Marked Book 4
Autor
Tori R. Hayes
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Diana, a young alpha wolf, is thrust into a world of ancient secrets and powerful deities when her family visits the enigmatic Oculum Tribe during Mating Season. As she grapples with her intense attraction to Taylen, a tribe member, Diana uncovers a dark prophecy involving the moon goddess and a looming threat from the goddess of strife, Eris. With her family's safety and the fate of her kind at stake, Diana must navigate treacherous alliances and embrace her inner strength to prevent an ancient evil from rising.
Cave of Secrets
Eyes of Shadow and Silver
Book 1: The Silver Guardian
The somber forest was dense. Trees sprouted from the ground only yards apart, yet my quick reflexes and agile frame allowed me to run between the naked trunks and leap over the rising roots with ease.
The winds had brought a merciless storm to our small town. Most people would be seeking the comfort of their warm homes, but I was a troubled soul in need of relief.
Every breath I took left a lingering scent of fresh air, mud, and soaked grass in my nose. The intense rain had drenched my fur, but it was pointless turning back now when I was so close to shelter.
I turned left toward a clearing, my paws digging up the swampy forest floor while mud stained my white fur.
The familiar rock formation appeared between the trees, and I forced my feet to move faster.
My lungs were burning, and my legs felt stiff, but it was only a matter of moments before I could relish in the warmth of my secret place.
The fierce wind felt like a slap across my face when I fled the forest that had shielded me from Mother Natureâs wrath.
I fought her opposing powers until I reached the entrance to a cave that was large enough to house my enormous body.
A relieved sigh escaped my throat once I was inside. The cave wasnât as warm as our house. Nevertheless, it was better than staying outside.
I shook my body to rid my white coat of excess water, spraying the walls with its drops.
The sun remained hidden behind the gloomy clouds in the sky, leaving my surroundings dark and eerie; however, my wolf allowed me to see what normal human eyes couldnât.
Exhausted, I settled down on the stone floor, savoring the sound of rain and solitude.
I hadnât heard silence like this for days. Our house had been in a state of never-ending conflict for almost a week.
If it wasnât Mom and Dad arguing about the specifics of our business trip tomorrow, it was Mom and me, or my brothers.
Business trips werenât uncommon for us as one of the most recognized alpha families in the world, but Mating Season was only a few days away.
We would be gone for at least a week, and I did not want to spend the first few days of Mating Season with strange wolves on strange lands.
Worst of all, no one cared to disclose the identity of the pack we were to visit or why this meeting was necessary. My parents claimed it was security-related, but it was hard for me to wrap my head around.
No pack was more important than our own during Mating Season; those were the words my brothers and I had been taught since we were born.
Mating Season was a sacred time for all wolvesâa time when we surrendered to our animalistic instincts and explored our sexuality until we found our mate.
Nothing might happen on our trip, but I had a responsibility here. I had people who counted on meâ
A shimmer of red flashed before my eyes near the entrance.
I rose to my feet, exposing my lethal teeth and pushing my ears forward to express authority.
The storm was still raging, so whatever was out there could be dangerous.
âDiana?â
The voice in my head was unmistakable, but only when the red fur coat was fully visible by the entrance did I let down my guard.
âAunty Everly?â I asked, using the mind-link that connected us. âWhat are you doing out here in this storm?â
The red wolf licked her wet snout and shook her body before entering the cave. âI could ask the same of you,â she said and licked my cheek. âIsnât your mother worried sick?â
The wolf began changing. Its fur retracted, and its body became smaller until a human frame stood where the red wolf had once been.
Fiery red curls spilled over her naked shoulders as she approached the corner where a pile of thick blankets was located.
âI find it hard to believe sheâs even noticed that Iâm gone,â I said before returning to my human form as well.
The pain of my bones snapping and rearranging was swift and expected after more than two years with my wolf.
Everly sighed as she handed me a blanket to cover my naked body. âWhat has she done now?â
I sat down and trapped the ends of my white hair between my fingertips. âHavenât you heard about our trip tomorrow?â I asked, rolling my eyes to express my opinion on the matter.
Everly dropped her shoulders and crooked her head to her right. âI believe everyone is aware of your upcoming trip. It was somewhat unexpected, given that Mating Season is just around the corner.
âStill, your mother emphasized before the council that it was of utmost importance that the entire Loucrious family went together.â
âAnd thatâs what I donât get,â I said, crossing my arms. âWhat could be more important than being with our pack during the beginning of Mating Season? Iââ
I stopped myself before I said too much. I loved Aunty Everly like family, but she was Momâs oldest friend. Sheâd likely take Momâs side and attempt to convince me I was wrongâjust like Mom.
âDiana,â Everly said and sat down beside me. âThis isnât just about the trip and your mother, is it?â
I didnât answer her. Instead, I looked away and pretended I hadnât heard her question. Not that I knew it would work; she knew me too well.
âIs this about Henri?â
The image of an olive-skinned man grazed my mind. The thought of his uneven black hair and dimples made me smile.
Henri wasnât necessarily the most attractive wolf in our pack, but he was kind and passionate about his work as a painter. He was a decent lover too.
I loved listening to the inspiring stories of his paintings, and though we only met last season, Iâd intended to ask him for permission to mark him when this yearâs Mating Season began.
âItâs not just about Henri,â I said, sighing at the thought of Mating Season. âI also made a promise to my friend, and Iââ
The metallic taste of blood touched my tongue as I bit the inside of my cheek.
âListen, Diana,â Everly said and put an arm around my shoulders. âI know that Mating Season is the only time for an alpha wolf to explore a potential mating bond, but youâre strong.
âA few days of discomfort in the shadow of your wolfâs nature shouldnât be too much for one of the Loucrious Packâs greatest warriors to handle.
âI have no doubt that Henri will be waiting for you when you get back.â
âWhat if I canât?â I asked, digging my nails into my naked arms.
âWhat if I canât control my wolf? An alphaâs instinct is to breed, Everly. It was so bad during my first season that I could hardly contain myself.â
Iâd already been through two Mating Seasons without the mark, but the thought of getting stuck elsewhere, away from my family and friends, for an entire season because I couldnât control myself terrified me.
âYou seem to be forgetting what else an alpha wolf is capable of, Diana,â Everly said. I looked up and caught her smile.
âThe alpha wolf has more control of their emotions, which is why they need the mark and Mating Season in the first place.â
Everly chuckled and kissed my hair. âYou shouldâve seen your mom when she was your age. She gave your father a hell of a fight.â
I snorted, amused. âI canât say I find that hard to believe.â
âYou know,â Everly said, leaning backward. âI was there the day she defeated Icarus.â
My eyes widened in disbelief. âWere you? Was she really as powerful as Dad claims?â
The Loucrious bloodline wasnât only famous for being the first to turn their back on our once-savage werewolf ways.
My ancestor, Icarus, had found joy in slaughtering innocents, including his own sisterâthe woman I was named afterâand her children.
All that death transpired hundreds of years ago, but a vengeful hunter said to be Dianaâs husband asked for help from a witch who immortalized them both.
Icarus had since been a prisoner for our bloodline to guard until the hunter persuaded Mom and Dad to unleash Icarus from his eternal chains and help the hunter purge the world of this evil.
However, Icarus hadnât been as weak as theyâd anticipated.
According to Dad, they only defeated him because Mom appeared to possess some mysterious powers that were triggered when she touched Icarusâs wicked soul.
I was presumably born with those powers, too, based on the natural whiteness of my hair, but Iâd never been close enough to a soul as dark as Icarusâs for me to find out.
I never hoped to find myself in such a situation either.
âI didnât directly see the fight between Rieka and Icarus, but I felt Icarusâs strength on my own body,â Everly said, clenching the fabric around her chest while she stared into the empty air.
âHe was so powerful and soââ
Everly paused, and the hairs on my body rose. âYour mother has been through a lot, Diana, and I know she only wishes that you two could get along.
âHowever, if your mother is convinced that this meeting is as urgent as they say, I wouldnât question it.â
I sighed and buried my head by my knees. Everly stands by Momâs side through thick and thin; I already knew that.
Everly nudged my shoulder. âHow are your brothers handling it?â
A resounding snort escaped me, the sound bouncing between the cave walls. âAspen doesnât want to show it, but I think heâs pretty stressed about the trip.
âNot for the same reasons as me, but since heâs to inherit Dadâs title as the Loucrious alpha in a few years, he has to prove that heâs ready for it.â
Aspen was only fifteen minutes older than me, and I was only ten minutes older than our other brother, Cassian.
However, it did make Aspen the natural heir to our alpha legacy unless he renounced the title. Then it would fall to me, and I did not want to lead a pack. That was Aspenâs specialty, not mine.
I was a warrior, trained by my dad since the day I could walk.
âAnd Cassian?â Everly asked.
I shrugged. âItâs a madhouse right now. Everyone is getting on everyoneâs nerves because of the trip tomorrow, and I couldnât be in it anymore. I had to get away.â
âAh, yes,â Everly said, shifting her weight. âThe whole reason I showed you this cave to begin with.â
I chuckled, imagining the moment she first brought me here.
I couldnât have been more than thirteen. Everly brought me here shortly after my first serious fight with Mom regarding her thinking that I couldnât devote all of my time to training.
I was a Loucrious, which meant I had other responsibilities waiting for me.
âYou really saved me that day,â I said with a smile, âand youâve probably saved my brothers from many broken ribs too.
âIf I hadnât had this place where I knew they wouldnât find me, I probably would have let my anger get the best of me.â
âYou get that temper from your mother, thatâs for sure, but this is what the cave does,â Everly said, breathing in the cave air like the scent of her mate. âIt calms you.â
âSo, why are you here?â I asked, getting the exact reaction Iâd hoped for.
Everly had turned speechless and as stiff as a statue.
I chuckled. âYou donât have to tell me if you donât want to.â
âNo,â she said, rubbing her neck. âNoah just returned from another one of his college interviews.
âI love my son, but I will be shedding my skin if I have to hear about another nonlinear equation leading to the salvation of our world.â
It wasnât nice to laugh when I could see her frustration was honest, but I couldnât help myself. âSo youâre exhausted because of math?â
Everly chuckled through my heartfelt laugh. âYou might laugh now, but I remember how he had to spend days and nights at your place to help you pass your math exam.â
Noah was only a few days older than the three of us. Heâd been treated like family for as long as I could remember, so it sometimes felt like we were quadruplets instead of triplets.
Or it used to until we turned sixteen and bonded with our wolves.
âSo you left your poor mate to deal with it instead?â
Everly waved a hand in the air to brush me off. âCaleb handles Noah a lot better than I do these days. It might actually be a relief that Iâm not there.â
âIââ
âDiana Loucrious!â
Momâs voice roared in my head like a commander on a sinking ship.
This cave might be mine and Aunty Everlyâs secret place, but that didnât stop Mom from reaching out to me using the cursed mind-link.
âYoung lady! In which world do you think itâs acceptable for you to sneak out the night before we leave? Get back here immediately or I will have the Searchers look for you until they sniff you out!â
I gulped and felt my mouth become dry. She was furious.
âWas that Rieka?â Everly asked when she saw the blood drain from my face.
I nodded silently, unable to think clearly. âIâumâŠâ I got up from the floor and looked around like a lost puppy. âI think Mom finally figured out that Iâm gone.â
A crooked smile was the only smile I could force onto my face. My body was trembling with fear of facing Mom on my own.
Iâd expected her to be angry. She was already stressed, but this kind of fury was something Iâd only seen a few times before.
âI have to go, Aunty. Send my regards to Noah and Uncle Caleb and wish Noah good luck with his college applications.â
My bones had already started snapping before Iâd thrown off the blanket. It didnât take me more than a few seconds to shift back to the giant wolf that would terrify any ignorant human.
âDiana,â Everly said before I could jump out of the cave. I looked back to find her eyebrows crooked and an expression of worry painted on her face.
âBe good to your mother and cut her some slack. She has a lot on her plate.â
I nodded reluctantly.
It wasnât Momâs funeral they would have to prepare if I couldnât contain myself; it was mine.
The rain had subsided a little, so I was no longer spending my energy trying to stay on my feet. Instead, I spent it trying to push the boundaries of what was possible for the speed of a wolf.
I slowed down as I saw our house appear behind the trees.
It had been no more than fifteen minutes since Mom told me to come home, but she could easily be occupied doing something other than waiting for me.
My muddy paws carried me to the other side of the garden while my eyes scoured the building for an open window.
The door to the living room had been left slightly ajar, leaving a way for me to get inside without being noticed.
It could be a trap, so I cautiously moved closer, hiding behind every bush and statue I could find.
The room remained dark and abandoned. There were no signs of life and no detectable movement.
I quietly pushed the door open to allow my huge body inside without alarming anyone.
My fur was still dripping wet, and my paws were covered in mud. It wasnât ideal, but I couldnât shift now. Mom would undoubtedly hear me.
âSo, you finally decided to show up, Di.â
I stiffened as every hair on my body rose.
Cassian was sitting in a chair with the back turned toward the windows. I couldnât have seen him from outside even if Iâd scoured every inch of the room.
He played carelessly with the expensive phone while his narrow eyes rested on my paralyzed wolf.
âIâd love to hear what Mom has to say about you sneaking in here like that.â
âDonât you dare, Cass,â I roared in his mind and exposed my teeth, but he seemed to find it more amusing than terrifying. My alpha voice didnât work on him, but I was willing to try anything at the moment.
Cassian shouldâve grown out of his childish behavior years ago, but he seemed stuck with it, making my life a living hell.
No words would convince him not to call Mom. However, I would make sure heâd remember to think twice next time he considered ratting me out.
I stepped in his direction and lowered my head as if I were stalking helpless prey. Cass immediately comprehended what I was trying to do, but it was already too late.
Cassianâs tiny human legs werenât going to get him far before I caught him.
âMOM!â Cassian screamed before my paws landed on his chest, knocking every last speck of air out of him.
He was lucky to be carrying the wolf gene; otherwise, the weight of my body on his wouldâve crushed his lungs.
Footsteps echoed behind us, and I knew I didnât have long before chaos would wreak havoc in this room. However, I wasnât going to let Cassian off the hook so easily.
Cassian wiggled like a worm underneath my paws. It was almost satisfying seeing him like thisâhelpless and weak.
âGet off, Diana!â he shouted, hitting my legs in a futile attempt to throw me off.
âIâm stronger than you, and I always will be. Youâd be wise to bear it in mind,â I said, snarling at him.
Then his eyes met mine, and I knew Iâd taken my vengeance too far. His irises were bright, and his lips curled, revealing his growing canines.
Cassian was about to shift.
âDiana! Cassian! Stop it, both of you!â
Momâs voice tore through the air, forcing Cassian and me to freeze. Neither of us moved while her heels echoed through the living room as she approached us.
I could hardly breathe until she stood in front of us, squinting her eyes ruthlessly.
âGet up,â she said, gesturing for us to separate and fall in line.
I instantly let go of Cassian and raised my head like the wolf warrior I was. She terrified me, but I would not let Cassian see that. He would never be able to let it go.
The toll of the years as the Loucrious Luna vaguely presented itself as faint wrinkles around her eyes.
Strands of her wild, white hair were already escaping the perfection theyâd been forced into, yet she remained as scary as she mustâve been when she defeated Icarus, if not more so.
âCassian.â Mom sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. âGo clean yourself up, honey, and wait for me in the office.â
My muddy footprints had left Cassianâs shirt looking like a piece of sophisticated art. I wouldâve been smiling if Mom hadnât been right in front of me.
Cassianâs dirty-blond waves bounced when he nodded to acknowledge Momâs order. We waited silently until Cassian had left the room and closed the door behind him.
I still didnât move when she walked past me. It wasnât until I felt a blanket being thrown across my back that I looked back to see her disappointed face.
âDo you mind shifting back, Diana?â Mom said, sighing as she sat down on the couch.
The pain was still there as I shifted to my human form, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of my chest growing too tight for me to breathe.
My human fingers grabbed the corners of the blanket before I sat down beside her.
Neither of us said anything until the silence became too unbearable for me to endure.
âIâm sorry, Mom,â I whispered, twirling the blanketâs fringes around my muddy fingers. âI just needed some fresh air to cool my mind, and with Mating Season around the corner⊠I justââ
âWhy today, Diana?â Mom whispered, still unable to look at me.
The stinging feeling of disappointment in her voice pierced my skin like needles. Her enraged screams were horrifying, but this voice had me on the verge of tears.
This was the sound of her being close to giving up on me, and that feeling hurt even worse than facing the wrathful beast residing within her.
I didnât always make life easy for her, but it had never been my intention to truly hurt her.
âI understand youâre not fond of visiting another pack so close to Mating Season, but the Oculum Pack has summoned us for a reason. We shouldâve gone the day the letter arrived.
âThe only reason we didnât was because we still had important business to finish here first,â Mom explained, picking her cuticles.
âPlease, try to understand that weâre not doing this to upset you or your brothers.â
My mouth turned into a straight line as I remembered Aunty Everlyâs final words before I left the cave.
Mom put her hand on mine and waited for my eyes to find hers.
âYouâre all members of the Loucrious family, and this meeting has the potential to shape the future of our pack. So itâs important that we go as a family.â
She sighed when I still didnât answer her. âI need you to do this, Diana, but if you canât find it in your heart to do it for me, I beg you to at least do it for your brothers and the pack.â
Her hand trembled as she patiently awaited my answer.
I still wanted to know more about this Oculum Pack and why they were so important that they couldnât wait another week for us to visit them.
However, the echo of Aunty Everlyâs story about Momâs strength and her plea to give Mom a little space made me nod before I knew what I was doing.
âThank you, honey,â Mom said, her face painted with an expression of relief.
âDo you mind if I steal your mother for a bit, Diana?â
I looked behind me and saw Dad approaching us. I donât know how long heâd been standing there or how much heâd heard. Mom smiled pleasantly as his hands reached her shoulders.
âThe shower is free for you to use when youâre ready,â Dad said, massaging Momâs shoulders.
âDonât stay up too late. Weâll spend most of the day in the air, but the evening will be long, so get some rest while you can.â
Dad smiled and kissed my hair before grabbing Momâs hand and guiding her out of the room until I was left utterly alone in the darkness.
I leaned into the soft fabric of the couch, relishing the calmness of the silence as I thought of the extent of my promise.
We were leaving tomorrow, whether I liked it or not, and we werenât returning until Mating Season had officially begun.
Perhaps, if I could behave throughout the week, Mom would finally start accepting me for my wishes; however, if I couldnât shake my bad habits, she might never trust me again.
My body grew tense as a cold shiver ran down my spine.
The first days of Mating Season were always the hardest to fight through, but as long as my wolf didnât find an unmated he-wolf attractive enough for me to lose control, Iâd be fine.
I would be back here before I knew it.
