My Alpha's Mark

49 Coward

Kacie

The door opens and Ken and his beta walk in, blood coating their shirts and arms. Ken’s jacket is thrown over his shoulder and his hair is gelled back. Their faces are bruised and I love knowing someone got a good punch in.

He isn’t smiling as his gaze lands on Clara and me, taking in the box of cards and the fixed room. His gaze found mine and I swallowed. He was stalking my way. He didn’t say anything. I held my ground and returned his gaze. I wasn’t about to back down and I wasn’t going to revert to who I was.

His strong fingers clamped down on my forearm and he turned me around. I bit back a gasp. His grip was tight and unrelenting. Anger radiated off of his body as he leaned down until our noses touched.

He didn’t say anything and that sent shivers shooting down my body to the tips of my toes.

“Yield,” he demanded.

I ignored him, returning his gaze. I would not drop to my knees for this piece of shit. Only one man would ever have my loyalty. No one else.

“Yield,” he growled again.

I tried to pull from his grip but he didn’t let go. Before I knew what was happening, his hand connected with my face and I flew back but his hand held my hand which kept me from falling. Suddenly a hint of anger flared up in me.

Fucking coward.

If I had been weak like I had been before, I would have cowered against his anger but I wasn’t that weak girl anymore.

I opened my mouth to say something but he tightened his grip in warning and I fell silent. He lifted me into the air before throwing me down to the ground.

“As much as I want to break you in for not coming to your senses and not dropping to your knees the moment you saw me walk through that FUCKING door, I’m too wound up right now and I might fucking kill you,” he spits.

I tensed. This wasn’t looking good. I knew where this was going and I also knew there was no way to avoid it. Before I can get up off of the floor his boot connects with my stomach and I cry out as my breath is literally knocked out of me from the impact.

A long time had passed since I have been on the receiving end of his anger. My body remembered and instinctively and I curl into a ball and try to protect myself from the onslaught of kicks.

“I warned you last time,” Ken said as he crouched down by me. Stopping the pain for a few seconds to talk to me. “And yet, you disobey me,” he seethes before shoving me.

He must rise to his feet because in the next second his boot slams into my arms that are wrapped protectively around my face.

It hurts.

I lose count of how many times I’m kicked but when the kicks stop I don’t move. I remain in the fetal position and brace myself for more. I swallow and pinch my eyes tightly closed.

I suck in a breath and it already hurts to breathe. He might have broken something and with these cuffs on I won’t be able to heal.

“Watch her,” Ken growls and I hear the sound of retreating footsteps.

I wait until the door slams to let my body fall slack. When I open my eyes only Clara and Beta Rich are in the room. Clara’s looking down at me with a horrified expression which she quickly schools when we lock eyes.

I see a male figure in front of the window and I assume Beta Rich is staring out, enjoying the view while completely ignoring me. I pressed my lips together as I tried to sit up. Pain ripped through my body I wasn’t sure where I was hurting more.

I hurt everywhere.

“Damn it. What am I going to do with you?” Clara spoke. She took a few steps and stood in front of me.

I bit the inside of my right cheek, I will not cry. I was tired, I was hurt and I missed Viktor. My hands were shaking and when I swallowed I tasted the metallic taste of blood.

“You did this to yourself. You knew what was expected of you, you’ve always known and yet you went against him. You threw all logic out the window,” Beta Rich called from the window.

“It doesn’t matter where you’ve been since you left, it doesn’t matter who you’ve been. He won’t let you make a fool out of him and he won’t tolerate disobedience. You of all people should know this,” he continues.

He was lucky I was hurt. I may have been injured and I may have been weak, and I may not have my wolf’s strength right now but I would have thrown myself at him. I’d get a bite in for sure.

“Leave,” Clara says as she looks down at me.

I thought she was talking to me but then she turned to look behind her. “I don’t have time to deal with you now and I don’t care to. I don’t need you here,” she said and turned back to me.

Her transparent blue eyes stared back at me. “He told me to watch her, you can go guard the door, mutt,” she spat.

Thank Goddess. I’d fight him tooth and nail if he made an attempt to come near me. I didn’t want him or anyone else to see me weak or watch my feeble attempts to get up. I move my legs and flinch at the pain. Bastard kicked me everywhere.

Beta Rich doesn’t move for a few seconds. He doesn’t say anything either. He turned away from the window without a glance my way and headed to the door. I released a breath as he closed the door behind him.