Chapter Six

Benson

 

 

 

“He’s slipping away?” I ask in disbelief.

 

“Yes,” nods Dr. Kent. “They aren’t giving him much time at all. You’ll need to see him first before assuming your role as King.”

 

“My role?” I wonder, wide-eyed.

 

“Sir,” says Calius. “We knew that this day would come.”

 

He’s right. Nonetheless, the day has arrived much more quickly than I anticipated. I don’t speak as I rush to the closet, dress, and dart from the room. I’ve forgotten my shoes, so my bare feet race along the rough floor.

 

Dr. Kent keeps up with me and yells from down the hall. “Benson!”

 

I stop and turn back. “You mean, Sire?”

 

Dr. Kent grumbles something inaudible. “Just listen—”

 

“Aren’t we in a rush?” I interrupt.

 

“My time here is done,” says Dr. Kent. “I’m going to pack my things, but I wanted to wish you—”

 

“That’s it?” I bark. “You’re done?”

 

“The nurses have him.”

 

“But he’s not gone yet! What if he can be saved?”

 

“Your father asked that I not return,” says the doctor. I can sense in his eyes that this is difficult for him, too. Perhaps he and my father were close in these final few months.

 

“Okay,” I say, nodding. “Take care.”

 

“You, too,” says Dr. Kent. “I’m sure life as King will be as rewarding as it is challenging.”

 

“I don’t know how it’ll be,” I say. “But I’m sure it’ll be easier than being a doctor and being constantly surrounded by death.”

 

“I wouldn’t rule a country if my life depended on it,” says Kent as he smiles a bit at me. I can sense that he’s giving me a little bit of a hard time.

 

“I get it,” I say as Calius nears. “Be careful out in the world.” Then, I rush away as Dr. Kent moves toward the second exit from the corridor.

 

I bound out of my wing and toward my father’s. My feet skip every three steps of the stairs until I reach the top. With my heart racing, I feel my senses come to a slow. A sweet scent wafts through the air.

 

My head instinctively turns toward a closed door. It’s the hospital room in my father’s wing. Oliver is in there, and his scent signals that he’s awake. Relief spreads over me as I move toward his room.

 

“Sire,” Calius says, panting, as he moves up the stairs, “you must get to your father and quick before it’s too late.”

 

I stop, just steps from Oliver’s door. I want to go inside and hold him in my arms so he knows everything will be okay. Though, Calius is right. If I miss the chance to see my father before he passes, I’ll never forgive myself.

 

Carefully, I step away from the door, hoping that Oliver doesn’t pick up my scent. Then, I move to the end of the hall where my father’s room is. I can hear the beeping of machines as I enter the doors. Calius trails behind, still out of breath.

 

The two female beta nurses duck and scamper behind me to join Calius. They bow to me, but I ignore them. It’s not that I want to be rude, but my father is wheezing from the bed.

 

He’s lost about half of his body weight since the last time I saw him. His skin is paper white and he no longer looks like an alpha. In fact, he doesn’t smell like one either.

 

“Sire,” says Calius, “I’ll take the nurses, and we’ll leave you alone to say your good-byes. Is that alright with you?”

 

“Yes,” I nod, “of course.”

 

“Okay,” says Calius, softly. “I’ll be sure to bolt the doors so that no one can disturb you during this time.”

 

“Isn’t there anything we can do to have him hold on longer?” I ask the room.

 

One of the nurses speaks with her head bowed. “He’s not responding the treatments, Sire. Dr. Kent gave the orders to take him off of most of the machines… I’m sorry…”

 

“Okay,” I nod, breathily.

 

“Best wishes,” says Calius.

 

The captain looks broken inside, too, as if he’s done something wrong through all of this. Maybe he just senses death more easily than I do—or knows the toll that it will take on me.

 

Calius and the beta nurses exit the room, and the captain’s arms pull the doors closed. With a loud groan, they clank together. Finally, there’s the thunderous clap on the locking mechanism. It’s the same bolt as in my room, but somehow he’s been able to trigger it from outside. I suspect it’s to keep the king safe while he’s been ill.

 

“Father,” I say before stepping toward his bedside.

 

His eyes manage to turn to me. Several machines are hooked up to his body. The once mighty king that I’ve always known is slipping into nothingness. I can sense that his pride is bruised beyond repair. I do my best to comfort him.

 

“It’s okay,” I say, grabbing his arm.

 

“Ben…son…” he says, almost in a whisper. “I’m… so… so, sorry.”

 

“You haven’t done anything to be sorry about,” I assure him. “I know that I’ve been a complicated son. I didn’t make things easy for you.”

 

“You… you know… what’s best,” he says, managing a weak smile. “I’ve always… been proud… of you.”

 

“Thank you, Father.” I start to choke a bit, but don’t cry; he wouldn’t want to see me cry. “That means a lot.”

 

My father has always been a prideful man. Some joked that he was more like a lion than a wolf. However, I knew about his soft side. It was when he’d come back from battles and make sure that I’d been eating well. It wasn’t just about the kingdom, but that he’s always loved me.

 

“You’ll be king soon… Benson…” he says. “I need to… tell you… something.”

 

“Yes?” I ask.

 

“I’m weak… too weak…”

 

“It’s okay,” I say, “you don’t have to be the strongest alpha in the room today.”

 

“No,” he says, shaking his head. The thin, gray strands of his hair hardly hold onto his head. “There’s something more… sinister… at play.”

 

My body tenses. Did he just say sinister? I hunch over his bed, wondering what he’s trying to explain to me.

 

“What?” I ask.

 

“Someone’s… tampered with the room…” he says. “I… sense it.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“There was a beta… while I was sleeping… my smell is off, but I know someone was in here… They were meddling with the door and—”

 

“Who?!”

 

“I’m not certain… Benson…” says the king with his eyes closing. “But… there may be a conspiracy…”

 

“I won’t allow it,” I snarl. “They’ll fear me.”

 

“I’m sure… you’ll keep… safe.”

 

“Father,” I say, realizing these are his final words, “don’t go. I have so much to learn.”

 

“Benson…” he says, opening his glossy eyes just a bit. “I’ve taught… you… now, you… are teaching… me.”

 

“Teaching you? How?”

 

“Love… don’t lose love…”

 

I think of Oliver, and a lump forms in my throat. “We don’t need to talk about this, Father. We don’t need to agree.”

 

“I agree… now…” he wheezes. “Keep your omega safe… show the world… you love him… they will understand…”

 

My father closes his eyes again. He’s struggling to keep his head up.

 

“How?” I wonder. “How could they ever understand an alpha loving an omega? Especially when I am their king?”

 

“The kingdom… loves you… Benson… They’ve always… loved…”

 

“Father?”

 

“I love… you… son.”

 

With that, his head falls to the side. I grip his thin wrist and tremble. I can sense that his pulse is gone. There’s nothing left of him in the world… other than me… and now, he has a grandson on the way.

 

I stand up straight next to the bed and take a staggered breath. I’m tense all over and fight the tears. Still, two drops stream down my stoic face. They splash onto my shirt, soaking into the fabric.

 

The last of the machines attached to him have stopped their beeping, and I turn to leave the room. My father would want me to be with Oliver and not grieving his death. It might sound emotionless, but it’s the way of the alpha.

 

My hands shove into the doors, but they don’t move. I push again, but they are stuck. My eyes search the walls for a tablet. The holder from the tablet has been smashed, and the tablet is missing.

 

My eyes light a fiery red. “FUCK!” I boom.

 

With all of my might, I toss my body into the door. The door and walls shake. Dust clouds the air, but they don’t move. I keep slamming over and over again.

 

Outside the door, I hear a commotion, but it takes me several more minutes to make way. I keep shoving into the door until I feel that my arm might break.

 

Finally, the metal of the lock breaks. My arm is sore and bruised, but I ignore the feeling. I race down hall bounding through the empty castle. It’s oddly quiet, and a terrible feeling sinks in.

 

Where is everyone?

 

Then, I see them. Several betas stand around in shock on the lower floor. When they look at me, they all look terrified. My eyes dart to the medical room. The door is open, but only the beta nurse is inside.

 

“Where is he?” I bellow.

 

“S-sire,” she trembles with tears in her eyes. “They took him!”

 

Suddenly, I notice the gash above her eye. Blood blots around her cap and she seems dazed. Someone did this to her—but who? Was it that rotten alpha doctor?

 

“WHO?” I boom before running to the window. “Was it Dr. Kent?”

 

“No,” she shakes. “It was Captain Calius and Princess Emerald.”