Chapter 6: Breakfast

Marcellus 

I heard her yesterday and I can only imagine what that meant. I felt the bond when she arrived but due to my illness, I was able to not feel the imprint I had on her. An Alpha imprinting on a mere wolf like her goes beyond screaming ‘mate’ like she did. It was deeper than just recognizing your mate. It is a flame. A soul tie. Bond for pain and release. Laughter and sadness. Unlucky for her, my sadness ran deep. For me, it doesn't come easy, how do I control the hunger for her when I will soon be locked away in the past. Everyone has finally avoided me and made sure that I had nothing left to do and she wasn't just scared. I was more scared of the soul ties I had with her. If she passes out of my gaze for a second, panic arises in me. Since I am weak, it is only going to take an army to pin me down into spiraling into anger. How can I manage this illness and my need for her?

I knew I had been sent to my early grave when she arrived. She was more doomed than I am. The pain inside me was non-existent when she was close by. The aura around her was healing. Because of my uncontrollable attitude, I decided to be locked away. Somehow I had regained some strength and I had some pack duties to attend to and the pack beaker had an appointment with me to try to slow the process. 

Every side of this is I would end up dead. And I couldn't help but think who would be there for her, when I am gone. I know I didn't care much for her but the fact she was married off to me did bring me some great concern.

I was the first to arrive at the dining table. The rest came to meet me here, struggling to get food down my throat. Nothing ever tasted right in this house. But I didn't care about running it any more since my half brother and father had resumed their position in the house. They handle things now and I just don't care.

“You seem a bit better.” Dad came close to his chair as the first thing on his face was surprise. 

“Better enough to give up sooner than later.” 

“You don't have to talk like that. We are all here for you.” He said distantly. I shook my head in disappointment. 

“Of course you are. I'm paying for your mistakes, remember. So save me the lecture if you need to be kind to yourself. It is too early for that.” My father leaned on his chair busy flipping through today's paper in the shadow world. We live on the other side of this world. This realm allows us to take control of the wolves and no other creatures of the night are meant to cross into another realm. Not after the peace treaty between the werewolves, witches and vampires. Yeah, it was a lot. 

My father was the Alpha king for long before stepping down for me to take over, that was before the sickness did hit me bad, the packs had bad blood among themselves. They do not want a king to rule over them and that isolated the smaller packs and this comeback has resulted in more attacks across the packs, more slaves and rogues. After the mess my father had made I have succeeded in creating order from the shadows. Even as the new alpha king my father was still the one seen as the leader because I had decided to work from the shadows since the curse took its full force. It is only natural that a political marriage was seen as a way forward, another form of an alliance between the Silverclaw and us, the Bloodfang pack. Little did they know that they were bringing my mate to her doom. She was better off far away. Far away from me. 

Although, I do love her presence and sometimes the space between us is what was best. My beta, Nate, had come to open the door Claudia and I were both locked in. Well I requested to be locked in that room but I didn't know they were bringing me a wife whom they had managed to convince that I was in bondage, torn away from prying eyes and the outside world. She had little idea that the room she saw as a little prison was on my orders, as my ability to hurt other people became inevitable. The dining table was full and Claudia was the last to arrive. Everyone was a bit tense and quiet and Claudia managed to avoid everyone's gaze but hers was stuck on mine. She was watching me, I could tell what she was thinking. 

“I didn't think you were coming to sit with us for breakfast today. You should have stayed locked away. We can't risk another episode coming from you.” Claudia's head rose up slowly glancing at my ‘remarkable’ mother or should I say stepmother. Myra never failed to show her disdain towards me. She had always seen me as a plague and it reduced the expectations she had of me. They were only living with me in this estate, by my grace and I didn't care much for them being around because I wasn't going to be around much longer. 

I didn't reply. Yet. I was too tired. Father and his wife didn't pay much concern for Claudia and I could only imagine why. “He has a wife, Mother. Even if she is an unworthy burden we have to deal with, he would be her problem now.”

Claudia scoffed. “Excuse me?”

Darius, my brother, snapped. “You are excused. You aren't supposed to be here. You can stay far away with my half dead brother.”

“I don't appreciate you speaking about him in that manner. Like he doesn't matter. He is sick and not dead yet.” I smiled, staring at her. Maybe my plan to have her, see the people I call family for herself is working but defending me like that was out of the question. Father, Myra and Darius stared at each other, surprised and hiding their face in shame.

 She continued eating as if not realizing what she had said. 

I stood up already as it was time to take my meds. “I choose to come out if I like to. If you all are scared of another episode, then maybe you should leave the house for me. Besides, it is my house. I am Alpha here. “ I sighed, turning to Darius. “I won't tolerate you speaking to my wife in that manner ever again. I might be sick but I still have a way with knives and I would not hesitate to cut off your tongue with it.”

I left the dining table not glancing at anyone. Holding on to my cane for support, suppressing the anger in me.