Traded To The Lycan King

Caspian steps into the wave, his form shifting as his scaly figure emerges, and the water seems to move with him as he makes his way toward Giselle as she grows brighter, hotter. The wave I had conjured up pales in comparison to the one he seems to lift from the earth.

The air around us cools with the shield from the heat and I try to speak, to tell him to come back. Why does he feel he must go so far from us? I can help him, give him what strength I have left if he needs it. Merikh clings to me as water rises around us as if we are treading deeper into the vast ocean he creates around us. Without the water and Merikh's arms I would be a pile of jelly, my muscles screaming as every fiber tries to recover from what I was doing. The bright burning light that is Giselle only grows brighter. A sun here on earth as the water steams around us, and my lip quivers.

"He isn't strong enough on his own," I rasp out, looking up at Merikh, begging for him to understand. His bright green eyes flash with alarm and he shakes his head, a panic rising in him that even he can't find. "No," He insists, his head shaking as he turns me to face him, gripping my shoulders.

"You know that he needs my help." I say, easing out of his hold.

My knees buckle and I drop into the water, bobbing back up to look at the agony in his eyes. In all my life, I have only ever seen this look of terror when someone was about to die. Which means he knows what it likely to happen, and why I have to help my dad.

"He needs his mate." My mother whispers.

I whip my head in her direction as she clutches her hands at her chest, her eyes filled with tears, watching my father roar with power as he does everything in his ability to shield everyone as high and as long as he can.

"Mom..." I swallow the word, hating how it catches in my throat as she rushes toward him.

I lurch forward to follow, but I find myself swept up into Merikh arms. He looks down at me, my heart shattering at the thought of leaving when I know I can do more. I have more in me if only he would trust me enough to use it. But without so much as a peep, he rushes toward the massive wall, making his way closer.

It feels like time slows down as I witness my mom step into the watery wall and wrap her arms around my dad from behind. At the slightest touch from her, his wall rises fifteen feet taller, and she moves around to be in front of him. I struggle to understand how she can breathe or even speak, but I see her lips moving as she locks her eyes on mine.

"Forgive me,” Merikh says softly and I look up at his stoney face.

"What?" I gasp and he speeds up. "What is it? What is wrong?"

I whip through the current, Merikh clinging to my body for dear life holding me to his chest as we swirl and spin. Then I hear it on the waves as if it were a breeze

honor. Thank you for bringing us back to life, back together, our sweet Colette." Caspian's voice surrounds me

like that the water turns angry, currents crossing, my hair whipping around my body and

screeching in my head as if in mourning as a bright light explodes over my head and every bit of water

but I

my throat as I turn over to my hands and retch the hot liquid to the ground. And then and only then do my sobs find

is left of them even though I know. I can feel it. There is nothing left. No bodies to bury, no ashes to scatter. They are gone, lost to me

my heart as I pound at

legs sliding into the mud as he takes me in his arms dragging me into a hug. His relief infuriates me all

soft as his lips touch my ear and I reach up, shoving his face away and

chest as it breaks through my words. "So am I, and I don't want to

his as they go from hurt to a soft, non judgemental understanding. He doesn't move closer. Instead, he sits back on his ass,

reaching out and inviting me into his embrace. He doesn't pressure me, or say a word, he only waits until I reach out. Then he tucks me away into his lap and lets the part of me that

only the sound of my tears, and the soft comforting hums from Merikh in the air, mingling with the fog that feels like it mocks me with its

they are okay, right?" I hiccup as I wipe my tears and glance up at Merikh. He says nothing,

he

know he sees what I am unwilling to admit. There is no way that they were that close to her final

the way my king and father disappeared entirely. But yet, Merikh helps me up, taking my hand as we walk around, our eyes on the ground as we move slowly

is