Marcus

Chapter Three

My hands are shaking as I wait in the dark room. His room.

I am disgusted to be here.

Or at least, that's what I'm trying to convince myself as I inhale his scent. It's all over the room. It's deep and musky. It's sexy.

I close my eyes and put my hands over my ears.

Being in this house, in this room, was so overwhelming. I remember being carried again, but this time it was up the stairs. Then he put me in this room and left. I had been trying to ask him where my brother was or what he was planning on doing with me, but my mouth wasn't working correctly. It was like I was in shock or something.

Or I was just too scared.

I hear foot steps coming up the stairs and I freeze. I try not to breath, as if keeping quiet would make this rogue go away.

Please be Marcus.

Please be Marcus!

Despite my deepest wishes, Aspen enters the room, a rectangle of light following him from the hallway. I don't look up. I keep still on the bed and avoid his stare. He was so dark and seemed so hostile. I silently prayed that all was forgiven from two hours ago when I had yelled at his...friend? I guess. I don't really know what role he plays in this pack.

He approached me, his shadow looming and stalking through the room.

Oh God. I really was going to die, wasn't I?

It's only when he is directly in front of me when I look up. His eyes are dark, contrasting to his pale blonde hair. He was a strange man, but I couldn't deny that he was beautiful.

I noticed something in his hand.

A glass.

Beads of condensation drip down the sides and I realize its water. This killing machine brought me water. To be honest, I was a little parched. My earlier panic attack really drained me and my throat hurt from screaming so much.

I tentatively reach out to take it, not wanting to make the wrong move and get my hand chopped off. But he hands it to me, like a normal person. I almost smirk, but then I remember he is giving me a hard stare, so instead I just take a sip.

I down the water. I hadn't realized how weak and thirsty I was. Or had been. After my last swallow, I hand him the glass again, and he turns towards the door, making an exit.

Before he leaves the room, I ask in a quiet and meek whisper, "What is going to happen to us?"

And by us I meant my brother and I.

I'm hoping there is still an us. I'm hoping Marcus' lap dogs haven't sealed his fate.

I'm hoping they aren't on their way here to seal my fate.

I shiver slightly when he turns back, facing me. But he makes no move to close the distance and I'm grateful. I don't think I could take him being any closer then he already is right now.

When he speaks, I am a little shocked at how calm his voice is. And how deep. "Marcus and his betas are having...a discussion with your brother right now. It won't be too long now."

"Until they kill him."

I don't even bother to ask. I have come to terms with the fact that my fathers job will be made a little bit easier. Our deaths will not be by his hand, but by my mates. How romantic.

He sighs, his big chest expanding and then slacking. He was huge, and tall. Marcus was tall to, but had dark hair, unlike Aspen. Also, Marcus wasn't as muscular, he was more lean and fit. I liked Marcus' physique.

Oh, just shut up, Evaline! Stop thinking about that monster!

After a moment of thinking, Aspen speaks. "I can't really tell you that, little goddess."

This has my head snapping up and my voice acquisitive.

"Little goddess? Why did you just call me that?"

He stares for a moment, his dark eyes piercing mine and I shrink back, managing a weak, "Never mind."

I expect him to leave or growl at me. I don't expect him to say, "Luna was the ancient Roman goddess. The symbol of the moon. It is also the term for an Alpha's mate."

I look up again, a little more bold. "I thought that was 'Alpha female'".

My mom and dad were alphas of a small pack, they had an arranged marriage. Mom was always referred to as the Alpha female, wife to the alpha. But my parents weren't true mates.

Maybe that's why dad went crazy.

I push those harmful thoughts out of my mind. Dad is in the past. He won't hurt us. At least, not before Marcus does.

"In the American culture, yes. But our pack isn't very typical when it comes to superior rankings."

I give him a strange look. All packs are pretty much the same when it comes to superiority. Alphas, betas, and omegas are the normal rankings for a pack. It's always been like that, its just nature.

"So...what are you to this pack?" I dare to ask. I almost quake after I do. Aspen is intimidating.

"I'm a close relative to Marcus."

I wait for him to say more but he doesn't.

A brother? No...they look too different to be brothers.

Aspen reads my face. "We aren't rogues, like you're afraid of."

He comes a little closer, leans down a little. I gulp and my stomach jostles nervously.

He blinks. "See. Our eyes aren't black."

I do see. I hadn't known black eyes were a sign of becoming a rogue. What else was a symptom?

But before I can ask him, the front door opens and commotion sounds off down stairs. Aspen and I tune into the noises curiously, but I am already shaking. Is this it? Is this the part where I parish away?

I stand and see Aspen glance back at me. What was he thinking? Did he know something?

I follow him timidly into the hall, afraid of what I might find.

Suddenly, I see Leon.

He is being shoved against the stairs, and all common sense vanishes. I push past Aspen and catch myself on the second floor's hallway balcony. This house really was huge.

My brother has a bloody nose and a swollen eye. I gasp as he tumbles to a stop, the boys that are flanking him pushing him just a little too hard.

They had beaten him. For hours they had tossed him around while I had just sat in this house on my ass, not thinking of the consequence it would have on Leon.

I run towards his crumpled body, but before I touch him, Jerak growls in warning. The boy next to him just stares on calmly. I decide quickly he is like Aspen. He looks menacing, but if you don't mess with him he won't mess with you.

"Jerak, no need to scare the little one."

Oh.

It's him. Marcus.

He is following the four betas up the stairs, a smirk on his face. He looks pleased.

He probably had a good hand in creating that bloody nose.

I surprise myself and the others by letting out a low growl. Marcus' face falls slightly, I can tell he is surprised by my protectiveness over Leon.

In that moment, I decide that my brother and I will stick together through this whole ordeal. I wasn't planning on submitting to these killers just yet.

Marcus quickly regains composure. He gestures to the two boys I haven't had the pleasure of meeting.

"This is Robert and Brady. They tracked down your brother a few hours ago."

I seethe. "You mean mauled?"

Brady lets out a rumble, his black hair blending in with the dark colors of the house, pale blue eyes sparking with a threatening glare but I don't back down. If these murderers expected a warm greeting from me they would certainly be missing out.

They hurt my brother and killed hundreds before. I wasn't in the mood for manners.

I knelt down in front of Leon, pushing his blonde hair off his forehead. He was thoroughly out of it, eyes closed, shallow breathing, a sheen of sweat coating his skin. I shake my head, feeling tears spring to my eyes.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

We were supposed to find salvation in another pack and move on with our lives. We were supposed to leave our old lives behind and start new ones. We had been through so much already, I guess a break wasn't really in our favor right now.

"Leon?" I sniffle, trying to push back tears, but they were already flowing.

I didn't mean to seem weak, especially in front of these wolves, but I was scared. What had they done to him?

"When will he wake up?" I ask bitterly, not letting my child-like dependency get the best of me.

I admit, I need my brother. More than anything, actually. It had been that way since I was fifteen, and as I grew up, I grew to love him more. I grew up depending on him for two years, and that might not have been the smartest habit considering our dangerous past. But I couldn't help it. He was my brother after all.

"Never."

It was whisper followed by a series of chuckles and high fives. I close my eyes and rub my forehead. These stupid bastards. This wasn't funny.

"He'll probably wake up in an hour or so."

It was Marcus who said it and when I meet his eyes they are unreadable. I stand up, momentarily forgetting about Leon and Aspen and the others. Right now, it was just Marcus and I. And I was f*****g pissed.

"So, what now? Are you gonna cut us up, bleed us out, then bury the bodies?"

He blinks.

"Or will you not even do us justice? You could snap our necks and leave our bodies to rot." I suggest deadpan.

I take a step towards him and see Jerak and Robert move out of the way.

"How about you just tie us up and shove us out in the snow? We'd fall under eventually. You wouldn't have to do the dirty work."

I take a another step forward.

"But maybe that's what you enjoy the most."

I am directly in front of him now. "I think you like the way people scream and fall to your feet, begging for mercy and forgiveness. I think you like seeing them in pain."

He doesn't say anything, he just stares down at me, a slight glare to his expression. I knew I was pissing him off because I was telling him how he felt. I have already come to the conclusion that he is a man who decides what he wants. And no one else can have an opinion.

I turn to his betas, and I notice Aspen has crossed his arms, but he is smirking slightly.

"And you are just the groupies that follow him around. One by one you take your turn being his bitch."

Jerak chuckles darkly.

"I think that's your job now."

I bite back the feeling of humiliation as the others chuckle and high five again, but I wasn't finished.

"Well why would he need a Luna to boss around when he has you? Jerak, you are just so ready and willing. Just like a Beta should be."

Jerak glares and steps forward. "Are you really one to talk?"

I laugh harshly.

"I have Alpha blood, Jerak. And so does Leon."

The room has gone still and silent. I go up the stairs again, reaching my brother. Once I am standing next to him, I begin to explain.

"We aren't as strong as any regular Alpha, but I've seen the changes."

Marcus is now staring at me with wonder and I mentally pat myself on the back for keeping my strong composure.

Continuing on, "Things happened, my pack fell apart, and we didn't get to claim them under our rule. But make no mistake, I am an Alpha by birth right."

Later that night, Leon has been moved to a small bedroom and I am allowed to see him. When he finally wakes up, he is groggy and doesn't remember much of what happened.

"So he just dragged you here?" Leon asks for the third time. I think he is surprised that neither Marcus nor Aspen had hurt me. I nod and he takes in the information.

"Leon, these people want to hurt us, don't they?"

My brother thinks for a second, then nods with hesitation. I c**k my head curiously.

"What's wrong?"

He swallows and rubs his swollen eye. I had requested ice but Jerak refused. Actually, his exact words were, "Don't worry, Luna dearest. Alpha blood will heal that right up." And then he slammed the door in my face.

When my brother is still hesitating, I shove him softly. "What happened?"

He sighs. "I was fighting against them, that's why I got the bloody nose and the bruises. Marcus met up with us later and told me that you were a wild card. He is still deciding weather or not he should keep you."

I glare at nothing. "I'm not going to stay here."

"He didn't exactly make it an option of staying or leaving."

I feel myself pale. So if I wasn't staying then he would kill me. I understand why he would feel the need to. He doesn't want his precious bounty hunting pack found. And there was only one way to shut me up.

I bite my lip and look away. I couldn't stay with him. I would never love him like a mate was supposed to love their other half. It was impossible.

"We are leaving, Leon." I say, determination coating my voice.

"Or we will die trying."