Traded To The Lycan King

The second we land, my palms grow sweaty and I exhale the nervous breath I continually find myself holding. Tiago is propped in the arms of the dragon female we were told we had to bring along. After all, how am I supposed to do the ceremony with him in my arms the whole time? When the doors open to the air carriage, I grip my hand, pinching the skin, reminding myself to stay calm.

But calm is impossible when I enter the sunlight and see the people I know, the ones I care about waiting for me in their best outfits. Merikh and Colette stand proud in their deep pine colored garbs and there next to them is my jaded beast.

Hayes looks stunning as I let out a small squeak, biting back the excitement in my chest. His black tux is nothing special and yet, he still outshines everyone in the room. Teiran's dad chuckles to himself, leaning into Teiran as he shares a joke and then shoots me a sinister wink. Teiran grumbles but doesn't seem to share the same excitement for the joke.

"Remember, we are here for peace, Father," He bites out, shooting a worried glance in my direction.

"We are here for you to fuck a dog and make a claim on her. If peace follows that, so be it." He grumbles, glaring at me before he tucks his hands into his pockets and shuffles to Merikh first.

"Ah, it is so good to see you in person." Merikh says, extending his hand to shake it.

"Let's not pretend you don't all want me dead and that you all didn't harbor my child from me," Tieran's father says loudly as he spins, arms extended. "If it weren't for this misfortune, you would all be dead by now."

"You forget that we have already been proven innocent of taking your child," Colette chimes in. "In fact, it was us who reunited you with him, considering Kyra was under our orders, yes?"

Teiran smirks and his father scoffs, looking away annoyed, but Colettes' eyes glitter with excitement, her soft brown hair curled in loose waves tumbling over her shoulders as she reaches to greet her old friend.

"I apologize for my father," Teiran says, shaking hands and kissing the top of Colette's with respect. Then he turns to Hayes, extending his hand to him.

"It's been a short time." Hayes says, shaking his hand, his demeanor uninterested. I know he is being forced to be here, but he seems so distant. Is it wrong for me to have hoped he would show some hint that he cares? Does he know the circumstances I am under and is trying to make it easier, or does he hate me?

"Indeed, it has," Teiran says, reaching out and taking my hand in his. He clutches it tightly, his father grinning with delight as he looks expectantly at Hayes, who looks as if he can barely be bothered by the slightest thing.

glad you are home and well,"

and feel...like me again," he

eyes that are screaming so much while the rest of him says absolutely nothing. My lycan cries out, begging for me to leap into his arms

rooms and inform us the ceremony will start shortly. Before leaving, I am pulled aside as Colette reaches out and takes both of my hands, giving me a reassuring smile, but I can feel

whispers as tears form in my eyes. "Are you sure

snort and shake my

down at the ground. It is hard to describe the weight I feel on my chest, how every breath feels like

and what you feel is right." She says, tilting her head as if trying to get a better look. "No matter what happens from this moment on, we will support you. Both the Lycan

in confusion as she releases me, and Tieran saunters over, his arm extending out over my shoulder. He bows his head respectfully to Colette and Merikh as they head to check on progress for the ceremony and I head into the room,

relieved sigh. "I do think he

mutter, running my hand down my gown. "I've known the whole

moves closer, dropping to his knees before me, his hand resting on my thigh. "If there was another way, or if I could bewitch you to think only

the

patient and kind with me, but I can see the way he looks at me and how it changes. I don't know when it happened or how, but lately I him and that he is actually looking for other options than this forced mating bond.

it is, Teiran." I sigh, a stray tear running down

and dread builds in my gut. In all this time, we have never truly been alone

whispers, leaning in closer, his lip

"It's fine," I murmur.

look perfect." He says.

jolt of anger hits me in the chest as I chuckle and shake my head, pushing his