I Scored Myself A Mate

Mark had scanned the palace finding himself in unknown corridors and empty rooms filled with dust. This place seemed to buzz with life but right now that he needed someone to guide him it seemed like everyone had disappeared.

At last after he had started to think that he should give up he saw a young lady, probably in her mid twenties, wearing a long black dress her hair tied up in a very strict ponytail making her unusual pointy ears visible. She noticed him first and walked towards him in a very slow but elegant manner. Her face expressionless.

"You shouldn't be here sir, this area is restricted." She told him and Mark realized that he had stopped in front of a huge door. It was made from wood and painted white with pretty good designs. It definitely did not much the aura of the rest of the palace, it almost seemed detouched from everything else. He was worried about more important things and he decided to ignore it. He looked at the lady hoping that she could be of some help. Leading him to Mikael.

"I'm really sorry" he apologized "but could you please lead me to Mikael?"

"And who is this Mikael you are speaking of? I don't think I know any staff with that name."

"Yes, yes, right. He is a werewolf. He...he has blue eyes, he is tall with blonde hair. He was brought in injured. He is close with the Alpha's son." He tried to explain.

"Oh, yes I know. He has been transferred to a private room by request of the young werewolf...Luke I believe. You need to head straight and turn to the left two times. Don't get confused and go right eventually it will lead you to the kitchen." She warned him and he gave her an awkward smile. He probably seemed like a very lost puppy at the moment. "And please. Stay away from that door" she repeated andd Mark nodded eagerly.

"Yes. Thank you very much" he thanked her and began walking again at a very fast pace. He didn't want to waste any more time.

He reached his room and realized it was very similar to Alex's, a lot smaller of course but still spacious and warm. Mikael's torso was exposed as he laid on his bed, wrapped with many bandages as a blood patch had stained them at the left side, where his heart was.

Inside the room where two more people. A girl who was placing a wet tower on his forehead and an old man, with small gold glasses looking at him with a skeptical expression.

"His situation is not that good" he mumbled and Mark felt like a hand was clenching his chest. Mikael was asleep but his face had a constant frown on it, like was in a lot of pain. Small drops of sweat were forming on his temples and he could see him clenching the bed sheets with his hands.

"He is young though" the girl replied and Mark faked a cough so they would notice him. Both of them stopped talking and at the same time turned to look at him.

"Can he have any visitors?" He asked hoping that they would let him stay.

"He is in a critical condition so if he wakes up don't tire him too much. Just for a few minutes" the man told him and signaled the younger girl to pick up her things so they could leave. She took a pile of bloody bandages and the bowl with the water and ran outside leaving them alone. The people in the castle didn't seem that talkative, Mark observed but at least they were not mean like most of the wolves he had met.

The red haired boy was even cautious of walking as he approached him and sat on a chair that they had left next to his bed. He didn't know what to do or what to say since this was the first time he was facing something like this. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath trying to dissolve any negative or depressing thoughts. Yes, he was in a critical condition but as the girl who was probably a nurse, said he was young and strong so he would survive.

He had to so they could talk. It was important. He had been avoiding him for so long that he didn't get to hear him out, at least hear his reason of why he did what he did. Mark had been so shocked about his actions that had no idea what had been going on in his mind.

The sound of his scream though was still echoing loudly in his ears almost hurting his eardrums. That pain was real, the regret was truthful so why? Why did he even do it in the first place? He wondered as he looked at him fighting to grasp the final string of his life.

Mark imagined life as a string. There were ladies who were playing with it. They would get to cut it or prolong it, do as they pleased and now they were contemplating if Mikael should live or not.

"Please live" Mark prayed, tears rolling down his face. He sniffled and wiped them away but more and more kept coming as he repeated that phrase.

"To which God are you praying to?" Mikael suddenly said, his voice coming out rough and strained his words almost sounding like a groan. "There are many"

"To all of them" Mark stated. You don't get to die so easily. We have things to discuss."

"Then maybe I should die here and now rather than hear your nagging" Mikael teased him and a weak smile appeared on his face. "I'm glad you're finally talking to me"

"It's not like I had a choice. Luke guilt tricked me into coming here. Saying I should know something and then I got all emotional and couldn't stop crying because you might die."

"So you want me to live?" Mikael asked him. It was obvious he was trying his hardest to talk. His body tensing and his sweat becoming more and more.

"Technically I don't wish for anyone's death"

"Oh, shut up" Mikael said with a frown. He was sure that Mark knew what he meant by that the honey eyed boy would not make it easy for him and as he felt his wound hurting all of his body, the idea of Mark not speaking to him again hurt his mind ...and heart.

"I do. I'm sorry for ignoring you. I...am still shocked about what you did. I thought you were different and honestly I am very disappointed but I would never wish for your death"

"That wasn't exactly the answer I hoped for but at least it's something" Mikael said.

All this time his eyes had been closed. He was probably to weak to make any unnecessary movement or waste his energy. For a while he stopped talking and Mark began getting worried about if he was okay or not. Soon though he opened his eyes that had the colour of the midnight sky, the only thing missing were the twinkling stars and you could thing he had captured the whole universe with just a gaze. As he looked at him he stopped. He simply stopped. He stopped thinking, he stopped worrying, he stopped wanting to speak. He just stood there captured.

"I didn't want to do that to Clarissa. I was forced. Clarissa once she met you, feeling guilty about betraying Luke she wanted to tell him where you were. But she couldn't get hold of him so she called Lily. She didn't want Luke to find out where have you been so she told me to kill her or else...."

"Or else?"

"She would kill you. I know it doesn't justify what I did but that moment I was so scared. I knew what she was capable of doing and losing you was a nightmare" Mikael said and closed his eyes again. As it seemed he was close to his limit. He already wasn't phrasing his sentences properly, Mark trying really hard to understand him.

"What?" Mark asked in shock but Mikael only gave him a bitter smile. He didn't say anything else and obviously he didn't move. He felt relieved now that Make knew, not because he was expecting him to forgive him but because he at least wanted to know. If tonight for some reason he gave in to his wounds he wanted to leave with him knowing the true reason behind his actions and that he wasn't completely a heartless monster.

Mark on the other hand was shocked, his heart beating like a drum between his ears. This was what was concerning him? He could never believe that someone would go that far for him. He shouldn't be touched by this! It was completely different than getting flowers or chocolates, this was murder but why? Why did he feel for the first time that there was someone there for him. Only him in this story that was written for someone else?

"Thank you." He told him, his eyes filling with tears again. "But what you did...do not ever do it again. Even if it's for me...You are better than this you hear me? Better. You are good. I know it." Mark said. Maybe this wasn't the best time to scold him but as the blonde boy smiled again he felt a bit relieved. He knew that he was doing it for him. Mikael had always helped him, cared for him and even though deep inside of him he knew he wouldn't be able to fully forgive him he just couldn't hate him either. It was impossible and he was fully aware of it.

It was the smile and the selflessness. That selflessness that had him here injured right now that drove him insane and for the first time, Mark realized that maybe he was in love. In love with someone that he definitely shouldn't be. With someone who had already loved deeply once. With someone who was supporting the people he hated the most and the more he thought about it the more he believed that this feeling was a mistake. Because his people represented everything that he didn't want. Because they had tried to hurt them countless times and his friend, the friend he so much supported had always played a big part in Alex's tears.

"Mark?" Mikael called him out faintly.

"Yes."

"It's probably not the best time to say this but I like you." Mikael confessed and Mark closed his eyes. He bit his lip as he felt the pain settle in his heart. He didn't need to hear that.

"Mikael, you and I. We support different fronts. I am sorry" Mark said and stood up. "I am glad you are okay. They told me I couldn't stay long so maybe I should leave. You need to rest. Get well soon" he said in a hurry not wanting to reveal his sorrow and he was thankful that Mikael had his eyes closed. He wouldn't see his expression that way.

"Wait, please" he tried to stopped him but his voice died out. He had already reached the door.

Mark left holding himself back from looking behind. This was the right thing to do. They would never see eye to eye. They belonged to different worlds. Even if they liked eachother.