Unwanted Mate Of The Lycan Kings

~Zirah~

My eyes snap open, shooting through the veil of sleep to take in the room cloaked in impenetrable darkness. My heart pounds like a drum, its beat so loud that I can't hear my own thoughts. The anxiety is palpable, a heavy weight settles in the pit of my stomach.

The only other sound piercing the silence is a low, mournful whine escaping from Gnash, sitting up, I look for him to find the huge white wolf sprawled out on the chilly balcony, his head propped on his front paws as he stares at the moon. I can't help but wonder if he's resonating with the potent swirl of guilt and regret churning inside me for Regan or if he just misses his owner.

Hastily, I push the thought away, forcing my body out of bed to check on him, only when I do I notice Zeke is not beside me. Grabbing the sheet, I wrap it around my naked body. Moving toward the balcony door I spot Hunter and Shadow watching him with worry. They instantly move as I wander over to Gnash, stepping aside and giving me room to kneel next to him.

"Gnash,"” my voice floats into the night, barely more than a whispered plea. My fingers meander through his dense fur, searching for some form of recognition, but he seems detached, his gaze lost in the vast expanse of darkness. It's a palpable unease that sends shivers down my spine. Something is amiss and I grab his huge furry head forcing him to look at me.

His tongue flicks out, licking up the side of my cheek before he puffs out a breath pulling away from me to return to staring into the night. "Are you alright, boy?" I ask him but he just whines loudly the sound tearing me apart he sounds like he is grieving. Hunter edges closer and I step back as the wolf lays at his side, resting his head on Gnash's back.

With a heavy sigh, I step over the both of them, my fingers grazing through Shadow's fur as I move back to the sliding door. However, when I open it, I can hear muted murmuring of voices seeping from somewhere within the room which distracts me.

"Sleeping," I hear Zeke say. My brow pinch as I wonder who he's talking to.

I slip through the slightly open door, my eyes locking onto Zeke's figure standing just outside the bedroom on the landing. He's caught in a sliver of soft moonlight that turns him into a spectral silhouette from the huge skylights. His voice, hushed yet permeates with an urgency, as it reaches me. Moving toward the door which is slightly ajar. Peeking out I can see he is on the phone with someone.

"Damn it... that means he waited till we were gone... we'll head back to the castle and meet him there..." he mutters into the phone, followed by a brief pause. "Wait, you're coming here?" he asks while I try to figure out what is going on. Pulling the door open slightly, it creaks.

Suddenly, he spins around, his intense gaze pinning me like a deer caught in the headlights. My throat tightens, a wave of guilt washing over me for eavesdropping. Zeke smiles, and motions with his hand to come to him.

"She just woke up,” he says into the phone.

"Who's that?" I mouth to him and he places the phone on speaker. I find it is Lyon. Zeke presses his lips to my temple while Lyon continues to talk. “I'm almost to your kingdom, I am only about an hour and half out if that," he says.

"Rightio, I will see you soon,” Zeke states before cutting the call and slipping it back into his pocket. A playful smirk creeps onto his face as his eyes lazily scan my body while his finger toys with the sheet, trying to pull it loose. Instinctively, I clutch the sheet tighter around me, trying to ignore the butterflies swarming in my belly. "Is everything alright?" I ask Zeke.

"It will be, Regan will handle it," Zeke assures me and I chew my lip. "You're hiding something,” Zeke sighs heavily and he cups my face in his hands. His lips gently brush mine. "The vampire king took Malachi, and Regan believe my father is injured,”

"We should go, we should check on the castle and people in the city.” I tell him, moving toward the door to get dressed. Zeke's arm wraps around my waist and he pulls me back. "Regan will handle it, Lyon is on his way here," Zeke tells me but that doesn't make my unease settle.

I shake my head, feeling the weight of responsibility settling on my shoulders. "No, we need to help Regan and your father,” I argue, tugging away from him. "I can't just sit here and do nothing." I feel like 1 am caught in the midst of a storm, my mind whirling with thoughts and questions. "But what about Malachi? We can't just leave him there,” I plead, turning around to face Zeke. He looks at me with gentle eyes, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"I know, Zirah. And we won't leave him there. But we need to be smart about this, and not just rush in blindly," he says, his voice low and soothing. "If Regan said to wait here, that is what we'll do, he knows what he's doing, and he has dealt with this sort of situation before. The vampire king is known for such tactics when he is trying to get what he wants.”

"But this time is different, and he is doing this as revenge for his son being killed, not over treaty arrangements.” Zeke presses his lips in a line. "He also knows killing Malachi will start a war. Let Regan handle it. Until he says we don't leave here," he tells me. I don't like it, but I am also not used to the sort of royal games, and clearly this is something they've dealt with before, so I nod, trusting that he's right.

"Regan can handle it... I promise,” he says nonchalantly, sauntering closer, his arm snaking around my waist as he pulls me flush against him. His fingers start tracing intricate patterns on the sheet, his proximity making my heart thump wildly.

"But--" I start, only to be cut off by his comforting hold on my face. "And Regan?" He speaks, confirming my worst fears, "Yes, Regan will meet us here once he knows what's going on.”

Regret and guilt flood through me. All of a sudden, he lifts me, a mischievous grin illuminating his face. "But until then, you're all mine,” he murmurs against my lips before sucking the bottom one into his mouth. "And I know you'll be wanting to make it up to Regan, so that means I better get in quick,” he chuckles.

"You truly are a glutton," I quip, barely stifling a laugh. “I don't mind sharing, but I also don't want to," he chuckles as he tosses me back on the bed; he then crawls onto the bed, pulling the sheet away as he moves to hover over me.