Traded To The Lycan King

Dean frowns, a heavy sigh escaping him as he places his hands on his hips and weighs what I have told him.

"And you think it's a good idea?" He asks, finally looking up.

"No, but I think it's our best option." I admit. "Is it ideal? No, not at all, but I'm trusting my instincts here."

He smirks, his cheek dimpling as he tries to hold back a chuckle.

"Forgive me for saying this, Hayes, but since I have known you, all your instincts have done is find us in fights, almost dying."

"That was anger. This is logic. It's obvious that what we have been doing isn't working, so we need to pivot. Find a better angle, a better plan, and I think this is the way to go." I admit. "Look, I know trust is hard past a certain extent with me. But if you could just afford me a little grace here, it would help—"

"I trust you." He says, cutting me off, the skin around his eyes wrinkling as his brows furrow. "What I need to know is that you can trust yourself."

My lips press together, and I look away, my gaze drifting to Kyra where she stands and stretches as the others wake everyone up. Can I trust myself when I don't even know what the hell to do about her? About this disgusting spring of hope flowing in my gut? I want her; I want a life with her, all the while knowing I deserve no such thing and I can't ever have it.

"That will be something I have to figure out along the way."

"Hmm," Dean mulls in thought, and I cross my arms over my chest, watching him.

"Hmm what?" I ask, and he looks at the others.

"You should at least take Marcos with you." He exhales. "Four is better than one."

"Marcos is a great fighter, but he will only cause tension. We already have tons of that with taking the dragon with us."

"Yo! You guys ready?" Koda hollers over to us. I give Dean a firm nod and he gives me a weak smile.

enough." He reaches out for my hand as I slap mine into his,

okay? No letting people wander off

pause, swallowing the roughness in my throat, "Tell him I hope to

instead of asking questions, he nods his

"Sure thing."

my feet, swooping up two bags, mine and the one I prepared for Kyra. As I stride over to her, my heart thuds like a drum before going into war. I am putting my faith in her and her dragon friend to find Ezrah and get what we need. Knowing what I know now, I realize that the mission of

I say, walking

calls the others with him, the two of us agreeing it would be much faster with a lot less bitching if we just separate and explain to our group the plan. Kyra and Teiran don't utter a word, the two just following until we have walked far enough that Kyra clearly grows curious as she slides up next to me. My lip twitches

say, feigning

what the plan is." She shrugs like

see something." I

camp?" She asks, her eyes narrowing as she picks on the fact I am not being exactly forthcoming with

to face

have gone to inform Merikh

think of our new..parasite." I say,

my comment, but he says

think that all of us will be

be able to take him on

the ground, her tongue pressing against her inner cheek as she tries

run off and leave you two

have fought many Fae." Teiran says,

licks her lip, wetting the plump rosy flesh. My lycan stirs, wanting to come forward and take her and yank

out a fake laugh. "So happy you found a sense of