Marked By the Enemies Alpha

The night of our graduation party—the one for turning eighteen—Ryder marked me.Out of nowhere.

We were both drunk.I'd gone downstairs to get some air.Found him leaning against the garage door.He crooked his finger at me.Just that.One little gesture.And I followed him upstairs.

It hurt. I bit down and stayed quiet,fingers twisting into the back of his shirt.When he pulled away,my head was still buzzing.He was already standing up straight,fixing his collar.

I'd had a crush on him for six years. I thought I finally had my answer. First thing, the next morning, I opened my laptop and pulled up the college application portal.

Ryder's school was out east.Massachusetts.Long winters. I hate the cold. I was willing to deal with it. I wanted to tell him in person. The hallway was loud.

I walked up to his classroom and reached for the door handle—then stopped. Someone inside was talking.Loudly. "You marked Luna Hale?

The one who bolts every time she sees you——" "How long has she had a thing for him?" "Who knows.She's so easy.Throw her a little attention and she's hooked." Laughter. A lot of it.

I stood there outside the door,waiting.Waiting for Ryder to say something.To deny it.To tell them to shut up. "Alright,relax,"Ryder said."It was just a temporary mark.It'll fade in a few days.Not a big deal." More laughter. "Right.Didn't Ryder say he wanted to practice with someone before going after Chloe?" "Classic.She's been chasing you forever and you give her a temporary mark?" "She was into it.

I didn't make her do anything,"Ryder said. "She's totally going to think it meant something." "That's her problem,"Ryder said."Either way, I'm making things official with Chloe before school starts." The tears came fast.

I pressed my hand over my mouth and walked away. I stood in the bathroom for a long time.Staring at myself in the mirror.At the red mark on my neck.

It was fresh.The edges were still sharp.In a few days it would be gone.Like none of it ever happened. He never meant to choose me. I was just practicing.

My phone buzzed.Mia. "You coming to the graduation dance tonight?" Then another."Oh,and I just saw Chloe posted—she's gonna be there too.And Ryder.Don't tell me they're actually a thing now?" I started typing.Deleted it.Tried again.

I'll be there. I slid my phone back into my pocket and took one last look in the mirror. I needed to talk to him face to face.

I changed into a different dress and let my hair down to cover my neck. The temporary mark was still warm.

I dug a concealer out of my drawer and dabbed it on.In the mirror, there was nothing to see.

Mia was waiting for me at the door.One look and she was already suspicious. "You look off.Something happened?"She looked me up and down. "Let's just go." I spotted Ryder the second I walked in.He was on the couch in the corner.Chloe was next to him.

Not next to him.On his lap. She had on a crop top and shorts.His hand was resting on her waist.

When she turned to say something to him, he leaned in naturally to listen.Their arms were linked together. Ryder never leaned down for me.

I'm shorter than him.Six years of conversations,and every single one of them, I was the one on my tiptoes,stretching my neck,tilting my head up just to catch his eye.

They started playing a game.Someone held up a phone to keep time.Everyone around them was egging them on.

Simple rules.Chloe lay back on the couch.Ryder planted both hands on either side of her and did pushups without touching her.

Chloe laughed and sank into the cushions.Ryder lowered himself down with each rep,chest meeting chest before pushing back up.The crowd was screaming.

On the tenth one, he didn't hold himself up.He dropped down and stayed there.

Chloe's face went red.She shoved at him."You did that on purpose." Then he kissed her.Full on the mouth.She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Three whole minutes.Okay,I've seen enough,"Mia said.

When Ryder pulled back from Chloe,his eyes swept across the room. He saw me.His hand was still on the back of Chloe's head,but for half a second his expression went blank.

Then he looked away.Chloe said something in his ear.He bent down to listen.Then he smiled. The crowd closed around them.

Mia grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the door."Stop looking." She pulled me outside. "What's that on your neck?"she said.

I reached up to touch it.The concealer had sweated off.The bite mark from the temporary mark was showing.