Arthit
The night was getting colder. Arthit had no blankets with him as he was never offered any from his parents.
"Cloud..." He whispered softly to his sheep who snuggled closer to him and offered the warmth of her wool. Suddenly Arthit heard large angry howls that caused him to sit up in fright. He could feel the intensity of their aura and realized it was a pretty high-ranked wolf.
"Alpha." He thought to himself. He quickly got up when he heard a large crash followed by the scream of his mother in the main house. Wolves began to howl angrily and Arthit could clearly hear the Alpha Prince Kongpob clearly.
"Where is he?" Terrified Arthit realized that the Prince was there for nothing more than revenge. He knew things would not end well. Of course, the Prince would be angry that Frame stood him up on their wedding day.
Screams continued in the mansion and the screams of the servants only scared Arthit more. He realized he had nowhere to run. He was not of age and could not shift yet. The animals around him began to get restless and he realized he had to hide. Getting up in a hurry he made his way to the side of the barn where there was a hidden underground room. He quickly removed the rug that hid the small door and opened it.
Arthit crawled inside and pulled the rug, making sure that it would once again hide the door and in turn, it would hide him. The animals inside the barn immediately went to lay on top of the hidden door as if knowing they needed to protect him. Silently he thanked them for their kindness.
He could hear the crash of the barn and the angry voice of the Alpha.
"Find him. Drag him out if you have to but keep him alive." Kongpob spoke up angrily. Afraid Arthit did his best to keep completely still. He could hear and feel the wolves walking around. He's shaking but tried to calm himself. Frame wasn't here, no matter what they did or how much they looked for him at the Rojnapat estate they would not find him. He heard Cloud bleat and the rest of the animals too cried out before they ran away in fear. A large crash made him gasp when a large paw went through the flooring and through the secret door. Seconds later he met the angry eyes of a black wolf that gnashed his teeth at him.
His angry aura emitted out in waves. Gasping he struggled to breathe.
"Arthit." His name was spat out like venom from the Alpha's mouth.
"Come out." The Alpha ordered. Despite his fear, he shook his head unwilling to comply.
"Aim." A human hand reached out to pull him out and he realized one of the wolves had shifted. A whimper left his lips and then the Alpha Prince shifted into a human; his tan muscular body exposed. The other wolf, Aim shifted back into his wolf form. The Alpha Prince moved towards him, his face was menacing and when he moved closer to Arthit he flinched only to be picked up and carried out of the barn in the naked Alpha's arms.
Arthit's survival instincts kicked in and he began to hit the Prince.
"Let me go! Let go of me!" Glaring at him the Alpha Prince spoke up.
"If you keep hitting me I'll kill you." The look in the Alpha Prince's eyes told him he was being serious. He kept still after that, too afraid to move, and simply allowed himself to be carried by the other man towards the main courtyard of the Rojnapat estate. His parents and several of their servants were on their knees looking afraid and in tears.
"Please Prince Kongpob. We had no idea our son Frame would run off like that." His mother spoke in tears. This was the first time Arthit saw genuine fear in his mother's eyes.
"You introduced him to that bastard!" The Prince yelled angrily.
"Only because we were acquainted with his parents. We wanted to show him our support in his time of need." His father spoke up. He had tears in his eyes and the man that Arthit had always feared seemed to have evaporated in front of his eyes.
"For your son's sins, you will all be exiled from our lands. You are no longer welcome in Suthiluck Kindom." Immediately his parents began to weep as did their servants.
"Please. Where would we go? Our son he's an Omega. His mate is dead." Arthit was stunned as he realized they were talking about him. As much as he would have liked to believe that they were really concerned about him he knew they were being selfish for their own wellbeing.
"Then should I kill you all. Starting with him?" The Prince spoke up turning to look at Arthit who shivered as the other man pulled him closer. The wolves around them began to growl menacingly waiting for their orders as the servants continued to weep and beg for mercy.
"Give him to me and I'll spare your lives." The Prince spoke up.
"We don't know where Frame is. We tried looking for him as well. He disappeared." His father cried.
"Not him. I don't want a tainted mate. I'm talking about him." Arthit was unsure of what the Alpha Prince was talking about until his parents turned to look at him.
"Arthit... he's only seventeen."
"He has no mate. He is virginal. I want him as compensation." Arthit's throat had gone dry and he felt as though he was being talked about like a piece of meat. Fear overwhelmed him and he began to shake as he realized what the Prince was saying.
"Prince Kongpob. We can't do that." His mother spoke. For the first time, he felt grateful. It was the first time she had ever stood up for him.
"Why not. He has no mate. He'll never have one."
"There's a boy. We've known him for a long time. He's kind and mateless. We promised to arrange him with-" Kongpob glared at his parents before turning to look back at Arthit who remained frozen in his arms.
"If I can't have Frame then I'll just take him if you want him back you'll have to bring me Frame's dead body, otherwise I will not let him go. I'll spare your treacherous son in exchange for the other." With those words, Kongpob placed Arthit on a smaller Gray wolf's back. Immediately Kongpob shifted and soon enough Arthit found himself gripping tightly onto the wolf in fear as they took off with him.
He could only look back in tears at his parents who looked back at him in both shock and something that Arthit could not understand. Mai, Por. Do you not love me at all that you are letting him take me away?...
***
Arthit was confused and did not know what would happen to him. Would he be beaten? Killed? Raped? That thought alone made him want to sink to the bottom of an ocean and never resurface again. As they continued to make their way to wherever it was they were taking him Arthit still rode on Aim's back. Thousands of thoughts and fears continued to plague him. What should he do? Was there a chance that he could survive?
They crossed a large bridge that leads down a river. For just a second he thought it would be easier to just jump off. Dying would be easier than living. After all, he only had a few years. But maybe this was enough. He'd had enough. He had not realized that Aim and the rest of the wolves had completely stopped running until a loud voice broke his train of thought and he realized the Alpha Wolf Prince was looking at him with a cold glare.
"Don't even think about it."
"Come here." The Prince's voice was as cold as ice. Arthit's heart felt as though it would freeze from that single look from the Prince. He gasped when he felt himself slip off Aim and his feet that were bare touched the cold ground. The wind picked up and the rest of the wolves that were with the Prince all stood still as the large black wolf continued to look back at him. Arthit feared the prince. His heart was racing and a gasp escaped his lips when the wolf Prince moved forward. Arthit closed his eyes, waiting for the pain and eventual pain he knew would come. But when nothing happened he opened his eyes and was surprised at what he was. he wolf Prince in a kneeling position in front of him. The wolf was bent down appearing to bow at him but his eyes still remained cold and condescending.
"Climb on my back."
"Move it." The Wolf Prince hissed at him angrily when Arthit did not move. Flinching Arthit stepped forward and climbed on top of the wolf's back. He was startled when the Wolf Prince rose and he could only hold on to his fur tightly and wrap his legs around the wolf even tighter. He began to move quickly, running through the woods it felt as though they were cutting wind. Arthit was startled by the Wolf Prince's speed but he realized he was only seeing a small glimpse of how strong he was. He really should fear this wolf/man.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Will you kill me?" These are the words that he wished left his mouth yet his fear was overwhelming him. The deeper in the moved to the forest he could see a large light gleaming at them in the middle of the forest. It took Arthit a moment to realize those lights were fireflies. They stuck themselves onto the tallest tree of the forest and it was as though a large gleaming bright star had come down to earth and settled in the forest. It took Arthit a moment to realize they had come to a stop here. It took him another second to realize that the large gleaming tree was not only a tree but had a small cottage that was made from the large trunk and yet the roots themselves and the tree continued to grow and plant themselves firmly on the earth and continued to live.
"Kongpob. Are you sure about this? Once you do this you can't-" One of the wolves, Aim, Kongpob had called him before spoke up. But a quick and angry growl from the Crown Prince had quickly silenced the other wolf who lowered his head in submission to the strong Alpha Prince.
Gasping Arthit felt the ground beneath him move and seconds later he hit the grassy earth butt first with a harsh thump. The Crown Prince moved forward and suddenly Arthit found himself looking at the naked Prince again. Arthit felt his face grow hot and despite the fear that he felt he closed his eyes unsure of what else to do.
Arthit yelped when his hand was tugged and he was made to stand. He fell into the naked Alpha's arms only seconds before he could move away from the Prince, the door of the glowing cottage opened and an old woman with a cane and in a white robe walked out. She offered them all a smile.
"You're here."
"So you do know why I'm here," Kongpob spoke up before he tugged at Arthit's hand to pull him towards the old woman. Despite the resistance that Arthit had Kongpob kept walking practically dragging him towards the old woman.
"I did tell you when you came to do this ritual with that Beta that I do not decide who is and who isn't given approval."
"Rejection has never happened before." Kongpob snapped angrily causing Arthit to flinch. He tried to move away from Kongpob who simply gripped onto his hand tightly. The old woman laughed at the Alpha Prince his glare bounced right off her as though she was completely unaffected.
"Maybe you weren't really mates. The stars have never made mistakes when it comes to who is or who isn't blessed. There's only one other couple who has never been blessed and that turned into a complete tragedy." Her eyes fell on Arthit and she offered him a kind smile.
"He has no mate. Which makes you not compatible. He is not of age either. The stars will not speak up now even if you want them too. They will not approve of this union not when your heart is with someone else." Kongpob glared at the old woman.
"Bind us.
"Even if I wanted to. He is not of age. The stars will never allow this union as long as he is still young. You are not ready." She said to him.
"Bond us. With a pact, a blood pact." Kongpob said to her. Again the old woman offered a smile to them.
"That I can do."
"Kongpob." Arthit heard Aim protest but once again the Alpha Prince ignored him. Arthit was confused he had no idea what was happening. He had never been exposed to any of the outside world. In fact, this was the first time he had seen other wolves, aside from his own family.
He gasped when the old woman handed Kongpob a knife. Again, he tried to move away but Kongpob kept his hand held tightly in his guiding him towards a small cauldron that was placed outside of the glowing cottage. The old woman followed behind them.
"Please...Don't-" Arthit managed to say before Kongpob let go of his hand and raised his own hand cutting his palm. Blood dripped from his right hand and the knife falling into a small little black cauldron where the blood began to swirl and glow a green color. Arthit could sense the strong aura that emitted from the blood. Though it hit him with force he did not collapse as he did before. He had not realized that the Prince was holding his hand again until he felt a sharp pain on his right hand. His palm had been cut and blood too oozed from his wound.
Kongpob held his hand tightly in his their blood mingled not only in the cauldron but as they held hands. There was a warmth that began to envelop him and he could feel his heart thumping. The mark behind his ear burned and he felt so much pain he fell to his knees.
"What's happening?" Aim questioned. Kongpob looked at the witch Achara.
"Am I being rejected?"
"No Prince." The old woman spoke with a smile.
"His wolf aura agrees with you. He is not yet of age, which means his wolf has not presented itself. Despite him being mateless and you having a mate both your wolves feel appeased. His mark burns because his wolf has chosen to accept you."
Arthit was so confused and frightened. Kongpob on the other hand looked at him coldly and simply picked him up in his arms again as though he was as light as a feather.
"May the Goddess Bless this union. What she has chosen to be let it not be broken. With the stars as witnessed let the moon and the sun meet after being apart for so long." One minute he was being picked up, the next his lips were pressed against the Prince. It was brief, it was cold, it held no feeling and it was as fleeting as the wind.
The old woman smiled at him but there was sadness in her eyes.
"I'm sorry. But this was the safest and best choice." Kongpob is already carrying him away only to stop when the old woman calls out to him.
"Prince Kongpob. Just because things appear to be one way does not make them true. Just because you feel this hurt in this one moment does not mean it will last forever. Cherish what you have in your hands not what has left them." Prince Kongpob didn't turn back instead he kept walking with him in his arms. Arthit didn't know what would happen. He could only look at Prince Kongpob.
"Where are you taking me? Will you kill me?" Arthit finally musters up the courage to say. Kongpob briefly looks down at him before replying.
"No." Nothing else is spoken between them and when he is put down once more the Prince simply shifts back to his wolf form and once again kneels in order to allow Arthit to climb on his back. There is a different feeling in the atmosphere. He no longer felt afraid, just unsure.
He held on tightly to the Prince as he rode on the wolves back. The night continued to get colder and the warmth of the wolf felt soothing. It reminded Arthit of Cloud, his sheep. He must have been out of his mind but he found himself falling asleep. The last thing he remembered seeing just as the sun began to rise and his eyes began to close was looking at a large castle.
Thank you guys for reading I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know a lot is going on in it and you guys will get answers in the next chapter as well as Kongpob's point of view. Don't forget to vote for this chapter add this story to your library and leave a comment. I will be replying to comments when I have time right now I am on a tight schedule with work and a few other things that I will mention when the time is right. For now, I am pacing myself and will upload a new chapter in a few days.