Filed to story: The Rise Of The Lycan Queen
“Indifferent?” That concerned me most of all, but it was what I needed. If he didn’t care, he would leave.
“Yeah, because it doesn’t matter.” He huffed and turned around to face me. “You’re it for me. There’s no turning back, and now I know you feel it too.”
“I do.” I bit my bottom lip and ran my hand through my hair. He wasn’t doing what I expected him too. He planned to stay, and I wasn’t sure that I could fight it any longer. Still, he had to know the truth. What he was getting himself into if he wasn’t the one to walk away. It was his call. “I was trying to end things with you before we kissed. There’s so much you don’t know.”
“At least it makes sense now. I thought I was going crazy. A wolf mating with a human is impossible. Now, I learn that you’re a wolf shifter who’s suppressing her own damn wolf with the help of a witch?” A humorless laugh barked out of him. “Damn, that sounds crazier out loud than it did in my head.”
“It does.” I blew out my breath. “There are things about me that you don’t know.”
“Then let me in.” He ran his hand over his face and shook his head. “There isn’t anything you could tell me that would change how I feel.”
“I never meant to get you to bond with me.” I had to make sure he realized that it caught me by surprise just like him. “In fact, that’s why I was so hostile and tried so hard to avoid being around you. For your safety, you need to walk away from me.”
“No. There’s no way in hell I’m walking away, and I don’t think you manipulated the bond.” He rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. “When the witch asked if we had been fighting it, it made me remember something my grandmother told me.”
“Oh, really?” Maybe he had a piece of the puzzle.
“On her deathbed, she told me the true tale of her and my grandfather.” He took a step toward me and sighed. “Apparently, she fought the bond, which isn’t natural. Because of that, fate took control and began to force their bond to merge until they both were in too deep. We did the same thing.”
I should’ve known better. “The strongest alphas always find their mate, so the bond has to do what it needs, to make them one.” There was no way we could go on now. Our souls had begun merging. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?” He reached for my hand and intertwined our fingers. “I’m not. Before that day I saw you in the hallway looking for your class, I kind of was just going through the motions.”
“Wait. You saw me?” I remembered it was right after I freaked out the first time in the student center with Ella. I had run out, getting to my next class early. That was the first time I saw him, and I didn’t have a clue he noticed me.
“Yeah, I was trying to act aloof.” He laughed. “You smelled human.”
“I believed I could be human.” I wished I could say that I hoped this had never happened, but I couldn’t fathom life without him. “I can’t shift.”
“Why not?” His green eyes sought mine for answers. “Why would you not embrace your animal?”
“What I’m about to tell you, it’s something I’ve never told anyone else before.” I couldn’t face him. I couldn’t watch his reaction. I stepped around him and faced the lake. “I don’t want anyone to know about this. Not even Ella, okay?”
“Of course.” His voice grew louder as he turned toward me. “Every part of you is safe with me.”
That was the problem. I may have been safe from him, but he was most likely not safe because of me. “I told you that my parents died, right?”
“You did.”
“But I didn’t tell you what caused it and how they died.” Memories flashed through my mind, and I took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears. “I was six years old, and we were at a dinner party. King Adelmo was there for a visit.”
“Wait. The top alpha for Europe?” His tone was an octave higher than it usually was.
If I wasn’t bearing my soul to him, I would’ve made fun of him. “Yeah, he was visiting Dad and Mom to talk about something political.” A laugh almost slipped out as I thought back at my mom rolling her eyes at me. “But my uncle came over unannounced and told Dad that he needed to talk to him immediately.”
I paused a moment to see if he was going to speak, but the only thing I could hear was the ripples of the water from the breeze. “Dad took him to his study while my aunt told Mom that she needed to talk to her.” All the details were foggy, but it didn’t matter. The outcome was the same. “As we followed my aunt, my uncle’s son, Richard took Adelmo to the library. As we walked into the room with my aunt, she turned around with a knife in her hand.”
Now, all I could see were the memories. “She went for me first, but Mom somehow managed to kick her at the last second despite the long gown she had been wearing that night. With all the noise, Mona ran into the room and told us to run.”
I’d never forget the terror that reflected in Mona’s eyes. “Mom and I ran out toward the kitchen when Dad and Kassie showed up. Dad’s coat had been ripped from where a knife cut into him. Anyway, long story short, Dad, Mom, Kassie, Mona, and I jumped into one of the vehicles in the garage. Mona and Kassie sat in the back with me with their guns out and ready for whatever might happen.”
“Someone followed you.” Mason’s words weren’t a question but a statement.
“Yes, someone did. They ran us off the road, and we rolled toward an embankment and wound up in the water.” A tear managed to escape and slide down my cheek. “Mona got me out, and Kassie tried to save them, but they were already dead. Kassie barely escaped before the car exploded, removing any evidence of what happened.”
“Why does that story sound so familiar?”
He was a little boy when it happened, so that was probably why it didn’t stand out in his mind. “Because it was the day your king died, and soon after, his brother, King Darren, ascended the throne.”
“You’re the princess who died.” His voice was a whisper. “But you’re the rightful heir to the throne.”
“I don’t want it.” I finally turned around, surprised to see concern lining his face. “My parents lost their lives because of the crown.”
“Oh, baby.” He closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I’m so sorry. No wonder you haven’t let anyone close.”
“That’s why the vampires can recognize the scent of my blood.” I buried my face into his chest, sharing the burden with someone for the first time in my life. “I thought since I hadn’t allowed my change, my blood would be less potent.”
“Your blood is your blood.” He kissed my forehead and sighed. “Changing doesn’t alter your DNA. It’s who you are. Is that why you’ve been trying not to shift?”
When he said it like that, it made me feel ignorant. “Well, not exactly.” I raised my head so I could see his face. “You know how an alpha can feel the members of his pack once everyone goes through their first shift?”
“My father is our alpha, and yes, he’s told me.”
“The king can feel all of us.” It wasn’t something that was widely discussed even though it wasn’t a secret. “If I shift, he’ll know…” My voice broke off.
“That you’re alive.” He took a deep breath and exhaled. “That makes sense, but I’m worried about what it’s doing to you. You couldn’t see the way you looked tonight.”
“She’s been getting stronger.” I couldn’t believe how supportive he was being. I figured he’d be grossed out or thought I was a coward.
“You do realize that you aren’t actually two separate beings, right?” He reached over and pushed a piece of hair behind my ear. “That’s probably one reason you’re struggling. Your soul is splintering.”
Yeah, that didn’t sound good. “What else am I supposed to do?” I didn’t see any other option.
“I don’t know.” He placed his hands on my arms and rubbed them. “But we’re going to figure this out together. You’re not pushing me away anymore. If you leave, I’ll find you. Even if I have to get that freaky witch to help.”
“I like the sound of that.” Those words had always seemed so scary before now.
“Me too.” His eyes fell back to my lips. “Dammit, I really want to kiss you right now.”
“What’s stopping you?” At that moment, his lips on mine seemed like the most important thing.
“We’d be heading back to that witch for another spell.”
“When you put it that way…” I hated the situation we were in. “I don’t know what to do.”
“For tonight, why don’t we go hang out at your place and just be a guy and his girlfriend spending time at her house.” He tugged me toward the car. “And then tomorrow, I’ll come pick you up for breakfast, and we’ll get back to the serious matters at hand.”
“Are you trying to seduce me like a human?” Mates usually didn’t hold back and typically cemented their bond as soon as possible.
