As Faolan descended the stairs, he saw Theo standing in the foyer, his posture tense. Behind him, Alpha Bryce was yelling at Theo and on either side of Bryce stood Alpha Bob end Alpha Dan. Alpha Dan was a young Alpha like Bryce, but he wasn't as hot headed and arogant. Faolan's wolf snarled hearing the words Bryce shouted at Theo.
"I demand to see the king immediately. A crime has been committed against my pack and I demand justice for it." Bryce was not in a position to demand anything and Faolan would make sure he knew that.
"And what could possibly be so grievous that you storm onto my land without announcement nor invitation!" Faolan let his Alpha tone seep into his words causing all present to bow their heads. Bryce was the last to do so.
Faolan stared at the men in front of him pressuring them with his alpha power.
"Go on then. Please explain to me what was so serious you had to barge into my home."
Bryce looked up meeting Faolan's eyes. His gaze held an evil smirk. Whatever Bryce was doing, he did not have good intentions.
"I am here to seek justice for one of my pack members who was forcibly marked on the night of the mating run."
Faolan's wolf snarled. It was one of the most heinous crimes to force a marking upon a female. Any who did were sentenced to death.
Faolan seeing this was serious, invited everyone into his office. He didn't like conducting official business in the entry way, especially one so sensitive in nature.
...
Once everyone settled on the various couches Faolan gestured to Bryce.
"Alright... Tell me more about this crime." Bryce who was loud and obnoxious before was now the model of calm. More proof that he was up to something.
"Before I tell you about it, I want some assurances first." Faolan growled at the Alpha's tone. He was being quite demanding for someone of a lower rank.
"Just get on with it," he snarled menacingly.
"Very well. Do you, Alpha King Faolan, still condemn the practice of forced marking?"
"You know I do." Faolan wolf was biting at the bit to jump Bryce. Bryce simply nodded at the answer.
"And would you, Alpha King Faolan, hold any wolf to that law no matter their rank or position?"
"What is this? Are you here to report a crime or just to ask stupid questions."
"Forgive me your majesty, but with the sensitivity of the crime I want to make sure it is taken seriously."
Faolan slammed his fist on the arm of the couch. Alpha Dan and Alpha Bob both jumped in their seats but Bryce was calm still with that glint in his eye.
The next words out of Faolan's mouth were strained and laced with murder.
"I consider that crime to be one of the most gravest crimes known. If someone has indeed committed such an atrocity I will personally met out the punishment that is warranted for it"
Faolan was done with this conversation. Bryce needed to get to the point and quickly.
"Good. I just wanted to make sure that all still held true." Bryce continued to meet Faolan's gaze which he had never done before for this long. Bryce was an Alpha, but Faolan was a king. If words ever came to blow Faolan had no doubt who would win. Faolan continue to stare down the Alpha. After a moment the man finally spoke.
"I accuse Alpha King Faolan of force marking a shewolf." Chaos erupted. Faolan grabbed Bryce by the collar and shoved him against a wall. Alpha Dan began shouting at the two of them while being held back by Theo. Alpha Bob stood with his head down in shame.
"What the fuck are you trying to get at," Faolan snarled. Bryce stared back down at him undisturbed by Faolan's reaction.
"Do you deny it?" Bryce asked.
"Of course I deny it! I would never do such a thing." Faolan wasn't bothering to keep his voice in control.
"Can you deny that you marked Riona the first night of the gathering?" Faolan was confused now.
"Who the fuck is Riona?"
"He means Maggie," Alpha Bob interrupted. Faolan turned his head to look at him. Alpha Bob continued clarifying.
"When Bryce came to me about his missing pack member I had no idea who he was talking about. It wasn't until he started to describe her to me that we connected the pieces. Riona is Maggie, and she is a runaway from Alpha Bryce's pack."
Faolan dropped Bryce as he processed everything he was told. It made so much more sense why he found Bryce over at Maggie's trailer that morning. He wasn't my trying to run off a rogue. He was trying to take back his pack member.
Faolan turned his sneer back to Bryce. Bryce still stood there confidently even with his shirt ruffled where Faolan had grabbed him. He wanted his Maggie back and Faolan would not allow it.
"She's a rogue," Faolan grumbled.
"That doesn't excuse what you did," Bruce replied.
"I didn't force her. She's my mate!" Faolan yelled again.
"And I know for a fact that she is NOT your mate!" Bryce yelled back.
Faolan froze. "What did you just say?" He couldn't believe the words coming out of Bryce's mouth.
"I said I know for a fact that Riona," he emphasized the name as he spoke each enunciated word,"could not be your mate!" Those were almost the exact words Maggie had told Faolan when they had first discussed about being mates. Maggie was so sure that Faolan couldn't of been her mate and here was Bryce doing the same thing. This only confirmed Faolon's suspicions. Maggie had another mate before him. But that didn't matter now. Maggie was his no matter what name she was called.
"Wolves can have more than one mate you know." Faolan stated. Bryce scoffed at him.
"That's a bunch of fairy tales we tell those who are rejected so they don't completely lose themselves."
"Just because you have never seen it doesn't mean it doesn't happen."
"Alright then," Bruce smiled as he walked around the room. "Since you still insist you did not commit a crime, let's prove it. Bring Riona forward and let us speak with her."
"No!" growled Faolan. Bryce smirked at him.
"If you really didn't commit any crime then you have nothing to lose by letting us speak to her. This could all be cleared up in a matter of moments."
"I will not have my mate interrogated by a bunch of Alphas. Especially by you. Who know what's trauma she suffered under your so called leadership?"
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist on that," Alpha Bob interrupted. "I don't want to believe the claims either, but I think of Maggie as another daughter. I understand you would want to protect her but I also want to know that she is indeed here of her own free will. The manner in which you departed with her along with the evidence Alpha Bryce had brought us, makes it to where I must insist on hearing Maggie side of the matter."
Faolan couldn't blame Alpha Bob for that. It was obvious he really did care about Maggie and as much as he wanted to be loyal to his king, the well being of those he loved came first.
"So I guess that settles it," Bryce said matter of factly. "You will bring the girl forward as evidence against or for your crimes...unless you have some other way to prove your innocence."
"Actually there is.." Faolan called out. Before anyone could say anything more her lifted his hand to the collar of his shirt before yanking it to the side.
Faolan almost chuckled as he saw Bryce's face change from that of glee to now one of pure horror as he realized what he was seeing. Maggie's mating mark on Faolan's shoulder.
"That's impossible," Bruce stuttered. "He must have faked it or forced her to do it."
"You can't force a she wolf's mark on someone," Alpha Dan shouted. "If he has her mark then there are mates in every sense of the word."
"Congratulations my King," Alpha Bob stated with a smile. "You have yourself an amazing Luna."
"Oh I know," Faolan replied. "And I will live every day trying to deserve her." Alpha Bob nodded at Faolan satisfied with his declaration. Faolan turned to the now horrified Bryce.
"Now as for you.." but Faolan was cut off before he could say more by the office door opening followed by his frantic mate.
"Faolan is everything alright?" Maggie rushed over to Faolan who met her halfway trying to block her view of the other Alphas. "I was making dinner when I felt something off. Is everything alright?" Maggie looked Faolan up and down trying to find any signs of injury.
Maggie must of felt his anger through the bond and come worried about him. Faolan warmed at the thought that her mate came to his aid but didn't want to subject her to the possible trauma that was behind him.
"I'm fine Maggie," he tried to assure her. "You don't have to worry. Everything is alright."
"Are you sure?" Maggie questioned trying to look around Faolan to which he continued to block her view.
"Perfectly fine," he replied touching her face to bring her attention back to him. "Go back downstairs to Erin and I will explain it to you later." He didn't want to keep this from Maggie but he wanted her in a safe place when he did it.
"Alright," Maggie said skeptically and turned to walk towards the door. She got maybe a few steps in before she was stopped.
"Riona!" Bryce yelled out freezing Maggie mid-step. Faolan whipped his head around to glare at the Alpha. How dare he!
Bryce glared right back at Maggie, fury burning in his eyes.
"How could you?" He continued. Faolan turned back towards his mate.
"Maggie don't worry about him. I'll take care of it. Go back downstairs and I'll find you when I'm done." Faolan was desperate to protect Maggie from whatever trauma Bryce had inflected on her.
Maggie didn't give him the opportunity this time as she side stepped Faolan and walking directly towards Bryce and stopped just a few feet in front of him. Faolan stay close to her ready to react to anything.
"How dare I?" Maggie said in a strained tone.
"Yes," Bryce spat back. "How dare you-"
Maggie leaped at Bryce snarling as she tackled him to the ground thrashing and throwing punches.
"Oh shit!" Alpha Dan called out surprised by the sudden change. Alpha Bob stood smiling while he watched. He was was obviously familiar with Maggie's violent outbursts and was proud she could hold her own.
Bryce was curled up on the ground trying to block the blows Maggie was inflicting. Faolan could hear the tearing of fabric as she moved from punching to straight out clawing at anything she could get her hands on.
Faolan grabbed Maggie around the waist and tugged her off of the fallen Alpha. Maggie determined to finish her prey off thrashed in Faolan's arms as she pulled away still still trying to slice away. Faolan determined to get his mate away from the chaos threw her over his shoulder and walked out of his office. Theo would have to deal with this mess until Faolan had Maggie calmed down.
...
Maggie dropped the the spoon she was using to mix the batter when she was hit with a burning pain in her chest. She took a few deep breath at the pain subsided. She could feel Faolan was upset but couldn't figure out why.
"Maggie are you alright?" Erin asked while picking up the fallen spoon.
"I...I think so?" Maggie replied. "I've never felt him mad before..." Maggie trailed off in thought.
"Faolan?" Erin asked. "Don't know what there is to be mad about.."
Maggie was hit with another burning blast and this time she didn't hesitate, but instead ran off running. She had no idea where she was headed until she saw the familiar door of Faolan's office. Without knocking she stormed in to see what was wrong.
"Faolan is everything alright?" Maggie called. She found Faolan rushing towards the door to meet her. "I was making dinner when I felt something off. Is everything alright?" Maggie looked at him all over finding nothing that could have caused his distress.
"I'm fine Maggie," he tried to assure her. "You don't have to worry. Everything is alright." That didn't put Maggie at ease.
"Are you sure?" she questioned further. Maggie tried to look around him to check the rest of his office but he moved his body to block her. For someone who was alright he was acting really weird.
"Perfectly fine," he said while touching her face. That made Maggie lookup at him and when she looked into his eyes saw only pure adoration in them. She didn't realize how much she needed to see that until that moment.
"Alright," Maggie said skeptically and turned to walk towards the door. She got maybe a few steps in before she was stopped.
"Riona!" Maggie froze. They voice shouldn't be here. That voice couldn't be here.
Maggie turned around to see the man she hated most. Alpha Bryce. The man who ruined her life all for his selfish greed. Her wolf which had been calm over the past week now woke with a vengeance. The beast had wanted the chance to sink her teeth into the coward but was denied until now. Maggie struggled to keep her wolf in check as she stared at the Alpha. Bryce glared back at Maggie with anger and hurt in his eyes. What right did he have to be hurt.
"How could you?" Bryce said accusingly. What the FUCK!
Faolan immediately tried to calm her saying he would take care of it but Maggie ignored the words as she marched towards the monster. She stopped just in front on him.
"How dare I?" She asked. This was the man who strung her along for years promising her things he never meant to give. This was the man who rejected her and then refused to let her move on with her life. This is the man who had hunted her for years, tortured innocent lives to try to find her all because he could live with his own decisions. And he DARES to accuse her.
"Yes," Bryce spat back. "How dare you-"
Maggie's wolf did not let him finish the thought before leaping on him, hitting him with all her strength. The Alpha, caught off guard, fell under her weight. Without thinking Maggie let her beast take control and together they pounded into the monster with all their strength. Maggie felt as bone and cartilage cracked and crunched under her blows. When fists were not enough Maggie brought forth claws to tear at him. No amount of violence could ever compare to the trauma this man put her through.
Even after she was pulled away by two strong arms Maggie's wolf struggled to finish the carnage she had started. That Alpha had dared to challenge her beast and the beast longed to put him in his place.
When pulling her away was not enough to stop her, Maggie was flung over a shoulder and carried out of the office. Maggie lifter her head and snarled as she was retreated from the room. She did not pay attention which direction they went as she was carried down the hallway.
The room that they entered filled her senses with familiar smells, trying to lull her into a sense of comfort but the beast pushed them aside not wanting to let go of its hate. Maggie was brought into a small bright room and dumped into a tiled enclosure, her eyes dashing around not registering where she was.
"Maggie calm down sweetie. He's not there anymore. Deep breaths." Strong arms held her as she clawed at the walls trying to get away. "Maggie sweetie, please don't make me do this." After a few more struggles Maggie heard the roar of pipes before she was doused in ice cold water. Maggie's wolf screeched at the sudden sensation but quickly recovered before continuing her escape effort.
Strong arms still held her under the flow while words she couldn't quite understand called out to her.
"Maggie. Please Maggie. Maggie please listen to me." The cries grew more and more desperate as the figure in front of her wrestled to keep her still.
"Riona!" Maggie's beast instantly stopped at the shout of her true name. Slowly the violet haze faded and everything around her came into focus. Maggie was in the shower of the en suite bathroom of Faolan's room. Faolan sat on the shower tiled in front of her holding her face with both hands as they were both being doused in cold water.
Realization of everything that happened hit her them. Bryce had found her. He was in Faolan's office and in her shock Maggie had attacked him. As the adrenaline wore off the implications of what she had just done came crashing down. That along with the freezing water caused Maggie's body to shake.
Faolan turned off the water above them and turned to look at Maggie once more. "It's ok my sweet girl. Everything is going to be ok." But not matter what he said Maggie knew she was anything but ok.