The King's Claim

f i v e - beta marcus✔️

I push open the door timidly, and stand with half my body still covered by the door, ready to turn back and run. The rooms exceptionally dark, I could only make out the outline of a man.

"You requested to see me your highness." My voice squeaks, I cough awkwardly.

"I'm not the king, I'm his second in command, Marcus."

"Beta Marcus, my apologies. Why did you request me?" I feel a wave of relief wash over me, I don't have to see the King. Beta Marcus motions for me to come closer, I let the door close and walk closer towards his desk.

"I've been meaning to talk to you, Miss Maddox." He smiles warmly at me as he picks up a document from his desk, and flips through it. I feel a lot more at ease being in Beta Marcus' presence.

"I've been looking through this. My, my, you are the youngest Chemist this kingdom has ever had." Marcus smiles again, his eyes twinkling in amazement.

"Er- yes, it was always a goal of mine to get into Chemistry as early as possible." I shyly reply, overwhelmed by the compliment.

"Early's an understatement, you enrolled in our Chemist program 4 years early, a 14 year old studying one of our most challenging courses. You excelled in the final exams, topped the year in fact. Impressive, I must say. It says here you then went on to take our exam for Head Chemist, again, you aced that too. My, my Doctor Maddox, you have lived an impressive life. Some of your biggest accomplishments aren't even written here, are they?"

"What do you mean by that?" I ask, confused.

"We both know how bright you are Doctor Maddox, I wont bullshit you here. We both also know what you're capable of when really pushed to your limits." Beta Marcus' tone changes completely as the twinkle in his eye vanishes. I feel the atmosphere immediately thicken, this was no longer a friendly conversation.

I feel my arm begin to itch again at what he's suggesting, I'm forced to remember what I was capable of when I was at my most desperate.

"I don't know what you are talking about Beta Marcus." I challenge him with my eyes to say what he's implying out loud.

"Miss Maddox, I don't like being lied to." I feel my throat begin to constrict, he's using his aura to choke me but this was nothing compared to how I felt near the king. I could take this.

"I have no idea what you're implying Beta Marcus." I feel him try and force me to my knees but I still had my father's Alpha blood running through me, I wasn't going to kneel to a Beta, even if he was royalty.

"I have your sister's file Miss Maddox, I suggest you rethink your answer." My throat was beginning to burn from my refusal to kneel.

"It's n-nothing I'm proud of." I admit, collapsing. I feel the pressure on my neck lift.

"That doesn't matter, it's about your potential. Not your moral compass, I need something from you because right now, I'm at my most desperate." I didn't like where this conversation was headed, the only people that ever wanted something from me were always after the wrong things.

"What do you want from me? I won't do anything to harm anyone Beta, I wo-"

"Now now, who said anything about harming anyone? I don't want you to kill anyone Belle," I was instantly caught off guard as the Beta laughed and went back to his easy going nature, as if we were having a casual conversation about the weather.

"I simply want you to make me a little vial. Ormesta." I freeze up, "Nothing too potent, don't worry, I just need enough for a full sized man. Say 3ml."

Ormesta, or more commonly referred to as 'Fool's Fate', it was a potion that could trick a wolf into misidentifying his/her mate. Whoever drank the potion would feel the mate bond between whichever wolf's DNA was mixed in with the potion. This wasn't chemist work, he was asking for a brewer's potion, something I could only do if given permission by The King himself. So evidently, it was illegal.

Punishable by death.

"What you're asking of me is criminal Beta, you and I could both be beheaded for creating a brewer potion without the direct permission of The King." The Beta smiles at me and shakes his head, the twinkle returning to his eyes but this time, I could see the evil underneath.

"You should really stop scratching that arm, you were doing it in the garden earlier too." I gasp at his confession.

"That was you?" I pull the lab coat over my forearm, concealing it.

"We both know how you got that pretty little scar and I'm sure the King didn't give you permission for that potion either, if anyone in this kingdom knew what you did. You wouldn't have a second to explain yourself before they killed you for treason."

I blush, ashamed. I didn't regret my past actions but that didn't mean I wanted anyone else to know what I did. There's no way the beta could know any of this - unless he had ties to the lycans who destroyed my home.

"How did you find out?" I grit through my teeth.

"That doesn't matter but what does is you making that potion for me, you have a month."

"I have a deadline for my X-bane research." I try and reason.

"I'll extend it, this is your top priority and make sure that little lab partner of yours doesn't find out about this."

I turn to leave, disgusted by his words.

"Oh and Belle?" I turn around to look at the wretched man, smiling innocently behind the desk.

"If I hear you told anyone about this, I won't hesitate to make you shift in front of the king himself - that is - if you still can." I flinched at the cruelty of his words. One question raced through my head, how did he know?