Chapter Text
[Fucking Idiots/Song of the Alpha, page 120]
“Even I was getting worried,” Chris said. “And you know how I don’t like getting worried.”
“Are you actually going to remove your head from your ass?” Maren said, popping their head into the doorway, having heard Rico’s call. They stood with a pencil propped on their outer ear, probably having been writing—either a new composition or something for one of the classes they taught.
The past year had been kind to Maren. Since Richard Collins’ death, they seemed more stable than they had in a long, long time. They still carried the scars of the past, the ever-present blue was...still present, but they had other things to focus on, that had allowed Maren to heal.
“Why are you even here?” I groaned. “You don’t even work here. I don’t pay you. “ I turned to Ox, wondering if there was a chance I was wrong.
“No, you don’t,” Ox answered before I bothered to open my mouth.
“I get some good writing done here,” Maren said brightly. “Guess that you all are just my muses.”
I rolled my eyes at them, but I couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on my face. I was glad that this place, this pack, these friends, had been helping Maren. They deserved that after all these years.
[Fucking Idiots/Song of the Alpha, page 128]
“Gordo,” he said, sounding faintly amused as he always did when he said my name.
“Mark,” I said in return, resolutely staring straight ahead.
“God I wish I could get drunk,” Maren muttered to Robbie, who was at their side. “These two make me want to drink.”
Robbie snickered at Mark and I. I ignored them both.
Ox and Joe sighed in unison, the insufferable Alphas that they were.
[Pinpricks of Light/Bones and Dust, page 132]
“Maybe you should just learn to be happy with yourself. Being aromantic doesn’t have anything to do with that.”
“Fucking preach,” Maren said, as they high fived Tanner.
“Shut the fuck up, Tanner. You’re making me feel bad.” [Chris said]
“You gonna tell me to shut up too, Chrissy?” Maren bared their teeth are him playfully and he took a step back.
“N-no, sir—erm ma’am—Captain?” Chris, moving to hide behind Rico.
Maren cackled and I couldn’t keep a smile off my face either. Neither could Mark.
“Humans are so weird,” Kelly muttered.
[Pinpricks of Light/Bones and Dust, page 140]
Joe had refused to leave his mother’s side while she looked after the Omega. It was late. The humans had gone home. Carter and Kelly were on patrol, running the edges of the territory. Robbie was in his room.
Maren was on a conference call, something about the new music they had been working on with some client. According to Mark, Maren had worked with him before, during the years I had been away. Some kid who was some supernatural show. I didn’t know. I didn’t really care if I was being honest.
Mark was… well. I didn’t need to think about where Mark was. It was none of my business.
[Good Idea/ Tick Tick Tick, page 147]
“Ox and Robbie are opening tomorrow,” Tanner said easily.
“Maren’s gonna help.”
“Oh for the love of God, Maren is not touching any—“
Tanner rolled his eyes. “Do you really think we’d let Maren touch one of the cars? We’re not that stupid.”
I raised my eyebrows. Sometimes I wondered.
“I’ve got invoices to–”
“Jessie said she’d handle them,” Chris said.
[She Knows/ Then Came The Violet, page 179]
Carter was confused, but the sight of his injured uncle caused him to whine. He went to Mark, nosed at the wound, lapped at it as it slowly healed, his tongue streaked with blood.
I could feel Maren’s worry like a thick curtain of steel gray and the light brown wolf rubbed against their brother’s injured side, their teeth bared, ready to face Pappas if he dared to come near Mark again. But he wouldn’t.
Papas writhed on the ground.
[She Knows/ Then Came The Violet, page 187]
Ox, who now stood tall and strong, arms crossed over his chest, eyes red as he watched Philip Pappas prowl the edges of the room. Joe stood to his right. Mark was on his left.
Maren was expectedly, considering what had just happened, at Mark’s side, silent but watching Pappas closely.
They’d all dressed, at least partially. Joe and Ox wore jeans and nothing more. Mark had on a pair of sweats and a loose T-shirt.
Maren was dressed similarly, with a pair of pajama pants and a thick flannel that wasn’t buttoned, drawing my attention to the two thin, faded scars across their chest.
[She Knows/ Then Came The Violet, page 188.]
Joe and Ox immediately wolfed out.
Maren looked as they were half about to as well, their claws where their fingers had once been.
Possessive assholes.
Although I wasn’t surprised. Not really. Especially not Maren. Hell, I’d known this would be their reaction in the first place. Robbie was pack, but more importantly, he was as good as Maren’s own kid. I didn’t think there was a damn thing they wouldn’t do to protect him.
“I already told him to fuck off,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Put the claws away. You guys look like idiots. And Joe, good to know you’re over the whole back away from my man thing. I thought you were going to piss on Ox.”
Joe scowled at me. “I will bite your face off, so help me—”
“ Michelle Hughes is not touching Robbie,” Maren growled interpreting Joe’s baseless threat, their face full of teeth. I heard the words “Mine” and “Pup” and a softer “Son” through the bond with Maren. Mark put a hand on his sibling’s shoulder, pushing them into him, their head falling into his shoulder.
“No one’s taking Robbie. We aren’t letting that happen, Mar.” Mark said and Joe nodding before Ox brought them back on topic.
“Infection,” Ox said suddenly, watching me closely.
[Feral, page 192.]
“How long?”
The voice came from behind us. I glanced over my shoulder. Carter stood in the doorway, shoulders squared, jaw set. Kelly stood at his side, eyes wide and wet. Elizabeth was behind her eldest son, head bowed, forehead pressed against his back.
Maren stood next to Carter, their ever-present blue ringing intensely through the pack bonds with lines of red rage. Their expression with tense, but almost blank as I knew they tried to control the emotions raging through their mind.
“How long?” he asked again.
[Feral, page 193. Michelle threatens to kill Mark and Carter and the Pack.]
She looked at him. “In three days I will take matters into my own hands. Bennett pack, I wish things had turned out differently. But surely, if you were in my position, you would do the same. If we are to survive, then the infection must be quarantined. And then eradicated.”
The screen went black.
And Maren Bennett bolted from the room, unable to handle everything that was going on and I heard the sound of a wolf shift from outside the door. I saw Mark close his eyes and sigh deeply.