Marked Twice by the Alpha King

Sophia's POV

Jackson's face went slack with shock. "What?"

"Dad and Ava will have their Lube

ceremony in a month." I twirled a strand of hair around my finger, channeling my best ditzy socialite. I don't want our events to overlap. This is our wedding, Jackson. I don't want Ava stealing our thunder."

face-shock, rage, calculation, and finally, that smooth mask sliding back into place.

I watched emotions cycle across bi

"Sophia, sweetheart." His voice turned honey-sweet, the tone he used when trying to wrap me around his finger. "This isn't the time to get hung up on dates. We need to think big picture here."

"Big picture?” Hilted my he

innocently.

"Our packs' future." He took my hands in his, squeezing a bit too hard. "We need

to secure our alliance as soon as possible.*

"But Jackson," I pouted, "this is our wedd

Shouldn't we pick a date that means something to us? Something romantic?"

Something flickered behind his eyes-impatience breaking through the charm. "Romance is lovely, but timing is everything in politics.

"Politics?" I let my voice cool. "I thought our wedding was about love, not politics." "Of course it's about love." The lie rolled off his tongue as easily as breathing. "But we have responsibilities to our packs too."

I wandered toward the window, putting distance between us. "It's just strange. You're always saying how much you hate Ava, but now you're willing to let our wedding coincide with hers?" I turned back to him. "Why the sudden rush?"

His mask slipped a notch. "Sophia, you're not seeing the whole picture here."

"Then help me see it." I crossed my arms. "Why is timing suddenly more important than what I want?"

He ran a hand through his perfect hair-the first real crack in his composure. "The Shadow Creek elders are ready to back me for Alpha.”

"That's wonderful," I said carefully. "But what does that have to do with our wedding date?"

"They want to see stability." He was choosing his words now, walking a tightrope. "Commitment. The Morgan-Hayes alliance locked down."

"Through marriage." The words fell like stones between

1. us.noveldrama

"Yes." At least he had the decency not to lie about that. "Before they officially back

me."

I nodded slowly, letting the implications sink in. "So you need me to make you Alpha."

"It's not like that." His voice took on an edge I'd never heard before.

"Then what is it like?" I stepped closer, eyes locked on his. "Why are you really in such a hurry?"

Something in him snapped. "You're not seeing the big picture! If William Rivers is cleared, those old-timers who loved him mig.. support."

witch their

"And?" I pressed, watching him unravel thread by thread.

"And Ava could convince your father to appoint William instead of me!" The words burst out, raw and unfiltered. "If that happens, everything I've worked for... everything my family has built..."

I let silence stretch between us, watching realization dawn on his fara heil said too dich

*So,” I said quietly, "you're rushing to matry me because of the elders' conditions. Not because you love me, but because you read my la

name.

"That's not He caught himself, recalculating.

"Jackson." I cut through his backpedaling. "Do you actually love me, or do you love what the Morgan name can do for you?

His face changed then, something ugly crawling into his expression. Not rage- something colder, more calculating. Love? Is that what this in

about?" He laughed, the sou "king any warmth. "People like us don't have the luxury of love, Sophia. We make alliances. We build prower

The words hit like a slap, but I kept my face neutral.

"Yes, I need your last name," he continued, frustration making him careless. And you need my strength. That's how this works. We can have a good life together, a powerful partnership."

"A business arrangement." I nodded slowly. "Thank you for clarifying."

"Now isn't the time for feelings." He stepped forward, reaching for me. "You need

to be practical about this. We need to set a date immediately

I took a deliberate step back. "If all you need is my last name... perhaps

we

should break off the engagement."

His face went blank with shock. "What?"

"I don't want to be anyone's stepping stone to power." The words came easily because they were true. "Finding someone who truly values me seems more important than being a political pawn."

Something dark flickered in his eyes, and they began to gleam with a golden light-his wolf rising to the surface.

"You dare?" The words came out as a growl. "Sophia Morgan, don't be ungrateful!*

"Ungrateful?" I lifted my chin, refusing to be intimidated.

"Without me, what are you?" He stalked toward me, voice dropping to a dangerous purr. "A lonely princess who lost her mother? I gave you the out?" chance to become an Alpha's wife, and you want to back

His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist hard enough to make me gasp. Pain radiated up my arm as his fingers dug deeper, wolf strength making the grip unbearable.

"You will go tell your father right now that we're getting married next week." His face twisted with fury. Do you understand me?"

"Get your filthy hands off her."

Ava's voice cut through the room like a knife, calm but deadly.

Jackson's head whipped around, shock replacing rage as Ava stepped out from her hiding place, eyes already burning with protective fury.

His gaze darted between us, realization dawning. "You... you set me up." He released my wrist, shoving me away. "When did this little scheme start? How long have you two been playing me?"

I rubbed my bruised wrist, straightening to my full height. "Since I realized what kind of man you really are."

His laugh was ugly, bordering on unhinged. "Sophia, you're believing this woman who seduced your father? You really accept her as your stepmother?"

"We were friends before you came along," Ava said, moving to stand beside me. "You're the one who poisoned her against me."

"You were the one feeding me Ites," I added, feeling stronger with her at my side. "Making me forget she saved my life ones