Traded To The Lycan King

Hayes paces the border, his hands in his pocket and his eyes up toward the sky. He is anxious, his inability to sit still and his erratic movements as he checks his watch and scans the forest are all telltale signs. And if that wasn't enough to let us know, he lets out an enormous relieved huff of air before he grins.

"Have a nice little vacation, brother?" He teases, moving toward us in wide strides before he drags Merikh into an embrace.

"So relaxing it felt like I was going to die," Merikh grins.

His eyes slide to me with the glint of a hidden joke, no doubt referring to that pesky bite still noticeable over my mark. Something I will no doubt have to fix soon enough. Once we have the time to think about something other than just trying to keep ourselves and everyone else alive.

"Not funny," Hayes frowns. "Ezrah filled us in on your run in with Lauren. How are you feeling?"

"Heavens, I am fine." Merikh groans. I am half tempted to tell Hayes that Merikh is struggling with lycan but I choose to keep that between him and I for now. "Tell me, what has been happening here? Where is our line? Do we have other packs coming to our aid?"

"Others have arrived, but most of our reinforcements are stuck on the outer banks on the other side of the dragons. They have made it known that no one gets in." Hayes frowns. "I hate to have to tell you this, but your cousin did not make it."

Hayes looks at me with a small frown and I furrow my brows before I realize what he means. My eyes grow wide in shock and my mouth falls open.

"Leslie is dead?" I ask, a pang of sadness growing in my chest as I think of the unborn baby in her belly, the one that may or may not have been Grady's.

"Alpha Bentley felt she needed to redeem herself after lying about being pregnant to get out of being mated to Alpha Merikh. Even though we all know he would have stolen you and jilted her if it had come down to it," Hayes explains.

Merikh wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me close as I struggle with the emotions rattling through me. Or rather, the lack thereof. Leslie was my family, not that I knew it until much later, but still. She was a large part of my life, and her actions lead me directly to Merikh's arms, but apart from that...I feel nothing. There is no sadness in her end for me.

uncle?" I

mourning, I assume." Leandra says with a soft smile, stepping up next to Hayes. I nod in understanding. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that

of his nose. I look back, watching my gamma, who clearly needs medical care

pack house immediately." I say, looking around for anyone to listen. A warrior takes heed of my command and sprints away from us at full

pain morphs, his voice making

to him and gripping onto his uninjured arm. "You were a dragon's chew toy. So you will get seen,

"Yes," he says begrudgingly.

a chew toy, but there is a lot to fill you both in on." Hayes sounds exhausted,

up to his side, glancing up at him lovingly as he returns her look. Then they face us and Hayes falls in next to Merikh as we are guided to the heart of

my feet, one no one else seems to notice as I inhale and

I can feel the raw power of it as my nerves tingle and my fibers seem to hum with glee. The ocean water did wonders for me, but fresh water, untouched and from the earth, has a wildness that sings

as we make it into the pack's center. Some Warriors train, sparring with each other while the others stand in line under a tent, grabbing food that is dished out with speed and precision. It's not what would imagine before a war with their mates and children laughing

to be the haven where families would remain away from danger while waiting for warriors to show up after

a shiver down my spine as I smile, breathing in deeply. This is what it is like being home. Being of two worlds is strange and new, but being here, with my pack and with Merikh is a solid reminder that these are the

climbing the stairs. "You should rest," I say to Merikh, sensing his exhaustion as his feelings tiptoe the line into mine. He has been exhausted since Lauren's little attack and while I know he is still healing, there is a small fear he will waste away into nothing

am fine," He murmurs, arching a brow. "Unless you are saying you

you need to rest. Maybe it will help

to sit and eat without talking." He says, changing the subject, his eyes sliding to mine with

through the door. She pulls me into a tight embrace, her heart pounding as she holds me close and pulls back, cupping my face

reaching out and taking his hand to