King started off the porch and Ender scurried after him, his small feet were the reason he was running just to follow King's single stride. The man was severely tall and scary too which lead Ender to speculate about the angel wings tattoo on the back of King's neck; it was a strange choice for someone like him. Ender wanted to ask about it but he kept his curiosity to himself and focused on keeping up with King instead.
It was early but the Institute was overflowing with students and teachers. No one rested here and it was always busy.
King took him inside the school and straight to the private elevators, which weren't used by any of the students. These elevators were used for the pack enforcers and Alpha Gabriel or the Beta Hunter.
Ender hurried in after King into the sleek metal box, the doors closed quickly after them. King clicked a glowing white button and the box started to move. Up or down, Ender wasn't too sure since it felt like it hardly even moved at all. The only way he figured it out was by looking at the large screen on the top that went from 'one' to 'basement'. The doors pinged open. Ender didn't know there was such a place here, he was sure that no one else know either.
Immediately, as they got out, Ender found himself in a large white hallway and a bright light at the end of it. They both went down when Ender heard the sound of voices and other noises. As they emerged from the end of the hallway, a massive area presented itself.
"Welcome to the Centauri training grounds," King said as they walked into the gym.
Ender didn't know where to look first, it was huge. Not only were there countless equipment pieces, but also a bunch of pack members using them at the time too. The entire area was padded with dark grey mats, which looked to be the reason the members could practice their combat tactics. Right now, Azura was leading a class with group of members. Ender found Dante and Leo with her too, they were listening to her words carefully, while wiping their sweat on their shirts. The other members were sitting on the ground waiting for their turn. Azura looked formidable in her leather suit that was molded to her body like skin. She had daggers, weapons strapped to her body too and it was for everyone to see them. She stood cross-armed, her long braid over her shoulder and a stern air around her as she spoke to Dante and Leo. Ender wondered how she got so powerful to be such a scary fighter for the Centauri pack. Where did Alpha Gabriel find these many fighters? Ender pondered.
"Azura," King called out to her.
Her silver-coin eyes looked at King and then down at Ender. "What's up?"
"How's training going?" King asked.
A smirk lifted on her lips. "I'm having fun beating these little pups into shape," she jested and a bunch of groans followed, which proved that everyone was indeed getting beat up by her.
King continued to talk about the training and Ender shifted to the side, standing behind them. He heard them exchange a few words but didn't pay any more attention because he was trying not to watch the training. Dante and Leo were going against two other boys, it seemed that they were being trained as a pair. Azura and King watched carefully and gave pointers, but that all muffled the moment Ender caught the sounds of fists thrashing and bodies hitting the ground.
Ender flinched at every sound, he realized much later that he had stepped away from them, until he needed the wall to support him.
Why did King bring him here?
Darkness overflowed inside him.
Ender tried. He tried and tried to push away the torment surging through his body, which chained him to cages. He didn't want to remember each and every fight he battled through. The scars on his body were the result from using his fists on others, even taking their life with his hands. Ender had killed. He knew what it felt like to take a soul from a body and then beg at night for forgiveness. Ender had even broken his own bones to be punished for his sins, but it wasn't enough. All the faces of the people he killed haunted him, they were still with him with every scar he had on his small body.
Suddenly, through the muffled voices that choked his very soul, laughter erupted in the room.
Ender looked ahead at the boys on the mat. The fight had ended and they helped each other back on their feet. There were no wounds, no blood on any of them, there wasn't the unmoving body lying on the ground. There wasn't a victor nor failure who would be punished for losing their gamble. They hadn't fought to the death.
Ender looked up and met King's eyes, he knew exactly what Ender was thinking right now. King knew, but how? thought Ender.
Another session began just like that. Azura was teaching them how posture changed one from defence to offence. She used another student to help her as she demonstrated her words to the class. Ender found it strange how Azura didn't use her power to hurt any of the kids. She controlled her strength precisely enough to teach the class without harming anyone. He didn't understand why she didn't hurt them, many would've done it and taught them all a lesson the hard way. That's how Ender saw it all his life.
The class went on and Ender watched closely as Azura taught.
"Hey, let's go, kid," King said to him.
Ender followed King out the same way they came. He didn't understand, why were they leaving already. And instead of going to other places inside the school, King took them outside onto the field where Hailey was with her class. She taught all the pups who were transitioning and learning how to build a bond with their wolf from a very young age. Ender wouldn't know about that, he never talked to his wolf let alone meet him or shift either.
Hailey was in a red coat and scarf standing in the snow field with the crowd of small kids running around in the snow too. They were learning to shift but seemed rather distracted by the mountain of snow everywhere. Not only was being a wolf new to the pups, also being in the snow was overstimulating. Hailey couldn't control them, but it seemed she was having her own fun building something with the kids. Ender didn't understand why they were rolling up large chunks of snow and stacking each ball on top of each other.
"What are they doing?" Ender blurted out, not being able to stop himself.
"Building a snowman," King answered, as they crossed the field and approached the group. "Hey, Hailey."
What was a snowman? Ender wondered.
Hailey looked up at them with a radiant smile, her cheeks a bit red from the cold. "Hi, guys," she said happily. "Would any of you be carrying any spare buttons by chance?"
King rummaged through his pockets. "No- hold on, I have-" he pulled his hands out of his pockets and opened his closed palm presenting bullets.
Hailey wasn't surprised. She grabbed the bullets and put them into the second large ball. She pushed in two more on the top ball, which resembled eyes and a kid came running with branches in his arms. Hailey plunged them into the statue, and miraculously, Ender could see how the snow became a man. The kids started to cheer at the large snowman and Ender found himself wanting to help too.
"Alright, everyone, let's take a short break," Hailey announced.
The kids all gathered in a circle and plopped down in front of Hailey in the snow. King was already by her side, he grabbed the large Tupperware box from her hands, as she reached down and grabbed a tumbler.
"Ender, can you help me too?" she asked.
Ender came over grabbing the cups from her hands.
"Hand those out to the kids," she instructed.
As Hailey filled up two glasses with warm apple cider, Ender passed the cups carefully to each kid who were patiently waiting. Ender was baffled by the way the kids were all sitting happily on the ground. They had nothing to worry about here, none of them had to look over their shoulder waiting for someone to hurt them. Ender realized that no one could hurt them here. And Hailey was kind. She was someone who warmed up any place she went. Ender didn't feel fear near her. He was safe, just like the rest of the kids.
King helped Hailey hand out the gingerbread cookies which were in many different shapes; pine trees, a star and heart too, that were also coated in this rich white sugar icing with candy.
After they were done helping the kids, Hailey gave King a cookie.
"Good job," she praised him.
King rolled his eyes but still ate the cookie, which brought a tender smile to Hailey's lips.
She then bent down and faced Ender. "Here-" she passed him a cookie too- "I hope you like it."
Ender bit into the soft dough, and without even a second passing by, a burst of spices melted into his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise from the sweet and warm spice filled him up.
"It's very good," he managed to use his voice.
Hailey fixed his hat by bringing it over his exposed ears. "Thank you for helping me today," she said, "and always smile just like that."
Ender didn't realize that he was smiling, but now that he had, he couldn't stop himself when he was around anyone in this pack. What this pack had was unlike anything Ender ever saw. He understood why Alpha Gabriel was formidable and scary. He had to be so he could guard the entire pack from the people Ender fought all his life.
King started to walk off back towards the second entrance of the school. Ender followed after him.
"Ender," a voice called out.
Both King and Ender stopped in their tracks. Ender turned and saw Jaxx standing at the bottom of the steps in a hoodie and his hands tucked into his pockets.
"I need to talk to you," Jaxx said, as his grey eyes looked up at King then back at Ender.
Ender awkwardly looked at King who sensed the tension too. "Meet me in the library when you're done," he told Ender before he walked inside alone.
Ender stood quietly unsure what to say because he didn't know why Jaxx would want to speak to him all of a sudden.
"Hey," Jaxx called out. "Are you going to keep staring at the wall?"
Ender blinked before he regarded the boy who was standing in front of him now. Jaxx's skin contrasted against the dark black hoodie, but those greyish-silver eyes flashed like diamonds from under those dark lashes, it gave Ender an unsettling sensation in his gut. Jaxx's eyes were invasive, like his gaze soaked in all the information they could and stored them.
"Aren't you cold?" Ender found himself asking because he was curious but also nervous to say anything else.
Jaxx frowned with his dark brows. "Is that all you have to say?" he asked.
"I don't understand," Ender mumbled.
"That day..." Jaxx said, "when the whole pack was looking for you after you had gone missing-"
Ender's gut sank and he was afraid of what he'd ask next.
"What happened that day?" Jaxx asked. "Why'd you run away?"
Ender didn't know what to say to Jaxx. There was no way, he'd reveal anything about his past to him, it'd probably disgust Jaxx.
"It doesn't matter," Ender said looking away from that invasive gaze.
Jaxx stayed quiet, but his silence was as if he drove a dagger into Ender's consciousness. "I saw you..." he revealed. "You were alone when you went to the forest-" Ender's eyes widened, his skin went cold because all the blood drained from his veins- "I wanted to follow after you but I was... scared..."
"Of me?" Ender couldn't recognize his own grave voice.
Jaxx's jaw tightened. "I was afraid that if I called out to you that you wouldn't recognize me," he said.
"Jaxx-"
"And then, when everyone started looking for you, I knew that you had done something stupid," Jaxx said. "I knew that I should've ran after you-"
"I didn't want anyone to follow me-" Ender interrupted.
Jaxx went quiet again, his eyes speaking for him, yet Ender didn't understand the shattering vulnerability in them or why it hurt him more than it did Jaxx.
"I told Klaus where to find you," Jaxx professed.
Ender stiffened. "What?"
"And when Klaus chased after you, so did I," said Jaxx. "I saw you on that cliff-"
Ender was going to be sick and it looked like Jaxx was too.
"You had the same look in your eyes from the first day I saw you," Jaxx told him.
Ender glared into those silver eyes. "You don't know anything about me," he said coldly hoping that Jaxx would leave and never want to be near him again. "Forget everything you saw and leave me alone."
Jaxx wasn't one to back off. "I left you alone and you ended up at the edge of a cliff," he snapped. "I'm not leaving your damn side ever again."
"Why the hell not?" Ender gritted out.
"Because you helped me when I needed it, now I'm going to help you," he said it so simply.
"You can't help me," Ender confessed with pain etched into his tone and eyes.
"Maybe not, but I'm going to try," Jaxx retorted.
Ender released a shaky but harsh breath, it fogged up in front of him from the cold. He ripped down the zipper and threw off the scarf, he pulled away the sweater around his neck and exposed the insidious markings around his throat to the boy.
Jaxx's grey eyes were tainted the moment they landed on the slave markings around Ender's neck. He was exposed like one was to a virus that couldn't be fought against. He was infected once he saw the marks which Ender never wanted to expose to anyone. And deep down, Jaxx was the last person Ender wanted to show these marks to, but he had to so Jaxx could understand that Ender was haunted forever.
Jaxx's skin fell pale, his eyes lingered on his neck. "Those marks..." his voice was so soft to Ender's ears that it made him want to scream from frustration, "who gave them to you?"
"How can you even stand here after seeing this?" Ender was shocked. He pulled off his gloves and exposed his wrists, which bore more slave marks. "I have many more all over my body, even inside my blood-"
"Who did this to you?" Jaxx pressed on the matter.
"It doesn't matter," Ender replied curtly.
Jaxx didn't ask again, but it was clear that he was pissed and curious. He turned away and Ender should've found relief but his body ached in angst.
Ender closed his eyes, when a soft touch brushed his hand. His eyes snapped open and it was Jaxx who had lifted the scarf off the ground and his gloves.
"What are you doing?" Ender shrank back.
Jaxx fixed the collar off his turtleneck, zipped up Ender's jacket and then wrapped the scarf around his neck. He even carefully put the gloves back on him.
Ender pulled away and stepped back. He couldn't let anyone touch him with such care, it hurt too much. He ran into the school leaving Jaxx standing all by himself.
Eventually, when Ender had come to some realization, he found himself on the other side of the school courtyard alone. He stepped outside through the blue doors, when he sensed a figure behind him.
"You didn't come to the library," King had said.
"Why are you doing this?" Ender asked him harshly. "Taking me to see that gym, then Hailey's class, now there. Why?"
King's stern sapphire gaze hadn't faltered with Ender's cruel tone. "Because this is your home," he said.
Ender went still, with no words to say to that. Home. He never had a home. He never thought of a home. He never even brought himself to imagine a home.
"I brought you to all these places to show you where you are now," King said, "and I'm not done-"
"There's nothing that you can show me," said Ender. There was nothing that could make him forget the cage or the years of torment.
King didn't listen. He grabbed Ender by his arm and took him out into the large forest track. Both of them silent and walking for a long while, before King stopped dead in front that very same cliff from the other day.
"You wanted to jump off of here, right?" King stated more than asked. "I'm pretty sure it'd be a nice way to end it all. At least jumping off from here would be better than dying in a cage, then having your body being thrown in the incinerator or the Purge with everyone else."
Ender's gaped up at King. No one outside the cage fights knew about the incinerators, which were used to dispose of the body. Fine, maybe, that was possible to figure that out somehow. However, it was impossible to know about the Purge if you weren't part of the cage fights. The Purge was the large sunken hole where the cage dealers would gather up the dead bodies and throw them into the black, endless hole. Sometimes, many were even thrown into that hole alive unable to climb out, eventually they'd die with the rest of the corpses.
"How do you know about that?" Ender summed up the courage to speak, but he was terrified to hear the truth.
King's strong eyes revealed the truth before his words did. Ender recognized the way those eyes brought all the haunted memories to the surface.
"I was a slave fighter," King confessed.
Ender shook his head, his legs giving up strength, his lungs collapsing on him.
"I've been where you were trapped," King continued.
"No, no, no, no... you didn't have to kill your friends... you didn't have to watch everyone die because of you-" Ender couldn't believe what was being told to him. Someone as strong as King couldn't be a slave, it just wasn't true.
King took off his leather jacket, and peeled off his sweatshirt too, exposing his muscular and ferocious body. However, it was then, that Ender paid close attention as saw the exact same slave markings around King's throat, chest and wrists, they were hard to see with all the tattoos, but they were there. The marks could never truly be erased.
"I watched everyone die over and over again and I was the one that did it," King told him. "I murdered my friends, so I could live another day."
Ender fell back into the snow, his back hit the trunk of a sturdy tree that supported him as his body gave out on him.
"You know everything," he breathed out. Everything that Ender tried so hard to hide from them, King knew it all. And if King knew than Klaus and so did everyone else.
King put his sweater back on and then his jacket. "Yes, I do," he said. "I know the torment that doesn't let you sleep at night. I know that if you close your eyes for too long then all the faces of everyone that died will appear. Your tormentors in that cage are still your masters because you don't know how to live without fearing them-"
"Stop! Just stop, please," Ender's face was wet with tears.
"I know you're scared," King said. "I was too after I got out for a very long time."
"Then how?" Ender choked out. "How can you live here with everyone when it still haunts you?"
King's eyes darkened mirroring the anguish in Ender, yet there was a peace inside King's gaze, like he was content despite all the demons clawing into his soul. "I met Klaus," he breathed out that name like it was the strong pulse of his very own heart. "The love of my life saved me."
Ender sat there staring at this powerful wolf and man who could probably kill hundreds of people without blinking an eye, but right now, this man was smiling ear to ear from just mentioning a name. However, it wasn't just any name. It was Klaus he spoke of and Ender felt Klaus's warmth, he could only imagine what it'd be like for King to be his mate.
"Klaus knows about your past?" Ender asked with a controlled tone, otherwise it was obvious that he was baffled.
"Yeah," said King.
"What about the pack?" Ender asked.
"They know too, even Gabriel," said King and Ender's eyes widened.
"And they accepted you?" he asked.
King smirked. "It confused me at first too," he replied. "But Ender, this pack makes sure to take off all your baggage and carry you when you've dropped. I would know since I got shot and they all came to my rescue."
"You got shot?" Ender astounded.
"Is that all you got from that," King remarked.
Ender looked away at the far forest trees, where there no was no one around and nothing that could harm him here.
"I understand how you feel when you think that you are better off alone. You probably are... because then nobody pokes your wounds and makes them bleed again," King said softly, "but then they never heal, Ender."
Heal. That word stung like all the other scars chaining his flesh.
"You healed?" Ender asked.
"Meeting Klaus made me work to heal myself for him. The last thing I wanted was to bleed my past onto his smile and see him in pain for me," King admitted.
"I don't have any blood, I don't feel any pain to bleed," said Ender. "Nothing is in my body. They took that all out of me."
King didn't believe him for a second from the way he held a smug expression. "From the way you go to the library after school; or play with Gideon and read him a book; to helping Bone water the roses; meeting Dante, Leo all the time; being friends with Jaxx-" Ender's eyes widened- "all of this proves that you are still very much alive and wish to live."
Ender never thought about it like that. He didn't know that he did these things with the desire to live. He thought it was the only way to save him from himself and provide the smallest comfort. Except, how was he going to face the pack now. If everyone knows about his past, then this entire time they had treated him kindly despite everything.
"But Klaus..." Ender muttered. "How do I face him?"
"My mate is the type of person to make your pain his own," King told him. "He's sees everything you're trying to hide Ender and it's hurting him."
Ender only fiddled with his own hands. "Why does he do that?" he asked. "Help me?"
"Because you remind him of me," King presumed. "Klaus is everything to me so seeing him in pain is unacceptable. But Klaus won't stop on my say so. He will continue to care for everyone."
"He's very strange," Ender admitted.
King laughed softly. "He's the most beautiful person I know," he told him and Ender silently agreed too. King put his hand on Ender's shoulder. "Don't stay in that darkness anymore, Ender...it'll only feed the pain. Come out and see how bright life truly is now. Because you are not in that cage anymore and I will never let anyone put you in one ever again."
Ender didn't realize when his tears began again, but he didn't hide this time, not from King or anyone else. King sat with his arm over Ender's shoulder and held him tightly to his side.
"Klaus and I will protect you," King whispered over and over again, until Ender's heart finally opened to that promise and held onto it with every ounce of strength he had left...
A good while passed when Ender calmed down and King said they should return.
Ender followed King back through the forest towards the pack territory where everyone had gathered outside. They were all dressed in their coats, gloves and hats since it had started to snow again.
Ender tried not to draw attention to himself as he walked beside King, but it wasn't long until pack members approached King. Hunter, Ryder and Vincent were with King as plans to make s'mores started to rile everyone up.
Ender found his moment to escape, perhaps visit the library while everyone was gathered outside. But he froze in his tracks when he saw Klaus making his way towards them.
"Hi," Klaus said.
King said his greeting his way, which was a kiss on the lips. Ender didn't know what to do or say. After what King had told him, it was clear that Klaus knew about Ender's past and after Ender shouted at Klaus, he doubted that Klaus would even want to talk to him.
Yet, why were his emerald eyes on him? Ender wondered. He looked up at those tender eyes and saw the way snow reflected off them and still be no match to the purity of that gaze.
"How'd it go for you two today?" he said carefully as he eyed the two.
King exchanged a look with Ender. "Good," he answered.
Klaus lingered and waited for Ender to say anything, but he couldn't muster enough courage. "We were planning on starting a bonfire to roast s'mores," Klaus told them.
"Sounds fun," said King. "We'll join you."
Klaus nodded and then peeked a glance at Ender who was distinctly aware of the eyes on him. "I'm going to go now," he announced. "Lot's to prepare and- um- you know, I'm super busy too."
"We'll see you later," King was chuckling at him.
Klaus turned to leave.
"See you later!" Ender shouted and quickly grew red as a tomato from embarrassment.
Except, Klaus beamed a wide smile before he walked away.
King chuckled. "See, that wasn't so hard," he remarked. Ender was sucking in deep breathes making King laugh harder.
The entire pack was gathered on the snowy white field with multiple bonfires set up in front of their chairs. Everyone had a blanket over their knees and a warm cup of cider with them. As kids made s'mores and their parents kept watch.
King looked over at Ender who sat mushed between Jaxx, Bone, Dante and Leo. The other kids, Jake, Levi and John had arrived as well, gathering around the chairs looking exhausted from being at school, but glad to be home.
King didn't eat the s'mores but he was thankful that Ender was enjoying them. The boy had a sweet-tooth and that was just like Klaus who was putting an entire s'more into his own mouth and smiling happily about the gooey marshmallow. He was adorable and it seemed that Klaus was feeling a lot better since yesterday.
"It seems like your plan worked," a voice remarked.
King didn't need to turn around to know that Gabriel had returned home. He came up and stood beside him still dressed in his pin-striped black suit and dark wool overcoat. Ryder and Lupin who had guarded Gabriel today made their way back too and they didn't waste a second to join the circle to eat.
"I don't know what you are talking about," King retorted.
Gabriel wasn't going to be fooled, but King could try. "He's a lot like you and Klaus," he added. "I think Ender will do great with you two."
King looked at his side where the powerful alpha stood with that cunning gleam in that infamous gaze. "He's scared that this pack won't accept him," he told Gabriel.
"That's impossible," Gabriel muttered with a sigh.
King knew that too. This pack accepted someone like King who had killed at every turn and slaughtered anything in his way in the past, there was nothing that could stop him. He drowned in that darkness that consumed everyone in the slave fighting pits. Despite having such an ugly part of him exposed, Gabriel had accepted him into the pack and even trusted him to work together. Everyone here had accepted King long before he had joined and he could never pay that debt. King found the family he longed for since he was a child, so he knew that Ender was home now.
King didn't just lightly pass on the promise to Ender that he'd protect him. He made an oath without even realizing it. More than King, it was his wolf that vowed to protect Ender, it was just like the time his wolf vowed to die protecting Klaus too.
"He's with us now," King said softly. "We won't let anything hurt him."
Gabriel's golden eyes soared proudly. "No one touches my pack," he declared. "That's an alpha's promise." He walked off joining his mate's side who was sitting on the chair with Hailey and Viola.
King viewed the pack... his pack... and smiled.
Locking his gaze onto his mate, but the only place close enough to let him do anything was the open garage. King strode away luring Klaus with him alone to the empty, dark garage.
"I brought you one," Klaus appeared holding a s'more like King hoped.
King quickly dropped his grin and played it cool. "I don't eat sweets," he reminded.
"Oh, come on," Klaus egged on, "it's really tasty."
King didn't budge. Klaus rolled his eyes and gladly put the delicious delight into his own mouth. He moaned loudly and pretended to really enjoy it and rubbed it in.
"Keep that up baby and see what happens," King challenged.
Klaus stiffened and dropped all pretence. He didn't say anything, but King knew his mate, and it was painfully obvious that Klaus had a lot to talk about. King wanted nothing more than the kiss the hell out of the man but watching him had its own amusement too.
King pretended to not take notice when Klaus briefly glanced his way.
"I heard what you said," Klaus muttered. "Did you mean it?"
King frowned looking at his mate's deep emerald eyes. "What are you talking about?"
"In the forest when you were with Ender," Klaus said.
Realization struck King. "You followed us?" he asked even though it was clear what the answer was.
Klaus looked guilty. "I wasn't going to as first, but I got curious," he said.
King stood there for a minute understanding that Klaus Centauri followed them all day and he had no clue. King was losing his game, but what was scarier was that Klaus had hidden his scent and managed to spy on King who was trained to do exactly that.
"Did you mean all that you said to him?" Klaus asked again.
"Of course, I did," said King while gathering Klaus into his arms. "You are the most beautiful man I ever saw." Klaus laughed.
"I love you," whispered Klaus snuggling closer.
King's arousal level shot through the roof. He combed his fingers through Klaus's soft hair that he loved and couldn't wait to ruffle his clean appearance. He angled his head back and kissed him slow and sweet.
"The door-" Klaus gasped.
"No one comes here anyway," said King as he pushed Klaus against the table holding him captive.
King straightened his lazy posture, his eyes darkened and his hands gripped Klaus bringing him closer. He hovered over his body as close as he could get. He crashed his lips against his, the searing kiss took them both by surprise. Klaus felt as rich as satin against his lips and when he turned his head to deepen the kiss, his hot tongue intruded with a great urge to consume. Klaus could feel King's sturdy hands roam his body as his tongue explored his mouth and relished the feel of their bodies together. Their dark, spiced taste sent them both soaring through the clouds. King's gut twisting like ribbons and his cock pulsed, the rage of arousal between his legs overwhelmed him.
Klaus gripped his forearms that were caged around to him, he caressed up his corded arms and massive shoulders before reaching his face, his hand studied every little detail before his lean fingers combed into his dark silky hair.
Klaus moaned such a sweet sound, it sank into King's scorching hot body. His wicked smile was terribly charming when he abruptly pulled apart leaving Klaus wanting and needing. Klaus whimpered as the cool air swept between the distance King put before them, but the cool air did nothing to calm both their hearts or bodies.
"You start anywhere," Klaus breathed out.
"I can't help it," King said, as he feathered kisses down his cheek then jaw and throat. "Besides, it's your fault."
"How?"
"You mated with me knowing well enough how wicked my reputation is," King said.
Klaus rolled his eyes. He continued to protest against that point and was adamant to believe he had nothing to do with that.
As King listened to Klaus, his body turned to ice when he remembered that he lived the exact same life Ender had. King was alone all his life and all of it was surrounded with death and evil. He grew up seeing the nastiest parts of this world. King never had anyone help him. Ender had this pack now and he would live the rest of his life safely. But no one rescued King, he had fought in those cages for eleven years, but he wasn't free when he escaped because then he fought his enemies on the streets wherever he went. The only difference was that people didn't disguise their intentions in the cages, if they were committed on killing him then he knew. When he escaped, many people hid their intentions with pure thoughts and he had to rip those masks off. Every time he met someone, he realized that they held a knife to kill him.
King didn't trust anyone for a very long time. He was still like that, it was hard to let people inside. Except, here he stood in front of Klaus. The only person who had no targets, no evil part to him when he approached King. Klaus had put King back together; all the broken pieces of his heart were mended the moment he met Klaus. The past that terrorized King vanished in front of these beautiful true emerald eyes.
"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Klaus asked.
The strength in his legs gave way, he leaned back against the counter, his knuckles turned white as he gripped onto the table and found himself holding onto Klaus's warmth. Every moment he breathed was because he was near Klaus, otherwise King would've given up a long time ago.
Klaus must have noticed the change in King. "King," his voice was sturdy when he called out to him.
"Marry me-" King's voice trembled uncontrollably.
"I did-" bemused Klaus.
"Love me-" he said that like a prayer.
"I do...everyday..." Klaus whispered.
The terrible ache shook through his entire core and he rested his head against Klaus's shoulder. King took a long moment as he fixed himself to match Klaus's breath and listened to his pounding heart, remembering that this moment was in fact real. This wasn't a dream that would be ripped away and he'd wake up all alone somewhere in the dark.
"Every moment is for you," King told him softly but assuredly, "I exist for you and only for you."
Klaus's touch was gentle as he caressed his neck. He didn't say anything, but King felt all his words without hearing them. King sank into his mate's arms and clung onto his strength and light.
Abruptly, the pack outside broke out into a cheer.
"River must have arrived," Klaus said.
King sighed at that annoying pack outside. "They know every way to break a moment," he muttered making Klaus chuckle.
King pulled away and was about to move for them to join the pack, when Klaus leaned up kissed King on his lips; it was gentle. The type of kiss that made his heart melt and his legs feel like jelly. King collapsed again and the table caught him, he stared at Klaus with disbelief and just as much amazement.
Klaus did it again. This time he was slower, letting his sweet lips linger over King's. He trembled from deep within despite how gentle his kiss was.
"What am I going to do with you?" King asked through his shaking voice.
Klaus smiled; that same shy smile that was only reserved for King. The commotion grew outside; "Come on, we should join the others," he said.
King reluctantly went with Klaus even though he could have happily sat in the garage alone with Klaus all day.
They walked back to the large field and spotted River in the middle of the massive crowd. It was officially announced that River Drakov was ready to mate with Zoya. King could see the tension emitting from the man and he felt bad for him. River was undoubtedly nervous, but it was clear that he was sure of his choice, the pack with their exuberant energy was what frazzled the poor guy. King was happy for him because River deserved a mate.
"Congrats," King said to River once the group subsided.
River's icy blue eyes weren't hollowed or cold, instead they were calm like his demeanour. "Thanks," he answered.
"Bring Zoya over for dinner, River," Sabrina announced.
"We definitely need to have a party," Ryder added.
The group added their chain of agreements.
"I think we should all calm down and let the couple have a few days alone," King added.
"Why?" Viola sounded bewildered. "Zoya's with the pack now and that means she needs to join in on all the fun we have."
"You, my dear sister, are not fun at all," Vincent remarked.
"Shut up, I'm the best," she retorted and shoved Vincent off his chair into the snow.
Vincent was just as bad as her. He grabbed a handful of snow and threw it across Viola's face.
The fight began and it was brutal. While Vincent and Viola brawled, everyone else got hit too and while some took cover, many others joined the fight. King avoided all the crazy, so did River, Gabriel and Hunter.
"So, are you going to bring her?" Gabriel asked River.
"Yeah," River answered. "I want her here with us."
The three men smiled knowing too well how River felt about having their mate with them at all times.