𝓢𝓱𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔀...

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗻...

This is the second to last chapter of the Red Fang's inclusion in the story. The last two chapters will be Marcus' birthday and Graduation day (Epilogue). Thank you guys for sticking around.

Enjoy...

__________________________________

???...

The darkness was thick, suffocating, as Marcus slowly came to. His head pounded like a jackhammer, the remnants of whatever drug they had used to knock him out still lingering in his veins. His arms were restrained behind his back, tied tightly to a cold metal chair. The room smelled damp, with the unmistakable scent of mildew and rust lingering in the air.

A dull groan escaped his lips as he tried to shift his weight. To his left, he could hear Nick stirring, muttering curses under his breath. To his right, Mikhail was already awake, his jaw clenched as he tugged at the ropes binding him.

"What... what the hell happened?" Marcus whispered, his voice hoarse.

"They got us," Mikhail replied, his voice low, full of barely contained fury. "We walked into a trap."

It all started coming back to Marcus in flashes—the ambush at the warehouse, the Red Fang's enforcers swarming in, overwhelming them before they even had a chance to react. They had escaped... but then they got into that van... and nothing.

Nick groaned, lifting his head, his eyes bloodshot and filled with fury. "We need to get the hell out of here."

Before they could figure out their next move, the heavy sound of a door creaking open echoed through the room. A shaft of light cut through the darkness, casting a long shadow as someone entered.

Marcus squinted against the sudden brightness, and his heart sank. There, standing in the doorway, was Lucian West himself.

Lucian West, leader of the Red Fang, was a man who exuded power and menace with every step. His tailored suit hugged his tall, muscular frame, and his slicked-back hair gleamed under the dim light. A cruel smile played on his lips as he approached them, his eyes gleaming with cold, calculating malice.

"Ah, gentlemen," Lucian's voice was smooth, dripping with mockery. "So good to see you awake. I trust you're feeling... comfortable?"

Marcus's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he glared up at Lucian. "Bastard."

Lucian chuckled softly, walking slowly around the room, his hands clasped behind his back as if this was all just a casual conversation. "Oh, Marcus. Always so fiery. I admire that about you. I do."

Marcus growled in response.

"Ahh to be young again... so fiery, so determined... so eager..." Lucian said, smiling, but the energy was one of mockery as well.

Nick spat on the floor, his voice filled with venom. "Cut the crap, West. What do you want?"

Lucian's smile widened, but his eyes were devoid of warmth. "What I want? I think you already know the answer to that." He paused, then leaned down slightly, his gaze flicking between the three of them. "You've been a thorn in my side for far too long. It's time to cut out the infection before it spreads."

Marcus clenched his fists behind his back, his blood boiling. "We're not the infection. You are."

Lucian straightened up, unbothered by the insult. "Perhaps. But you see, the problem with people like you is that you believe you can save the world. You think that by cutting off one head of the beast, the body will die. But the Red Fang... we're much more than that. We're everywhere. And we don't just die."