Traded To The Lycan King

"I know what you are thinking." Flora chimes from behind me.

It takes every ounce of me to only roll my eyes and not let out an annoyed groan. We are supposed to be moving in silence, but I suppose I did this to myself by taking someone I don't know. Then again, that's exactly why I dragged her along. I don't trust this Fae. "That you should shut your mouth?" I whisper and shoot her a scowl over my shoulder.

The ground rustles behind me and I close my eyes, my heading turning from side to side as I try to release the tension of being stuck with her. I did this to myself, not Hayes or Teiran. But me, okay, not entirely true.

I did this because Hayes was being a dick and trying to make me jealous. Which only makes him more of a dick, because who does that? Why would he want me to admit I am his mate so he can just reject me and die? How heartless does one have to be to force someone to feel something and then go and hope they die?

"Look, I am sorry." She whispers, her feet shuffling as she comes up close behind me. "It was a bitchy thing to do, trying to seduce him."

I bark out a laugh, trying to pretend it doesn't bother me. We both know I am using my bad attitude as a shield, but when you have no other armor, you grab the closest thing you can find, no matter how flimsy it is. "Seduce him all you want, Flora." I mutter. "It's not like I want to care about him."

She goes silent at my side and I glance over, watching as she frowns and then she opens her mouth to speak before snapping it shut.

"What?" I groan, dragging my hand over my face as exhaustion hits me.

"It's just that I thought-" She pauses, inhaling deeply before she presses her lips together as if weighing how to say what is on her mind.

"We should head back soon." She shakes her head. "That's all. We have been gone for forty-five minutes."

"Yes, forty-three glorious silent moments." I mutter, ignoring her suggestion. There is not a way in hell I am heading back without something. Either a hint or clue. Hell, even just the slightest sign that someone was nearby.

"Look, if we were going to find him, we would have seen something by now." She says, walking in front of me. Suddenly, her demeanor changes and her eyes grow cloudy. She goes vacant as if she is using her powers, yet I don't see anything out of the ordinary. Until a shiver runs down my spine and I realize she felt it first.

squirrels scurrying up the trees, their nails scraping over the tough bark of the pines around us. A breeze stirs around

on high alert.

better than me. He could objectify, keep emotions out of his tracking, and yet I constantly find

here." Flora whispers, her hand grabbing my wrists as she steps a

following the point at which it is the strongest to pinpoint exactly where this person is

and hot rock tickles my nose and my stomach falters. It is him. There is no doubt in my

ready to use your skills." I whisper low

back away from her, extracting my wrist from her nervous hand before I take a step closer to the

say, trying to sound bored as

echo making it damn near impossible to distinguish the direction from which is

turning slowly in a circle, my eyes

you brought a new friend? Not your angry little beta?" he chuckles, his voice

a damn mudslide to save someone else. At this point, I am pretty sure my sense of danger meter is damn near ruined. "I brought Flora because she

handy for capturing me?" He asks, his voice higher pitched

civil chat, I am certain we could come to some kind of agreement." I mutter, taking a risk and stepping closer to the tree where I am sure he is. As I

talk to?" I ask him and he finally steps into view, leaning on the side of a tree with his hands

like his personality is

voice grows

yes, I heard you two were friends once." I say, my eyes settling on Flora, who

me. I glance over my shoulder, noting a movement between trees and I realize she can see him. Be it the two of them being the

if the roots of the trees are alive. Just as Ezrah goes to move once more, sprint to where he is going and hestops a hair away from me. His eyes grow wide in surprise, looking