlessly. The power she hadn't yet discovered sang to his most primal instincts, a siren call he fought daily to resist.

The alpha ring burned cold against his finger as he flexed his hands, forcing back claws that threatened to emerge. Silver scars across his knuckles – remnants of the Munich massacre – ached with remembered failure. Too many had died because he'd underestimated Viktor's capacity for betrayal.

"The pack's growing restless with these watch duties." James materialized from the shadows, his beta's scent carrying notes of concern beneath careful neutrality. "They remember Munich, Marcus. The cost of involving humans in pack business."

Marcus's jaw tightened, fangs pressing against his inner lip. "Viktor's people are getting bolder. Two of them tracked her through the Winters bankruptcy hearing yesterday." The memory of Elena standing her ground, fearlessly facing down Viktor's human lawyers despite their predatory energy, both proud and terrified him. "She didn't flinch. Didn't even realize the danger she was in."

"We have teams in place," James moved closer, deliberately keeping his posture non-threatening as he added, "but maintaining these Territory Markers is draining our resources. The corporate art facade won't hold forever."

A quiet chime interrupted them. The smart glass displays flickered to life, showing Viktor's second-in-command entering The Crimson. The wolf moved with calculated insolence, deliberately scenting where Elena had passed hours earlier.

Marcus's eyes flared molten gold. He stalked to the command center where dozens of screens monitored supernatural activity across LA. Territory Markers pulsed with pack energy while a red alert flashed from Griffith Park – another boundary challenge.

"Move up her contract review," he ordered, alpha harmonics making the monitors vibrate. "I want our people close when she's in our territory." He paused, watching Elena emerge from the courthouse on another screen. Even through surveillance, he saw what others missed – shadows bending around her, Territory Markers resonating with her presence. "And tell Rodriguez to sweep her firm's security again. Viktor's probing the magical barriers."

James tilted his head, exposing his throat slightly before asking, "What about her brother's prison visits? Viktor's lieutenant was there last week, during human hours."

The alpha ring seared against Marcus's skin as memories of Munich flooded back – pack bonds shattering like ice, the price of hesitation written in blood and betrayal. His wolf howled to hunt, to eliminate threats to what it increasingly viewed as theirs. The man knew Elena would never forgive such possessive protection.

"Double the penthouse patrols," he commanded, each word measured against rising instinct. "And get me everything on those prison visits. Viktor's too interested in her bloodline."

"If she carries the old magic like we suspect," James pressed carefully, "he won't stop. The European covens—"

"We protect her," Marcus cut in, "but we do it her way." The ring pulsed with ancient power, acknowledging the weight of choice. "She's not some pawn to be moved around the board. When she discovers what she is – what we are – it will be on her terms."

Alarms suddenly blared from the Griffith Park feeds. One of Viktor's wolves had crossed their boundary, leaving a bloody challenge mark. Through pack bonds, Marcus felt his wolves' rising tension, their need for guidance warring with memories of past losses.

He straightened, letting power fill the room until the air crackled with supernatural energy. James immediately dropped his gaze, instinctively submitting to the display of dominance even as concern lingered in his scent.

"Send Viktor a message," Marcus ordered, each word layered with alpha command. "He wants to challenge pack law? Fine. But if he brings Elena into this..." His claws emerged fully as Munich's lessons burned in his blood. "Remind him why the old families still whisper about Thorne vengeance."

As James left, Marcus returned to the window. Elena's car had vanished into traffic, but he sensed her still – a bright point of untapped power moving through his territory. He pressed his palm against the glass, leaving shallow claw marks as his control slipped.

"Your world's about to change," he murmured, watching Territory Markers pulse in her wake. "I just hope you're ready for what that means for both of us."

The alpha ring flared once more, ancient magic acknowledging destiny's approach. In the reflection, Marcus's eyes blazed with protective fury, the wolf rising to meet the challenges ahead. The game of power and protection had begun, and Elena Blackwood stood at its center – whether she knew it yet or not.