Simba tiptoed into Krist's room, the said male was peacefully sleeping. Still under forceful slumber administered by Kongpob. Simba was grateful towards his brother for this little favour. Krist's wolf needed healing, Kit won't be healed until Oon is. 

Simba looked around, his mate's brother was nowhere to be seen. He did see Kongpob lurking in the hallway but Kongpob was intentionally steering clear of him. 

Smart wolf! Simba thought. He knows what is better for him, unlike Alpha Arthit. 

At Arthit's name, a bitter feeling invaded Simba's heart. His mate's brother was a fair and gallant wolf but he obviously despised Singto and by association Simba too. 

It made Simba sad to think that he would probably not be accepted by his mate's blood kin. 

But he had to keep those worries to the side for the time being. Oon comes first, he needs to get accepted by his mate before worrying about acceptance from his blood kin. 

He entered the room again, soundlessly. Kit was still under the slumber. Simba took a seat by the bedside and silently observed his mate, his fingers itching to caress the sleeping face, run his fingers through the matted hairs. His mate may not be in his best shape right now, but Kit and Oon will always be beautiful to him. Fearful to disturb his mate, he simply sat by his side silently. 

He had never gotten a chance to be this close to his mate after that night, four years ago. After his human side behaved like a nincompoop, Kit always kept his distance. Whenever they were forced to be in proximity due to family functions or dinners, Kit either chose to be world away from him or openly challenge and mock him. 

The wait was so long... Kit has definitely grown into a handsome young man. Sleeping, he looked free of all worries - serene and peaceful. Oh! How Simba longed to be the reason for that satiated expression on his mate. 

How he longed, he could have what others have. What his brother has - a loving mate he could shower his love on. A person to raise a family with. Someone whom he could pamper,spoil and protect while getting loved and protected in return. Someone, he could call his friend in all senses. 

Since childhood, Kongpob was a social butterfly having tons of friends and admirers. Singto was always the recluse, the loner. Simba finds it his mistake - he has always been prideful and strong - demanding respect and reverence since he was a kid. Disobedience was not something he could tolerate and it all reflected on his human side, prevented him from having real friends and genuine relationships. 

Sure, Singto too was respected and admired, far more than Kongpob. But, Kongpob was someone they wanted to admire from being close, they wanted to laugh and play with him. While Singto was admired from afar and feared while close. 

Kit has always been the one with his adamant efforts,childish tantrums, toothy smile and dimpled grin to cheer up his day. In a sense, he could call Kit his saviour from loneliness. Those were beautiful eleven years together, until he fucked it up all on that night, four years ago. 

Loneliness is his sole companion again and he has no Kit to drag him away into the oblivion of carefree happiness. 

It's impossible now. The weight of throne is too heavy on his head. It was a shared weight till Kong denounced his rights to throne, now he was sole bearer of that enormous weight - too heavy for his tired shoulders. Kongpob will not be burdened with royal duties unless Singto dies and Kong remains sole heir.
Neither did Kong had to bear the weight of the curse or the fear of passing it on to his firstborn son since both Kongpob and Arthit were alphas, unable to bear a child.

That made Singto's burden heavier and he sometimes loathed , sometimes envied his brother for it.
He was expected to talk certain way, smile certain way, walk certain way, he had changed himself in a whole certain way - way that would suit a future King. People too, behaved a certain way around him, all except one.

Krist Perawat Rojanapat had no qualms flipping him a bird or giving him a middle finger. Neither did his mate regret founding an Anti -Singto club when he rejected his application for modelling in the human world. Whatever the consequences, he can not see his mate baring his body to those humans and wolves alike without wanting to claw out each single eye. 

Not that it stopped Kit from parading bare-chested, clad in tiny shorts, right in front of the palace with members of Anti-Singto club. 

Well, he may or may not have taken a photo before throwing everyone in the Royal dungeons . Kit was only released after giving in writing that he would not wear such skimpy clothes except his bedroom. A tyrant move? Well, Kings aren't supposed to be all mushy now? Are they? 

Well, his dick move didn't go unpunished. Walls of Royal Palace were covered in Singto's pool photos the next day, morphed of course. But, it didn't stop teenagers from sending him googly eyes whenever he went on public outings. His room was full of gifts, tons of chocolate for next valentine and let us not forget love letters written in pink.

There was one black letter that he had kept in his collection - A square card with bold red ' fuck you asshole! ' 

Why, he got that card? Obviously because he had paid a visit to Kit's college, since Simba was having a really bad day with negotiations with a neighbouring country. Only one that could calm him enough to not kill someone was - his mate, his pure smile and amazing scent. 

No need to say, girls and boys flocked around him and the gifts and roses meant for Kit– the most popular student, were given to him.

Watching all this drama from the sidelines, his mate scowled before snatching Mike's backpack and pulling out a black paper with red hearts. He wrote something on it and presented him with a fake but beautifully innocent smile that only Kit could pull off. 

The letter read ' Fuck you asshole ' . Singto may or may not have added an 'r' after the word 'you' in the letter and presented it back to Kit with a red rose and a devilish " My pleasure". 

Reading the 'Fuck you Asshole' that now became 'Fuck your asshole' accompanied with Singto's smug 'My pleasure' made Kit fume. Singto was surprised Kit didn't evaporated on the spot with rage.

His feisty mate had turned red in anger and threw the card back at his face which Singto tucked away as remembrance. 

Such were the only encounters they could have.

Simba cherished it. He knows that Singto cherished it too.

It was complicated between him and Singto. Although they were supposed to be a unit - they were two individuals - Singto and Simba - both equally just, prideful and stubborn, unwavering from their decisions. Thus, it was always a war to gain an upper hand. They did work as one unit when necessary but mostly - they were two teams with ugly rivalry and a score board - especially when it came to Kit. 

A low groan reverberating in the room alerted Simba, he straightened his spine, eyes immediately flying to his mate who was slowly opening his eyes, blinking them, finding the light in the room blinding... Simba dimmed the light and returned to his seat " Mate... " He whispered " Simba is sorry. " 

" Fuck you.. " Kit groaned, still blinking, trying to see clearly with his eyes squinted " Get the hell out Singto..."

" It's me Simba... " Simba pleaded but his mate was adamant " It's one and the same... wolf or man..what I'd the fucking difference?  Get the fuck out, Singto " Kit glared " I may be weak but I am strong enough to break your skull " He looked around and picked up a glass vase kept on his bedside table " Out of the room now or I won't be responsible for cracking your Royal asshole of a head... " Kit threatened. 

Simba frowned. Shouldn't mates be happy to see him? He was here to heal. 

" Out... '' Kit threatened, not knowing what to do, Simba kneeled on the floor, his head down " If it pleases you, mate, hurt Simba . Simba only wants to tell you, Simba is not pleased with his human and Simba is here to heal mate." 

" Mate? Mate Who? " Kit scowled. " I don't see anyone except me and you here. " 

" Mate... You... " 

" Me? " Kit's lips parted in shock and then it suddenly all came back. Mate... Singto... the one he had eternal crush on. The one he wanted to marry.  The moment five year old Kit's eyes fell on thirteen year old Sinto he had announced ' he will marry Singto'.

The one who had rejected him quite brutally, mocked every chance he got.

The one who had considered denouncing throne better than even the idea of courting him...

What the actual fuck! Moon goddess can't be that cruel, can she?

' What did I ever do to you? ' he questioned the invisible entity they called moon goddess.

He felt his head gyrating worse than the merry-go round that he feared the most! 

" Mate! " Simba yelled, shell-shocked, still he was quick enough to cease Krist's fall. 

" Mate... Oon... Please come out. Simba is not intelligent enough to make humans understand. Simba loves you... It hurts Simba seeing you this weak. Simba loves Oon and Kit..." 

" But, you hate us... " The pained voice reasoned, yellow-brown orbs stared at Simba, cutting deep into his soul. 

" Simba can never hate you. " Simba growled slowly, angry at himself " Simba loves mate. Simba can never hate mate. Simba loves Oon since he has first seen Oon.  " 

" Your human hates us. " Oon whined, nuzzling his head deeper into Singto's(Simba's)  chest. Although he can not turn into his wolf, skin contact was always soothing. 

" Simba senses fear more than hate. Human side is complicated and Simba is detached from it so Simba doesn't know much until humans decide to show us. 

Simba hates his human side for keeping him away from mate " Simba confessed, confident that Oon will understand him. Animals were like that. Simple. Unlike humans. 

" Let Simba take care of you, mate, " Simba pleaded. Pleading was all that he could do. " Let Simba heal you and court you and love you. Please accept Simba as your mate. Simba will become best for you... " 

" You knew for so long... Yet you never came. Never tried... " Oon, Krist's wolf accused.

" Simba tried. Many times, he was successful too.." Simba protested " But humans started taking wolfsbane, it weakened Simba to the point of death.  Human only stopped when the queen dowager banned Singto from ever touching wolfsbane. " 

Oon parted his lips in shock. Wolfsbane was a known poison that weakened wolf side and detached it from human making them unable to use their gift. 

Singto would prefer death over mating him?

If Kit would have heard this piece of information, ge would have cursed worse than a sailor. May be punch Singto's Jaw out of his mouth but he would be heartbroken too.

Singto's rejection affected him even without knowing he was his fated mate. Krist would die of this rejection. His wolf  decided to block this knowledge from his human side. Krist needed to heal and this would only make his condition worse.

" Simba vows in the name of the moon goddess, oon  was only one fir him and he will be the only one for him. He will fight tooth and nail with his human till death... " The determination in wolfy eyes was it for Oon.

He had always trusted his mate, that is why he has kept the betrayal from his human side, bearing it all on his own. Because, he always believed, Simba will come for him one day. Simba will accept him one day. 

" Mate... " Oon raised his head and looked at his mate " Mate " He sighed, content and happy. 

The happiness shining in Simba's eyes was much brighter than Oon's. 

He gathered Oon in his arms, kissed his forehead , cheeks, his eyes, his nose - once, twice , repeatedly until he was content. Oon simply basked in the attention and love, purring in satisfaction. 

Oon has yearned for all of it for years, only a year shy of a decade. When he had all that and more in his lap, he wasn't ready to waste another second before marking his mate... Sigh! It can't be a permanent mark - it can be described as a hickey at best. But, something is better than nothing. It will ward off all those mate snatchers away, oon frowned remembering Valentine's Day two years ago when Singto has strutted in like an asshole he is and taken away all of the limelight. 

Simba must be aware of his mate's thoughts, he was quick enough to calm his mate " Only yours. " 

" Damn straight " Oon muttered. Simba was amused. Oon has definitely picked up many things from his human side, they seem to be on better terms than him and Singto.

Sigh! If only Singto could pick up some common sense from Simba and plead for forgiveness from their mate! 

One step at a time... 

Picking up Oon in his arms, he settled his mate on the hospital bed and spooned him to sleep. 

---------

Kongpob glanced through the transparent glass window at the door and smiled seeing Kit sleeping peacefully in Singto's arms. His brother seemed to have gained his senses back. 

---------

It was 5 AM in the morning when Simba kissed his mate goodbye with a promise to return soon... 

..........

A/N : Since I have revised and republished this book Sone of the earlier comments may seem confusing !