Chapter 12: Royce - Marked By Love

Faint orange light was illuminating dark gray skies when he heard Dr. Abbott make a phone call in his room. Once he’d established, via eavesdropping, Doc was alright and not hatching an escape plan, Royce went to his neighbor’s door.

He did something he’d never done before; he knocked on the red front door to ask a favor. Sandy opened it, her face blanched for a moment before a smug smile spread across her face, and she leaned against the doorjamb.

“Well, well, look who it is.”

“What’s going on?” Evea called from inside.

“It’s our neighbor.”

“Renay?”

“Nope.”

“Buford?”

“Nope.”

Evea’s long figure appeared behind Sandy, holding a cereal bowl. She gave a shit-eating grin before leaning against the other side of the door frame. “Well, call me a biscuit and butter my buns. It’s Royce! When the hell was the last time we saw you?”

“Was it the New Year’s party we invited him to, that he didn’t show up for?” Sandy asked.

“No. Maybe it was the North American Union Day cookout we invited him to that he didn’t show up for?”

“No, maybe it was when Buford invited everyone over to test his new pizza oven, and he was the only no-show?” Sandy asked.

“No. Was it the Founders’ Day party we invited him—”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Royce cut them off. The two bobcat shifters were clearly enjoying themselves and were likely to drone on. He hadn’t attended any events in over a year; he didn’t see the point when he didn’t have friends. Nothing in life was permanent after all. “I’m anti-social, you made your point. I, umm, kinda am in a jam and was wondering if you could help.”

The two women smirked at him. It wasn’t uncommon for people to date instead of searching for fated mates. Sandy and Evea were one such example.

“Oh … does this have anything to do with the faint aroma of omega coming from your place?” Sandy asked.

“O.M.G. Spill the tea,” Evea said around a mouthful of cereal.

“He, umm … doesn’t eat meat. And I have nothing to feed him,” Royce admitted.

“Royce,” Sandy said. “Do you honestly eat nothing but steak for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?”

“No, I have eggs too,” he grumbled. “He doesn’t eat eggs either or dairy.”

“So, he’s vegan?” Evea asked.

“No, he’s adamant that he’s not a vegan. Something about honeybees and agave and bats. I’m not entirely sure … it didn’t make much sense when he was explaining it.”

“You’re with a vegan omega? How’s that going to work?” Evea asked. “Do you even know what a vegetable is?”

“They mock our mate and his strange feeding habits. We cannot stand for this! You must remove their heads for the slight. Then present them to our omega so he may bask in our glory,” Royce’s wolf roared.

“Dude, calm down. They aren’t insulting Doc, they’re making fun of me.”

The furry bastard whined incessantly and started complaining about wanting their mate to bask in his alpha glory. It was getting hard for Royce to concentrate on his conversation with Sandy and Evea.

“You know,” Sandy said. “I think I remember reading an article, something about vegans not eating sugarcane, only sugar from sugar beets.”

“Bullshit,” Evea said.

“No, I’m serious. It’s something to do with the refining process for sugarcane and bugs. I think. There are also vegans who won’t eat yeast because it’s a living organism.”

“I dare you to find that article again. That sounds like a load of crap.”

“Challenge accepted!” Sandy pushed off from the doorframe.

“Umm, I still need help?” Royce stared at them.

“Riiiight.” Evea returned to the door, chewing her cereal and exaggerating the syllables.

“I don’t have anything to feed him except a bag of pretzels and plain potatoes,” Royce said.

“Do you not have cereal? Or oatmeal?” Sandy asked.

“Or bread?” Evea added.

“No, even if I did, you usually put milk over cereal or butter on toast,” Royce explained.

“What’s going on?” Buford thundered up the front stairs behind Royce. “Is everything okay? What happened?”

Buford was the local fire chief, certified nurse, and worked on wildlife conservation with Sandy and Evea. He was wide as he was tall and covered in thick brown hair, which was fitting for a bear shifter.

“Royce here needs help feeding a not vegan, vegan omega,” Sandy said.

“They continue to mock our mate,” his wolf growled. “If you don’t remove their heads, he will reject us. This affects me too, you know!”

“What?” Buford asked. “Is that who’s in your place? And what the heck is a not vegan, vegan?”

“He eats honey,” Evea said.

“But we aren’t sure about sugar or yeast,” Sandy added.

Royce looked at Buford, pleading for help.

“You only keep steak in your fridge, don’t you?” Buford asked. “When was the last time you got your cholesterol checked? Or your colon for that matter.”

“See, this is why I stay home,” Royce said, making Sandy and Evea laugh.

“Calm down, lover boy.” Sandy rolled her eyes. “I’ll go get you some oatmeal.”

“Do you know how to cook it?” Evea asked.

“Water and you boil it,” Royce said. “I do know how to cook.”

“You just choose to live a depressing and fiber-void life of mono taste?” Evea asked. Royce didn’t answer. “Does this mean someone is finally using those fancy soaps and lotions we got you two Christmases ago?”

“How do you know I didn’t?” Royce asked.

“Because I have deductive reasoning and an olfactory system.” Evea rolled her eyes.

“Here.” Sandy handed him a cardboard cylinder. “Instructions are on the side. Put some maple syrup or some cinnamon in it for taste. For the love of fate, don’t give that poor omega plain oatmeal.”

Royce pursed his lips and stared at the oatmeal.

“You don’t have any of that, do you?” Evea asked.

“Come on.” Buford put a hand on his shoulder. “I have fresh wild honey and berries.”

Royce looked at him appreciatively as Buford guided Royce away from the bobcats and to his own orange front door.

Twenty minutes later, Royce was spooning oatmeal into bowls, then adding berries and honey. He had to admit it smelled amazing. Idly, he hoped it was good enough to entice Doc to eat. Royce had a hard time sleeping last night, knowing the omega had gone to bed hungry. Although he was appeased by the knowledge Doc had been comfortable enough to take a shower.

Grabbing the two bowls of oatmeal, he made his way upstairs. Adrenaline pulsed through his veins, his breath was raspy, and his palms were starting to sweat again. He was nervous, anxious, and terrified. He’d already screwed up his first meeting with his mate; he couldn’t keep making blunders. He couldn’t afford that, not now.

Not now there was a chance.

Not now there was hope blossoming in his life.

Maybe Royce didn’t need to spend the rest of forever alone. Maybe this was why he’d felt aimless most of his existence, because the other half of his spirit was walking around somewhere else. Going to vet school, building his own life of dreams and passion. Maybe with Doc at his side, he wouldn’t have to be half a man anymore.

Royce needed this to work. And a twisted part of himself thanked the fates Doc was taking suppressors so he could keep his head about himself and not go mental with lust. He was ashamed to think it; those suppressors could be doing permanent damage to the omega … but if Royce lost his head and tried to claim him before he was ready, that would damage him too.

It was a rock and a hard place.

No matter, Royce had faced worse. He was determined to make this work so Doc could get off those damned pills and stop using suppressor. The omega would be happy and healthy here. Royce could make him happy … if they were able to get past this.

If he lost his mate, he’d be a shell of a man for the rest of his life. That is until the madness took him. Even if he’d never properly scented him, Royce would know. He would know his fated mate was out there, the other half of his soul, but had chosen to turn away.

He tapped the door with the side of his foot. Shuffling sounded behind the door, then nothing.

“I made breakfast.” When no one responded, he pressed his elbow down on the door handle. No one screamed or attacked when the door swung, so he pushed it open enough to walk in. The doctor sat on the bed, his dark eyes pierced Royce with accusation.

“Morning, Doc,” Royce said. “Right … um … as I said, I made breakfast. Here, this one is for you.”

He shoved the bowl with more berries and honey at the omega, who took it without a word. When he didn’t make a move to eat, Royce sighed and took a bite of the oatmeal from Doc’s bowl.

“See, not tampered with.” Royce sat at the desk again. He surreptitiously surveyed the items he’d left in the room the previous night. There was less water, but it appeared nothing else had been touched. Except the sweats. Oh fate, the sweats … Seeing Doc bundled up in Royce’s giant sweater made his insides wriggle and go warm. The urge to crawl into the bed and curl protectively around the omega screamed at him.

Attempting to look casual and put the doctor at ease, he crossed his ankle over his knee, picked up his bowl and started eating. It was decent, a bit sweeter than he normally liked his food, but good. He’d have to thank his neighbors next time he saw them.

“Where are you from?” Royce asked, trying to sound conversational when his heart was racing. “I mean, before you came to Elk Cove.”

The omega picked at the food.

“Seerinoga,” he whispered.

“Oh, that’s way down south. Isn’t that by the Gulf and the border with the South American Conglomerate?” Seerinoga was an omega-only settlement, so why the heck had he left? The omega settlements had been built within the last fifty or so years and were supposed to be close to utopias for omegas. Royce wanted to ask him, but worried that might be insensitive, so instead he said, “Must be a big adjustment for you coming up here to Mount Rainier.”

“I’ll manage.”

“And what about family? Isn’t it a bit unusual for omegas to do anything alone, especially move across country?”

Doc wrinkled his nose, and his eyes welled. Oh fuck, he’d put his foot in it again.

“I’m sorry,” Royce said. “It seems that’s something we have in common.”

Doc glared at him. “I have nothing in common with an alpha.”

“I’m sorry, I really am,” Royce said in earnest. “About your family, whatever happened to make you start running, about bringing you here. I just want to make you safe, and I don’t know how to do that when you won’t tell me what it is that’s hunting you.”