As Hope and Promise Fade

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The Hunters’ lair was a large cargo ship with rooms for the select staff to rest and other rooms for prisoners to be kept. Marc saw all of this as he was dragged by three guards all wearing a chain vest up to the top deck. His hands were still cuffed behind his back with silver that had left his wrists burned nearly to the bone. There were more cuffs around his ankles just in case he tried to make a run for it. The Hunters weren’t stupid, that was a lot of the problem. His whole life Marc had been evading them and now they had finally gained the upper hand. It couldn’t stay like this, he refused to accept that.

On the top deck he found Ariana standing by Hal’s side. She was out of the hospital style gown he had seen her in hours earlier and now dressed in a pair of ill fitting black slacks and a green shirt with the Hunters Logo across the breast pocket. A stab of dread went through his heart. It was his job to protect her and he had done such a crappy job at it that now she was being forced to side with the enemy.

Hal took a step forward to address him. “I want you to know this pains me.”

Marc’s eyes never left Ariana. “I’m glad. I wish it pained you enough for you to drop dead and leave my people alone.”

“Because they are so innocent?”

“I’ll admit we deal with rogues but we do deal with them and try to save anyone from being harmed. Your cult mentality does nothing to help the world. I’ve done nothing for you to come and destroy my family. This won’t stay like this.” Marc promised with every fiber of his being.

“I’ll be looking forward to it.” Hal was smug as he stepped back and wrapped his arm around Arian’s shoulders. “When the time is right Ariana will be fully trained and it’ll be her to take your final breath.”

Marc finally looked at Hal so he could see the seriousness of his promise. “And I’ll be the one to take yours.” He looked back at Ariana and her eyes were full of tears as she finally let him see them. “I love you.” he wanted to be able to say those words to her at least once and right now they seemed too important to go on unsaid any longer.

Deep down she must’ve known how he felt but she was still shocked, her eyes went wide and her tears came faster as guilt worked its way through her system over this choice she made that was ripping them apart. He could handle losing her if it was to Jax but to lose her to the enemy? Now that was a tough pill to swallow.

The two hunters at either of his sides began to tug him away. The ship docked at a pier he recognized that could be found not twenty miles from his cabin. He grew anxious; if he got off this ship they’d turn around and make it impossible to be tracked. Marc couldn’t let her go without a fight.

“No.” Marc struggled out of their grasps and even chained with silver he managed to knock one of them to the ground.

“Marc!” He froze as Ariana’s voice broke through his rage. “Please just go.” She pleaded. “If you give them a reason to kill you all of this would have been for nothing.” She was right, the hunters could kill him right now and continue to win with her still their prisoner.

“I will find you.” he promised. 

Jax couldn’t believe his eyes when Marc came staggering up the driveway of the cabin. The scent of blood and silver clung heavy to the air. “Andrew!” he called for help as he ran down the porch to help Marc. “What happened? Where’s Ariana?” he hated himself for not being there to save them again. No one had considered how ruthless Hal could be to actually strike against the pack so boldly.

Marc fell to his knees in the middle of the pea rock. He made no sounds against the pain that must’ve caused. “Hal got her to stay with him. There was nothing I could do.” The strong man and alpha wolf freely let his cries be known.