The Bestowed Mate

A Pungent Variegated Carnation

Narrator

     In a different situation, the scene unfolding in front of anyone would have been the most romantic; as if taken from the most heart throbbing book: a delicate body lying on the white bed of the hospital and a huge masculine body squished on a chair next to it holding the soft unmoving hand and staring unblinkingly at the breathing chest. Little do the spectators know,  the layers of sufferings and hellish agony that surrounded that scene could have bled their very hearts dry. In that spacious room, Aziah felt chained and caged. Orien simply took command of their body and refused to leave Noah’s side for even a fraction of a second. He kept an unfaltering watch on her as if resigning to the fact that a mere blink may mean the loss of the one he has been yearning for....for decades. Hesitation rearing its head was an unrealistic odd he was not willing to put to the test. For a beast such as Orien, one that has gone through the murkiness of abyss and the tortures of calamity yet still emerged at the top of the food chain, this chaos of intense feelings mingled with instincts put him on edge. Whether it was alert or danger or even perhaps an overprotective drive, he could not fathom how to deal with it. One thing he understood, however:  this is his mate, his one and only. Nothing is to stand in his way to claim her as his own. After all, it was his buried wish – their buried wish, regardless of whether or not they are on terms with that. They all longed for her and unquestionably needed her.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Aziah could barely keep Orien under control enough to get instructions going. It was one of many hospitals owned by his sire and by extension he was the sole individual granted access and authority over anything and everything. The doctors and nurses had to work vigilantly and with extra caution around him as he refused to leave the room during examination and that got everyone extremely nervous. He is an intimidating man just breathing; one could imagine how worse it was when he was on edge and surely did nothing to conceal that. Once he was given a briefing over her health, he asked them to leave and allow none in. With the click of the locked door, Orien came to the surface and reached for Noah’s hand not daring to go any further for, despite his desperate need, he could not forget her terror of him and that rendered him hurt and somehow a bit more rational.

Noah

Disorientation, numbness, and a beeping sound broke through to my consciousness. It certainly does not feel pleasant or reassuring. I started to gather my bearings but with that came a rash of memories and a dull pain: a meeting, a beautiful man and … him; Him with his imposing self and …just him. I have seen scary men before. In my line of work, it is a given to meet powerful men for I worked for some as well, yet he was of a higher pedestal above the rest of all men. Why did it hurt to look at him though? It has been years and years since I felt that explosive pain that rips my insides and leaves me heaving in tears. It just happened at random times as if it was not even mine to be afflicted with but someone else’s.  It saddened me greatly and deeply more than it hurt. For the life of me, I could not find an explanation nor a plausible reason for it. I was and still am a healthy person of a stable emotional and mental state even after the ups and downs of life. I remained levelheaded and rational enough. That pain just took me by surprise and just as I remember it, it engulfed me and festered faster than I could make sense of. That man nonetheless - that man’s stare set everything ablaze. Was he staring or glaring? I cannot remember. It is all much hazy now.

“Agh,” I uttered trying to blink my eyes open and twitching my fingers. My body is heavy…was that a squeeze I felt just now? I forced myself harder and I was met by darkness instead of light. I tried to move again but my hand was really squeezed. I am not hallucinating. I tilted my head and I was met by a pair of gleaming ruby eyes. I would have screamed if it was not for the gruff voice that whispered, “Please don’t move hastily, you are in safe hands,” I would say that is reassuring enough but it would be a freezing day in hell. I screamed so loud my throat was raw and some people barged in the room and switched the lights on to check. Pieces were put together.

“STOP SCREAMING WOMAN!!” the gruff voice of earlier gone and an annoyed but huskier voice replaced it. It was him. Flushed and standing right by the bed and rubbing his ears.

“Miss, are you alright?” asked one of the people who tried to approach me and reached for the bottle of water on the stand. Just before he could though, the man said, “She just woke up startled from the dark. I get her the water,” he rounded the bed and looked down at the man who attempted to come closer, “come back in an hour” he dismissed with condescendence. Speechless and struggling to swallow I stared at him shaking. The ruby eyes are gone and the blackest eyes are scrutinizing my every move.

“Are you a banshee or just a screeching craw? Drink” he handed me the water but kept a hold on the bottle assessing if I could hold it without fail.

I snatched the bottle, gulped some, and looked back up, “I would like an explanation please”

“In regard to?” unbothered he posed.

“My whereabouts and your involvement” I replied as steadily as possible with my overwhelming fears and burning throat. I am weak; there is no denying it.

“Hmm,” he stared some more than proceeded, “The Central Hospital. You fainted during the meeting and I was commanded to provide necessary care for you,”

“Commended?” I slipped for sure because his jaw ticked and his frown deepened.

“Tch, what a nuisance… your superiors were contacted,” he retorted.

There was a tinge of finality in his answer but just if were in doubt, him leaving without a second glance is a solid confirmation. What is wrong with this man? Who in the world is he anyway?