Chapter 14: Compensation

"Papa, let me handle things," Selene said. "If it becomes too hard at any point, if I am no longer able to have things under control, I will tell."

[Selene...]

"I can’t let him have leverage against you, Papa. And also..."

The door of the ward pushed open. Someone walked in.

Selene slowly lifted her gaze. Dante.

"I’ll call you back later, Papa."

She hung up.

Dante closed the door behind him. He looked over to her at the bed. "How do you feel?"

Selene looked him up and down. His black hair was slightly tousled. His suit was still bloody, which meant he had yet to go home despite her treatment having been carried out.

She smirked. "You never went home. Aw, you were so worried about me?"

Dante rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath. He walked towards the bed with hands in his pocket.

"Who were you talking to?"

"My father. Why?" Selene slightly tilted her head.

He said, "You better not be planning anything with him. I may be in negotiation with him, but that doesn’t mean that if I am betrayed, I won’t fight back."

She cocked a brow. "Dante, what do you think about sending me back to my father and negotiating with him again?"

"What?"

"Send me back and negotiate with my father again. Can you do that?"

"And why would I do that?"

She shrugged. "I’m not safe here. Don’t you think you’re at risk? If anything happens to me, my father won’t let you get away with it. But if you send me back and negotiate with him again, you can come to an agreement that will protect you and me. No risks at all."

Dante narrowed his eyes on her. Slowly, he lowered himself, grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her to the edge of the bed on her bottom.

She blinked at him.

He didn’t say a word, decreasing himself until he dropped both hands on either side of her on the bed. Their gaze was level onto each other, faces so dangerously close she could feel his hot breath pump against her face.

"Do you think you’re so smart, princess?" He said, "Why would I send you back under any circumstances? Or...are you and Papa already planning to breach the deal?"

Selene tilted her head at him and smirked, "And for what, husband? I got hurt in your pack, and by your mate at that. Don’t you think you owe me compensation?"

"Compensation?"

He chuckled, voice deep and rough.

"She wasn’t exactly unharmed now, was she?"

"Oh?" Selene laughed a little into his face. "Do you think bruises are comparable to this and this?" She pointed to her hand and then toward the bandage wrapped around her head. "Don’t you think you sound crazy?"

"I agree. But it isn’t worthy to compensate you by sending you back. Stop playing smart."

"I could have died."

"No, you wouldn’t have." Dante didn’t stareComp at her. "Not while you’re under my watch."

Selene asked, "Where were you then while I got my head broken and hand split?"

He didn’t answer her.

He kept staring at her. Ever so slowly, his eyes dropped to her neck, towards the spat a little close to her earlobe. "You have no mate."

"I’m a wild omega," she said, confused. "And what did you say that for?"

He was quiet, peering at her. And the longer he did, his heart slowly began to pound like it did before. The more he stood there, bent at the waist with his face only an inch away from hers, the louder it got, pumping as if it would hammer right out of his chest.

Selene never broke eye contact. She couldn’t.

A strange feeling overcame her, and she furrowed her brows. He was staring too intensely at her. She frowned, suddenly lifting her hand to rub at her chest. "Ahem!" She cleared her patched threat, suddenly feeling suffocated.

"It feels a little...bit hot in here..." She began to fan herself. "And why are you looking at me like that?" What is his problem?

She looked at him again. "What are you staring at me for? You—"

He turned away suddenly. Dante’s shoulder rose and fell in heavy breathing. A confused expression was on his face. He glanced over his shoulder at her one more time before he turned and stormed out.

He slammed the door behind him and stalked over to the floor-length window where he stood, staring intently at the street below.

What is going on? Why am I—

"UGH!" The spot next to his neck stung as if he’d been bitten. He lifted his hand and touched it. And when he lowered the hand, he staggered back on his feet, pupils dilating.

There was blood on his palm.

His mating spot was bleeding.

"What...the hell?"

Dante touched his neck again. It was still bleeding and profusely at that.

What was the meaning of this? How could this be happening to him? Was it because he marked Meris but didn’t exactly allow her to mark him back?

"Alpha?"

He startled over. "What?" A nurse was bowed at the waist. "Is there a problem?"

"Your neck, Alpha, it is bleeding," she said. "Would you like to see the doctor?"

He was silent for a long while before he nodded.

"Please, come with me."

Dante followed behind her. They headed to the doctor’s office. He went in, and immediately seeing him, the doctor rose off his seat, bowing deeply.

"Alpha."

Dante walked over and settled into the chair at the table.

The doctor asked, "How can I help you, Alpha?"

Dante touched his neck. "It’s bleeding. My mating spot. It suddenly tore open and began to bleed. Why?"

"Bleed?" The doctor was confused. "How can that be?"

"You’re the doctor. Explain to me," he demanded.

The doctor shook his head. "Alpha, this is not a recorded case. A bleeding mating mark is something I have never seen before."

"What?"

"Never in an alpha. I have only seen it in omegas."

"What do you mean?"

"It’s like this. Omegas experience bleeding mating marks when an alpha tries to force them. If they reject it completely, their mating marks will bleed terribly."

"Are you saying..."

The doctor smiled. "No, that can’t be. You’re an alpha; how could you possibly experience rejection bleed? You also already have a mate whom you’ve marked. This theory is not possible with Alphas."

"Then why is my mating mark bleeding?!" Dante questioned.

"I’m not...sure." The doctor said, "If you would let me, I can do research and look into it, Alpha. I will report to you with the results."

Dante nodded. He stood up and adjusted his bloody suit. He walked toward the door to leave but paused for a second. He looked back, warning, "Keep this confidential. If word ever spreads about the Alpha’s mating mark bleeding..."

He didn’t complete his words, but the threat was there.

The doctor quickly nodded his head.

"Of course! Of course, Alpha. Patient’s confidentiality cannot be breached. I’d never try such a thing."

"Good." He left, slamming the door shut.