Chapter 15

Melted Mark

It was a relaxing evening at the bonfire on the green meadow. One of the candidates, Marion, had her birthday and she wanted to celebrate with her competitors after her date with the Prince. And so, they sat outside in the warmth of the fire while the dark night spread around them.

The Prince didn't stay for too long beside them and said his farewell before going back inside. Some of the 15 alphas went to sleep, too and others stayed a little longer, drinking their beverages and putting vegetables and sweets on a stick to let them smore above the heat. That's what Alfred did as well, and he put some very squishy and white candy on a stick and held it above the fire.

"So, guys. I think it's time for us to talk about our achievements," Martin grinned on his bench beside Kabir.

"What do you mean by achievements?" Marion asked who sat on the other side and brushed her black curly hair out of her face.

"I mean, how far you are in the relationship with Prince Arthur."

"You just want to brag that you and him kissed," Alexander said, annoyed.

"What?" Marion said, surprised.

Martin laughed and leaned back proudly. "That's true."

"When?" Marion asked and Alexander rolled his eyes, who already heard this story.

"At the charity ball in Hearts." He grinned with a winning smile. "Did any of you come that far?"

No one answered.

Alfred thought what kind of kiss that was because he had kissed Arthur, too. It was only the cheek and one sided but it was a kiss. Alfred wondered if Martin only got a kiss on the cheek or if the Prince really kissed him on the mouth. He didn't have to wait long for Joao to ask the same question he had in his mind.

"Was it on the lips?"

"Indeed, a full minute. Maybe even more."

"That doesn't mean you'll marry him," Joao said afterwards.

"Why not? It seems that I'm the only one who got this kind of affection."

"Maybe you gave him no choice," Julia snickered beside Alfred.

"I did and he liked it." He smiled back at her with a huge grin on his face.

Alfred stared into the fire remembering any kind of affection he might have gotten from the Prince. At first Alfred thought he liked him because he kept him here after all the problems he caused. Slowly doubt crept up into Alfred and nested itself into his stomach, although Arthur might like him enough to let him stay, he didn't like like him if kissing is how he showed affection. His heart wanted Arthur to like him too but his mind told him it's best if he didn't. He stared at the fire for far too long and noticed too late that his candy fell into the flames and burnt.

-

Toris woke up Alfred like every morning and like every morning, Alfred went into the bathroom. The green marble walls looked like seaweed and the bronze bathtub and sink were connected with pipes which lead into the walls. He washed his face, only to notice in his mirror how strange his mark looked. Confused, he looked closer and touched it to realize that the heat from the bonfire melted the fake number.

Panic settled in Alfred and he looked around searching for something but he didn't know what exactly. He needed something to correct it or to cover it but what? He took the soap and rubbed it against his neck but the melted mark didn't move.

He called out for Toris, asking him to fetch him some new towels and came out of the bathroom to look for something to cover and found a scarf in his wardrobe which he put around himself. It was a little too big on him but it covered his neck at least. He swiftly got out of the room and used the staircase to go up and knocked on Alexander's door. If there was one person who could help him then it was the man who gave him the mark.

Alexander raised his eyebrows, surprised to see Alfred on his doorstep and let him in. Alfred pulled his scarf down and showed him his dilemma.

"I think it happened at the bonfire and I need a new one," Alfred said, hoping Alexander would help him.

"It was very expensive to pay for a fake mark," Alexander said with an annoying and disappointed look, one that parents gave their children when they did something naughty. "I can't just hire someone."

"Why not? You've done it before."

"I just can't and I won't pay for it again." He crossed his arms.

"But I won't be able to stay long without a mark," Alfred said.

"That's not my problem. Get the mission done then."

That wasn't how Alfred planned it. Nothing went according to plan for him ever. He needed a new mark but he had no money, so the only other solution was to do it himself. All he needed for it was heat.

He went back to his room where Toris laid down the towels but he ignored him and stormed into the bathroom. He turned the pipes at the bathtub to the highest temperature. It was supposed to be Toris' job to make his bath but he didn't want to explain why he needed boiling hot water.

It steamed and the fog covered the whole room and Alfred's glasses which he had to take off. When Alfred was satisfied with the amount of water, he took a sponge and dipped it into the hot water.

It was painful and burnt when he came in contact with the water. It took him some time to even begin to scrub but after a couple of minutes, he acclimatized to the temperature. With every touch it felt like his skin peeled off and he closed his eyes, scrubbing away his skin. After some minutes he stopped and looked into the mirror. His neck shone a bright red and throbbed in pain but the mark stayed like before.

He threw the sponge away and called for Toris once more. There was one more idea he had left and that contained fire. "Toris! I need a lighter!"

"B-but, why?" He heard him say from behind the door.

"I just need one."

"Alright, but you need to hurry. Breakfast is ready soon," Toris said.

"I won't go to breakfast. Just tell them I'm not feeling well," Alfred said and touched his red neck, hissing in pain at the touch.

"Should I call a doctor?"

"No, I just need a lighter."

Alfred waited for Toris to fetch him one and took it from his hands without opening the door too much and sent him away. He didn't need Toris to know more and get too suspicious.

He held the lighter with the flame close to his neck feeling its heat beside him. It took some minutes of standing and waiting until Alfred wiped alongside his mark and let out a breathy laugh. It melted again and the black ink smeared across his thumb. All he needed to do was to get the 5 in shape again, very carefully. He took his time to get every single turn right and took a towel to help him wipe the ink away. The mark of the 5 was thin enough and Alfred had to be careful not to make it even thinner.

The flame hurt his already bright red neck and made it worse, it started to burn him and make the pain unbearable. He had trouble holding the lighter close to him and oftentimes needed to turn it on anew and take it closer when his hand would move away from his neck.

The ink gave off a stinky smell and tickled him disgustingly in the nose. He had to sneeze and accidentally hit his neck against the flame. He grabbed his neck in pain and scrunched his eyes close.

When he let go of his neck, he noticed black ink on his hand and looked shocked into the mirror. The mark smeared across his neck and his number 3 showed from underneath the 5.

That was nothing he could save with fire anymore.

-

It was a calm morning for Arthur and he walked to his study after breakfast until Joao stopped him for a talk. They went into a room with just a fireplace and sofas, and whatever he wanted to talk about, Arthur wasn't in the mood. He had something else on his mind.

"Why are you so serious?"

"Why did you kiss Martin?" Joao asked with a stern voice and crossed his arms.

"Why would you think I kissed him?"

"He told us. He told everyone that you kissed him and that it was long and good."

Arthur rolled his eyes annoyed and couldn't believe Martin would shout it out like that. "It was a short kiss and he kissed me first. We were both a little drunk and in a good mood after the party."

"Oh, in a good mood, huh?" Joao got more angry. "And did you plan to do other things with him in your good mood?"

"No, I didn't. I had no intention of kissing him either. He just did it and I got carried away."

"You shouldn't have done this, you belong to me!" Joao grabbed Arthur's arm.

"Excuse me!" Arthur's eyes were wide open in shock. "We're not mates, we're not officially engaged. I don't belong to you!" He pulled his arm out of his grip and stepped back. He couldn't believe Joao would react this aggressive towards him.

"Our promise means nothing to you? Fine! You can go and kiss whoever you want then!" He stormed off, leaving Arthur with a creeping guilt alone.

-

Alfred needed a new idea, something that'll help him. His mind circled around the idea to steal money but he couldn't do the same mistake again. It knocked on the door and Alfred put the scarf on and hoped it was Toris with his lunch but when the door opened, Julia stood in his room.

"You shouldn't have come, I'm a little sick." Alfred pulled the scarf over his nose.

Julia leaped towards him and grabbed the scarf. Alfred tried to hold it but she tore it off his neck.

"I knew it." She held the scarf in her hand and sounded more annoyed than shocked.

"Please, don't tell anyone, I can explain."

"You are so annoying," she said and threw the scarf at him. "It's the last time I'm helping you out. Come on now."

"Wait, you're helping me?"

She sighed heavily and went to the door. "Obviously. I can't have fun around here without you getting in trouble. I also have a life you know." She walked out of the room and still kept talking. Alfred put his scarf on and followed her quickly. "If I knew you'd be bad at everything I would've reconsidered my choices. You need to step up your game a little and help yourself."

Alfred had no idea what she was talking about and didn't listen to it, he just followed her.

She brought him to town, into a very shady street and into a more shadier building, and let a woman draw a new 5 on his neck.

"How did you figure it out?" Alfred asked and hissed in pain when a woman was deep in his burnt skin with the needle.

"I saw it melt at the bonfire," she said and twirled in a chair around in the small room and put her feet up on a table full with ink and fake documents. "You should've known that fake marks melt with fire. It was really stupid of you."

"You won't tell anyone, right?" Alfred figured if she helped him get a new mark she must be on his side but why, he couldn't understand.

"You're not my competitor."

"Is Martin your competitor?" Alfred asked given the latest circumstances.

"Martin is not a problem. It's Joao." She watched the ceiling and tapped with her fingers on her thigh.

"Joao is your competitor?"

"No, he's your competitor. Keep an eye on him."

"Why-"

"Are you done?" She cut him off and turned to the woman who nodded and leaned back. Julia took a look at his new mark and grinned. "Good job."

She gave the money and thanked her.

"I can't pay you back," Alfred said when they walked down the dirty and narrow street.

"It's no real money." She grinned.

"Huh? How-"

"You have your secrets and I have mine, alright?" She smiled at him with innocent eyes.

She was definitely strange and Alfred couldn't pinpoint if that's a good strange for his own sake or if she's hiding something more foul.

-

Arthur wiped the dust from a book he just picked up from the shelf of the library. It was a rather large library with tables on the ground floor and two levels full with books. Spiral stairs led to the other floors and large windows brought the evening light from outside.

He couldn't get his mind off Joao and how angry he was with him. Arthur admitted to himself that kissing someone else while having a promise with Joao was wrong but he also felt ashamed of himself that during that kiss, he imagined Alan. Martin and Alan looked similar in height with their blonde hair and their smile. He got confused in his drunken state and his thoughts carried him away.

He was about to leave the library with his book when Joao came in and stopped by the tables.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you," he said and came closer to him.

"I'm also sorry for my behavior. You're right, I shouldn't have kissed him," Arthur said and Joao took Arthur's hand and grazed his thumb over it. "I should've told you about the kiss instead of hiding it because I don't want you to think that I'm cheating. You might not be my mate yet but you're my lover."

Joao surrounded the Prince around the table and put his hands on top of it, leaving no room between them. "I understand we're not officially engaged and that you're in a Selection surrounded by alphas but I still won't tolerate them giving you kisses." He kissed the side of his face and his cheek and whispered in a low voice. "No one should kiss you but me." His hand caressed Arthur downwards from his waist to his thigh and up again. "No one should touch you but me." He lifted Arthur on the table and held him tight and kissed his neck while Arthur heated up on the inside from these touches, kisses and words. "You should only be mine."

-

Alfred walked along the corridor in a hurry. There was a book he had to read for his class with Yao and he'd forgotten about it. Yao would kill him if he won't read it until tomorrow and never teach him again. He jogged into the main library and stopped in his tracks with wide eyes.

He stared at Arthur and Joao kissing each other at the table and couldn't move, his mind blank and fuzzy. He was watching them holding another and their hands roaming across their bodies and hair. Joao was laying Arthur down on the table, pressed against him and his hand caressed him over his thigh.

They shouldn't see him, no, they shouldn't and Alfred's body moved quiet and slowly out of the library. He wiped away tears from his cheek and wondered why he would cry about this. This was none of his business.

He walked back to his room, the book forgotten. He'd been hurt and jealous to know that Arthur had kissed Martin. He'd been confused if Arthur liked him or if it was just kindness. But now he knew Arthur didn't like him the way he did. It shouldn't hurt him that he didn't, it shouldn't hurt him because it would've never worked out between them. He shouldn't cry because he'll die and Arthur will forget about him.

Alfred came into his room and leaned on his door, not able to move. His heart wrenched inside him and hurt to the core. Tears rolled down his face and he sat down on the floor grabbing his shirt at the chest, curling up together.

He wanted to kiss Arthur. He wanted to hold him tight and have the Prince give him attention. He wanted to spend his days with him but he couldn't. He couldn't do any of that. He never wanted to have those feelings for Arthur and to feel this pain in his chest. He never wanted to fall in love with the Prince and watch him love someone else.

His mother told him if he suffered with work, he'll be lucky with love but she was wrong. He suffered with love, too.