“If I don’t come knocking on your door, know it is not your time”-Death.
Pain.
Intense and mortifying pain.
It spread from his toenails upwards, choking him. Ruarc could barely understand what was happening to him. He felt this pain when Nuella died. Now it is here again, and Ruarc hopes the goddess is not playing games with him. Second chance mates are rare, and only the good people have them. Heaven knows, he’s not a good person. Whoever this person is, is dying and Ruarc hopes the person had spent their dying moments in good hands. His heart skipped a beat every now and then and Ruarc could feel himself getting hotter. The AC was on.
“Cocci!”
No answer. Ruarc muttered a curse. His chest is getting congested, and lower, he felt like his intestines are being ripped out. Bullet and stab wounds he could endure. But not this. He wondered how Davidson had survived this.
It stopped. Just like that and Ruarc wondered if the person is dead. He gets up quickly leaning against the wall, trying to catch his breath. Cocci rushes into his room barely clothed. Ruarc rolls his eyes. Wrong timing lad.
“What the fuck happened to you man?”
“It was just a convulsion.”
“Just a convulsion?”, Cocci yelled. “You nearly died from it the last time it happened, and it is JUST a convulsion?”
“Stop yelling. You would wake someone,” Ruarc said, wiping the sweat off his brows. “Like you said, I nearly died. I didn’t, okay? So, stop worrying.”
Cocci won’t stop of course. That’s just the way he is.
Cocci gives him the evil eye. “Of course, I worry! I do care! Who would become crown prince if you die? Who will take care of your wives and your too many concubines?”
“Massa obviously. It seems he likes them. As for the title, Sia will take it. The rest of you are quite unreasonable.”
And it was true. The kingdom, his kingdom would perish if he left it to their care.
Cocci rolls his eyes, sticking out his tongue. “I’m sure you have already prepared your will.”
“Just go do your thing. I’m fine.”
“I’m staying here. Father would be mad if you died and nobody knew.”
“I’m not dying and I don’t need supervision. I’m asking you now as your prince and alpha. Get out.”
“So polite,” Cocci says rolling his eyes again. He turns to leave, but turns back again. Ruarc groans. He has a pest for a brother.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?”
“No. I don’t need you raping me in my sleep.”
“Whatever. I can call Izal. Have him look at you.”
“And have him give me more unnecessary medicines? I haven’t taken the ones he gave me, and I’m not unstable. My brain is perfectly fine.”
“If it is, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Just get out of my room Cocci. I want to sleep and your presence is irritating.”
Cocci leaves, after giving him a mock bow. Ruarc sighs and lies on his bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering who his second chance mate is. What if it was Crinka? No, he didn’t want that. That would mean she was dying-if she’s not already dead- and that would cause more problems for him. It would be better if it was someone else. Her face flashes in mind and he sighs in pleasure. He wants her no doubt, but who wouldn’t? Crinka was nothing compared to his wives. She was different. Back at home, he could have any female he wants. Now the one he truly wants, his heart yearns for, is taken. The smell of medicines pulls him out of his thoughts. He swore under his breath. He would kill him, resurrect him just to kill him again. He wore a fake smile, so his precious brother wouldn’t see how upset he was.
“Izal, if you come any closer, I’ll cut off your other arm.”
But it wasn’t Izal. It was Sia, and he looked terrible. Alarmed, Ruarc jumped from his bed.
“Forgive me.”
When Ruarc approached him, Sia collapsed.
?
Heavy paws pounded the wet earth and Ruarc tried to dismiss the images as soon as they came. His lycan self remained silent. Ruarc was more skin than lycan anyways. The missing flesh on her shoulder, his faded mark on the other. Ruarc had felt a pinch to his gut when reality dawned on him. He had nearly died, because of Sia’s selfishness. He attacked Sia, and Cocci had stepped in, He let himself be restrained, not because he was weak, but because she would be affected. She, Crinka, his mate. Rain was falling, and Ruarc wished she would fall out of his life just as she fell in.
Mates would make you weak. Reject your mate at first sight, or prepare to fall into your grave.
His father will always tell him, but Ruarc would never understand. Today, he did. The pain he felt earlier was worse than the pain he felt after Nuella died. He tried to convince himself that Sia had only good intentions but it is almost impossible to do so. Sia had even tried to justify his actions.
“I didn’t mean to Ruarc, I swear it. She was dying and I didn’t know what else to do. She had lost so much blood and she wasn’t responding to me. I had to mark her Ruarc. I’m sorry.”
It still hurts. Wasn’t the bond between them enough? Why did Sia want to hurt him further? He had killed Nuella, bonded with Crinka, and now he has marked her. The next thing he would hear is their mating, that’s if they haven’t mated already. Was Sia repaying him for what he has done and is still doing? Is this revenge?
Ruarc shifted and exhaled, falling on his knees. He had convulsed when the bond was created. He thanked the goddess that he had written his will. Sia has taken his mates, he can go ahead and kill him. Because for him? He wasn’t sure this life was worth living anymore.
“How many?” Massa asks, reaching for the coiled whip that lay at his feet. He lets out a painful breath. He longed for Ruarc to stop this.
“Don’t stop until she wakes.”
Massa’s hand came down with the speed of lightning and Ruarc hoped the goddess heard his cry.
?
When Lukas found his mate and marked her, I saw the mark, and envisioned what my mate’s mark would look like. But this mark on my shoulder, although it made me feel whole and complete, wasn’t my mate’s mark. And the man standing behind me watching my horrified expression isn’t my mate either. It’s weird having his mark-a black bleeding heart, with black drops of blood. What did the bleeding black heart mean?
“Say something Crinka,” he begs me.
I don’t even know what to say. I trace the mark with my forefinger, looking at him in the mirror, trying not to look at my bandaged shoulder.
“What do you want me to say Sia because I’m at a loss for words. What should I say huh? Congratulations? Well, I think that’s the right thing to say. You now own me fully like you’ve always wanted to. A job well done Sia. You deserve a gold medal,” I say giving his reflection a mock bow.
“I knew you would be mad, but listen I only did….”
“I don’t want to hear anything Sia. I just want to go back to sleep.”
It had to be the blood loss that was making me so dizzy. I want to just sleep and never wake up. My head spins and I lean against the wall, so I won’t fall.
“Are you okay?”, he asks, taking a step in my direction I hold out a hand. He doesn’t come any closer.
“Am I? I would never know. Answer me this Sia, have things ever been okay since you stepped into my life? Have I been okay since you marked me? You marked me just last night and I’m feeling so dizzy this morning”.
“Dizzy? You’re dizzy? Are you sure you don’t need to have your shoulder checked out? It might be more serious.”
“I will heal Sia. I’m a wolf. Still an omega, but a wolf nonetheless. And stop acting like you care about me. This wound is your fault. If you hadn’t taken me out, I wouldn’t be this way and wouldn’t have your mark on my shoulder.”
“What repels you the most? Me or the fact that you bear my mark?”
“Both.”
I take a few steps forward and I’m falling into Sia. Why can’t I walk straight?
“Sia? What is happening to me?”
“You just need to rest. You shouldn’t be moving around so much. I’d cancel my plans to see Massa with you.”
No! I can’t go to sleep! This might be the only opportunity I have to see the infamous Massa. I can’t waste it, just because I want to sleep. Sia is already scooping me in his arms before I can protest, walking towards what I guess is the bed.
“Don’t put me down Sia! I don’t want to sleep anymore. I want to see Massa.”
“You’re talking and your eyelids are closing. We can go when I’m assured you won’t sleep on me.”
“I won’t sleep. I swear. I’ll drink coffee.”
Sia snorts, placing me on the sheets. “You don’t even like coffee.”
Was it that obvious? Before my body could sink deeper into the sheets, I jump up running past Sia and into Cocci. He mutters a curse under his breath.
“Do you have to bump into me every time? Now you spilled coffee on my shirt and I don’t have another to wear to the wedding and I’m late.”
“Do you always greet people with your problems? A simple good morning will be fine.”
Cocci snorts. “Good morning is overrated. Sia knows what I’m talking about.”
I turned back to see Sia. My head is spinning again. I would have kissed the floor if Cocci hadn’t caught me on time. Sia’s nostrils flared.
“This is what I am saying.”
Cocci’s expression read, ‘help me I am lost.’
“What exactly are you saying Sia? And why is Crinka running away from you instead of into you?”
I roll my eyes at his comment, righting myself. “Crinka doesn’t want to rest like she’s supposed to and she won’t see a doctor. Give her a reason why she should rest. She’s not listening to me.”
“How would she when all you do is scold her?”
I hum in agreement. I love this guy. Cocci turns to me. “See baby girl, don’t let him force you into what you don’t want to. But on a serious note, you need to rest. Shark bites are dangerous. I watched one chop off my brother’s arm.” He pretended to wipe a tear. “Nasty. The shark got away like yours did. Your shark hid in the river for safety, just like my brother’s.”
I bite my lip to stifle a laugh. Was Cocci indirectly calling Anita a shark and dangerous? That too in front of Sia? I’m guessing Cocci, just like me, doesn’t like her. Good. I hope that bitch is unlikeable to everyone.
Sia scowls. “Telling you was a mistake. Don’t let her leave the house. I’ll be back.”
“Where are you going?”
Is he by any chance going to see Massa without me?
“I know what you’re thinking. I’m only going to get you painkillers Ruarc doesn’t have any.”
“That’s a lie. He gave me some when I was here before. Just say you want to go and see Massa and stop giving me excuses. It would make your punishment easier;”
Cocci chuckles. “Punishment ha. You’ve got yourself a keeper.”
Sia snorts. “Keeper? More like I’ve gotten myself a headache. And I’m not giving excuses. I did check. There are no painkillers.”
I look to Cocci for confirmation. He nods. “Then how did you numb the pain?”
“I didn’t. My mark did. Now if you will excuse me, let me go get them before the numbness wears off,” he says and leaves me alone in the hallway with Cocci.
“Where is he going to get the painkillers?”
“Don’t bother asking. You’re not leaving this house. I’m your bodyguard from now on,” he says puffing out his chest and I give him a mock salute.
I sidestep him so that I can go downstairs, but Cocci plants himself before me.
“No. I said you aren’t going anywhere.”
“But I just want to make coffee. I am not running away.”
“Then I’ll carry you. I don’t want you going down the stairs in your dizzy state. You might fall and break a leg and I’ll just stand by and watch.”
“What type of guard are you? Sia will kill you.”
Cocci snorts, scooping me up in his arms. “You talk as if I’m afraid of death. Now tell me my lovely bride, where do we spend our wedding night?”
I roll my eyes at him. “I don’t know if sun shines in the night Cocci, plus I’m not interested.”
“Yet you’re snuggling into my chest,” Cocci says as he descends the stairs. His arms are warm. You can cuddle in them all day.
“Just make me coffee,” I say closing my eyes.
“Sshh. I’m checking the sturdiness of the kitchen table. I’m not sure, but I think it will make a nice bed.”
And it did.