Michael Angelo
“Okay, so let me get this straight,” Rain raised a hand to massage her right temple, “you never MARKED nor CLAIM your MATE because she was fat and human?” she emphasizes each crucial word.
I only nodded my head at her; too embarrassed to utter another word.
“And you so happen to RESTRICT yourself from doing it for TWO years when she was with you?” She paused and eyed me like I just grew another head.
“Yes,” I sighed and run a hand on my tired face, “and if you want to include up to date, it's almost five years.”
“FIVE… years?” she whispered in shock.
I could only nod again.
Rain became quiet and when I directed my attention to her, her face was contorted into a mix of anger and disbelief.
“You're pathetic.” she blurted out and my once quiet men by my side growled in my defense.
I raised a hand at them, motioning to settle down.
“It's true. I am pathetic.” I admit quietly.
The boys' growled louder.
As for Rain, I noticed, she only frowned at my statement.
“That's not what I meant,” her frowned deepened, “well, maybe at the part when you neglected your mate — which so happens to be my soon-to-be, step sister-in-law here,” she pointed at Nala, whom I later discovered was named Legaxy in this region, “but still, my point lies in the mark or claim. You know, not doing so, for a very long time, is not healthy for your mate.”
I, hearing that for the very first time, wrinkled my forehead in turmoil while I heard Bear whimpered.
“What do you mean, Rain?”
She, before answering me, moved around the clinic bed where Nala was sleeping and into her office drawers. Then, she rummages her files and when she found the one she was looking for, she handed it to me.
“That's the medical records I have with unmarked territories,” she started as she sits on top of her desk, “men and women, mostly humans, who are not marked by their werewolf mates suffer from illnesses. Common sicknesses are headache, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pains. Worst cases are heart attacks, blindness, panic attacks, paranoia, and at some point, death.”
I snapped my head up to stare at her and she only nodded, confirming my silent query of denial. Then, she paused for a while as she let me browse the files that she had given me.
The first case started three years ago, before the war...
It doesn't say much about the problem, only stamped as unknown or cold cases. It does make you wonder why it was happening and how were these people now.
Were they cured?
Much less marked or claimed by their TRUE mates?
Were there any solutions then, nor treatments?
I think I need to do some investigation into this.
Shortly after, the number of victims for a day caught my interest; There were over fifty cases per day, two hundred fifty per week, and a thousand per month...
It was like a pandemic in the werewolf community.
I never knew anything about this, let alone informed.
“The rarest among all of it is the bleeding, just like the one that happened to Legaxy — Oh, wait! I mean, Nala.” she quickly corrected herself.
I passed the records to the boys, to let them go over with it too, before asking Rain, “How come it's considered rare?”
“Because no one knew the cause of the said phenomena… it just happens.” she crosses her arms in front of her chest, “But if you ask me, it's deemed unusual by the public because magic is involved... Have you seen Nala's neck?” Rain asked me.
I shook my head in a NO and that got her to stand up from her sitting position at the table. Then, when she reached Nala's side, she gently took off the bandage from my mate's neck.
My eyes drop down on the spot where the witch nurse was pointing at.
A fresh mark was visible on Nala's neck.
It was not a bite mark from werewolf marking, let alone from Vampire feeding. Also, not a burned mark from witch rituals.
It was more of a tattoo that was put in there, and it has these weird symbols on it.
“What's that?” Rocky asks, taking the question out of my lips.
“In the witch world, this is called a PROTECTION spell. We do this when one of our kind or any other type wants a partner. It doesn't matter if the human is taken or not. Let alone mated or married.” she answers and placed back the bandage on Nala who began whimpering in her sleep.
I instantly run to her side, dropped to my knees, and started whispering sweet things to her — just like in the past, though, whenever she has nightmares.
“That happens?” I heard Lucky inquired.
“Yes, ” I hear Rain sighs, “that is why it is better than a human mated to a werewolf is claimed and marked, or either of the two because the protection spell does not work on marked territories.” she further explains.
“Is this temporary, Ms. Isle?” Jay consulted.
Rain sighs again.
“Eventually, I don't know the answer to that. Protection spells are forbidden in our world. I don't have that much knowledge since we don't use it unless we are forced to. Though, I know it can be broken once the werewolf marks or claims his or her mates.”
“What if I don't mark or mate her now? What will happen to Nala?” I turned my head in Rain's direction.
She frowned at that and a look of disappointment flickered in her eyes.
“Well, I'm sorry to say this, Alpha King, but you better reject Legaxy then and find yourself another mate if you tend to prolong the process.”
Bear and I growled at the same time, the room shook.
“Not a fucking chance!”
“Your such an idiot,” Rain rolled her eyes, “don't you understand how powerful this spell is? When a witch cast a protection spell on an individual, they die and when spells require life to be completed, I guarantee you that it will be that strong. And noticing that she doesn't have any memories of you, that means it was two lives who have cast the spell.” she glanced at Nala, her features soften instantly, “Thankfully, whoever created this spell, made the cure less difficult.”
I noticed how her voice sounded gentle on this, and to note that it was because of Nala, almost made me smile — almost.
“Well, let me remind you too Rain that we can't mark our mates without their permission.” I stated through clenched teeth, “Unasked marking or mating hurts them and tends to make them sick for weeks. I can't let that happen to Nala.” I explained, earning a glare from her.
That got her to shut her mouth, but I noticed how her jaw ticked from anger.
When Nala, on the other hand, stopped whining, I stood up from my kneeling position.
I caught Rain giving me that look of concern.
“What?” I blurted with irritation.
“You know, you can't have her back that easily.” she stated and took the mentioned files from before from Jay, “She's adopted by the Dyme Family, the next heir to the Hue Kingdom's throne. Not to mention, as I have heard, she's being courted by the Vampire King.”
“What did you fucking say?” I felt my skin burned from rage.
“You heard me, she's a Princess to the mixed-race and the chosen RED of the Vampire King.” she half repeated, half cried.
She sounds worried...
“But she's my MATE.” I pointed out.
“That's the problem. She's your mate,” she looks upset now, “that means war, Alpha King, for I know the Vampire King doesn't like to share. Especially now that he had chosen someone.”
“Then, I will fight for her! She's rightfully MINE, to begin with.” I boomed, anger got the best of me. My body trembling and my skin burning — I was close to shifting.
“You don't understand, Alpha King,” she groaned, troubled now, “this may be a war to the both of you but this means DEATH to Legaxy. In our law, being mated to a werewolf, let alone to you Alpha King, is treason in the eyes of the Hue Kingdom...”
And that did it.
I ran out of the clinic, of the hotel, and shifted.