02. Underground Pit

Elijah got all the praise.

For a mission assigned to his team to fulfill AS a team, William couldn't stand it.

He was sick and tired of the organization pulling a fast one on him. If they wanted him gone, they'd just have to say it to his face but he knew they couldn't let go of him.

Even in favouritism, there was fairness. He had long proven himself as the best fit for this team and the leader too. They knew it, the team knew it, even the Lancaster's knew it too.

The Lancaster's were the organization's biggest investors. They took care of ammunition and tech needed to fight crimes in the City and were part of the top ten distributors of arms in the world.

Safe to say they ran the fucking organization at this point. They were also a strong line of dominant Alphas, until Elijah happened.

Pushing that thought aside, William had more things to worry about. The organization would just have to deal with his attitude today because he was going to give them a piece of his mind.

“Oh, William, you're here,” the secretary, Betty, pushed her glasses and arranged her hair, smiling at him. “Wasn't expecting you.” She giggled nervously, holding his mismatched eyes of deep blue and the other, a piercing green giving him a mysterious look.

Fuck! He was so handsome and Betty would kill for a night with him. Anyone would.

“Betty,” he tipped his head in greeting. “Is he in?”

“Yes, but,” she winced. “You know I can't let you in. Sorry. You need an appointment.”

“My status should count and it's urgent. It's regarding tonight's mission. I wanna know who leaked information to you-know-who.”

Judging by her face, she knew who he was talking about. “We faxed the mission to everyone on your team and well, he's part of your team so…” she shrugged.

“Dammit, Betty! That man has no idea how a team works and I'd appreciate it if you don't do that.”

Same old complaints, some old responses. “It's not up to me. It's management.”

“The management is what we make it,” William said. “If I have to put up with that one more time, it could just be my thirteen reasons why.”

She giggled, “You should lower your voice,” she glanced at the door and pursed her lips.

The door suddenly opened and he stepped out. Now dressed in his blue suit, Elijah shook out his silver hair with his stone cold gaze sweeping across the room.

“Did he have an appointment?” William asked, not caring if the other one in the room could hear him or not.

“He was called in by the chairman. Sorry.”

Of course they'd do that. It was only fair to baby the Lancaster and put a bottle in his mouth. He was their most prized possession but none of that could still make him team leader.

William would always have the upper hand here and it was worth sneering at the bastard over. Speaking of, he was walking away, face straight and eyes uninterested. The stench of loneliness hung over his head but he oozed disrespect.

William hated him. With every fiber of his being, he hated him. So just to spite him, he waved Betty goodbye and gained on Elijah from behind, he bumped into him hard enough with his larger frame, causing the man to pause in his tracks.

It was a petty move but William relished in it and did not once bother to glance back.

If he wanted the damn praise that bad, he could have it. Eat it too and shove it right where the sun doesn't shine. For now, William would appease his anger the only way he knew how.

“Drinks?” Jeremy wandered out from a corner with Andrew by his side. “We were just heading out for some.”

“Sure, count me in," he never said no to drinks. Why? It was his best pal.

“There's a place I wanna show you,” Drew said. “Promise not to freak out?”

“As long as it's not desperate Omega's begging for cocks, then sure,” William shrugged and he better change his outfit. He didn't want any of Elijah's bad luck oozing from his shoulder.

Elijah stared at the trio as they bounced off. The smell of coffee hanging in the air. He was suddenly craving an espresso. His shoulder stung from the harsh bump earlier. That was far from a mistake and he knew it. He sighed and looked outside to where his assistant was waiting with flowers.

He was supposed to have a date today but… he had other plans for the night.

***

“So check this, yeah? It's an underground pit,” Drew was bursting with excitement. “I found out about the place two weeks ago and maan! I've been here every night!”

William manoeuverd his way through the crowd as they searched for a place to sit. The place was packed with people all circling a large cage where the fight was going to take place.

“The fighters are so rough and some of them are skilled. There are no rules. Which means you can even get killed or kill-”

“Remind me why you haven't dropped this place for a raid, yet?” If anyone knew a member of the organization frequented this place, they could get sanctioned.

It was a good thing they were all top secret to the outside world. They could all walk into a store and no one would recognize them. They had their own lives outside.

“What?” Drew scoffed. “This is my guilty pleasure and you better not take it down. I like this place and I'm here to watch and bet money and-”

“And promote underground fighting. Your badge can be taken. This is illegal,” William pointed out. They found an empty place to sit and they took it, pressed from all sides.

William growled in anger and the ones beside him were frightened, lifting their shaky eyes to the hunk of a man. Their gaze turned flirty when they saw him and their scent filled the air.

No Omega in their right mind would pass by this hulk and not quiver down to their wombs.

“Enough threats, Willy. Just enjoy yourself.”

William snapped at Drew, “Don't call me that and fine, but you better not be participating or I swear to God-”

“Ladies and gentlemen!”

Drew had stopped listening and Jeremy's attention was stolen. “It's starting! It's starting!”

The lights dimmed and a man in a hat stepped into the limelight.

“Welcome to the Arena!”

The crowd cheered, people squealed and some were on their feet unable to contain their excitement. The place was packed with people and Willam knew the cops would give anything to have a tip about this place.

“If it's your first time, you're in for a special treat because today, we have our very own, all time winning champion in the ring tonight! And he's gonna make it rain blood!”

William guts twisted. This wasn't something to cheer for. They should be repulsed by the damn attitude. He was disappointed in his own kind.

“But his opponent is rumored to drink from the skulls of his-”

William had heard about enough. “What is this bullshit?” But his voice drowned in their cheers.

The first man walked in, built like a fucking wall with his veins outlined on his body. He had no mask on, leaving himself bare and easily found. William thought that was stupid and reckless.

“And our very own… Raging Fist!”

“Raging Fist? Who the fuck name themselves raging fist?” William wondered but by now the crowd had almost turned him deaf. They were on their feets, screaming and cheering so hard for this guy.

He must be the prodigy and Messiah around here.

“Place your bets, choose your fighters and let's fucking go! Go! Go! Go!”

They had just three minutes to make their bets and William folded his arms, refusing to partake in anything illegal. Even being here was pricking his conscience.

Time was up and the whistle was blown. The fight started and the crowd sat, allowing him the view.

Raging Fist flung himself on Hands of Steel, pounding away with rage that William had to arch his brow in surprise. That was brutal and no one should recover from such hard blows so fast.

There was a captivating way Raging Fist moved. His body was lean and his waist slender. His black overall hugged his body— you'd second guess if he was here to fight or seduce.

William was starting to get lost in his movements. He saw his next move before it even came and knew he would hop back as Hands of Steel whipped out a knife in his desperation.

His breath hitched. The more he stared, the more it dawned on him.

The familiarity was not too far off. It wasn't just how he moved, the graceful efforts surrounding him, it was the familiarity. This way he charged head on and caught the knife, twirled it around his fingers and discarded it. The way he hopped on his opponents shoulders wrapping his own arm around him in a chokehold.

William’s heart skipped.

He had seen those moves before.

He had taught this move before to one person and one person only.

It couldn't be.

His eyes darted to mask on his face, giving no hint, concealing his identity and features yet he remained bare before William’s eyes.

This wasn't just an experienced fighter.

These were his own moves that only one person could copy and why? Because once upon a Godforsaken time, Elijah Lancaster was his fucking student.