Chapter 33: Not a Good Person

“They always do. You know, quarreling seems to be the love language of that father and son.” Elliot whispered, his shoulders slumped on the chair. When I didn’t reply, he went to the kitchen to grab the drink.

“Here, take this.” The smoke from the hot tea invaded my senses. Elliot kneeled one knee beside Zarion, and Zarion drank it up straight. I smiled, at least now, he’s the must-obey little wolf. “How are you feeling now?” Elliot softly asked, a little excitement glimmering in those kind eyes. Knowing the aftereffect of his newly found experiment drink, I hope he did not put out some sleeping pill.

As much as I am worried of Zarion’s emotions, I’m glad that Elliot take it easy with him—he didn’t treated him like a specimen to be roughly studied.

“Good. Make more of this,” Zarion demanded, his voice hoarse and dark. He didn’t even say ‘thank you’ and just shut his eyes. Now in a relaxed sitting position on the couch, both of his arms snaked on the arm of the sofa, while his head lay back.

I badly want to strode his coc—

“Cassidy.” Elliot heaved a deep sigh, bobbing his head towards Zarion. “I’ll leave you two alone to talk about it, then.” When he didn’t respond, he clicked his fingers across his face. “Hey, redhead,” he called me, and I don’t know what has gotten on his brain today that he sounded so happy that he even nicknamed me. “You know what to do when he’s doing it again.”

“I know. I know,” I rolled my eyes at him but smiled in the end. “Thank you for the drink on behalf of him, Elliot.” I put the empty glass on the coffee table carefully.

“You’re welcome. Indeed, humans are kind.” Elliot uttered it sarcastically, glancing at Zarion who was still on his not-usual self on the sofa. I let silence devour us at the moment. The way he told me I am his girlfriend to his old friend made my ass’ cheeks blush.

Does he really mean it? Does he think of me like that? Does he finally have feelings for me?

Oh, Zarion…

“Why are you smiling like an idiot?” Zarion crooned, and I blushed because he caught me daydreaming at the very second. I cleared my throat. “I-I am not smiling…” I said and eventually cast him a sheepish grin. He pinched both of my reddened cheeks and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “Come closer.”

Like a child, I follow his order, closing the distance between us. We look like a couple—an actual couple—cuddling on the couch. Something a lewd photo I saw flashed on our television once. He feels so warm and cozy yet here I am…“I am so cold.” The coldness melted away the moment our hands touched. Slowly, he connected my fingers to his until both of our palms met. In a rhythmic manner, Zarion moves his other palm up and down my shoulders. I chuckled. “I never knew you are so touch-deprived.”

He smirked, agreeing with what I said. “Do you want to talk about it? What happened to your father-and-son talk, I mean—”

Breathing deeply as he looked down at me, his expression turned sour. Bitter. My head was instantly on his chest and my feet were dangled on the bottom of the couch’s arm. I want to be her,e in his arms forever. I felt safe and warm and contented everytime I am with him.

Stay with me, Zarion…I can’t help but wish and pray. Hope was the best thing I could hope for.

“My father’s waiting for his ‘peaceful’ death. He’s literally on his deathbed now.” Zarion chuckled without humor. “It took him ages to talk to me,” he glances at the back of his scarred hand. “And he perfectly chose a time when he’s about to leave on this planet.”

“Do you hate your father that much.”

“Define much.”

I shook my head, couldn’t think of a word to counter his sarcasm. “What did you two talk about?”

“He wants me to be the Alpha of the Madfur Claws Pack.”

“Right,” I whispered and remembered what his old friend did earlier. Like his father, Zack was desperate to convince Zarion to be back, too. I guess I have no choice but to be the pack’s Luna then. Don’t be so assuming, Cassidy.

Hestia’s words licked my earlobe, sending shivers down my spine. I was born to die with him

Yeah, Hestia. But I was born to live with him. Live, not die. Life, not death. “But you don’t want to lead the pack because…” My words abruptly end like a question.

“Because I don’t want the responsibility. I have more priorities to do in my life.”

“Such as finding the witch and searching for your mate thing?” Again and again, he keeps repeating it to me as if I’m nothing but a forgetful frail human being. I don’t want to talk about that anymore, so I immediately shifted the topic. “What was your father like?”

He laughed without humor once more. I saw anger swarming in those pretty eyes. Like a reflex action, pout bloomed across my face. “He shows no mercy. He’s exactly Brandon, my step-brother. He will do anything to keep the pack intact and to serve his destiny as the Alpha of our pack.”

“Uhm, how did Brandon becomes your step-brother? Does she have a different mother… or did your mom die—sorry, that was way out of line. You don’t need to answer that.”

“It’s okay.” Yet he still looked away from me.

“My father is a shitty father, anyway. He killed my mother.”

Of course, so much for a steaming hot family drama.

I let him continued, shutting my mouth instantly when it tried to form an O. “My father thought he was happily in love with my mother. He thinks my mom was the most beautiful woman in his life ever… until he found his true mate. Something about mates is unexplainable, Cassy. The bond is always there from the day they were born—it binds them together. It’s unbreakable, indestructible. Unyielding and raw.” I didn’t know that mate and bond thing is something serious.

That is exactly why you are on the Healer’s couch, aren’t you? Yes, I almost forgot that, even me, views the mate and bond thingy as somewhat essential for living.

“It was my father’s mistake,” Zarion inhaled, this man—whom I always regard as intimidating and dominating—have let remorse fill his voice. Impressive. “He couldn’t wait to be married and bear a child. He was so stubborn and doesn’t believe in being mated to another woman. But once his real mate appears in his life, he left us. Brandon is basically his love child.” Zarion’s face turned into a scowl, reminiscing the memories that eventually trickled down his face into a couple of falling tears. “He killed my mother, Cassidy. All because of that bitch, Ariana!”

Now that scream…It sent the hair on my entire body stand to its tip. I become frozen, unable to blink. When Zarion slumped his body back to the couch, I released the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Yes, something about Ariana’s existence made my father kneel to his knees just for her. He was nothing like that to my mother. The mate bond is ridiculously indestructible.It’s unbelievable, I know. My mother’s fate was the living proof of the tragedy because of the mate bond.” Softly, I caressed Zarion’s curled hands and lay them down on my thighs. “That’s why I desire to kill my mate instead. I don’t want to end up like my father and mother.

My heart clenched because of how sad it is for Zarion to experience that kind of pain. If there is something I could do to lift the agony from his system, I certainly would. “After that, Ariana ruled over my father’s mind. Like a kingdom without a king, only a queen. I bet she has done something to my father that’s why he’s in bed right now. She wants everything that my father has for his son. She banished me when I became the Alpha of our pack. Brandon replaced me. The rest is history.”

“She sure has the traits of Cinderella’s stepmother,” I whispered, and Zarion finally chuckled with amusement dancing in his eyes.

He pinched my cheek playfully.

Villainous smile lit up my face, “Don’t compare me to Cinderella.” I eyed him, and something with my gaze made Zarion’s brow furrowed. “That’s a different story, and I am certainly not a good person like her.”

Indeed, I am not.