Marked By The Alpha's Cursed Blue Moon
Chapter 77. Sudden Visit

Chapter 77: 77. Sudden Visit

Cassandra and Laura were still seated and chatting when the sound of approaching footsteps interrupted their conversation.

They turned around and to their surprise, James stood behind them.

"Maria, good morning... How are you feeling now?" James asked, a gentle smile playing on his lips, though his eyes carried a trace of concern.

Maria’s face lit up at the sight of him.

"I’m doing very okay now, James. Thank you!" she replied warmly, feeling a rush of happiness as she realized how much she’d missed him.

James hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Please, if you don’t mind... can I see you privately?" His voice was polite, his eyes focused on hers.

Maria looked to her friends. "Just give me a minute," she said softly.

Both Cassandra and Laura nodded with understanding, and Maria stood up to follow James. They made their way across the quiet school compound to the empty basketball court.

That area was usually deserted during lecture hours, making it the perfect spot for a private talk.

Once they reached the court, Maria sat on one of the benches, and James settled beside her. He took both of her hands in his and looked intently into her eyes.

"I believe you know that my pack and yours... they’ve always been rivals. There’s never been peace between us," James began, his voice low and serious.

The statement caught Maria off guard. She hadn’t expected the conversation to start that way.

"It’s a known fact," she said carefully, "but why are you bringing it up now?"

James took a deep breath, still holding her hands. "Because I want you to be mine, Maria. I want to marry you. I don’t care about the rivalry, or the danger. I just want to show you how much I love you. And I’ll fight anyone and anything to make that happen."

Maria’s heart raced. His words were sweet, touching even, but a swirl of fear accompanied them. She admired his boldness—his willingness to fight for her—but she also knew how powerful and dangerous the Blue Moon Pack could be. Bernard, as Alpha, wouldn’t take such defiance lightly.

"James... everything you just said means so much to me," she said softly, "but I can’t let you risk your life for me. We both know how ruthless Bernard and his family can be. If we rush into anything, it’ll be a suicide mission. Let’s take things slow and plan carefully. I want to be with you too... but not at the cost of our lives."

James was silent for a while, still staring at her. His jaw tightened as emotions churned behind his eyes.

"Are you mad at me for saying that?" Maria asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"No, Maria... I’m not mad. I’m just tired of watching you suffer. Bernard doesn’t deserve you. You deserve peace. You deserve love," he said with a shaky voice, tightening his grip on her hands.

"I know," Maria said, leaning in to kiss him gently. "And that’s why we must be careful."

James didn’t respond with words. He leaned in, and their kiss deepened, filled with longing and suppressed desire. Before they knew it, they had lost track of time—and their surroundings.

Maria pulled away slightly, breathless. "James, we’re still outside..."

Without a word, he took her by the hand and led her toward an empty storage room close to the court. They slipped inside unnoticed and gave in to the passion building between them.

When it was over, James stepped out first to make sure no one was around, then Maria followed. She headed back to class quickly, her emotions swirling inside her. As soon as she entered, Cassandra and Laura turned to her, their expressions full of teasing curiosity.

"Hmmm... how was your little time with darling James?" Cassandra whispered with a knowing grin, just loud enough for Laura to hear too.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about. We only talked," Maria said defensively, rolling her eyes and trying to suppress a smile.

"If that’s true, why do you sound so defensive?" Cassandra teased, bursting into laughter.

Maria laughed too, giving up the pretense. "I missed you both so much," she said sincerely.

"We missed you too!" Laura replied with a big smile. "We’re so happy you’re finally okay."

They shared a warm moment, then turned their attention to the day’s lecture. Once the class ended, Maria excused herself and walked toward the bathroom. She noticed no one else heading in or out, but she didn’t think much of it—she just needed to pee quickly.

After using the bathroom, she tried to open the door... but it wouldn’t budge. Panic started to rise in her chest. She pushed again, realizing it had been locked from the outside.

Just as she was about to scream for help, she heard a familiar voice whisper, "Maria, it’s me. Mrs. Spencer. I need to talk to you, but I can’t be seen with you."

Maria instantly calmed down. "Mrs. Spencer, it’s so good to hear your voice again... but why can’t you be seen with me?" she asked, curiosity flaring.

"There are too many enemies watching you. Every step you take is under surveillance," Mrs. Spencer said firmly. "Being careful is your only chance at survival. Now listen carefully."

Maria straightened up, fully alert.

"There’s going to be an attack on Gilbert’s family. You must not stay out late. You’re considered one of them, and that puts you in danger," Mrs. Spencer warned gravely.

Maria’s eyes widened. "Okay, I promise. I won’t stay out past six p.m. anymore," she replied, her tone full of seriousness.

"Good. We’ll talk again soon," Mrs. Spencer said before her voice slowly faded away.

Maria rushed to open the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman—but to her shock, there was no one there. She stepped out and looked around, but the hallway was completely empty.

"How could she have vanished so quickly?" Maria muttered, confused. "Can she... disappear?"

She stood still, trying to process the conversation. Mrs. Spencer’s warning echoed in her mind.

"If there’s an attack coming... the only person capable of launching it is Elijah Simons," she whispered to herself.

Her heart pounded as she wrestled with the thought. Should she warn Bernard? But how would she explain how she got the information? Would he even believe her? And did his family truly deserve her help after all they’d put her through?

"I’ll think about it later," she murmured as she walked slowly back to class.

---

Meanwhile, far from the college, Elijah Simons stood before his men inside a large, abandoned warehouse.

"We launched our last attack on the Gilberts, and though it wasn’t a complete success, we’ve learned from our mistakes," Elijah said, his voice filled with fury and pride. "This time, we’ll be more brutal—and more strategic."

He paced in front of them, eyes blazing. "We’ll make a loud entrance. An explosion at the front gate. Chaos. Fire. Panic. But while they focus on that, our real strike comes from the back."

One of the men, Alexander, raised his hand. "Boss, why the back? Why not take them head-on?"

"The front is a distraction," Elijah snapped. "I don’t want the Alpha and Gilbert dead. Not yet. I want them alive. Captured. Humiliated. That’s how I’ll send a message that I’m the power they should all fear."

Another soldier spoke up. "And the rest of their family?"

Elijah’s eyes gleamed with cruelty. "Once I have what I want, we’ll kill them. Publicly. Let everyone witness their end. It’ll be a warning to any fool thinking of rebelling."

He stood tall, pride filling his chest.

"I will become the most feared Alpha this land has ever known," Elijah Simons declared, his voice echoing through the warehouse as his men roared in approval...