The Bully's Hated Mate
The Bully’s Hated Mate – Chapter 47

CASSIA’S POV:

Lucius kept on opening doors for me, kept on sending food to my room in the evenings or most times, breakfast.

I have to admit, it felt good being taken care of, but that didn’t mean I was going to take him back or things had to go back the way they were.

Nothing was going back to normal because there was no normal.

Especially now, as I walked towards the dungeon to see Marcus. I had been restricted from this part of the palace by the Alpha after his decree but I found out that Lucius had talked to his father to let me visit him once a week and although it was a good gesture, I didn’t thank him for it.

I carried with me a basket of fruits, a loaf of sweet bread and even tastier soup. I brought bandages and a first aid kit with me.

I was finally going to take care of Marcus the way he took care of me.

I nearly skidded with joy as I could finally see the new place he had been moved to, being that the Alpha king had ripped the cage off its hinges in a fit of rage.

Rage I never wanted to see again for the rest of my life.

He had been moved to where there was sunlight, better ventilation and cleaner space. I was so happy to see that at least he was comfortable as I sighted a bed and a clean loo in his space.

It made me feel bad that I had unintentionally had a hand in his imprisonment but he was a bit comfortable.

He was laying down on the mattress, head facing upwards to the ceiling as I approached. The soft click of my low heeled sandals startled him towards my direction and his face softened immediately.

I was still not allowed to touch him but I was glad to realise he wasn’t in chains and his face had come back to normal.

Well, almost. It had black spots all around it but it wasn’t the size of a mature fruit.

“Cassia! You came!” He exclaimed, joy spreading all over his face as I fully emerged.

I have never felt the strong urge to hug someone until now. The urge grew an itch and tingled my hands until all I could do was to fold them together.

I plopped on the floor, my face spreading with joy as I stretched my arm through the bars to touch his. His touch made me feel at ease, his temperature was alright and I could see some bandages peeking out from his new change of clothes.

He plopped down on the floor too, towards my direction and touched my hands in a hold.

We stayed there, holding out our outstretched hands as if to substitute for the hug we couldn’t have. I sighed, barely trying to be content.

“How are you?” I asked, after we both got our hands back.

I looked at him from his head to his toes as he took a deep breath.

I’m sure my face masked the emotions of deep concern because Marcus furrowed his brows.

“I’m fine, Cassia. Come on, you look worried.” He said.

At first, shock registered that he thought this wasn’t a situation requiring concern but then, this was always Marcus. He was always happy.

“You sure? Are they feeding you well? Are any of your wounds untreated?” I asked again, trying my best not to ask him to pull his shirt for my eyes to examine.

“Yesss. I’m really okay. I’ve been treated well and I’m glad you came to see me. It’s been long, I almost thought you had forgotten me.” His voice trailing off in the last sentence.

I gasped a bit, then rolled my eyes in response.

“I could never and you know that. I am working my way to make sure you get out of here. If anything, Lucius should be the one in here. Hell, even I should be the one in here and not you. You don’t deserve this, and I still don’t know why you went after him. Why did you?” I asked him.

“Maybe you’re right but I’m not complaining right now, am I? You’re here, so everything is just alright. I feel okay, I feel rejuvenated. I feel alive.” His eyes were twinkling with excitement.

My wolf growled a little.

“You feel okay now that I’m here?” I asked, perplexed.

What did he mean by that? Who would feel okay in a cage?

“Yes, I do. Your presence makes everything so much easier. I don’t need to think, I just need to feel.” He said and breathed deeply and contently.

My eyebrows were still furrowed in confusion.

“Why? You still haven’t told me why you went after Lucius.” I said again, softly, making his eyes snap open.

He adjusted himself on his legs and stared at me, a grin forming.

“I can’t stand to watch the people I love get hurt, and I felt he was hurting you. I wanted to kill him and protect you. It’s what you do when you’re in love with someone.” He said.

The revelation hit me square but something about it still didn’t sit with me.

“Are you…?”I seemed to c**k my head and close my eyes as things started to click in my head faster than I thought. “Are you in love with me?” I asked.

My heart started to pound.

“Yes, Cassia. I’ve been in love with you. Infact, from the moment I saw you, I knew I would love you.” He said, his face full of smiles.

Maya g*****d and my face shrunk in horror.

What did he mean by he loved me?

“No. No.” I managed to speak out.

Marcus seemed to get my expression.

“Marcus, I have a mate. Lucius… He’s my mate.” I said.

Even as I said it, I hated it but it wasn’t far from the truth. I didn’t like Lucius, but I needed Marcus to understand that there was no future with us.

He scoffed and stood up. His movements startled me.

“Lucius can’t be your mate, Cassia. Look in the mirror.” His voice coming out very harsh.

I stood up too, realising that I didn’t even offer him anything I had placed in the basket I had brought with me.

“You can’t say that.” I said, my voice coming out small.

Here I was, visiting Marcus in a cage. A cage that he voluntarily helped to make possible.

“Yes, I can! Lucius has been nothing but the worst to you and to everyone else. The guy’s a bully and he’s an a*****e. He can’t be your mate, Cassia. You’re better than that.” He said again.

“It’s not like I wished for it. You of all people know how much I don’t like the royals but we’re mates. We’re destined together.” I said.

Marcus started to pace.

“Well, you could leave. You could leave this place and never look back. I mean, you said it yourself, you don’t like them. You never have, then why are you still here? Why bother to stay in a place you detest? We could run away together. Do you remember all the times we made fun of the royals? We loved making fun of them because we both knew how much of an a*****e they were. You can leave, Cassia, you have a choice. Leave and be free, and be with me.” His voice pleaded to be heard.

But I wish I could leave.

I wish I could just get up and leave but it was never that simple — not in this case.

“I can’t leave, Marcus. I can’t just get up and leave. There’s some kind of bond here, it pulls me everytime. It’s not that simple.” I breathed out a shaky sigh.

“Yes, you can! You’re sounding as if you don’t detest these people. How many times has Lucius bullied you? How many times have you silently wished you could just vanish? You could break the bond. I hear there’s a full moon coming soon, you could just …”

“Marcus. Stop!” I said, cutting him off.

I watched as all the air deflated from his lungs and he sank on his bed.

“I told you, I can’t just get up and leave, and I actually like him a little bit. I wasn’t joking when I said we were destined for each other. Every road I have taken, every path that I hoped would lead me away from him just keeps bringing me back. Believe me, I’ve tried! But it doesn’t work like that. It never does.” I closed my hands, holding the bars and feeling something bad about to happen.

“This isn’t about just the bond is it?” His voice had grown cold.

I sighed, already feeling guilty.

“Marcus. I…” I began, my eyes deciding to stay fixated on the floor.

“I don’t feel the same way about you, Marcus. We’ve known for a really long time and there’s no us.” The room felt so cold, so silent.

I gradually lifted my head and Marcus looked at me with faraway eyes, eyes that held something deep, like something had shattered in him.

“I should go now.” I said.

My heart was shredding at the fact that I had just broken his heart. My best friend’s heart. Marcus turned away and laid back down in the same spot I had met him in.

I looked at the basket and without a word, I walked out if the dungeon.