Forbidden

|24|

Marx

I stopped running in the darkened dense forest and just stood there in the middle between two towering oak trees, my eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. I wanted Eden but not like before, this wasn't a possessive or obsessive need, it was genuine.

Watching how sad the news about her "mate" made her, caused a ache in my chest, an ache I begged to have removed. I was raised to believe that a mate was your toy, someone who was to bend to your will and only your will. My mother was the dominant in the relationship with Mason's and my father and he was her slave.

I watched everyday as she controlled everything about his life from his waking moment to the day we laid him in his grave. She told me that he was only useful for completing her needs and doing what he was told. And like a young fool who yearned for his mothers affection, I soaked it in like a sponge and trained after her. My grandmother was the same way, she had been the dominant in her mating with my grandpa and he too, was basically her slave. So that's what I was raised around. Mason had remained untainted from our families corrosive ways and I was down low proud of that fact. Proud that one of us didn't turn out fucked up.

But today, something tugged at me. A small tucked away need buried far beneath the cold abyss of my soul, a warm light. And it had Eden's name all over it. Last time I felt like this, was a year after she had been sent to live with us at Nana M's house. I had been on my way to the towns teenage watering hole to hang with a couple of my pack members when I spotted Eden sitting alone on a single boulder, crying.

It wasn't loud crying like a temper throwing child, but like a silent break your heart and steal your soul whimper. She was wearing her mothers favorite blue sundress that was threes sizes too big for her and cradling something in her tiny hands.

"What's that crybaby?" I asked in a shushed voice, hoping not to spook her and pointing to her folded hands. Her head whipped in my direction and her mocha eyes sat too big and wide on her face. I could see the wheels turning in her head as she fought with herself on whether to tell me or not. More slivers of water sliced down her cheeks and it took all my self will to not reach out and wipe away the offending water that didn't belong there. Shrugging her shoulders, she opened her palms, revealing a baby green and blue parakeet, obviously just hatched and not breathing.

"I found it all alone, crying for its mama. I been searching for her and I can't find her Marx!" Her eyes held the true emotion of broken and right there, I felt my world stop. No one before her at that point in time called me Marx and I found that I liked it, so much so that the name stuck for years after. I walked over to her and stared right into her face, keeping a tender expression on my own.

"The bird is dead Eden, its mama probably is as well. You won't be able to find her, she is gone." I whispered next to her and she shook her head back and forth in a frantic fashion.

"NO! She's not gone! I will find her! I will find mama!" She stood up and nearly fell on the ground as she stumbled on the huge dress, crying nonstop now. My heart ached and I gathered her in my embrace, ignoring the small fists stinging my chest with punches.

"She's gone Eden, she can't be brought back. But everything will be okay, I will take care of you. Let's start by giving this baby bird a proper burial okay?.." She stopped struggling and just nodded, eerily quiet.

Two toothpicks glued together was placed as a tombstone for the parakeet and a small hole was dug, which Eden laid the bird in, covering it back up with dirt. Saying a silent prayer, I thought that would be all until Eden started to speak.

"Mama, can you hear me?" She paused for a second as though she was waiting for an answer. When none came, she continued.

"I'm going to be okay mama, I promise. I know it's my fault for what happened and I hope that you'll forgive me when we see each other again. Until then mama, I'm going to be Marx's mate and he's going to love me like daddy loved you. Like I loved you mama, so don't worry anymore, I won't keep crying." Eden had a cheeky half smile on her lips as she glanced at me from underneath her lashes and when my world stopped before, now tilted on its axis and deemed her queen. She chose me as her mate and things stayed that way, until I fucked up years later.

I clamped down on the old memories and pushed them back down, unable to deal with knowing everything was truly my fault. I had long ago lost Eden, way before Laurent found his way to her. Perhaps it was best for her to be with him, some one who wasn't the product of a power hungry tyrant mother and a slave worshipper father. Turning away from the direction of Aria's home, I made my way back to the camp of Raiven.

********************

Eden

After hours of tedious walking, we finally made our way to the outskirts of the camp and I was ready to sleep. Mason had refused to stop until we got back, he was to wired up about my not being able to transform and wanted answers. Stepping into the inner field of the encampment, something felt incredibly off. Like I was now at the top of the roller coaster watching as it slowly fell down. Ignoring the open mouths and nervous looks, I walked to the Alphas quarters and walked inside. A hand wrapped around my wrist.

"Don't go in there lovely, please don't go in there." Waydi pleaded gently and my heart froze up. I snatched my wrist from his hold and continued on to the room I shared with Laurent, pushing it open. In the same pallet that I slept in, laid two bodies, as bare as the day they were born, holding on to each other like life itself depended on it. The beast inside became unchained, a growl so feral and dark rumbled forth.

"Wha-? Whose there?!" A feminine tone groggily asked as I saw Val removing herself from the arms that locked her to his body. When her eyes landed on me, it was damn near comical how big they became with fear. She screamed and Laurent roused from his sleep, alert and on the offensive.

To protect his mate. He looked at me and no recognition laid in the golden depths.

"Who are you? And why are you bothering me and my mate in our home?" He snarled.