Chapter 7. The Anxiety (part-1)

Chapter 7. The Anxiety (part-1)

Every werewolf that already reached the age of eighteen or more always felt anxious before the matchmaking party. That was because they were afraid they couldn’t meet their destined mate on time. However, when you failed for numerous times to find the one, the anxiety in your heart can lead to depression. And then, there will be nothing left in your life but loneliness filled with misery and pain.

Thankfully, there were methods used by the Blackfrost brothers to relieve their anxiety. Jayden for example used a glass of wine to calm his mind. He convinced himself that he could finally be able to meet his mate later this evening.

He took a sip of wine while his eyes were starring at an unoccupied space on his bed.

He always dreams that someday there will be a woman occupies that space, sleep next to him, and making love to him every single night.

He honestly couldn’t hold his urge any longer not to have an intimate relationship with his mate. However, premarital sex with any woman who was not his soul mate is strictly forbidden. This law was not only applied in the Blackfrost Kingdom but also allover Wolftopia.

‘What will she look like?’ he wondered. ‘Will she has fair skin? Or even tanned? Will she be tall? I hope she won’t be taller than me.’ He smiled a little thinking if his mate would be taller than him, he was 195 cm tall, and he couldn’t imagine any other woman could beat his height.

A sudden knock on his chamber was preventing his dream about his mate became wilder.

“Come in,” Jayden spoke calmly.

The head servant, Lauretta Saige entered the room; she bowed and greeted King Jayden politely. “Your Majesty, I come to bring your breakfast,” she gave a sign to the servants that stood behind her to serve the King’s breakfast on his bed. “I would also like to inform you that the preparation for the party will be finish at 4 pm this afternoon.”

“Good, make sure everything is perfect,” Jayden instructed while eating his breakfast.

Lauretta nodded and smiled, “Yes your Majesty, I assure you everything will meet your expectation.”  

Jayden then gave a hand gesture that signaled Lauretta and the other servants to leave him alone in his room so he could eat in peace while thinking about his mate again undisturbed.

***

On the other hand, Aiden Blackfrost appeased his anxiety by eating. He was very active and had fast metabolism so he never afraid of getting fat. Instead, the food that he ate made his muscle look bigger and bulkier.

After a servant served him a ham sandwich in the kitchen, his eyes stumbled upon one of the dirtiest servants in the kingdom. His torn clothes were dirtier than the cleaning mop that he held, his face was pallid with lampblack, and his black hair was a complete mess.

Though Jeremiah had a ‘signature look’ that differed him from the other servant, but due to his small frame and silent nature. His existence usually came unnoticed, except for Aiden who oddly couldn’t take his eyes away from Jeremiah. 

‘He looks sleepy, maybe I could help him to freshen up a bit,’ Aiden smiled wickedly. 

Aiden spread his leg a bit made Jeremiah, who walked in languid due to lack of nutrition, stumbled by Aiden’s feet and fell on the floor. Jeremiah's face was kissing the grubby tile and the bucket of water that he brought was spilled all over the floor.  

“Watch where you were going, Jeremiah.” Aiden laughed while munching his sandwich and stared him coldly.

Jeremiah just got up silently in sitting position; the smell of sandwich in Aiden’s hand made the sound of grumble in his stomach became louder than usual. Aiden couldn’t help but notice.

Aiden then pretended to give Jeremiah a sympathetic look, “Oh… Jeremiah, are you hungry?” he asked the boy who had been told as the son of his father’s killer.

Jeremiah looked up to meet Aiden’s eyes and simply nodded.

“Are you wanted to eat this sandwich?” He again asked the poor boy with a teasing tone.

Jeremiah nodded, this time he smiled a bit. He couldn’t believe his ear that Aiden Blackfrost finally showed him compassion.

“Here then.” Aiden patched him a small piece of sandwich and threw it on the floor, just like he fed his dog.

‘Finally, food!’ Jeremiah screamed in his mind, he quickly crawled to the piece of sandwich that lying on the floor without felt any disgust. But before he could grab it, Aiden quickly stomped it with his black leather boot. The piece of sandwich became flat-dirty with mud.

“Ups sorry, I did it on purpose actually,” Aiden confessed. “If I were you, I won’t eat it, because I know I stepped on some nasty thing wearing this boot before I came here.” He said while was towering the small-framed omega. He laughed after he could see tears in Jeremiah’s hazel eyes.

After he was feeling satisfied to see the mental pain he had inflicted into Jeremiah’s mind. Somehow, the anxious feeling that lied in his heart grew bigger, as he became weary for something he couldn’t explain. The youngest prince then tried to ignore the feeling as he turned away and left the omega to suffer alone.

Jeremiah just froze there as his hand still tried to reach out to the sandwich; even he became unsure whether to eat it or not. He was starring the sandwich for about a minute and sadly… he decided… to eat it….   

    

***

Unlike his brothers; Carson’s method of healing his anxiety was by doing sport. Any sport he can do; from running to boxing or even wrestling. He had well known for his brute force and powerful strength.  

That morning, after having a small breakfast, Carson Blackfrost decided to jog around the castle garden. His mind was anxious whether or not he could meet his soul mate in the upcoming party, which would be held this evening. 

Nearby, after four hours straight mopping the dance hall without help, Jeremiah finally finished his task and about to do the other one.

He was feeling exhausted and starving. Apparently, the piece of sandwich that Aiden just gave him this early morning was not sufficient to support his arduous chore. He walked slowly in limp to the kitchen, passing through the garden that was located outside the ballroom, while holding a bucket of dirty water with both hands. He left the mop in the dance hall because he didn’t have enough strength to carry them all. Besides, he would return there soon enough during the food transporting task.

It was so unfortunate for Jeremiah that on his way to the kitchen, he accidentally bumped into a hard wall. Truthfully, it wasn’t a wall but the fiercest fighter in the Kingdom. He wore a black sleeveless leather tunic that looked so tight on his muscular body.   

Jeremiah quickly bounced to the ground while the dirty water in the bucket that he held, was splashed on the face of the big man who stood in front of him.

When Jeremiah realized who the man was, he became frightened.

Carson wiped the dirty water from his face with his left hand while glaring at the omega who was currently kneeling in front of him, begging for his forgiveness.

“I am so sorry Prince Carson; I didn’t see you were coming.” Jeremiah stuttered with his both hand pleading. Among the three, Carson was the one who Jeremiah feared the most. He was a sadist who had no compassion for other werewolves or any living matter. “I will clean you right away if you let me.”

“No need, I don’t want your foul hand touches me, you son of the bitch.” He swore and quickly grabbed Jeremiah by his collar and dragging him roughly to the barrack where he spent most of his time harnessed his physical prowess.

Jeremiah choked by Carson’s powerful grip. He was screaming and crying, begging for forgiveness because he already knew what he about to get. “Please Prince Carson, it was an accident…. I am really sorry…” he pleaded, but Carson ignored him completely as he kept dragging the poor omega into the empty barrack.

Inside, Carson’s eyes landed on a punching bag that he often used to practice his fist.

He thought of something creative and extraordinary because he already bored with the conventional torturing that he often used to punish Jeremiah whenever the omega had done some mistakes. ‘This will teach him a lesson that he’ll remember for the rest of his fucking life.’

He opened the bag and released all of the sand that had been filled it. He picked up Jeremiah by his collar, put him inside the bag, tied it, and hung it upside down by the wooden pole. Jeremiah felt dizzy right away, as he felt his blood was clumping onto his head.

Carson made a living punching bag out of Jeremiah. That could scream in pain when he hit it and even emitted some blood if he hit it hard. And yes he always hit it hard, until the screaming of sorrows was changed into complete silence.

The prince opened the bag and release what’s inside. It was a boy that heavily been beaten down, wallowed in his blood with broken bones that could hardly be healed. He observed the boy and realized that he still breathing.   

“I hope this will reminds you to keep your eyes open when you walk,” Carson said coldly to the son of whose father had killed his. He then walked away and return to jogging while leaving Jeremiah lied on the floor, inside the empty barrack, dying….

Strangely, in each of his every step, the anxious feeling in his heart was grower bigger and bigger. All of sudden, Carson stopped to move, as he tried to comprehend what was happening inside his heart. Unfortunately for Carson, he couldn’t find the answer…

Indeed, every werewolf that already reached the age of eighteen or more always felt anxious before the matchmaking party. That was because they were afraid they couldn’t find their destined mate on time. However, for Jeremiah, the anxiety was not about finding his soul mate… but about how he could even breathe for another day….  

***