The Rightful King

Allen | 044

            "C-can I have one?" Vincent asked.

Allen flicked a look to the younger Alpha, exhaling a cloud of smoke that curled into the night air as it disappeared. Vincent looked rough as he sat against an oak tree outside of the manor. Puffy eyes, red nose, trembling frame. He was wearing the same tear-stained sweater from the day before. Allen sucked in another inhale of his cigarette, contemplating his question. He had a half a pack weighing in his pocket, and a lighter, too.

Instead, he asked, "When was the last time you ate?"

Vincent shrugged. He hadn't eaten his crepes this morning, or the sauced noodles from dinner the night before either. He felt a strange tug in his chest, the kind that demanded he make sure the younger Alpha ate properly, that he did what he could to soothe his frayed emotions. Not that he wanted to go about cuddling Vincent and scenting him like a pup, he was still a grown Alpha no matter how small his shoulders looked hunched forward like that. The King had simply asked him to check on him but going the extra mile might earn him brownie points with his future mate.

Allen snuffed out his cigarette on the side of his chair. There weren't any concrete pots of dirt for him to hide his habit, so he pocketed remainder of the stick once he stood up. Vincent scrambled to do the same, wiping his nose on his sleeve and ducking his head when he stared at him for a little too long.

"Come on," he muttered, not bothering to check if the younger was following him.

Thirty minutes later a plate of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches was sitting in front of Vincent. There was no one else to cook really, the guards on duty had made breakfast and dinner the night before. The servants that had been present in the manor had been arrested for their silence, which left Allen and Vincent to fend for themselves during lunch times. Allen wasn't much of a cook, but Vincent needed to eat something, and Allen's skills in the kitchen didn't extend past simple sandwiches and cup noodles he'd consumed in college.

Vincent curiously took the sandwich sitting on top, opening it to inspect the thick smear of peanut butter and globs of preservatives with something close to disdain. "I've never had this before."

"There's a first time for everything. Eat."

He put the sandwich back together before obediently taking a bite. He didn't seem impressed, but he still took another after he swallowed. Allen, satisfied now that the younger was eating, sat in the seat across from him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, your mom and everything. I know I'm not exactly the most comforting, but you've been crying for the past two days and Scott wanted me to look after you."

Vincent began picking the crust off his sandwich, "I betrayed my mother. He wanted... wanted to eventually overthrow Scott."

"He wanted to be the monarch?"

"Mother wanted me to take the throne. He always said I deserved it, that I was the eldest Alpha, bastard child or not. Father... still made Scott crowned prince."

"You didn't want the crown." It wasn't a question.

"No. I've never had any interest and Scott, he had to work for it. He's always wanted it, I've never really been cut out for it. Father used to joke that he should've been the Alpha and I the Omega. My mother... you should've seen the way he looked at me when the guards arrested him. He told me he hated me." Vincent's lip began quivering as he spoke, puffy eyes once again filling with tears.