Warnings for execution, trauma, verbal abuse, and past sexual assault by pressuring someone into sex.
Chapter 3: A welcomed intruder
After Clarke had finished eating, noticing all the while, that her mates' eyes were on her as she ate, as if fixated by her enjoying herself, she gulped down the water and juice she'd been offered, and pushed the glasses and plates away, thanking her mates quietly.
"You're very welcome, sweetie," Pepper said, smiling, and Clarke couldn't help but wonder if Pepper had been designated as the "spokesperson" for her mates. She wondered if her mates had chosen Pepper specifically to talk to her.
She then felt slightly lightheaded, her eyes wide in alarm and she got up.
She must have gotten up a bit too quickly, because both Jessica and Frank were at her side, flanking her, keeping their hands on her side, to keep her from collapsing.
"I thought…I thought the drinks weren't drugged," Clarke mumbled, swaying on her feet.
"They weren't," Maria said, "But you just drank too much is all. And you've had a very long trip in the car. You should get to sleep."
Clarke wanted to resist, but felt herself collapse before she could help it.
She felt herself being caught and picked up and carried, but she was soon unconscious and couldn't process anything else.
As Clarke passed out, Frank carried Clarke off to her room, carrying her into the bedroom and placing her down onto the large, soft bed.
Jessica, Tony, Pepper, Natasha, Yelena, Bruce, Sam, Wanda and Pietro followed him in and watched as he placed Clarke down.
"She's had a long day," Natasha said, nodding, "We should let her sleep. In the morning, we can figure out how to get her to trust us."
Tony nodded, as Frank kissed Clarke's forehead and stepped away. They began moving out of the room, Melina coming in with a plastic cup full of water and placed it down onto the table next to Clarke's bed.
They didn't want to leave Clarke alone with any item that she might use to potentially hurt herself. They knew that the position they put Clarke in, wasn't right. That it was expecting too much of her.
And that it wasn't right to her to make such a decision without letting her have a say.
But they wanted to give her everything. Do anything for her.
They had learned what they could about the place that Clarke grew up in. Abby without question, didn't love Clarke.
And while it sounded like Clarke had at least a few friends that cared about her; Wells Jaha, Callie Cartwig, and those others; Harper, Fox, Roma, Sterling, Monroe, and also that former boyfriend of hers, Finn Collins, it sounded like the majority of the people there, had mistreated Clarke.
Abby was not the only one that Clarke's mates had kept in touch with, within the Ark, after the deal with Abby Griffin had been struck.
They had been in contact with Callie Cartwig too.
Callie Cartwig was on the council and had observed how Clarke was mistreated. Not just by Abby and by the man that Abby was in love with her, her actual soulmate; Marcus Kane, but also by Thelonius Jaha, the chancellor, who had executed Clarke's father before the Ark had come down, and a bunch of other people who later on verbally abused Clarke.
Their names were Octavia Blake, Bellamy Blake, Jasper Jordan, John Murphy, John Mbege, Nathan Miller, Raven Reyes, Myles, Connor, Jones, Dax and Drew.
And a lot of the older people looked down on Clarke, because she was the daughter of a man who had been branded as a traitor.
As the group exited Clarke's room, they all shared a malevolent look.
They would soon go back to the Ark camp and dispatch the lives of all of those who had ever mistreated Clarke.
When Clarke found out? Of course, she would be angry. She would be furious. She would cry and scream.
But she was better off here with them, than she ever would be with people like that.
If Clarke wanted? They could bring Wells, Callie, Roma, Fox, Harper, Sterling, Monroe and Finn here.
Callie in fact had even suggested it in her letters. That Clarke would have a much more stable environment with her mates, and after Clarke's mates killed off those that had mistreated her, they could bring Callie and those that had treated Clarke well, to Clarke's mates' home.
Most likely, Clarke would look at Callie as if Callie had betrayed her. But it wasn't betrayal, when all Callie was doing, all that Clarke's mates were doing, were trying to keep her safe and make her happy.
And they doubted Clarke would be allowed to be happy, so long as the people that Callie had described to them in the letters, were allowed to live.
As for what to do about the…marital situation? And the sex situation? Well, they had tried to reassure Clarke that they'd wait till they were married.
If Clarke decided that she wanted to change that? Then they certainly wouldn't complain.
But if she wanted to wait till after they were married, then they'd wait. That didn't mean that they wouldn't give her…incentives to want to have sex with them.
They'd give her kisses and nips along her neck, things that would excite her. She would have to decide herself what to do about them.
When the group were in the middle of their room, getting some drinks together from the bar, as the servants cleared away the empty plates that they'd eaten off of, Carol got up to sit on the bar as she gulped down half of the bottle of beer in her hands.
Tony and Pepper poured themselves each a large glass of red wine.
Wanda smiled as she dropped down onto the couch with her glass of red. "She's here," she said contently, "She's finally here."
"She's afraid of us," Frank said quietly, sounding unhappy, deeply unhappy, as he grabbed another beer from the bar.
"Yeah," Steve said, shaking his head, "Did you see how she eyed us the whole time before dinner?"
There were several nods.
"She kept looking at us like she thought we were gonna fucking bend her over the bar counter and pound her ass against her will," Jessica said, anger in her voice as she thought about the uneasy way in which Clarke had watched them.
Like she kept expecting them to tear her clothes off, pin her to the wall and rape her over and over again, just because she had been promised to them.
It hurt, but they understood why Clarke was afraid of them.
What else should she expect from the people that had more or less forced her to come with them and would force her to marry them?
None of this was her choice.
They understood totally, why Clarke feared them, as much as it hurt to see her fear them.
They would prove to her that they'd give her a choice. They would try to give her incentives to want to be with them before their marriage.
They would give her endless attention. But they'd give her a choice.
Elektra scoffed, sitting down across from Wanda and gulping down her red wine, then pulling the glass from her lips, as she spoke, "She'll see. She's better off with us, than with the people at the Ark camp."
"Agreed," Bruce said, sitting down on a sofa chair next to where Elektra sat.
Elektra snickered as she said, crooning, "You know what I want to do? I want to put my mouth on her and eat her out all night when we get the chance. Eat her out till she can't move."
"We all want to," Bruce remarked, chuckling, "We can take turns when we have the chance. Put our mouths on her, till she passes out. But we have to wait."
Elektra snorted, fighting the need to growl.
While they intended to give Clarke a choice, it didn't change that they wanted Clarke to see what she would gain by being with them.
They had read the details in both the letters from Callie Cartwig and the letters from Abby Griffin.
And it appeared that Abby Griffin didn't even love Clarke. Couldn't love her.
Callie even confirmed it in her letters.
Surely, when they killed off those that had offended Clarke, hurt her emotionally, mentally and physically, Clarke might at first scorn them, but she would realize it was for the best.
And they could show her that they could give her pleasure. Immeasurable pleasure and comfort.
Clarke would just have to take the chance.
Unknown to them, their path to their fortress in what had used to be called New York City, was followed by a car.
A small car, stolen from the Ark camp's location, and driven after them. By the young man, Finn Collins.
He had learned of the deal made between Abby Griffin and Clarke's supposed soulmates, and he had grabbed a gun, run to the car and had driven after Clarke and the people that Abby had sold Clarke to practically.
He drove fast, hoping to get there in time.
Wells and Callie had talked before and Callie had tried to placate the furious Wells, when Wells found out about the deal and that Clarke had gone with her mates. And Wells had waited, prepared to get what was necessary to get Clarke away from her mates.
But Finn hadn't waited to listen.
So, he was here, now, driving as fast as he could. He had followed the cars into what used to be New York City and then had driven off to make sure no one noticed he was following them. Then when they got a good distance away, he began driving after them again.
And at last, he found where the cars were parked. He parked the car he was in, grabbed the weapon he brought and got out, and ran to the tower where the cars were all parked.
(I'm coming, Clarke,) Finn thought to himself, (Don't worry. You'll be safe soon.)
He got through the front doors and reached the elevator.
He saw guards around, but quickly hit the "up" button of the elevator.
Thankfully, the elevator opened up before the guards saw him and he leapt inside.
He looked at the panel above where the buttons were. He saw the description on the top floor-that was where the people that had taken Clarke were.
The description of the top floor was, "The Leaders' penthouse suite."
That was rather obvious, wasn't it?
Finn hit the button for the floor and waited.
He knew he was going to be in the elevator for a while. He didn't care.
He reached into his pocket and wrapped his right hand around the knife he carried. In his other pocket, was a small gun.
Wells and Callie both had been getting ready to go after Clarke. But Finn couldn't wait.
He would rush in and rescue her.
On the top floor, Tony peered down at the screens which showed the security footage. There were multiple screens. One of these screens, showed the interior of one of the elevators. And the elevator that Tony was watching the footage of, showed a young man in that elevator, coming up to this penthouse suite.
Tony could tell, because the button for the top floor was lit up.
Tony's eyes narrowed.
The young man would not be able to get through the defenses. When they had come up here, they had switched the defenses off to get to their quarters and bring Clarke here. They would show her how to control the defenses in the morning.
But they had armed the defenses again, as soon as Clarke was inside.
This young man, whoever he was? Would not be able to get in.
And whatever he would try, would be met with pain.
Tony called the others over to look at the screen.
The group looked at the screen, seeing the young man come up in the elevator.
"Should I get my gun?" Frank growled.
He didn't need a big arsenal to handle that shrimpy looking kid coming up. Just one gun.
"Hold on," Natasha said, leaning back and checking over the young man's clothing, noting that the young man had both his hands in his pockets, "If he came here just when we brought Clarke in? You know what that means. He's probably from the Ark camp. He's here to get Clarke."
"Right," Wanda said, "And if Clarke cares about him? Killing him will hurt her. Hurt her severely."
Tony and Bruce grumbled and Frank, Pietro and Jessica cursed under their breaths.
The message was clear enough. They were to capture the young man, instead of hurting him in any way.
The young man finally reached the top floor and entered the hall.
They saw him coming.
He would not be able to enter, as long as the shields were up.
And even if he got through the forcefield, which he wouldn't, but even if he did? There would be dozens of traps waiting for him.
But unfortunately, they couldn't allow harm to come to the young man.
Scoffing, Pepper pressed two digital buttons on the pad next to her, activating the knockout gas.
A hissing filled the room, before the forcefield began, and pale white smoke filled that room, preventing from going further, by the forcefield, and the young man was hit by that smoke, forcing itself down the young man's throat and into his nose.
The young man yelled and struggled, gasping and crying out.
But his struggles were to no avail.
He collapsed onto his side, unconscious.
Pepper pressed another button, stopping the knockout gas from leaking into the room any longer.
When the smoke began to clear, they waited. When there was no longer any more smoke in the room and all that remained was the unconscious young man? Only then, did Pepper press the button to pull down the forcefield.
When the forcefield was down?
They moved forward and Pepper switched off the traps.
Danny and Sam went into the hall and leaned down, grabbing the young man and pulled him inside.
They carried him to a spare room, and Pepper switched the traps and the forcefields back up.
They decided that they'd put the traps and forcefields back up in the downstairs area.
They had taken the forcefields and traps off from the lower levels, because they had figured that no one would try something like this. They had been wrong.
So, they activated all the lower forcefields and traps. No one now would be able to get within so much as twenty feet of this building's property without there being consequences.
They emptied all of the young man's pockets, finding a knife and a small handgun. They confiscated both items, of course. Then they chained the young man on top of a table in that spare room.
The rest of them stayed in the huge main room, if Clarke needed them and to keep the servants in the loop of what was happening.
The selected group with the unconscious young man; Elektra, Frank, Sylvie, Bruce, Peggy, Melina and Barney, sat down around him, waiting for him to wake up.
The boy's physical appearance told them all nothing.
They didn't know who he was and his appearance didn't make him stand out at all as anyone that Callie or Abby might have told them about in their letters.
So, they waited.
Then the young man coughed and slowly woke up.
The group of seven got up from their chairs and moved in closer.
They leaned over the young man and as soon as he saw them, he struggled against his bindings, glaring.
"Let me go!" He spat, "You let Clarke go, too!"
"You wish for us to stop keeping Clarke captive?" Sylvie asked, "Young man, we're not holding Clarke captive."
Okay, that was sort of a lie.
And that was demonstrated in the young man's next enraged words. The young man spat, "That's complete bullshit! She would never be here, if it weren't for a deal that was made when she was just a little girl! She didn't have a choice! You decided it for her! This is imprisonment! Clarke never had a choice!"
Bruce sighed, feeling that this young man had a point. At least, if anyone had tried to break, it had been someone that clearly cared about Clarke.
"We understand," Peggy said, smiling gently at the young man, "But we knew that our mate needed to be safe. And if we hadn't made that deal? The tribes would ask questions. They would want to know why we were providing that protection for your community and not for any of the other tribes."
That too was a lie.
Yes, they had wanted to provide protection for Clarke and for Clarke to feel like her people were being protected.
But the other intention? Had been to keep Clarke with them. They had learned what Clarke's life was like, through more or less deceptive letters sent to them by Abby Griffin, and by more truthful letters sent to them by Callie Cartwig.
Clarke's life wasn't a happy one there at the Ark camp. Yes, she had friends there. But little else was there in that camp that made her happy.
Her father dead, killed by Clarke's own mother when her mother had betrayed her father to the chancellor of the Ark. Witnessing her father be executed in front of her. Her mother growing up treating Clarke as if she were a burden and distancing herself from Clarke. Treating Clarke coldly and manipulating the girl. Only giving Clarke attention when she needed something from her own daughter.
Then there was the rest. The people that had hurt Clarke over the years.
Bellamy Blake, Octavia Blake, Raven Reyes, Jasper Jordan, Nathan Miller, Dax, Atom, John Murphy, John Mbege, Drew-they hurt Clarke, and deserved death. Just as much as Abby and her dear Kane did. Just as much as Thelonius Jaha did.
And Clarke was better off with all of them and with the all the people in their life who would treat Clarke as family. Not with the abusers that had mistreated her, her entire life.
And they would find a way to bring Callie Cartwig, Wells Jaha, Fox, Harper, Monroe, Sterling, Roma and Finn here.
Assuming one of wasn't already here.
Which caused Peggy to ask the question. "Young man," she said, "What is your name?"
The young man looked like he wanted to protest, but he must have realized that he had no chance of not doing what these people wanted, considering what his position was right now.
He growled out, "Finn Collins."
The name brought several startled gasps.
Bruce looked at Frank, smirking. He said, "Aren't you glad you didn't kill him, Castle?"
Frank glowered at Bruce, annoyed, but said nothing.
Finn tried not to shiver. He definitely didn't want to be in this position. He realized now that he should have waited for Wells and Callie. Now he was probably dead meat.
"Collins," Sylvie said, smiling down at the bound young man, "I realize that this must be difficult for you. But I promise, we aren't going to hurt Clarke. Not ever. We're keeping her here because we want her safe and happy. You, I'm sure, know what it's been like for Clarke, living in the Ark camp, where almost everyone treats her badly. Where there is only a handful of people like you, who treat her well."
Finn's eyes widened.
Seeing Finn's surprised look, Barney smirked, deciding to take advantage. He said, "Try to think about it, Collins. You and Clarke aren't together anymore. And besides you, Cartwig, Jaha's son, Wells, Roma, Harper, Fox, Monroe and Sterling? No one treats Clarke like she's a human being. So, why don't the eight of you stay here with us and Clarke? Do any of you have anything tying you to that camp? Clarke I'm sure would be overjoyed that you were with us."
Finn wanted to snap at this man, but thought about it.
The Ark people? They always had treated Clarke as if she was a disease.
Him? Wells, Callie, Fox, Harper, Monroe, Sterling and Roma? They had been the only ones to care about Clarke.
And as for any one of them being tied to the Ark camp? That was a no.
Finn had been an orphan since he was five years old. Him and Raven had known each other since he had been ten. But she was a horrible person. For the most part, she had pressured him into sex.
And when he finally had enough, she blamed Clarke, even if Finn was the one that had lied to Clarke about not having a girlfriend.
Sterling, Monroe, Harper and Fox were all orphans.
Callie's parents had been dead for years and she had long since been fed up with her former boyfriend, Kane. And she didn't know her soulmate was.
Wells didn't know who his soulmate was, and he hated his biological father, Thelonius Jaha, for killing Jake Griffin.
Roma had parents, but her parents, like Roma, were becoming fed up with the hypocritical Ark behavior and wanted to leave with Roma.
"You…," Finn began, not daring to hope, "You really would protect Clarke and not hurt her?"
"Of course," Sylvie said, practically purring, "We are her soulmates. We would do anything for her. Including giving the eight of you and anyone else you want with you, a home here where Clarke can see you."
Finn's eyes widened.
Still, he had to be sure.
He growled, "If you've hurt Clarke or have forced her into anything sexually-"
Both Elektra and Peggy laughed, cutting him off and startling him.
Frank, Barney, Melina and Bruce snickered.
"Oh, Collins," Sylvie said, "We would only do what Clarke tells us to do. You have no need to worry about that."
Finn blinked. He had no idea how to interpret that. Needless to say, these people weren't at all what he had been expecting when he had come here.