Favors and Leverage
Marcus leaned back in his bed, studying So-Ra intently. Her glowing blue eyes showed confusion and curiosity, but the slight tug of obedience was already apparent in how she kept her posture attentive. Logan stood by the edge of the room, wordlessly glaring, his claws flexing ever so slightly as he muttered to himself about "Alpha this" and "Alpha that".
Marcus: "Alright… So-Ra. I want to make sure you understand your role. You're here to follow instructions, yes, but you also have skills I can use."
So-Ra folded her arms, glaring slightly.
So-Ra: "…Skills you can use? I'm a detective. What exactly do you expect from me?"
Marcus leaned forward; his voice was calm but deliberate.
Marcus: "I want you to handle police-related things for me. Stuff like… keeping track of certain evidence, monitoring suspects, or, if it comes to it, bending the rules just enough to benefit me. For example, if I had a car, no tickets for me. Or, hypothetically, if there was someone trying to drag me into trouble, you could help them look the other way."
So-Ra: (uneasy) "…You want me to manipulate the law for you? That's… illegal."
Marcus: (shrugging) "Maybe. But think of it as… favors in exchange for your safety and guidance. You're a beta now. You're bound to follow. The only question is how smart you are about using it."
Logan snorted from the corner, flexing his claws.
Logan: "Yeah, Alpha's gonna have you running errands, bending the law, and smiling while you do it. Isn't that great?"
So-Ra: frowning at Logan, "I do not like this… but he―he said it's permanent. And I guess… I have no choice."
Marcus nodded.
Marcus: "Exactly. I'm not asking you to risk your life on this. Just small favors. If done carefully, nothing incriminates you, and you help me stay safe."
So-Ra: "…And you expect me to do this because… of that connection?"
Marcus: "Yes. That connection makes your body follow, but your mind still has input. You can resist, but it'll be harder—and it won't help you. I'm not cruel. I'm giving you a way to adapt safely."
Logan groaned, mumbling under his breath.
Logan: "Alpha this, Alpha that… and now you're corrupting the cop, too. Perfect."
So-Ra glared at Logan, then reluctantly looked back at Marcus.
So-Ra: "…Fine. I'll do the things you asked… but I'm not happy about it."
Marcus: (smiling faintly) "Good. I don't need happy. I just need capable. The rest comes with practice." Logan growled low and slumped against the wall, clearly resenting but recognizing that Marcus's word was law-even over him.