Heart Of A Lycan King
Chapter 13

NATASHA.

I peered my eyes open to the loud shrill coming from somewhere close to me. A m**n escaped my lips as I turned, completely ignoring the shrill.

I loved the soft quilt around me, and the way the bed dipped as I laid there. I loved the cinnamon scent coming from the sheets, as well as the robe I had on. Wait, a robe? I thought, crinkling my brow with my eyes still shut.

I suddenly sat up on the bed, pushing the quilt off me so I could stare at my body in confusion while I felt my heartbeat increase in speed. A robe? How? What happened to my clothes? I looked around desperately for them. I don’t remember taking them off. Where are they? Why can’t I remember anything from last night? It feels like everything is a fuzzy haze and the only sure thing I do know is that I am completely and utterly confused and slightly terrified as well.

What happened last night exactly? Not that I want him near me, but where is Aiden so he can explain things to me? I can feel myself starting to tremble as the thoughts, the fear, and the anxiety all start to overwhelm me.

The shrill noise sounded again, bringing me out of my near panic attack. I turned around, trying to find the cause of the sound when my eyes landed on a phone set on the bedside drawer.

I stretched my hand and picked it up, still confused and growing more anxious with each passing minute. The room looked familiar, granted, it was the room Aiden had brought me to yesterday. But the robe didn’t look familiar. And there was no Aiden in the room.

Talking about Aiden, where was he? I wondered again. Why was he not here? Was he tired of being around me already?

I blew the hair that was trailing down my face as I brought the phone up to see who it was that was calling. But the name I saw confused me even more than I already was. That, and the fact that I have never had a phone before.

Never. So, why was a phone here?

Aiden?

Taking a deep breath, I swiped the phone and placed it to my right ear.

“Are you okay? Are you still in pain? Is Maama there with you?” His booming voice filled my ears. I couldn’t help the warm feeling that washed over me as I heard him speak. Or the way my heart fluttered. Or the way a sudden memory of me pleading with him to touch me suddenly surfaced. What is going on with me?

“Nala? Can you hear me? Are you okay?” he asked again, his voice laced with worry.

“Um, hi?” I said as I nervously bit my nails. I always do that when I am nervous.

“Hey,” his voice instantly softened, and I could hear the relief in it. “You scared me for a moment there. How are you?”

“Um, I’m fine?” I said, confused at the tone of his voice. In a way, he sounded worried, and afraid. “I mean, I’ve been fine since we left the hospital,” I added.

He chuckled. “I guess we can say so. Do you need anything?”

I looked around the room, thinking of what to say or where he was that he had to call. Didn’t we agree that he would spend the night on the couch and I on the bed? Maybe he can tell me where my clothes got to as I still have not been able to see them.

“I’m sorry I left. It was already 9am and I had meetings as early as 7am. I wanted to stay back and see how you were, but I had to leave when Kane kept calling.”

“That’s fine,” I said, trying to smile. But it didn’t work. “You don’t have to always stay. I am okay now and nothing is wrong with me,” I replied. Except for the pounding headache I feel, I thought quietly.

Silence stretched for a moment before he spoke again. “You don’t remember,” he stated quietly. There was a long awkward silence, like he was waiting for me to say something. “You don’t remember what happened yesterday night, do you?” he asked when I didn’t answer him.

“What happened?” I asked finally, chewing at my nails faster. “Did…did…did I do something wrong?” I continued, my heart thudding loudly, my breath getting more shallow. I was already scared of what the outcome would be. Would he punish me like Matteo did every time he said I did something wrong? Would he hurt me? Hit me? Do something worse, something Matteo had yet to do to me? I swallowed the lump in my throat and clenched my teeth to keep them from chattering. Please don’t be angry. Please, please I begged silently. I closed my eyes in fear, feeling myself start to shake once again while waiting for his answer.

“No! No. You did nothing wrong, Nala,” Aiden said quickly. “You’re ok right? No more pain?”

“N…” I cleared my throat, trying to calm a bit down so my voice wouldn’t tremble when I answered him. “No. I feel fine. Nothing else. Did…did something happen?”

‘We were kinda in a heat…and…’ Erin murmured.

‘Heat? What do you mean by heat?’ I asked quickly, my eyes widening.

‘Yes, Nat. We were in heat. And you won’t like what happened afterwards. I mean, you won’t like what we did at that moment,’ she replied.

“It’s okay if you don’t remember. But I want to assure you nothing happened. When you start to remember we can talk about it more if you would like. Mama came before I left so I’m sure she’s around somewhere. She and Donald will be staying with you,” Aiden said, forcing me to cut off my link with Erin.

Heat?

“Thank you. She didn’t have to, though, I can manage alone,” I replied softly.

“No!” he said quickly, his voice raising a bit. “I won’t have you alone. Not after the fact that someone induced your heat and…” he suddenly went quiet, and I took that moment to ponder on what he had said.

Induced heat? I stared down at the robe, wondering when I had changed into it. Or why I had my hair tied up when I don’t normally do that. And just where the h.ell are my clothes?! Please tell me I took them off myself. Please tell me Aiden didn’t see me, see my ugly body. See all the scars Matteo and the pack gave me throughout the years. Please Goddess.

Then quite suddenly, all thoughts seized, and different scenes of what I did yesterday came rushing in. My face paled as I recalled in horror how I had kept begging Aiden to take me. How I had constantly rubbed my body against his. How I had kissed him as though my life depended on it. How I had wanted and let him touch me. How I had clung desperately to him in the freezing shower.

And the worst part, how I had sat and let him change my clothes. That meant he had seen everything. All my scars, all my ugliness.

Mother of sizzles! Just what have I done?

How could I ever face him now without burning from disgrace and disgust for myself? Oh, Goddess! Please let the earth just swallow me! It is just a matter of time now before he realizes that I’m not worth the trouble, that I am completely worthless. Then he will reject me and break me in the process. Maybe he will even be like Matteo and torture me first before he finally rejects me.

“Just make sure you eat something, okay? I’ll be calling in from time to time to ask how you’re doing. If you feel any pain, no matter how little, do not hesitate to let me or Mama know, okay?” his voice drifted into my ears, pulling me out of my reverie.

“I…” my mouth was dry, because what could I possibly say? Never had I felt the heat, nor know the implications of what it does, except, of course, what I had read about it.

“Do you need anything?” he asked, his voice twitching a bit as though he wanted me to ask him for something else.

“I…no,” I managed to say, swallowing hard and fast. “It’s…fine. I’ll go now,” I added quickly.

“Wait, don’t end the call, please Nala,” he pleaded. I heard his sharp intake of breath, and the shuffling of papers before he spoke up again. “I’ll miss you,” he said softly, and I suddenly felt as though light feathering touches lingered on my cheeks. Which sounds romantic, but really just creeped me out.”This is going to be a long day without you. But I’ll finish up as early as I can and get back to you, okay?”

“Y…yes,” I stuttered. I was eager for the call to end, because each time he speaks, I assume he’d say something about what I did yesterday. “I…er, thank you. And take care as well.”

He chuckled. “I will. We’ll talk when I get home okay?”

“Okay.”

“Can I…can I… it’s fine. I have to go now. Talk to you later.”

“Uhmn,” I said as I slipped the phone from my ear and ended the call.

I stared blankly at the phone, different thoughts and emotions twirling in my mind. I didn’t know what happened, or why the heat was induced. It made no sense that I was in heat because I had never had any s****l contact with anyone.

I only gave forced b.lowjobs to Matteo, which I never enjoyed at all. I also only had to watch as he took Camila, but I was never made to take a part in it. So why was I in heat? If anything, I was afraid of Aiden and didn’t want him to touch me!

Oh Goddess! None of this makes sense.

‘You are forgetting the most important part in all this,’ Erin whispered.

‘And what would that be?’ I asked, sighing as I plopped back on the bed being emotionally spent with all the stress gnawing at me.

‘Neither he nor his Lycan did try to take us at that moment. We were vulnerable, Nat, very vulnerable. Yet, they did nothing and simply helped us feel better. The pain was too much, I’m sure you remember that now,’ she said. ‘And Aiden only touched us because we were in too much pain. He did everything in his power to hold himself back, and for that alone, I think he deserves more than what you are giving him,’ she finally finished.

I stared at the ceiling, allowing Erin’s words to digest. She was absolutely right. While I was vulnerable, Aiden didn’t see it as a chance to take me. He didn’t do it, even if I at the moment would have loved it if he did because of the heat. Which I’d ultimately be regretting by now.

He respected me. Respected the choice I made. And for that alone, I swear my heart fluttered. But that does not mean I’ll ultimately approve of him, or throw myself at him simply because he has done that. I’m scared of giving in, scared of letting my guard down. Which would certainly have him break me when he decides I’m not worth being his mate.

But I quickly masked it off and cleared my throat.

‘So, what are you trying to say? That I jump on him simply because he did that?’

‘You hypocrite!’ she snapped. ‘I do know that your heart is rapidly beating and you are wondering what it will be like when you do it next time,’ she teased.

‘I…’

I stopped from speaking because the phone, which I had stupidly kept on my stomach vibrated. This caused me to sit up quickly and in the process, almost fell from the bed.

I puffed out some air, swung my feet down before I tapped on the phone to see a message icon.

I swiped across it and began reading its content.

‘I know you’re still afraid of me, and I’m so sorry I pried into your privacy yesterday, Nala. I hope you understand that it was necessary, and I’ll never have done it had the situation not warrant it. But I had to so I could change your clothes. I saw the scars.’

The message ended there as another one came in.

‘I just wanted to let you know that you are my perfection, Nala. Scars or no scars. I’ll always cherish you.’

The messages ended there. And as I sat there staring at the words, different emotions surge through me. He saw the scars, yet he still wants me. An aching chill swept through my body, sending jolts all around as I tried to steady the rhythm of my heart. I was over the top with excitement, which seemed to have dulled the negative thoughts I had about Aiden. Somehow, these words gave me a bit of the reassurance I didn’t have a few minutes ago.

That was how much effect the words had on me. And how much what he had done yesterday had affected me even if I do not want to accept that.

This man was out to get my heart, and I am not sure if I’ll be able to let him in or not.

My stomach rumbled loudly, breaking my little moment I was having

“Right time to come in! I’m sure you are hungry, Natasha.”