Side Story: Death of the dead

Krinwood's State

The Day of the Dead was a special and hard day for Jaden but this time it was going to be surely very different. He was not in that cold castle where everyone around him tormented him and where he had to find a way to sneak out of the state and visit his father's grave.

Now that he was currently living in his mate's home maybe they would allow him to go outside, however; Jaden wondered to whom he should have to ask. Even when he felt at home there he knew it was going to end once Alucard broke their bond so sometimes he felt like an unwanted guest or a prisoner.

…

When the morning of that day finally came, Jaden was already up and sad. He was looking at the window with an empty expression.

He had a nightmare and his body felt stiff but also he was in pain… an invisible sensation installed on his heart.

At first, he thought that maybe he caught a cold or he slept in a bad position, it didn't matter. Whatever had happened it was making him feel like shit.

He was frightened since he heard the news about his coming back to school.

Alucard was really nice to try to enroll him but the idea of being where everyone hated him and was going to bully him was really unpleasant.

Of course, his mate couldn't understand his feelings and his decision to go to school to drop out as soon as possible.

Thanks to that they had another argument but Jaden was afraid of being called a liar if he told him how his sister Alice tormented him at school so he only could make up a strange excuse.

Jaden was so sure Alucard would never take his side, firstly because Alice was his fiance-to-be, and secondly, he had no evidence to prove his statement.

Everyone loved Alice, she was an angel in other people's eyes so they assumed that Jaden who was the black sheep of his family was the real villain.

Jaden shook his head, he was tired of his own thoughts because each day he got more confused by his mate’s actions. Alucard hated to be touched by other men, especially those who were attracted to the same sex. He saw many times the visitors that came to the state but when they were together Alucard was always the first one to touch him.

Jaden had already forgotten how many kisses they shared in some hidden spots of the mansion or those times when he found him sleeping next to him.

He really was so HARD to read…

Jaden didn't wasn't to be hurt by him but without notice, he still kept a little hope of being loved by his mate after all those strange signals would confuse anyone but Jaden was also aware of his own situation so he decided not to expect anything from him.

If Alucard somehow changed his decision and decided to be together he was going to be the happiest person in the world if not he would not be disappointed.

…

After he erased his bad thoughts and got up, he prepared his bath. There were a lot of servants there but Jaden felt uncomfortable calling strange people to help him to get ready. His body was covered in wounds and it was strange that Alucard didn't ask him anything about that but he was sure his mate didn't even care.

When the water went cold he left the bath and changed into some comfortable clothes. One of the sets Alucard lent him.

In the dining room were Elizabeth and Layla eating breakfast and chatting enthusiastically. That warm atmosphere always made Jaden feel shy and good. Even when he didn't have an appetite he sat down and joined them.

In the middle of the conversation, Jaden asked Elizabeth for her permission to leave the house for a few hours. She was certainly surprised by Jaden’s request and even though she could also permit him to leave she saw an opportunity for his son and Jaden to grow closer.

“I understand darling but you have to ask Alucard, he's the leader of the pack after all” She smiled brightly at him.

Layla was a little distracted but after some minutes she realized that her mom was wrong. She was going to correct her but she felt a pain in her knee.

Elizabeth glares at her daughter with a smile that clearly says “If you speak one word you are dead” so Layla shuts herself and continues eating...

Jaden was a little disappointed, he really wanted to avoid telling him about that and if possible not to see him for the rest of the day but now that would be impossible.

Defeated, he heads to Alucard’s office after he finishes his breakfast. He knocked the times and waited for the other answer. Time passed without hearing anything so he decided to leave, the thought of pestering Alucard while he was working scared him, however; when he turned around the door suddenly opened and those strong arms caught him in a hug.

"A-Alucard... ¿What are you doing?" Jaden’s face immediately turns red and his heart beats like a crazy horse.

Jaden didn't know how to react to those unexpected actions... He didn't know if Alucard felt something towards him or if that behavior was due to their link as designated partners.

"Don't go, Jay..." The deep voice of his alpha whispering those words gives him goosebumps.

Thanks to that phrase his brain stopped functioning and he didn't know how he ended up inside the studio sitting on his alpha’s lap.

Alucard looked extremely tired and out of his senses, maybe that's why he was so affectionate to him.

“What's wrong? " Jaden speaks softly with a low tune.

Alucard felt how that nice voice flooded the room and made his environment easier to breathe. Finally, he could relax.

"I haven't slept a bit..."

“What? Do you have a lot of work?" Despite how their relationship started Jaden couldn't avoid feeling worried about his well-being.

Alucard only nodded to his question, leaving his nose at his neck to smell him. He always felt happy with that strawberry smell.

Jaden got scared when he felt that but fortunately, that shirt covered his gamma’s mark. He looked at Alucard who was falling asleep on his shoulder

Without realizing it his hand went to his hair and started to play with it.

His lips show a soft and sincere smile. If they had been like that since the beginning their relationship wouldn't feel so odd now.

If only Alucard would have never rejected him, they could stay like that all the time ...

The pain in his chest was evident but Jaden tried to think of another thing as fast as possible, however; it was already late. Alucard also felt his pain and even when he wanted to sleep more he couldn't avoid worrying about him.

Alucard pressed his fingers on his hips and opened his eyes to see him.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to wake you up"

"It's ok, I'll sleep later"

At that moment Alucard notices that it was strange for his mate to be there in his office. It was really rare for Jaden to come to him first.

“Are you alright?”

Alucard asked genuinely worried and Jaden got nervous.

“Why do you ask?”

"Well, you never come here... Something happened?" He was still a little sleepy but he was paying attention to him.

"¿Eh? No, not really... well "

Jaden was flustered because Alucard was looking at him so intensely that was intimidating, however; he really needed to ask for his approval so he closed his eyes and started to talk.

"It's only because today is the day of the dead..."

Alucard blinked confused a couple of times but he quickly understood what he meant.

"Yeah, that's true" Alucard knew what day it was but he wasn't aware of what could be so important about that day for his mate.

"Well… I wanted to see if you would allow me to visit my father's grave”

The rubi eyes of Alucard opened with surprise, that was the first thing that Jaden asked of him. Even when he wasn't asking him to buy some clothes or delicious food it was a petition from his soulmate and that made him happy.

Alucard remembered the legend that the old leaders used to tell them about that day, a vile lie to keep stupid traditions but to pure and noble souls like his mate it was obvious he would believe something so stupid.

Alucard kept silent because he realized they had that in common. Both lost their father when they were young, however; contrary to Jaden's experience he prayed unstoppable to see his father but that never happened.

Alucard sighed frustrated without knowing what to say about that petition, he hated that day because it was a reminder that he lost someone special to him but it was different for Jaden

"Do you believe in all the nonsense of this day?”

That's the only thing that could come out of his mouth but his cold tone scared Jaden. He was sure Alucard wouldn't allow him to leave but with all those mixed feelings he nodded.

Alucard saw him tremble like a little rabbit and wondered how someone so young was able to carry on that huge pain that was inside him.

"Ok… at which hour are you leaving? I'll go with you"

Jaden was stunned when he heard that, he thought he heard wrong and in his mind, he asked himself

“Did he say he was coming with me?”

The man who always told him not to bother him with unimportant things was leaving everything to accompany him?

"A-are you sure? You looked tired"

Jaden tried to convince him he was fine going alone but Alucard only looked at him with a smile while he left a caress at his check.

At that moment the time seemed to have stopped, both felt comfortable and good in the small silence around them.

Alucard hugged him one more time before he rang a bell to call the house's butler.

A few minutes after that a handsome man in his twenties with black hair and pink eyes arrived.

"Did you call me, your highness?"

"Yes, please prepare the carriage and some white flowers”

Jaden didn't understand his actions but he was so embarrassed to look straight because he was still sitting on his mate.

The butler only answered his master's request and left the office. Jaden told him the hour he was set to leave the state so Alucard asked him to wait until he finished his work.

Jaden wanted to leave but Alucard lay him on the sofa and told him to rest there while he waited.

With no more options, Jaden hugged the soft blanket Alucard put on him and waited patiently. He fell asleep without realizing it, he was also tired but his mate’s smell made him feel at peace.

The set hour came and Jaden woke up unconsciously, he noticed he was already in the carriage, but above all, he was in Alucard’s arms.

“Y-you… why… I…”

Alucard looked at his flustered face and left a little laugh.

“You didn't wake up no matter how many times I tried so I carried you here”

That wasn't completely the truth but he will never tell Jaden that he couldn't wake him up.

Jaden forgot for a moment that embarrassing situation when he realized they were arriving at the cemetery.

They left the carriage together and walked for about twenty minutes until they arrived at the grave of Asher Winterlane.

“Hi dad… I came again”

Alucard felt his mate’s pain and had the urge to cry even though those were Jaden’s emotions.

At that moment Alucard saw many people in the cemetery leaving some food at their deceased tombs and he felt relieved that he asked his butler to buy the flowers.

Jaden started to clean his father's tomb while talking to him about something, after he finished that he asked Alucard for the marigold flower, and fortunately, the butler bought a lot.

Jaden used that flower to make a kind of path from the grave to a big altar where a lot of people place a portrait of their deceased and some food they liked when they were alive. Jaden also put something his father used to like and he made it in the morning with the help of Elizabeth.

Alucard helped him with everything he could but he felt a little empty.

“Well, I finished, do you want to go to your father's grave now?”

Alucard wasn't prepared for those words but he nodes unconsciously. He stopped visiting his father's grave when he understood he would never see him again but surprisingly when they arrived at his grave it was perfectly clean.

They only made the path with the marigold flower to the altar.

Alucard thought it was a stupid idea to do that because they didn't prepare the food his father enjoyed or the portrait but to his surprise, Jasden had all of that and placed it in the altar.

“Where did you get it?”

Jaden looked at him with surprise and a soft smile adorned his lips.

“Your mom asked me to do it for her”

In that instant, Alucard remembered that his mother hadn't left the mansion in all those years for them, because he got upset when he found out what day was…

Without realizing it his actions stopped her mom from mourning his dad…

“I'm really…”

Jaden noticed the bad expression on his mate and simply took his hand.

“Do you want to sing with me?”

It was an absurd question in Alucard's eyes but he nodded.

The night was coming, the light of the candles was starting to cover the cemetery, and Jaden's voice was surrounding them.

Alucard sings with him making a beautiful harmony with his deep voice and when the time arrives, for the first time he feels a strong hand on his shoulder and a familiar voice whispers something that makes Alucard cry.

"Well, well look at this… you’ve grown pretty handsome, haven't you my little Alard.”

Alucard was crying but he kept singing and for a certain reason, he couldn't move at all. He wanted to see his dad but his body was frozen in his place.

“I'm so happy to see you here and with some company, is he your soulmate? Whoa… he's pretty, treat him well my son.”

Jaden was also singing since they were connected he also heard the voice of another man in his head.

“My little Jay…I left you alone so suddenly, I'm sorry my child… but remember to be strong and find your happiness. I'm proud of you little snowflake…”

Jaden was also crying, they heard a lot of beautiful words from both fathers, and as if that was just a dream they woke up. They were lying near the altar but they immediately looked at each other.

They knew that wasn't a dream…

Alucard hugged Jaden and he hugged him back crying as if there were no tomorrow… still surprised by that unbelievable but happy experience.

Both of them were expecting only that opportunity, to somehow hear their voices or to say goodbye to their fathers.

Closed the pain of losing them so abruptly, and they did it that day…

To be continue