Chapter 17: Theodore - Marked By Love

The IV had been removed, and he was free to roam around at his discretion. The first order of business was a bath. Royce had explained there was a water tank that could be heated by a cast-iron stove in the kitchen. Theodore hadn’t realized there was another stove in the kitchen … Seriously, he wanted to slap whoever built this cabin.

When he was scrubbed to his heart’s content and wrapped in clean sweats, he wandered out to the main room. He fiddled with the hem of the sweatshirt and bounced between his feet.

“That smells good,” he said.

“I made pasta.” Royce smiled. “I figured plain noodles with olive oil and herbs would sit well on your stomach and give you a bit more substance. And I see you found the clean laundry in the bathroom.”

“Who …?”

“My neighbors, Sandy and Evea, they offered to help and have been bringing by things you needed.”

“Oh, that was really nice of them.” Royce handed Theodore a cup of tea and ushered him to sit at the kitchen table. It was the mint tea Theodore had brought with him; it had a spoonful of honey added to it, just like Theodore liked it.

“You’re telling me, I’m practically a shut-in. I wasn’t expecting any type of help from them. But after Buford, my other neighbor, told them you were my mate, they couldn’t help but be nosy. He kept your personal information to himself, but they knew you weren’t feeling well and thought we could use some help.”

Royce shuffled around the kitchen with ease and comfort. He set two bowls of pasta on the table along with some chocolate berries.

“There’s no meat,” Theodore observed aloud.

“No.”

“But are you okay with that?”

“I’m not anti-vegetable,” Royce said. “I just don’t like doing a lot of cooking when it’s just for me.”

“Why are you here?”

For a moment Royce looked startled, then his eyes fell. “Where else would I be? You’re my mate, Theo, you were sick. I knew you wouldn’t like going to the hospital; it just made sense for me to stay here with you.”

It hadn’t escaped his attention that Royce had shortened his name. Theodore thought he liked it, not that he would tell Royce that. He picked at the food and sipped his tea. Finally, he had to set his fork down and ask.

“Royce, how did you know I was afraid of hospitals?” he whispered. “I know you tried to get me to go the … however many days ago, but that could have just been me being stubborn or trying to run away from you.”

“The flash drive.”

“Is it still—you didn’t?”

“It’s here. It’s safe in the same tin as your fake documents.”

“So, now you know.”

“We don’t have to talk about it right now. We can wait until you’re better.”

Theodore bristled.

“Wait, like you waited while I was unconscious before you snooped through my private things.” The more he thought, the more his chest swelled, and his thoughts snarled; he wanted to talk, to argue, to vent, to yell and scream and cry.

“You gave me the tin before passing out in a pool of your own blood.” Royce frowned. “Kinda piques the curiosity.”

Theodore winced. He didn’t remember that part. “Why were you stalking me?” He changed the topic. “You said you couldn’t scent me, so why were you stalking me? Why did you break into my home?”

“Because I thought something was wrong with you. I thought you were acting suspicious and that you might be a threat.”

Theodore’s head snapped up. “So you immediately leapt to the worst possible conclusion about a stranger and decided to take matters into your own hands?”

Royce set his fork down with a clang. “Yes, if you really want to get into this now, yeah, that’s exactly what I did. I camped outside the omega house for days. Because my wolf couldn’t scent you or that you’d left the omega house, I sat there for three damn days, illogically waiting for you to leave because that’s the last location I knew you were at. Or the wolf did. Then I chased you out the grocery and followed you here and proceeded to sit in my car—like a fucking creep—trying to figure out what type of threat you were. Happy?”

“Yes, actually.” Theodore surprised himself by laughing. “It seems maybe we’re more suited for each other than I thought.”

“What?” Royce balked.

“I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but one doesn’t live on the run with damming evidence like that without telling a soul if they’re the trusting kind.”

Instead of laughing with Theodore, Royce looked pained. His mouth smashed into a thin line, and his brows knit over his eyes.

“My dad was a doctor in Seerinoga,” Theodore said.

“Theo, you don’t—”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” he snapped. It wasn’t Royce’s fault, none of it was, but Theodore’s resentment and frustration were at a tipping point. “I’ve had enough of alphas bossing me, and every other omega on the planet, around for a lifetime. Keeping us quiet, locked up like cattle to be used and disposed of as they please.

“Of course no other alpha dares to believe you when you talk about—you’re made out to be some lunatic conspiracy theorist. All the more reason to segregate us, keep us drunk and complacent in our territories. No one notices what they aren’t allowed to see.

“Out of sight, out of mind. Pay no attention to the weak little omegas when they complain. They just don’t know how good they have it. They must be brain-addled. Pity them but never once actually consider them.”

At some point in his tirade, Theodore had started crying. To his credit, Royce didn’t try to interrupt him with hollow placations of false comforts. He let Theodore yell and shout until the bone-deep enervation caught up with him.

“Would you like another cup of tea?”

Theodore shook his head.

“Hot cocoa? Or a pastry?”

“What? How …?”

“My neighbors, they made some oat milk and dropped it off. I have the ingredients to make cocoa from scratch with it. And the baker, Hershal, he dropped off a box for you this morning.”

That made Theodore cry harder. He didn’t register Royce getting up from the table, but soon enough his nose was aware that something delicious and rich was sitting in front of him.

Royce sat back down, his hands in his lap. “I’d try and hug you, but I’m pretty sure that’s the last thing you’d want right now.”

Wiping his face, Theodore inspected the hot cocoa and small plate of sweets, then the alpha sitting across from him. His gray eyes had tints of gold on the edges. Theodore’s attention was drawn to the deep purple circles beneath them. His jaw was locked so hard Theodore worried his teeth were going to crack. He looked like Theodore felt.

“Thank you.” Theodore ate his snacks, surprising himself by finishing all three pastries and mug in ten minutes. “I can’t remember the last time I had hot cocoa or a pastry.”

“I imagine it was some time before you left Seerinoga.”

Theodore nodded.

“I’m sorry, Theo,” Royce said. “I’m sorry you’ve been shouldering this alone for so long. I’m sorry alphas act like jackasses. I’m sorry you’ve been on the run and that you felt like you had to hurt yourself with those pills to stay safe. But I’m not sorry you’re in Elk Cove. I’m not sorry the fates put you in my life, and I’m not sorry I looked at that flash drive.

“As soon as you’re ready, I’ll go with you to tell Argus everything. Or you can tell me, and I’ll go to Argus alone. Either way, I’m not letting this continue; not to you or any other omega.”

Theodore wiped his face. He’d started crying again; thankfully, this time was quieter and less snot-inducing than last time. “I don’t want a mate bond.”

“I don’t care about that right now. Mate bond or not, you’re still mine to protect. I’ll wait as long as you need.”

“No, you won’t,” Theodore countered. “Alphas that don’t secure their mate bonds go insane in what, a year?”

“That’s my problem. The only thing you need to worry about right now is getting better so you can give me enough details to stop what’s happening in Seerinoga.”

They sat at the table in silence while Theodore digested everything. Too much had happened in such a short period, or rather, the boiling point had been reached. There was no turning back now. Theodore wanted to hate that, to despise that Royce had seen his secrets and exposed the soft underbelly of his life. Instead, he felt comforted.

The scent of oranges and rainstorms over the salty seas washed over him, and the feeling intensified. It wasn’t just contentment, it was warmth, like a small child hiding in a large quilt during a summer storm. You knew there were things outside that were bigger, louder, and scarier than you, but wrapped up in that quilt on your bed, you knew you were safe no matter what.

Royce’s eyes flashed golden, and his nostrils flared. Theodore’s breath hitched because in that moment he understood. Royce could scent him unobstructed and Theodore him.

Despite that, Royce hadn’t tried to force his hand. He’d chopped firewood, made pasta, and administered Theodore’s medicine, all without expectation of anything in return. Royce took this bond, took Theodore’s existence in his life, seriously. If Theodore were to reject him, Royce would respect that, but it would kill him.