Traded To The Lycan King

Terian glares at me, his jaw clenching like he wishes to refute me, but he says nothing. Instead, he looks at his father, who cackles before him, then he reaches down and grips him by the throat. "You are no different than me," his father chokes up, a bloody grin on his face.

I don't need to see his eyes to know the man has been mad for a long time. His brain slowly whittled away by the magic and heartache of losing more than one of his mates. Dragons may be different in how they choose a mate, but the bond is just as ironclad as ours. Love is the strongest of weapons, especially if wielded by someone undeserving and manipulative. I find, even after all of what has happened, I pity the once great king. Toppled by the need for love, killed by his own child's hand in front of his other child, he will never get the chance to see grow.

"I am now what you once were as a king, and I refuse to let anyone break me the way you were so easily broken." Then Teiran thrusts his hand into his father's chest, blood oozing over his wrist as he fights back tears, his face in a broken grimace.

He drops his father, allowing his body to tumble to the ground as he holds his heart in his fist, tears streaming down his cheek as his chest heaves. My side stomach churns at the sight and my body aches for his loss, but only long enough for me to look over at Hayes as Tiago throws himself at me. He buries his face in my neck, a wail breaking from him as if his own heart is breaking.

"It's okay, sweetie," I murmur in his little ear, then kiss his cheek. "Mama's got you."

An intense amount of heat hit me, taking my breath away as I snap my head up and watch as Teiran falls to his knees and breathes a flame of blue light at the heart in his hand, then he chants in a language I can not speak. When he stands again, his face is pale and his eyes heavy.

Each footfall looks like he is dragging a brick of cement along with him before he stops before me and looks me in the eye. Then he touches Tiago on the back and my sweet boy jumps in fear, turning his head shyly to look at his brother.

"We are born of the ash, and our king, our father, has returned to it. Your title will be waiting for you when you are ready, little brother." Then he takes his blackened hand and reaches out, drawing a symbol on Tiago's cheek. One that looks like a smudged dragon. "Teiran..." I mumble, unsure of what to say to him after everything that transpired. He pauses, looks at me before his lips tilt down and he looks at the ground.

"When he is of age, I will take charge of him, teach him how to rule, as he will now be my heir." Then he stalks off, alone and back into the woods, leaving us all flabbergasted and injured.

"Well...that was...not how I expected that to go," Colette says, startling me.

"I kind of expected you to be the one to get the kill, Hayes." Merikh admits and Hayes scoffs, leaning on me a little more as he shifts his good leg.

Alpha of death," Hayes reminds him and Merikh shrugs. "I sort of switched that

things?" I glare at the two brothers who are acting like the last

I hear a voice behind us and I turn to see Percy, the gamma who has

out, fear on her face as

looks down at the ground. "Tiago has disappeared. He exploded into a ball of fire and we turned away for just a second, to make sure Harmony

is here." I say softly and he whips his head around, his nose scrunching in confusion before he exhales and rolls his eyes. Percy places his hands on his hips and looks

some weird dragon thing?" He asks, "Just like how

Merikh screeches and looks at Colette,

over to Merikh, stopping to take a pair

around his waist and looks up at him. Then he sweetly gives heranet kiss on her forehead and turns to walk with her under his arm, offering support if he may

in there?" I ask Percy and he reaches in, tossing me a

help?" I ask Percy, who rushes over and helps Hayes. "Oh, I thought you might

winces and swallows roughly before he clears

but I'd rather carry Hayes by myself the whole way than take

my shirt on and slip into my shorts before lifting the little

to him as

brows furrow, and

"Why?" I ask.