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He must have noticed my shock, because he put Branson back on his feet, released his neck, and pulled me into a hug, wrapping himself around me. He buried his nose against my neck and inhaled deeply multiple times.
Branson coughed for a bit as he finally got air into his lungs.
“You don’t understand,” Caleb growled as he held me.
“I do not. You are correct. So, let’s go sit down and you can explain it to me.”
He growled again, not moving.
“Son, she doesn’t understand why you got so upset. You have to explain it,” Rhys said. “We aren’t entirely sure what’s going on either.”
“He marked her,” Caleb said and his hold on me tightened to the point it was a little difficult to breathe.
Someone sucked in a breath, I wasn’t sure who, and another person sighed.
“Pup, let her go. She can’t breathe,” Deryn said gently.
Caleb immediately loosened his hold and I winced, my sore body not liking all the movement and squeezing. “You’re hurt?”
“Sore from training,” I said and tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace.
“You should have said something,” he grumbled as he directed me to a couch, sitting down with me, his arm behind me on the back of the couch.
Riddick sat on my other side and kissed my cheek. “Not exactly the hello I was imagining after being gone two days, but I’m happy to see you.”
“I’m glad you’re all back safe and sound,” I said.
Branson and Triston sat on the couch opposite us. Branson was trying to curl in on himself, like he was trying to appear as small as possible, which was pretty much impossible.
Rhys and Deryn joined us, leaning against a far wall, eyes focused on Caleb.
Were they here in case he attacked Branson again?
“So, who’s going to tell me what it means to be marked by a shifter?” I asked.
Caleb growled and Branson flinched.
Triston rolled his eyes. “Marking you means that any shifter who smells you will also smell the one who marked you.”
So, it was like peeing on me to mark your territory?
“And it’s not done lightly,” Riddick said sternly. “Normally, it’s done after you’ve been dating a while and decide to be exclusive or in cases like ours, when you decide the pack you’re dating are the ones you are pretty sure you want to end up mated to.”
“Can it be removed?” I asked.
Branson sucked in a sharp breath and his shoulders hunched even more.
“Yes,” Riddick answered. “It’s not pleasant, but it is done as sometimes relationships don’t work out in the end.”
“Why did you say it should have been you first?” I asked Caleb. “Because you’re Prince?”
He looked at me like I’d insulted him. “No, because I’m alpha of this pack.”
“But you’re all alphas,” I said feeling like I was missing something obvious.
“Yes, we are all alphas, but there’s always a more alpha alpha,” Riddick explained.
I looked at Rhys and Deryn. “So, one of you is the leader?”
