Heart Of A Lycan King
Chapter 14

I nervously swallowed another mouth full of the food before me. I didn’t know I’d be able to stomach any, not with this intimidating woman looking at me like a hawk. And certainly not with her being so close, and caring at the same time.

These people are out to confuse my emotions. Because why would they care about a stranger this much simply because of the mate bond?

“Do you like it?” I heard her say, as she inched a bit closer to me. I was sitting at the edge of the bed. A table before me ladened with three warmers and a jug with a mug. One had a catfish pepper soup that was spicy, but which I immensely enjoyed. The other two contained food I had only remembered eating once when my parents were alive.

It was ‘Tuwon Alkama and Miyan Kubewa’. (A staple made from wheat and Okra soup). I almost finished the whole bowl in one sitting. It was why I was taking small morsels now, so I wouldn’t appear too hungry-like my mother in…to the former queen. The jug contained ‘Kunu’ (Millet gruel). I love the little bit of sour taste it always has when I drink it. And it was always best served hot.

“Yes, Your Highness. Thank you.”

“Stop being silly!” she chuckled. “You can call me Mama too. Okay?”

“I…”

“Shush. No talking while eating. Finish it up so I can show you something interesting about Aiden.”

That did it. Weird as it may sound, I was actually eager to see what she wanted to show me. Oddly enough, the moment she said his name, I felt my chest tighten, and the anticipation that I’d be seeing him later filled my head.

I swept my gaze towards the woman again. Today, unlike the first day I had met her, she wore a red ankara that had touches of yellow to it. It was sewn into a plain boubou gown that looked beautiful on her. Her hair was covered with the headgar made from the same ankara, leaving only a few streaks of hair outside.

When she stepped into the room forty-five minutes ago, I nearly peed my pants. I knew Aiden said she’d be here to stay with me, but I didn’t know she was already here and seeing her almost so instantly scared me.

She was all smiles and sweet. Oddly enough, she asked how I was feeling. For a moment, I panicked, thinking she knew about the heat and what terrible things I had done to her son in my daze, but I was quick to figure that she was asking about how I felt in general.

She told me to take a bath, brush my teeth, and go for breakfast. By the time I stepped out of the bathroom with a white robe on me, she had fixed the bed and had the food set by the bed.

“Come, come sit and eat something before it gets cold. You can dress up when you’re done,” he had said, the smile on her face never vanishing as she patted the space beside her on the bed.

I bit my lower l*p nervously, and began biting my nails. The woman made me nervous. I saw her gaze slide towards my wrist, towards the silver scar. I quickly pulled the edges of the robe and covered my fingers.

“Don’t just stand there. Come here, Natasha. Don’t make the efforts of this old woman go to waste,” she added, her face dropping a little.

I felt bad seeing her that way, so I took quick long strides towards her and sat where she had pointed.

As soon as she opened the warmers, a delicious aroma wafted into my nose. I didn’t miss the scent of crayfish and stock fish that instantly filled the room, or the divine smell of ‘Man shanu’ (Ghee/Butter) that had been added to the soup. My mouth instantly watered as I stared at the green swirls of the okra in the warmer, the large chunks of meat and fish combined together.

I was reminded of the last time I had eaten food as good as this. It’s not much of a shocker, considering the Malakarians have the delicacy that they prefer over this, but from time to time, this was made back in the pack house and I could only smell it. Not eat it.

“I hope you know how to eat this type of food. For someone who is sick, I figured something like this would be easier for your system to accept than anything else. Is that okay? Or do you want me to make something different?” she had asked, her brows crinkled in worry. “I should have asked you first before I prepared this but you were sleeping peacefully and I didn’t want to wake you up,” she added.

“No…no. It’s fine, Your Highness,” I said quickly. “I like it,” I added quietly.

“You do? Oh, thank Goddess!” She clasped her hands together then gave me a quick hug. It was then that I remembered I hadn’t greeted her yet. So, I slipped to the carpeted floor, ducked my head down and greeted her.

“Ina kwana?” (Good morning).

“You understand my language?” she asked in shock, but I could see the sheer joy on her face.

“Yes, Your Highness. My mother shared the same tribe as you, Your Highness,” I replied, smiling a bit.

‘It looks like you’re trying to win her over. Perfect way to get Aiden wrapped around our fingers,’ Erin suddenly said.

‘Shut up,’ I hissed before blocking her off.

However, as I pondered on her words, it did seem that way. Like I was making efforts to show Aiden’s mum I was good enough for her son, when, in real sense, I wasn’t and never would be. I was far from being the mate he needed. As the king, he needs someone strong. Someone with a mind of hers. Someone with enough authority to rule beside him just like his mother did with his father.

But I had none of that. I was simply a weak woman wishing she was accepted. My expression changed quickly, and I found that I hated the situation now more than ever. I didn’t want this. It only served to give me false hope, when I’m certain that sooner or later, this family will throw me out like the pest I’ve always been.

“Your mother is? That means she’s not really a Malakarian, right?”

“No, she wasn’t. She was from the Langa Mandala pack like you,” I explained, still kneeling.

“Sit up, sit up,” she said, trying to sit me up. But I shook my head and stayed down. “Come up here now and eat, Natasha,” she said sternly.

And so, I did. And that was how I ended up sitting there and eating away all the food she had prepared. Starting with the cat fish pepper soup. I loved how slippery the Okra was, how easily I swallowed every morsel down my throat. I loved the chunks of okra I chewed on, the thin sliced pumpkin leaves which added a bit of leafy taste to the slimy soup, the taste of the crayfish alongside that of Ghea. The slippiness of the okra soup balanced well with the softness of the staple, which made me realize why she had chosen to feed me this. It was easier to eat, and I found I enjoyed it so much.

I slid my gaze towards her again and found her looking at me, a smile on her lips.

“You’re beautiful, My Daughter,” she said quietly.

I nearly choked on the meat I was chewing and swallowed it without being prepared, which caused it to get caught in my throat and a fit of cough exploded.

“Easy,” Mama said quickly as she patted my back. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, my eyes filled with tears from the coughing fits I had just endured. “I’m…I’m fine,” I mumbled.

We were quiet after that, and I used that moment to finish the remaining staple. Who was I kidding? I wasn’t about to leave it be.

‘Tsk! You have no shame, Nat. How can you eat that much before your mother-in-law?’ Erin taunted.

It dawned on me then, that this was my second time meeting her and I didn’t really give myself a good reputation. But wasn’t that the goal? To have her understand that I’m not suitable to be with her son.

‘It’s fine. She’ll get to understand who I really am.’

‘Oh, Nat! I hope you’ll come to a realization of how much we are loved here like I did.’

‘I do remember how you kept saying we wouldn’t be wanted here. I’m shocked to find out that you are now very okay with all of this,’ I huffed.

‘That is only because I don’t carry the same burden you carry. Remember, they’ve only met me once back at the Malakari pack. While I do carry the scars you carry, since we are the same person after all, I don’t carry as much of the emotional trauma and pain you carry. I share some of that pain, but you carry more of it than I do. That is why I understand your hesitation, and why you still think you are undeserving of this. But like I’ve been saying, give it time. Give it a chance to bloom into something and you’ll see exactly what I’m seeing now, Nat,’ Erin concluded.

I sighed, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill from my eyes. I can do this, really, I can. But how sure am I that they truly want someone like me here?

‘What if they suddenly decide they don’t want us anymore? That perhaps, the rumors of the curse are true?’ I couldn’t resist asking.

‘Let’s focus on one thing for now. Your therapy, and also, getting you to slowly understand all this. We shouldn’t think about the possibility of them not wanting us anymore. Instead, let’s focus on healing from the inside. It is what matters the most right now,’ Erin finished.

I nodded, a small smile escaping my lips.

‘Erin, thanks for being a part of me.’

“If your mother is from the same pack as I am, that means you aren’t a full Malakarian,” Mama suddenly said, as she eyed me carefully.

“Yes. My father was a Malakarian. I share both the b***d of the Mangalians and the Malakarians,” I explained.

“It seems your father’s genes are stronger then,” she chuckled. “You carry the heavy scent of the Malakarians with you. I noticed it as soon as I stepped into the hospital room yesterday,” she added.

“I suppose so, Your High…Mama.”

I heard the sound of her smile, and somehow, it made me happy.

“Where are they? Your parents, I mean,” she asked, as she pushed the table away.

“They are… dead,” I whispered. Every time I talk about them, which is very rare, there’s always an empty feeling deep inside that makes me want to scream. There were times I wondered why I didn’t go with them. Why had I been left home, and why had they died then? Perhaps, if I had gone with them, I might have been able to avoid all the pain I had endured the past six years.

“I’m so so sorry about that.” She rushed to hug me, engulfing me in her warmth and scent. “Child, I am so sorry to hear that.”

“Thank you,” I mumbled, pulling away from the embrace as it made me uncomfortable. “It’s been six years already.”

“Don’t worry. You have a new mother now.” She ruffled my still wet hair. “Now, since you’re done, go wash your hands, get dressed, and I’ll show you something interesting.”

“I…” I was about to reply when the loud shrill of a phone stopped me. My heart thundered loudly in anticipation. I knew only one person could be calling.

However, to my dismay, it wasn’t my phone but Mama’s.

“Amari, this is the seventh time you have been calling me ever since I stepped into your house two hours ago. I have no plans to run away with your mate!” she joked as soon as she picked up the phone.

I heard a deep chuckle, and it was then I figured she had the call on speaker.

“How is she? Has she eaten yet? Does she still look scared?”

“Easy, big man. She’s fine. She just finished eating.”

I heard him sigh. “Thank you, Mama. You are the very best!”

“I know. I always have been,” she teased. “How was the meeting?”

“I’m yet to finish. But I’ll soon be done. I want to finish on time so I can take Nala to the hospital to see the therapist,” he said.

“I can do that. Donald drove me here and he’s still around. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind driving us to the hospital.”

“I know. I just wanted to be there for her during that time. If I can’t make it, I’ll call to let you know,” he replied.

“That’s fine. I’ll be here till you return, so take your time.”

“I just want to hear her voice,” I heard him whisper.

Something squeezed my chest tightly, then a warm fuzz turned my stomach, causing me to feel as though I was standing in his presence.

Aiden, you can’t be doing this to my heart!

“Amari, you aren’t even shy of me!” Mama faked gasping. “How can you say that to an old woman?”

“Stop being so dramatic. I’ve seen you and Baaba do worse,” he laughed. “I took lessons from you two.”

I saw her look at me before I quickly averted her gaze. She shifted nervously, almost showing how uncomfortable what Aiden just said made her feel.

“Would you like to talk to her? Why don’t you just call her?”

“No. I don’t want to scare her anymore. I think she’s still scared of me, Mama,” I heard him say, his voice sounded sad. “I’ll take things slow. Just take care of her for me till I return, please?”

“You bet I will,” Mama replied. “Don’t worry, she’ll be here waiting for you when you return.”

“I love you, Mama. Take care, okay?”

“I will. Goddess ta maka Albarka.” (May the Goddess bless you).

“Amiin.” Then the call ended.

“I’ll wait for you in the living room, okay? Meet me there after you’ve changed,” she said as she stood up.

“No, no. Let me carry it,” I said quickly as she picked up the tray.

“Don’t be silly. I don’t mind. Just get dressed and come out. I’ll be waiting.”

I watched her as she left, leaving behind her lingering scent and the still delicious smell of the food that had yet to leave the room.

I sighed, running my fingers through my curls that were slowly drying, and smiled. This was all too new, and I knew it would take time before I get used to any of it. But like Erin said, I’ll be trying. One thing at the time.

Just as I had turned to walk towards the wardrobe at the far end of the room, the beep beeping sound of a message dropping came from my phone. I paused in my tracks, the thudding in my heart increasingly non stop. For one, I was eager to see what the message was about. For another, I was scared I was going to get used to it.

After a few minutes of deliberation, I walked up to the phone that was lying on the bedside drawer and picked it. Then I took a deep breath, before swiping the phone and staring at the message. A beautiful picture of a group of daisy flowers was the first thing my eyes caught before I read the text.

‘I saw these daisies and the first thing that crossed my mind was you, Nala.’

The message ended there. However, those fifteen words did more damage to my heart than anything I had ever been through. I was emotionally wrecked. For what? Fifteen words simple words that shouldn’t mean too much. That shouldn’t do this damage to my heart. Not that I didn’t appreciate the efforts he was making, no. What annoyed me was the reaction the things he did seemed to evoke in me every single time.

Realizing I’d keep falling into the pit if I kept staring at the message, I closed the tab, blocked the emotions stirring within me and walked to the wardrobe. I pulled out a simple gown made from a cream colored material with green polka dots and put it on. It fitted perfectly, accentuating my curves and edges. However, it had short sleeves, which made me conscious of the scars I had on my arms. The silver scar on my neck was covered, because the blouse had an O-shaped neck.

Sighing, and knowing I shouldn’t waste time changing the dress, I pulled a shawl and draped it over my shoulders, covering my entire arms.

Almost as though it was made purposely for me. It stopped just above my knees, leaving my legs bare. Then my eyes fell on the scars around my ankle where Matteo had tied them with the silver rope and my mood instantly soured. I pulled out the drawer and found some long stockings and quickly put them on. It covered my ankles, and the color matched that of my dress.

I smiled as I stared at myself through the mirror. Because I didn’t want to keep Mama waiting for too long, I decided against drying my thick mass of hair. Instead, I applied the hair oil I saw in the mirror and simply combed the edges. Leaving the almost dry curls of mine wild and untamed. I’ll get back to it later.

Then I walked to the door and pulled it open. Mama was sitting on a chair directly overlooking the room. Our eyes locked as soon as I stepped into the living room and her face instantly lit up.

“There you are! Come on in. I’ve been waiting for you.” If she had noticed the shawl and stockings I wore, she didn’t show it, nor did she say anything.

The living room was large, and had a combination of grey and white. From the wallpaper, to the settee cushioned chair, and the curtains. A large plasma TV hung on the wall, and four tall home theaters stood on either side. A combination of three different colors of ceiling lighting, as well as the light flooding from the drawn drapes gave it a welcoming environment.

It was magnificent.

I forced a smile and nodded, before walking over to where she sat. It was only after I had settled beside her, did I notice the other person in the room. He was sitting on a single settee beside Mama.

It was one of the twins I had met in the hospital. I recognized him the moment I saw that blond hair. Could he have dyed it that way? It’s rare to see someone with blond hair around.

“Hi, Natasha,” he smiled, waving his hand. “Allow me to introduce myself properly now. My name is Donald. I am Aiden’s maternal cousin and a brother to Lacie. The blabbermouth who told us about you,” he finished, the smile never leaving his lips.

“Uhmn… Hi?” I replied nervously, not knowing how to really reply. People don’t introduce themselves to me, so seeing him doing it was new to me. I’m making so many new memories with these people I only met yesterday.

“My name is Natasha,” I added, forcing a smile.

“I know that already,” he winked. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel fine,” I bit my lips. “Thank you for asking?” I g*****d inwardly, hating how I was making this very awkward.

Yes, it had to be awkward! Because how many times have I met people willing to talk to me?

“You’re cute,” he grinned. “Your awkwardness makes you cute. You and I are going to be good friends,” then he winked again, uncrossed his leg that had been crossed and turned his attention back to the TV that was on.

“I’m…cute?”

“See,” he laughed, hitting his lap as he turned to face me. “That is one of the cute things you do,” he replied.

Somehow, I felt good. It was odd, but for the first time since I can remember, I felt good at the compliment.

‘Mama complimented you a while back and you nearly choked,’ Erin mumbled.

‘That’s different. She’s Aiden’s mother,’ I hissed.

‘How is that different? Because she’s Aiden’s mother?’ She asked in disbelief.

‘Most certainly,’ I replied.

‘Bloody hypocrite. It’s because you are scared,’ she hissed back.

Before I could ponder on what she had said, I heard Mama’s voice.

“Now, here is what I wanted to show you,” Mama said, pulling me out of my daze with Erin.

Before her were pictures scattered all over the center table. And a large album beside them.

“These are pictures of Aiden when he was young. Some are cute and some are embarrassing.”

“I’m not sure how you plan to get out of this when he finds out, Aunt,” Donald sighed.

“It’s fine, I can handle him. Now, look at this,” she pushed a picture into my arm. It was a picture of Aiden crying. He had his face ducked into his palms so I couldn’t see what he looked like clearly. “He was crying because his father left without snapping a picture with him,” she added as she laughed.

“Here, that’s him and Lacie,” she pushed another picture towards me and I found myself staring at Aiden with Lacie in his arms.

I didn’t like it one bit.

“And this is a picture of him when he was five,” she smiled again, staring fondly at the picture in her hand. “Here, look at those cheeks,” she added, shoving the picture in front of me.

I stared at the picture, and a little Aiden stared back at me with the biggest grin ever and puffy cheeks. His eyes, although dark here too but not as dark as they are now, had a little glint in it.

He had cake icing smudges all over his face, and so were his fingers. His hair, which looked a lot similar to how mine was now, had pieces of cake in it. He looked so alive.

So happy.

“This was on his fifth birthday. He threw a fit in the morning because he didn’t want the birthday party. But by evening when his cousins and Aunt arrived, he was over the moon,” she offered with a smile.

“Yet, he didn’t let either of us take a bite of the cake,” Donald grumbled. “Except Lacie, of course,” he added.

A bitter taste rose from my chest to the tip of my tongue. I hated how most of his childhood memories are intertwined with this Lacie of a woman. In a sense, it made me wish I was the one he had those memories with.

‘ Quite selfish, considering you don’t even want him to touch you or stay too close to you,’ Erin mumbled. ‘If I recall clearly, you seem quite nervous around him. Why feel jealous about someone he shared his childhood with?’

‘Shut up!’ I growled, blocking her again.

I returned my gaze to the photo and suddenly found myself smiling at it. Aiden’s grin in the photo was infectious, making it nearly impossible to resist.

“He’s cute, isn’t he?” Mama asked.

I simply nodded.

“Here’s another one,” she said, pushing another picture to my face.

It was a picture of young Aiden, again, standing in the rain with his face crumpled. His clothes were drenched and so was his hair. He looked angry. Pissed. Annoyed.

“Why is he frowning here?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“He hates the rain,” Mama simply said. “Somehow though, Mav convinced him to be in the rain for ten minutes in exchange for a night together,” she explained.

“Who’s Mav?” I asked.

“Aiden’s brother. He’s older than Aiden, although it’s only six months between them.”

I wanted to ask how that was possible, and if she birthed both men, but held back. I don’t want to appear too inquisitive.

“This is Mav,” she whispered, passing another picture to me. “That picture was taken on Mav’s nineteenth birthday,” Mama said, her voice held a hint of sadness.

This one was different. Unlike the first few pictures of Aiden I’ve seen, he looked the happiest in this picture. He was standing beside a young boy that was a bit taller than him.

They looked alike, and it was very obvious that they shared the same b***d. The only difference was the color of their eyes, and the style of their hair. Aiden has a 4c type of hair with locks around it. Mav’s head was almost clean shaved, safe for the little hair gathered at the front.

He had his arm wrapped around Aiden in a crushing hug, and they both had huge grins plastered on their faces. Both wore a black hoodie, and black pants paired with it.

Looking at them made me wish I had a sister. Or a brother.

“Where is he now? Mav, I mean. Also, the history books never said anything about you having another son…” I trailed off.

“That is a story for another day,” she replied quietly, then pulled out another photo and gave it to me. “Let’s finish this and I’ll go prepare lunch before we leave to see your therapist.” She smiled, but I could see the hint of sadness in her eyes.

However, the dread that I would be meeting another person in a few hours blocked the sight of Mama’s sad face in my mind. I was terrified of seeing this therapist, and above all, I was terrified of having to talk about my past with her.

I wonder how things will end.

Amidst all that though, I couldn’t resist looking at Aiden’s picture on his fifth birthday and, feel a tug in my chest.