The rejected bond of Alpha Marcus

Bring out the beasts

Marcus POV

“Bring out the beasts!”

Marcus didn’t have time to process Alistair’s words before four platforms arose from the ground with enormous bears on chains snarling and lunging forward. Marcus and his team were just out of reach, but the other team wasn’t as lucky.

One of the Alphas who wasn’t wearing armor received a claw swipe to the back. The man fell to the ground, screaming. Marcus didn’t hesitate but sprinted towards the injured man. He had to be expeditious because he was still within the bear's reach. None of his team members moved to help him, and Marcus wasn’t about to let him die.

At the last second, Marcus quickly reached for one of the shields, before sliding through the mud, and blocking one of the bear's massive paws before it hit the man again.

“Come on,” He grated, pulling the man backward until he was safely between Marcus’s team members.

“Over here!” He yelled at the other men, motioning for them to join his team. Julian and another Alpha were fighting one of the bears together, while the other two Alphas were dodging attacks. “Get into formation with us!”

The two Alphas didn’t hesitate and moved to stand with Marcus’ group.

“Julian!” Marcus yelled, trying to get the man’s attention. Marcus’s crew moved as one, swiftly dodging the snarling beats. When he was in close range of one of the bears he noticed something. The poor beast was littered with scars… and their eyes were oddly human-like. It was then that it dawned on him. They were bear shifters. He felt like an i***t for not noticing before. Their sheer size was a dead giveaway.

“Don’t harm them! Try to dodge attacks!” These poor shifters were being used. No way they were here out of their own volition.

Marcus looked up to gauge Alistair’s reaction to them working together. He noticed the sneer on the man’s face and smirked in response, but his joy was short-lived. Alistair put up his hand to one of the warriors, who pulled a lever that apparently, extended the bear's chains. The men moved back until their backs were touching while the whimpering, injured Alpha sat in between them.

Julian and the other Alpha were still out on the battlefield fending off the enraged bears. Their odds of getting out of here unscathed were getting less by the second.

“Any bright ideas?” Christian yelled at Marcus. He thought of the only thing that could help them at the moment.

“We have to take them out one by one, knock them unconscious. Dodge attacks and try to hit them on the heads with the hilt of your sword.” He commanded.

“Why don’t we just kill them?” One of the Alpha’s yelled.

“Because that’s what they want. They want us to kill them. But those are werebears… they’re someone’s mother, father, brother, daughter… We have to at least try to save them.”

They moved together, keeping their formation, their backs locked together until they were in close range of the first beast. Though the second wasn’t too far away.

“Bloody Mother Theresa,” Christian grumbled, as they used their shields to block attacks while others tried to knock the beast out.

Forty-five minutes later, after knocking out three of the beasts, Marcus and the other Alphas were all scratched up, one even more bloody than the other.

The last bear snarled and pushed forward, trying to get to them, but the men had enough room to avoid it while trying to catch their breaths. Julian and the other Alpha were still a few feet away, doing the same. Marcus had left the wounded Alpha on the ground, after making sure no harm would come to him.

Suddenly, slow clapping could be heard overhead.

“Very impressive, gentlemen,” Alistair drawled, the sarcasm clear in his voice. “But you are not leaving this arena until two of you are DEAD!” He yelled. “It’s either two of you…. Or all of you!”

He can’t be serious? Wouldn’t that put a stop to his gameshow?

“Bring in the other fighters!” Alistair shouted.

“Wait!” Julian yelled, before swinging out his sword and beheading the unsuspecting Alpha that had stood by his side all through this excruciating trial.

“Noooo!” Marcus yelled. Julian sprinted forward, but Marcus was too weighed down by his armor and fatigued to get there in time, as Julian moved to the Alpha that had been saved by him.

The man’s wounds had started to heal, but all of their efforts to protect him were lost when Julian plunged a sword into the man’s heart.

“That’s two! Now let us out!” Julian shouted before a sob escaped him.

“Well done, Alpha St. James. And so sneaky!” Alistair let out an evil laugh, “We will have a feast tonight for dinner to celebrate today’s trial! I expect to see you all there at six!” Alistair stalked off, pulling a struggling Sarah with him.

Everything the man said sounded like a threat.

Slowly, Marcus walked over to the murdered Alpha and closed his eyes. He would avenge them both if it was the last thing he did.

Later that night the so-called feast in the dining hall was somber as the men thought of the two fallen Alphas. Marcus was pleased to see that none of the remaining men had wanted to sit near Julian. Instead, they eyed him with disgust and suspicion. Julian had the decency to look ashamed of his actions.

Marcus spared frequent glances at Sarah all evening, who sat next to Alistair at the table, but she had not once looked his way. After some time, she said something to Alistair, before excusing herself and leaving the dining hall without returning.

Marcus hoped that his unit, which had been forced to return to their rooms had at least been fed. Miranda was also present and was recording the feast. People were dancing to the music. From the outside, it must have seemed like a real party, but Marcus knew these people were placed here by Alistair, or they were brainwashed by the man. It had to be something like that.

After signaling Miranda to stop recording, the music died down and Alistair stood.

“Gentlemen, it is time to return to your rooms!”

As the men started filing out, Marcus wondered why he hadn’t seen any of the other council members. He walked the halls at a distance from the other men when suddenly, a hand pulled him into the hallway closet. The same one he had pulled….

“Sarah,” He huffed in relief, seeing her beautiful but worried face before him. “Are you alright? Has he hurt you?” Marcus asked, pushing her back and inspecting her body.

“You just went through the worst possible thing and you’re worried about…me?” She asked. Marcus noticed the tremble of her bottom lip. He hated seeing her like this. He did the only thing he could think of and kissed it away.

He laced his hand in her hair at the bottom of her neck and pulled her closer, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. He kissed her with all the emotions he could muster, wanting her to feel how much he’d missed her. How much he’d worried about her. How much he’d been unable to stop thinking about her.

Sarah stood on her tippy toes to better reach him, and she laced her arms around his neck. When Marcus finally pulled back, Sarah still had her eyes closed and her lips were swollen from their moment of passion.

“I missed you,” He whispered, placing her forehead against hers.

“Marcus, what are we going to do?” Sarah asked a hint of desperation in her voice. Marcus ran his fingers through her hair, as he thought of a response.

“I think he—he poisoned my father.”

“I thought as much.” Marcus nodded, “How is he?”

“I’m not allowed to see him,” Sarah sighed, “and Alistair…I think he—it seems as though--I’m not sure but—”

“What?” Marcus asked, taking her chin into his hand. He knew he wasn’t going to like where this was going.

“It’s like he’s trying to—seduce me,” She spoke while her face twisted in disgust.

Marcus let out a possessive growl.

“If he touches you, he’s a dead man,” Sarah smiled softly, before kissing him deeply.

“We need a plan. And we need to find out what he’s up to,” Marcus said with determination.