Marked By The Alpha

Chapter Five – Clash of Wills

Arthur’s shadow filled the doorway, his presence swallowing the air from the room. His black eyes glowed faintly, his wolf simmering just beneath the surface. Ivy had never seen rage so controlled, so deliberate. It was the kind of fury that destroyed kingdoms—slow, precise, inevitable.

Michael moved instantly, stepping in front of her, his stance tense but unwavering. “You won’t touch her,” he growled, though his voice betrayed the tremor of facing a predator far stronger than himself.

Arthur’s gaze slid over him with contempt, as though Michael were a stubborn insect refusing to die. “You trespass in my den,” he said softly, his voice dangerous in its calm. “And you dare stand between me and what is mine.”

Ivy tugged at her chains, desperation lacing her voice. “Arthur, stop! Please—don’t hurt him.”

Arthur’s eyes flicked to her, narrowing slightly. Something unreadable passed through his expression, but it hardened again when he looked back at Michael.

“You’ve always been reckless, Michael,” Arthur murmured. “Always playing hero. But do you know what happens to heroes who challenge Alphas?”

Michael didn’t flinch. “They fight anyway.”

The air thickened. Power radiated off Arthur, pressing down like invisible chains. Michael’s knees buckled under the weight, but he forced himself upright, his jaw clenched in defiance.

Selra’s growl echoed in Ivy’s mind. He can’t win. Arthur is too strong. But his courage… it buys us a chance.

Arthur’s wolf stirred, his voice lowering to a growl. “Last warning. Leave while you still breathe.”

Michael’s lip curled. “Not without her.”

And then, Arthur moved.

It wasn’t a blur—it was worse. A sudden, devastating surge of speed and strength, his hand slamming against Michael’s chest with bone-crushing force. Michael flew back, crashing into the stone wall with a sickening thud.

“No!” Ivy screamed, chains rattling as she struggled against them. Her wrists burned, the silver biting into her skin, but she didn’t care.

Michael coughed, blood staining his lips as he staggered back to his feet. His body shook with the effort, but his eyes never left Arthur’s.

Arthur tilted his head, almost amused. “Still standing?”

“Still fighting,” Michael rasped, wiping the blood from his mouth.

Something inside Ivy broke. Tears blurred her vision, torn between fury and despair. “Arthur, please!” she begged. “If you love me—if you feel anything real—don’t kill him.”

Arthur froze at her words. His gaze snapped to her, sharp and dangerous, but beneath the darkness flickered something else.

Love.

It was twisted, possessive, burning like a wildfire—but it was there.

Michael, seizing the moment, lunged at Arthur. Their bodies collided with a force that shook the room, Michael striking with everything he had. His fists landed, his wolf straining inside him, but Arthur barely staggered.

Arthur’s patience snapped. With brutal ease, he caught Michael by the throat, lifting him off the ground as though he weighed nothing. Michael’s feet kicked against the air, his face flushing with the struggle for breath.

“Arthur, stop!” Ivy sobbed, her voice raw. “You’ll kill him!”

Arthur’s eyes locked on hers, his grip tightening. His expression was cold, merciless—but the bond pulsed between them, pulling at him. Her tears, her voice, her mark—it tethered him in a way nothing else could.

For a long moment, silence reigned. The only sounds were Michael’s strangled gasps and Ivy’s desperate pleas.

Then, with a growl of frustration, Arthur threw Michael to the floor. The younger man hit the ground hard, groaning but alive.

Arthur loomed over him, chest heaving with restrained violence. “You live only because she asked it,” he hissed. “But know this, Michael—you will not take her from me. Not now. Not ever.”

Michael coughed, pushing himself up on trembling arms. “She’s not yours, Arthur,” he spat, blood dripping from his lip. “She’ll never be yours.”

Arthur’s fist clenched, but he didn’t strike. His control was iron, but barely. With one final glare, he turned his back on Michael, facing Ivy instead.

“You beg for his life,” Arthur said, his voice softer now, though no less dangerous. “But what about yours, Ivy? What about the truth you’re running from?”

Ivy shook her head, tears streaming. “The truth? The truth is you chained me. You marked me without my consent. You call this love?”

Arthur’s jaw tightened. “It is destiny.”

“No,” she snapped, Selra’s growl backing her words. “Destiny doesn’t steal. Destiny doesn’t cage.”

For a flicker of a moment, Arthur’s expression cracked—pain flashing in his eyes before the mask returned. “You’ll understand one day,” he murmured, almost to himself. “And when you do, you’ll thank me.”

Before Ivy could answer, Arthur turned and strode toward the door. “Guards!” he barked, his voice echoing down the hall. Two wolves appeared instantly, bowing their heads.

“See that he leaves alive,” Arthur ordered, motioning to Michael. His gaze cut back to Ivy, dark and unyielding. “But she stays.”

Ivy’s breath caught, her heart twisting as Michael was dragged toward the door.

“Ivy!” Michael shouted, struggling against the guards. “Hold on! I’ll come back for you, I swear it!”

Her chest ached with a mix of hope and terror as his voice faded down the corridor.

Arthur closed the door behind them, leaving her alone once more in the suffocating silence. He approached slowly, his eyes locked on hers.

“You see, Ivy,” he said softly, “no one can save you from me. Not even him. The sooner you accept it, the sooner your suffering will end.”

He reached out, brushing his fingers across the mark on her neck, his touch burning and tender all at once. “You are mine.”

Ivy flinched, tears sliding silently down her face. Inside her, Selra’s voice rose with fierce determination. He is wrong. You are not his. You are ours. And together, we will break these chains.

Ivy clenched her fists, her fear hardening into something sharper. She didn’t know how, but she would find a way.

Arthur thought he had won.

But this war was far from over.