We woke up late the next morning and decided to walk back to the castle. My mate offered to carry me but I declined. I wanted to spend more time with him. I knew once we get to the castle, he will get busy.
We walked back hand in hand.
We were not expecting the news that we got when we reached the castle. One of the officials informed us that one young boy from my pack crossed the border and was running out of the territory. Fortunately, the guards that were patrolling that area stopped him before he could get far. The boy was not harmed.
They are bringing the boy here because he refused to step back inside the pack border. They said that the boy looked traumatized so they didn't force him to go back.
My mate was royally pissed after he heard everything. He was rambling on and on about him trying to protect everyone and "these crazy teenagers trying to get themselves killed".
We waited for them to arrive at the garden. My mate was very eager to scare that boy and whack him on the head.
I was curious to know who that boy is and what happened to him. He is from my pack so maybe I know him.
Soon enough, three guards arrived dragging a boy with them.
I gasped at the boy's condition. His clothes were torn and he had nail marks on his face and arms. His neck had teeth marks and his eyes were red rimmed. His physical appearance gave clear indication of struggle.
He looked so young, height definitely over five feet. He is taller than me and I am 5'3" myself. The boy's complexion was very fair so all the marks and scratches on his body were clearly visible. He was trembling in the hold of the guards and when he saw my mate who had a murderous expression on his face, he started sobbing, trying to hide behind the guards.
I think he knew he is in front of the Alpha King.
The boy's condition was not good and he needed medical help. Who would do this to such a cute, young and innocent boy? I had a sudden urge to take him in my arms and comfort him.
"WHO DID THAT TO HIM?" my mate roared, startling all of us. He was furious. I think he understood what happened to this boy. Even I could tell that someone assaulted this poor kid.
He started trembling even more after my mate's outburst. My mate closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, wanting to calm himself.
I stepped forward slowly, trying not to scare the trembling boy in front of me.
"Hey." I said in a very gentle voice. He jumped back a little.
"Please don't be scared. We are here to help you, no one will harm you here." I said softly and gave him a reassuring smile.
Suddenly, the boy was ripped away from the hold of the guards and was in the hold of my mate. The boy started squirming in his hold and cried harder while my mate sniffed his hair.
What the hell is he doing?
"You're Ryder's mate." My mate declared after sniffing his head.
WHAT? This is Charlie? Oh My God!
My mate loosened his hold on Charlie and he fell down to his knees. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed uncontrollably. My mate knelt down to his level and hugged him. I walked towards them and joined the hug.
Charlie didn't stop crying. He broke down completely. My heart ached when I heard his gut-wrenching sobs.
We all were shocked when we heard a loud, menacing growl and Charlie was ripped away from us.
We both stood up and saw Ryder holding his mate in his arms, with Charlie straddling his waist and his hands held on Ryder's shoulders, looking at him in shock.
Ryder's eyes were golden. He had a feral look on his face. He looked dangerous and ready to kill.
Charlie buried his face in Ryder's neck and cried. Ryder's expression changed instantly and he started sniffing his mate.
My mate and I just stood there as onlookers. We knew Ryder needed to tend his mate. Whoever did that to Charlie is a dead man now. Ryder will not spare him.
Ryder pulled Charlie's face away from his neck and held his face in his hands. He wiped his tears and kissed his forehead. His eyes roamed the body of his mate, taking in his injuries.
"Who did that to you?" he asked in a calm voice but we all knew he was anything but calm right now.
Charlie didn't answer. He just looked at him with his red, puffy eyes. Then, it's like he realized something and he started pushing Ryder away and tried to get down. Ryder growled and held on to his mate tightly who was now struggling to break free from his hold.
"I think we should leave them alone." I whispered to my mate. He nodded at me.
"Ryder." He called out. Charlie stopped struggling and looked at my mate expectantly. It was clear that he thought my mate will tell Ryder to let him go. Ryder looked at him and growled. He also thought the same.
"He needs medical attention. I know you'll take care of him so we'll leave you two alone. We'll talk once your mate feels better." Ryder nodded at my mate and glanced at me. I gave him a sad smile and nodded at him. We both need to have a talk too. But it can wait. We have more important matter at hand.
Charlie started hitting at Ryder's chest and whimpered. The poor boy was so traumatized that he wasn't able to utter a single word. We both left them there and my mate told the guards to leave too.
We both made our way back to the bedroom.
* * * *
Charlie looked so pure, so innocent. How could someone harm him? He had to go through so much at such a tender age. He looked so delicate. One look at him and you would automatically want to protect him from the evils of the world.
I'm young myself but from past few days I started feeling different. I want to stop all the wrong doings that happen to anyone. I want to protect all the innocent people.
I want to kill that person who assaulted the poor little kid.
I hope Ryder comes to his senses and accepts his mate. Charlie is so innocent. How can he resist him?
"What are you thinking?" my mate asked and sat beside me on the bed.
"About Charlie." My mate clenched his fists.
"Don't worry. Ryder will take care of him." I took hold of his hands and he relaxed. He laid down with his head on my lap. I gently massaged his head so he could cool down.
I got to know one thing that my mate cannot tolerate sexual crimes, be it cheating on your partner or forcing yourself on somebody. I respect him so much for this. If the people of the kingdom ever got to know the real reason of him killing that wolf, no one would dare cheat on their mate.
"He ran out of the territory. Thank God nothing happened to him."
"Yes, the guards caught him at the right time."
"What would've happened if the creatures catch him?"
"I don't even want to imagine. He is so young. Who would've thought such an innocent kid will be stuck with a prick like Ryder." My mate chuckled, expertly changing the topic.
"Hey! He is not a prick." I scolded him playfully.
"He totally is."
"Well you are a bigger prick then"
"Yeah, I'll always be superior to him." He shrugged. I wanted to roll my eyes so hard. Well, at least he didn't deny that he's a prick.
"Hey, I wanted to ask you something." This question was in mind from a very long time.
"Yes."
"You are Royals. You've been here from a very long time, how come you don't speak formally and wear robes and all?"
"Evolution."
"Huh?"
"We change with time."
"Ohh."
"Yeah, now I'm going to sleep."
"But what about Charlie?"
"Ryder will take care of him. You also sleep." With that, my mate pulled me down beside him and we both slept cuddling each other.
* * *
Ryder's POV
I will kill that bastard who tried to touch my mate!
I was just crying over my pathetic life in a corner when I felt my angel's presence and his scent reached my nose. I immediately followed the scent and my blood boiled at the sight in front of me.
Alex was sniffing my trembling mate.
MY MATE!
Then I noticed his appearance. His clothes were torn and he was injured.
He fell down, crying terribly. My heart broke at the sight in front of me. then my eyes landed on the teeth marks present on his neck just before Alex and Berry hugged him and I lost it. I launched forward and snatched my mate away and held him into my arms, where he belongs. My angel.
Now here I am trying to tend to my mate who is struggling to get away from me. I felt hurt that he didn't want to be with me but I am the one who is at fault.
Right now, my priority is to tend to his injuries. I have so many questions for him but that can wait.
I'm trying so hard not to lose my patience and kill the culprit behind his condition and he is not helping at all. I'm already feeling restless, if he tries to get away from me, I know I will snap. My nature cannot tolerate my mate's resistance. I don't want him to see the beast that lives inside of me. The beast that I am.
I carried him back to my room and he kept on struggling to get away from my hold. I kept on sniffing him to keep myself calm but I could smell that bastard who did all this to him too.
When I reached my room, I laid him down on my bed gently and he instantly scooted away from me. the only sound coming from him were his sobs. He didn't utter a single word all this while.
I needed to know what happened and how it happened but it was not the right time.
I moved away to lock the bedroom door and then I went inside the bathroom to prepare a warm bath for him. I will apply medicine on his wounds after cleaning him, washing that filthy scent off his body.
I came out to take hi to the bathroom and saw him trying to open the door. He was not even able to stand properly and was trying to run away from me. Too bad, he can't do that. I have the code to open the door.
I know I don't have any right on him but he needs to be taken care of and I will be the one to do that.
I walked towards him and picked him up without saying anything. He froze. Then he realized what is happening and started struggling violently in my arms, only whimpers leaving his mouth. My angel is still not able to speak. He should not cry this much or he will get sick.
"Shh, I'll just give you a bath and tend to your wounds, then you can rest." I told him softly. I didn't want him to feel like a prisoner. I have done enough to cause him pain, I don't want to add more to it.
He shook his has and tried to get down from my arms but failed. I took him to the bathroom and undressed him quickly. He panicked and started crying, trying to hide his body from me. He was scared. I clenched my fists in anger, not on my angel, but the bastard who did all this to him. my beautiful angel is scared out of his mind.
I pulled him towards me and wrapped my arms around him tightly.
A mate's scent and touch can calm the other. It provides comfort and a sense of security. The presence of your soulmate helps to heal us faster.
He cried for a while and then eventually calmed down. I picked him up and settled him in the warm bath I prepared for him.
He hissed as soon as his wounds came in contact with the water.
The only thing that kept me from going out on a rampage and kill the sorry excuse of a wolf who did this to my mate was that he needed me more. He is my priority. I will be with him until he heals and then no one can save that wolf from me.
I will kill him!
I gently washed his body and made sure no part of him is dirty. He just let me clean him. He also needed the comfort of his mate so he allowed me to help him. I know I have a lot of making up to do. Berry was right. I never thought about my angel's feelings.
What if he actually blamed himself because of his sexuality? What if he blamed himself for not being able to conceive a child? I am truly a selfish person but I will make it up to him. I will be a mate that he deserves. I don't want anyone else and no way in hell I will let anyone else have him.
He is mine!
After the bath I dried him with the towel, applied ointment on his wounds and gave him my T-Shirt and boxers to wear. It looked as if my clothes swallowed him whole. He looked so adorable.
I want to have him. I felt myself twitching at the sight of my angel.
This not the time to get horny Ryder!
I shook my head to get those thoughts away but I couldn't help it. It was getting hard to fight my primal instincts.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I need to calm down, he is already scared, I don't need to scare him more.
I picked him up and settled him on my bed. He had gone quiet all of a sudden. He was not struggling anymore and no more whimpers left his mouth. He just kept his eyes downwards and avoided to look at me.
I gave him a glass of water but he refused to take it.
"Drink it, your throat must be dry by now. Then you can sleep." I said to him softly. He slowly took the glass from my hands and gulped down the water. By the look on his face I knew he wanted more so I took the glass from him and refilled it from the jug and gave it to him again.
"Do you want more?" I asked him after he emptied the glass and he shook his head no.
I gently pushed him down on the bed and covered him with a warm blanket. He didn't protest and simply laid down. He his tired and his body does not have much energy left. He needs to rest.
I turned of the lights and got under the covers with him. he didn't turn away from me. I mustered up all the courage that I had and reached out for him and settled his upper body over my chest. My heart was racing, I expected him to push me away but he snuggled up to me and held on to me tightly instead. His action warmed my heart.
He fell asleep instantly while I lay awake all night with thousands of thoughts running in my head.
I finally have my mate in my arms. I will not let him go. Not now, not ever. I made a big mistake by pushing him away from me but now, I'll make everything right.
Count your days, you pathetic wolf. You made the biggest mistake of your life by putting your hands on my angel. I will give you the most painful death possible. I will kill you with my bare hands. The whole world will see how a beast reacts when someone tries to harm his mate.
* * *
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