Ghost King

Old Wounds

"Are you ok being back after so long?" Svetlana asked Cage.

The man turned to her with a blank look, he did not say anything as always just gave her a nod. Svetlana stared at him for a while longer before leaving him alone. They have been walking on eggshells around Cage ever since that fateful day. Ever since they left Korea after Seokjin accused Cage of trying to kill Ashton and going as far as raising his hand on the man, Cage has not been the same. He's been more distant, colder and he stopped talking all together. He only linked them when it was something important and they were not around him. It hurt to see him like that but there was nothing they could do to get him back from the darkness surrounding him.

Svetlana went back to the bedroom where Gage and Ashton were cuddling in bed. " Is he coming?" Ash asked in a small voice.

" He seemed to be battling with his mind so I didn't want to pressure him. We've already done enough of that by bringing him here." Svetlana informed them.

Ashton turned to Gage," He only came for me, didn't he? Is the bond between him and Seo really broken?" His voice trembled at the thought.

All of them were thinking the same thing and none of them had the answer. Ashton blamed himself for it all, he was the reason Seokjin could not trust his own mate. He was the reason the King raised his voice as well as his hand on his mate. Ashton had known that his presence would only bring trouble but he was too selfish to leave and now he had ruined everything...

" Enough. Stop blaming yourself for something that you had no hand in. You did not ask Seokjin to love you more than his own mate and you certainly didn't force him to trust no one with you." Gage scolded firmly.

Before Ashton got a chance to reply, Seokjin barged in the room. He looked frantic as if he had been running for miles. His blood red eyes scanned the room until they settled on Gage.

"You're back." He whispered as of he couldn't believe his eyes. Gage said nothing as he focused his attention on Ashton ignoring the man.

Svetlana shook her head before going over to the vampire king and let him pull her into a hug. " I'm sorry." He mumbled.

Svetlana ran a hand through his hair and smiled," I know. It's going to be ok."He pulled her into a kiss before letting her go.

"Gage, please." The man practically begged as tears ran down his pale cheeks.

The younger stayed still for a few seconds before leaving the bed and pulled the man into a rough kiss. Seokjin groaned when Gage's lips met his before wrapping his arms around the man and kissed him back. Gage bit the man's lower lip a bit too hard and the Vampire gave him access into his mouth without compliant. Seokjin let Gage take control and devour him for as long as he wanted. When the boy finally pulled back, both of them were panting. The King leaned forward and buried his face in the younger's neck.

" I'm really am sorry. If I could take it all back I would."

Gage sighed, " Colt, I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. What you did infuriated us all but it broke him. All our lives we've put up with abuse, everytime dad's ex mate was angry he'd beat dad or us. But... Cage always protected us which meant he got the worse beating out of us. At times he was beaten to the brink of death." Seokjin's breathe hitched, Ashton gasped and Svetlana cried silently.

When Gage pulled back from the King, his face was cold yet his eyes were filled with raw pain." When you raised your hand on him that day... It broke any once of trust he had in mates. He doesn't believe in love anymore, Colt. You were supposed to protect him and love him but you failed him in both things. He knew that you loved Ash more than you'd ever love him and he was ok with that as long as he could be with you, it didn't matter. But when you insulted him and almost hit him, in his mind, he was back there with that man again. All he could think about was that you were meant to protect him."

When he finished, the Vampire Lord was on his knees crying. He did not realize how much he had hurt his mate. Granted, he did not know about the man's past but that was no excuse. Deacon and Dragon had almost killed him when they found out what he had done. Aiden couldn't even look at him, had it not been for the fact that hurting him would also hurt his mates, Seokjin was sure they'd have thrashed him to a pulp. He couldn't believe the trauma he has caused his mate.

"W-where is he?" He stammered.

"Last I saw him he was on the terrace." Svetlana replied.

Before anyone could say anything more, Seokjin had teleported out of there. They all hoped that the two will be able to sort out their differences.