In the Alpha’s Arms

Marks And Their Owners

It was all so clear in the lines of his face, the creases of his eye, the small tick of a muscle in his jaw. That he had seen…

“Get aw-” Lita started to back away, pushing herself against the metal of the tub. She was already trying to find a weapon or an advantage. Obviously she was exhausted and bruised but she wasn’t going to be raped. Over her dead body.

“Relax,” Ren said, cutting her off, “It’s not… That’s not–” Ren signed, leaning back to ruffle his hands through his hair, “Who marked you?”

“What?” She floundered. That mark was hard to notice. And the place it sat was deeply intimate. For Ren to have seen it… she shuddered. Perhaps he had been a gentleman up to this point but to have glimpsed the underside of her breast meant he had taken a full tour of her body, had looked his fill.

“Who marked you Lita? I saw it. The half moon on your ribcage. Is he still alive?”

“Of course he’s still alive!” she yelled as the water sloshed away from her and came back, unsure why even the mention of Cole being harmed was sending her into a frenzy. Because she knew better. He was fine and he was searching for her. He was going to get her out of here. She studied Ren. Was this a ploy? Some tactic Maxim thought up? Some emotional warfare meant to weaken her defenses? Her resolve?

“Fuck,” Ren blew out a breath, reaching over for a cloth and dunking it into the warm bath water. Lita instinctually shifted her legs away from his arm but he seemed not to even notice.

“Why did you ask me that, Ren?” Lita lowered her voice, squinting. He didn’t answer, only lathered the cloth and looked off into the distance.

“Ren?!” she barked and his eyes found hers, a little cloudy but aware, “Why did you ask me that?”

“Who pissed off Maxim? You or your mate?” She hated when people evaded questions with another question. It made her want to refuse to answer. Made her want to say fuck you and look for a weapon.

“Because for me, it was her. She offended-” Ren gulped, a muscle in his eye twitching, “Anyway. That’s how I ended up here in the first place. A bargain in exchange for my mate’s life.”

A beat of silence and then, “Of course… that didn’t stop her from leaving here with a desenter first chance she got. Heard she had pups a few years back.”

He turned to Lita, “We’re not allowed to have mates here, you know? Everything is just… clinical. A job. A duty. Everything we’re told to do is for the preservation of the line.” Lita would have been hard pressed to miss the roll of his eyes or the subtle shake of his head. Was he saying he didn’t subscribe to Maxim’s beliefs? That he didn’t like it here?

you happen to find a mate here… it wouldn’t matter. She would still be subject to breeding, you know?” Lita felt sick, felt like the tub she was in took on a whole new meaning, like she would rather claw

stiffened, throwing her fists up in half–hearted defense. But he only held out

need help, Lita,” he said quietly, “I’m sure there’s much of yourself you can

from Maxim and now he was back to being a decent guy. For a moment, she didn’t move but when he turned around to put his

“Been mated long?”

really seeing the point in

fell apart either. I still remember it though. I still

both. Both of us are on Maxim’s bad side.” She didn’t think she should mention Cole by name. Lita ran the cloth under her arms hard enough to rub the skin raw but that sour onion smell had all but made her

guess, you’re the collateral to use against your

began to

Marks And Their Owners

I don’t know what the situation is. But I’ll help you any way

you do is out of the kindness of your heart. So

don’t like to be touched. You don’t get undressed in front of any of us unless you have to. At first, I thought it was because you were afraid. But then I saw you in the pits and I know that wasn’t it. You can fend for yourself. And then I saw your mark and it all made sense… So it must be because of

I–‘

to fight and you’re lucky. Because it saved your life that day. I may not be much, but believe me when I say I respect

mated? That’s not a common place for one to

that’s why you never wanted to be seen…” he

her head. This was a trap. Obviously it was a trap. But… what did Maxim have to gain from making her say she wanted help escaping? Of course she did. That wasn’t some secret. He likely had known that from the first moment. It only left one other option… Ren was telling the truth.

the cloth on the tub ledge, “I want your help… and I can’t reach my back or toes by myself.” Ren silently nodded and that was it. A strange, little truce. After he washed the parts she couldn’t reach,

minutes. You’re going to need your strength to escape. I know you’ve been starved so just stay put for a few minutes, I’ll be right

sandwich, “The kitchen makes

me your

and cheese, he knelt down next to the tub, pulling out a vial from his pocket. “This is from the doc. She knows what I’m planning to do and she wants to help. It’ll

the pin pulled. How many people here were actually not loyal to Maxim? At first glance everyone