Mate Forgotten

Chapter Four

Liz took another look at herself in the small mirror. Her blonde hair had never looked so neat, and her clothes were similar to those she had been given to wear in the arena. Again she was thankful that she had not been forced to wear a dress. A few marks remained from her battle but they were now soft and pink like the ones from her battle with Karl yesterday. A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts.

She strolled over and opened it wide. Ryan stood on the other side, he looked different with his hair cleanly combed back and a suit stretched across his broad chest. A smile creased his face as their eyes met. "Well don't you look all dolled up? I didn't know you had to 'sell' yourself as well." Liz laughed gesturing to Ryan's appearance.

Ryan laughed as he stepped aside allowing Liz to exit the room. As they walked side by side through a maze of corridors they remained in silence. Liz could see a group of men standing outside a large dark wooden door. She noticed Karl leaning against the wall, his eyes snapping to her as she approached. As Ryan and Liz went to stand next to him Ryan's chest puffed up. "I've never had two trainees make it through in the same challenge. Feel quite smug."

Liz covered her mouth trying to stifle her laughter at Ryan's peacock stance. The large door swung open and the trainees and trainers filed into the room. There was a long table in the centre of the room, at the head of the table sat Marcus. Along the far side sat four muscular intimidating males who Liz assumed were the visiting alphas and behind each of them were two other men. Bodyguards of some sort, Liz thought. As they approached the table they were each guided to one of the empty seats.

Trainees sat next to their trainers’. As Liz, Ryan and Karl approached the table Ryan was guided to the middle of the three remaining seats. Liz went for the seat between Ryan and the other trainer but was stopped in her steps by the man who directed people to their seats. Marcus stood from his seat. "Come and sit next to me Elizabeth." He gestured to the seat adjacent to his, a wicked grin on his face.

Liz bit back a growl as she turned and stalked towards the empty seat, allowing Karl access to the one she had tried to claim. Once she sat, Marcus also took his seat, staring smugly at Liz. Liz scanned the far side of the table. Although all in great shape the two males at either end of the row seemed advanced in years. Their hair was greying and their foreheads had more than a few wrinkles.

The middle two alphas seemed younger, maybe mid-twenties. The closest to Liz had short dark hair and dark brown eyes. A full short beard covered the bottom of his face and his skin was the colour of the wooden table. The alpha next to him had the same hair and eye colour, his hair was longer though and tied back with a thin piece of string. His skin was slightly lighter though, not pale, but warm. He had a scar across his left eyebrow and a few wisps of hair forming a goatee. The alpha with the long hair and the old alpha on the end both had their hair filled with braids and a smattering of beads. Not a single strand free.

"Shall we get started then?" Marcus announced, grabbing everyone's attention. "As ladies usually go first, we will work up the table and end with Elizabeth here." He added, looking again straight at her, making the taste of bile rise once more into her mouth. "Let's start with your name and age and then we will let our guests ask some more pertinent questions."

"I'm Izak. I am thirty-two years old.", "I am Michele. I am forty-five years old", "I am Karl. I am twenty-five years old", "I'm Liz, eighteen" Liz finished.

Marcus let out a low tut of disapproval. "Must you shorten such a beautiful name to something as mundane as 'Liz'?" He inquired looking at her condescendingly. Liz was about to lash back when she felt Ryan's hand squeeze her thigh under the table. Knowing that was an indication to hold her tongue she swallowed back her comment.

The door at the end of the room opened and servers came in carrying dishes. "How long have you each been here?" The old alpha opposite Liz asked.

"Three years", "Two years", "Four years", the three males answered. Liz looked at the alpha as his gaze fell expectantly to her. "Six years" she responded. Shock dashed over his face but was quickly gone, returning his face to the stoned expression it had been before.

"How many s****l partners have you each had?" The next alpha asked, smirking widely at the redness that grew up Liz's face.

"Three", "Two", "Five" the males answered in turn. Liz locked eyes with the dark alpha. "None" she bit out. A laugh escaped the alphas lips.

"Do you not understand the question, child? I am asking how many men you have…"

"She understands the question and has answered it correctly." Ryan interrupted, his gaze hard as he stared at the alpha.

Marcus chuckled at Ryan's outburst. He explained how Liz had been segregated and only recently moved to the holding block, "... Although I always thought you would have had a little dip, Ryan. I mean you are still relatively young, you cannot find her resistible."

Ryan turned to face Liz his eyes soft and filled with affection "I have trained her and watched her grow since she was twelve. It would not have been right to abuse my position." Liz swallowed hard. She had never thought Ryan felt romantical about her, she saw him as a brother, or a young uncle, maybe even a fatherly figure in a way. Never had she thought he would be harbouring anything more than that level of feeling for her?

Liz was snapped out of her thoughts as a bowl of soup was placed in front of her. The smell of vegetables filled her lungs and made her mouth water. She lifted the spoon and filled it with the soup before bringing it to her lips. It was very different to what she was used to, the odd crust of bread and maybe some porridge. But this was a sensation in her mouth and warmed her belly as it slid down.

After a few minutes of everyone eating in silence, the third alpha along looked up and stared at Michele opposite him. "What are you all in here for?" He asked before returning to ferry his soup to his mouth. The deepness of the alpha’s voice felt as if it vibrated through Liz's body to her core.

"Rape." Izak answered, "I lost my wife and had nowhere else to go." Michele answered. The alpha looked to Michele’s trainer, who slowly nodded his head indicating it was the truth.

"Murder," Karl answered. Liz's head whipped to the side to stare at Karl, she had not pictured him being a murderer. Then again she had only met the guy yesterday and had just had to kill three people herself. In her mind though she could rationalise their deaths. It was them or her, she had no choice.

The alpha’s eyes fell on Liz awaiting her response. She nervously looked at Ryan "Erm… I think I was sold to this place?" She could not remember the details but she thought that must have been the case. Ryan nodded slowly, removing her worry.

The alpha’s eyebrow raised slightly. "Why were you sold?" the alpha asked as he finished his soup and placed the spoon in the bowl.

Liz replied quietly, just loud enough for everyone to hear if they were paying attention. "I don't remember.".

A hand slapped on the table to Liz’s right, making her jump slightly as her head whipped around to see Marcus rocking back in his chair trying to stifle a laugh. "She was sold to us because her family had wanted a boy to work the fields. A girl is no good at doing the hard labour required, so she was just another mouth that needed to be fed. Her parents contacted me and traded her for a few measly gold pieces. After all who would spend more on such a small creature."

Liz felt anger rise in her system, her claws shot out and dug deep into the table. Her response made Marcus laugh harder. Ryan gave her leg another squeeze and she took a deep breath, pushing down her rage.

The empty bowls were taken away and the far, older alpha opened his mouth. "Apart from the obvious, what other skills do you possess."

"I used to be a Fisher.", "I was a weaver.", "I have none, I have always been a fighter," Karl answered. Maybe that was how he had murdered someone. But being sent to this place as punishment would have been harsh.

"I can read and write and perform mathematics," Liz said. As the alpha looked at her with a questioning look, she added. "Ryan taught me."

Marcus tutted again in disapproval "Can you not sow? Or dance? Or cook?" He asked, smiling with every activity.

Liz stood from her chair slightly slamming her hands on the table. "I am a fighter. I have always been a fighter. Ryan taught me a few things to keep me occupied in my solitude but that is all. I am not a lady and if you wanted me to be one you should have left me where you found me." Liz bit out, her pulse quickening with the anger that rushed through her system. Ryan pulled at her arm, urging her to sit back down. At first, she resisted but as his pleading became harder she turned to face him, seeing the anxiousness on his face. She hated to see him so worried for her, although she could think of a few more choice things to say to Marcus, she relinquished, returning to her seat.

"How many fights have you each lost?" the old alpha opposite Liz asked.

"Two.", "Three.", "One," Karl answered as he turned to face Liz. The dark alpha laughed, obviously amused that a giant mountain of muscle such as Karl could be defeated by such a small woman as Liz. "None," Liz answered, chin jutted upwards in pride.

"What about your first? You were only a child." The old alpha at the opposite end asked.

Liz looked to the questioning alpha. "When I first came and was put in the arena, my wolf would take over. She fought for me until I was strong enough to fight for myself." Her chest tightened with sadness at the loneliness that had filled her when her wolf had retreated.

"And what of your wolf now?" The deep-voiced, long-haired alpha asked.

"She was so lonely that she retreated into me." Her eyes began to fill but she quickly blinked the damning tears away.

A few more questions were asked. Each winner answered in turn before finally the room fell silent for a few minutes. Marcus rose from his seat. "Well if there are no further questions, the trainees and trainers are excused. Return to your rooms and await your retrieval." As one the trainee and trainers rose and filed out of the room.