The Demon and His Plaything

26| No turning back

Derek awoke slowly, his head feeling fuzzy.

He blinked into the dim light, not sure where he was. He recalled waking up that morning with Samantha. It had been a relaxed morning, neither of them due to training or their usual day because of the visitors.

He'd enjoyed their morning, cooking them breakfast and then sharing an extra long shower together. They'd even spoken about how they could start to introduce Godrick to their parents–not landing on a plan but sharing some early thoughts on it. He felt close to the other man now, not feeling threatened by him and his relationship with Samantha in any way. Finding a friendship for himself in the other man.

As his senses started to come back to him, he registered his father's presence.

The older man sighed, "You feeling okay?"

"What happened?" He croaked out. His tongue felt too big for his mouth, his throat dry.

His father chuckled sadly, "I wasn't sure I could bring you down physically so I hit you with a tranqualiser dart. It had a small amount of wolfsbane in it." He added quickly, "It'll wear off after a few more hours."

Derek coughed from the dryness, confusion piling onto his disorientation. "Why would you do that?"

For the first time Derek realised he was bound to the chair he was in–his arms fixed to the chair arms with chains. They were powder coated silver, an obvious contingency in case the wolfsbane wore off early. He still tested his bindings, finding the chains didn't budge in the slightest, nor could he tap into his wolf–his attempt to mindlink elusive.

Benjamin looked older as he leant forward, "I'm sorry Der. I really messed up–I don't know how I thought this would work. I was just so excited about you becoming Alpha. I didn't think about the reality of you being tied to that family." His voice became heavy with contempt. His wolf grumbling underneath.

Derek blinked, confused. "Samantha's family?"

Benjamin nodded, "Your mum was right–the suggestion you two become mates was a mistake. They–" he took a breath, "They don't think like normal wolves. I guess they have to, running a pack–I don't want that for you anymore. You should have the chance to choose your own mate without the incentive we dangled in front of you."

Derek shook his head. "I don't understand, I wanted Samantha. She-she wants me. I didn't mark her to become Alpha.",

His father cast his eyes down sadly, "None of that matters. She has to do what is best for the pack. You can be free and I want that for you. I don't want you to be in a position I was–what our actions did to Tracy," his voice broke as he said his daughters name.

Horrible realisation was settling over Derek. "What have you done?"

"There will be a warlock arriving soon to remove Samantha's mark from you. Depending on how things go with the New Moon Pack, Samantha will be promised to either their Alpha or Beta."

Derek bucked in his chair at the last sentence–the idea of the mark being removed felt alien and abstract–he had wondered if it could be done when he thought Samantha hadn't wanted him, but the realisation that she was going to be given to someone else like property rocked him. He yelled out in frustration–his violent thrashing was futile but he lost all reason.

His father watched him with pain in his eyes. "You'll feel better once her mark is gone."

Derek cried, threatened and begged–slipping between each in turn while his father just sat there, promising Derek would be thankful later.

~*~

Grim's head whipped around as Godricks voice changed. The cadence and depth spiking into him a strange fear.