Heart Of A Lycan King
Chapter 22

‘We are about to take off. Might sound like I’m whining but I miss you already.’

‘Just landed. Would it be too much if I have the pilot turn so I can see you?’

‘Caught a picture of the clouds while on the plane. Wonder how it would feel to watch them with you beside me some day.’

‘There’s a 5 hour, 30 minute time difference between us now. I’m about to start training. How are you?’

‘I miss you, Nala.’

‘Goodnight, Nala.’

That was the last message he had sent me ten minutes ago. It is now 10pm, which means it is 3:30am over there. I don’t even know the name of the country he went to.

Very bad, Nat. Very bad. I chastised myself.

I scroll up again, reading through the messages and feeling my lips stretch as I did. Goddess! How can someone be so good with words? I sucked in a breath, feeling the way my heart tightens as I read over and over the text where he’d mentioned he missed me.

I’d had a long day. After therapy, I had asked Donald to drive us straight home. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone, or saying anything. I only wanted to get back home, lock myself in a room and cry. The urge to cry ate at me so bad I couldn’t hold it back.

Never had I ever spoken about my parents to anyone. Being asked about them today brought back the memory as fresh as the day their bodies had been brought back to me, and that is not something I want to revisit. At least, not yet.

Tiffany had been quiet all through the ride, and by the time we had arrived home, I did try to talk to her, to get to know her more, but my mind wasn’t focused on that, so I left her on the pretense that she settles in, then went directly to the room Aiden and I share.

However, the moment I stepped in, the moment my lungs took in the scent in the room, I felt all the energy in my legs drain and I found myself on my knees. It dawned on me then, that I had not been in a sour mood only because the therapist had asked me hard questions, but because I missed Aiden.

I missed my mate. And I didn’t want to believe it was possible.

At that moment, his message about landing came in and that was when I saw the first message. I had spent the entire day looking forward to his messages. Even when Donald, Tiffany and I chatted a little in the living room before Lacie arrived with her suitcase, I was mostly distracted, so the chat wasn’t long and I decided to start reading one of the books Lacie had added to my Dreame library so I could distract myself. It was called The Desert Alpha’s Mate.

It did help, and I was able to finish all 32 chapters of the book already updated. I recalled how I had whined to Lacie during dinner that the book was not completed, and she had laughed, saying, “It’s good we’ll feel the frustration together.”

“There’s something dangerous and mysterious about Badr” I had told Lacie quietly.

“Right!” She clapped her hands as she dropped her fork. “I thought I was the only one thinking that way. But that makes me like him even more!”

“You like him?” I had asked, furrowing my brow. “I mean, he’s nice and all to Eleanor and all, but I’m not sure about him yet.”

“That is it, Nat!” I had flinched a little when she called me that, that is because only Erin ever calls me that. “That is the appeal he has right now, at least to me. I personally think he acts this way to show he’s tough and strong. But he is a softie on the inside,” she explained.

I simply nodded, stuffing my mouth with more pasta as Donald and Tiffany looked between us.

“I don’t see the appeal but if you say so. It is my first time reading so I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest unfolds. I do know that I love Eleanor and that she’s connected to this right from the start.”

“I totally agree. I can’t wait for all of the mystery to unfold,” Lacie said as she laughed. “I like the king too.”

“I have no opinion on him for now. Anyways tell me, which other one’s are completed so I can start with those.”

“The Daughter of Light is second on the list. Read it. It is complete and awesome!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yup!” She nodded, sucking in a single thread of pasta.

And that was how I had found myself reading it, and was already 15 chapters in when I decided to call it a night. At first, I had wanted to sleep with Tiffany in the room given to her, or share a room with Lacie. But the funny thing is, I didn’t like the scent both rooms had. I was craving the scent of my mate, as it makes it feel like he was close by. And so, I decided to sleep in our room.

It took me less than twenty minutes to get ready for bed, and just as I laid my head on the pillow, his message came in, which left me in my feelings as I scrolled and read all the ones he had sent throughout the day.

Would it be too much if I sent a reply? What if he doesn’t want one?

‘He’s sent you messages all day long and you think he doesn’t want a reply? Girl! Make a move or I will!’ Erin snapped. She had been quiet for most of the day, sulking because Aiden had left. At one point, she even asked me why didn’t he take us with him?

As if I knew the answer.

I scoffed, then tapped on the phone and stared at the screen and the words again, before I typed a quick ‘Goodnight’ as well.

‘Oh really? You can? How so?’

‘Should’ve written something like ‘I miss you so much it hurts and I can’t even sleep. Your scent is all around me which should be helping but I just keep getting lost in it.’ Don’t you think that sounds better?’

‘No, I think mine sounds better,’ I guffawed, refusing to admit to what she had said.

‘I know you, Nat. I know what you are thinking. And for some reason, I can’t wait to see your transition with Aiden. I wonder if you’d still act like this around him when he finally…’

‘Erin, I swear I’ll smack you so hard if you dare complete that sentence!’ I seethed, my breathing getting heavier. She didn’t say anything, and I could feel her closing the connection between us after she had laughed.

Sighing, I closed my eyes, hoping for sleep to magically take me when my phone suddenly rang.

I jolted up, staring at the phone in my hand and the name staring back at me. Aiden. Just like he had saved it.

My fingers shook as I tried to calm my heart. It became nearly impossible to accept the call and I was afraid the call would end without me picking it up.

I sucked in some air, steadying the rhythm of my heart, before I swiped the phone and placed it to my ear, setting my head back onto the pillow.

“Nala,” his voice rolled into my ear, sending me spiraling into feelings I did not expect to have at just the sound of him. The air seeped from my lungs as my internal organs melted and the rest of me flattened.

My fingers balled around the sheets as I shut my eyes, pushing my face into the pillow to stop the heat from rising on my cheeks as I imagined him calling my name in that husky deep voice of his, and I melted again.

Goddess! What am I turning into? I pried my eyes open, pushed the feeling down and cleared my throat.

“Hello, Aiden,” I said in my not so normal voice. It sounded off and weird even to my ears.

I heard a shift. Then a small m**n, before I heard him suck a breath.

“Do you have any idea what you do to me, Nala?”

I waited for him to elaborate, but nothing. Instead, I kept hearing the sound of his heavy breathing.

“I am not close by, yet only the sound of your voice does this to me.”

“Uhmn, you mean what the sound of your voice does to me?” I heard myself say without knowing when or how. My eyes widened, before I quickly placed my hand over my mouth. Oh my, dear Goddess! What have I just done?

The sound of his rough chuckle brought me back to my senses, and I felt my stomach clenched tightly. Oh, Goddess!

“I wish I could hold you right now,” Aiden said. “I just want to hold you and take in your scent, Nala,” he added.

My heart knocked around my chest like a pinball as I listened to him.

“How was your day? And how was therapy?”

My day was terrible. Why? Because my treacherous heart kept thinking about you. “It was fine. Therapy was fine too. How was training?”

“Exhausting. But I feel better now after hearing your voice.”

I shut my eyes again, tightening my hold on the sheets. No, I refuse to give in and fall for his words!

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping? It is almost 4am over there,” I tried to shift the direction of the conversation.

“I should. But I couldn’t. These days, I’ve gotten used to sleeping around you, so I find it exceptionally hard to do so alone now. I want to feel you close to me, Nala. That sounds selfish, right?”

I swallowed, working my throat to form coherent speech. But it wasn’t working. As always, this man had rendered me speechless. If only he knew…

My mouth dried up as I recall the way his fingers danced in my hair this morning, and the way I was close, so close to licking his neck when he had held me in my sleep. I had never felt this way about someone. Never had thoughts like this. And yet, in a matter of the few days I had spent with this man, he had managed to stir up all those feelings.

Feelings that sometimes make no sense whatsoever to my frail heart.

“When is your next session?” he said, realizing I had nothing to say.

“In two days,” I said quietly. “But I’m not looking forward to it.”

“It was never going to be easy, Nala. But you have to do this. Do you ever wonder why I never asked you about your past?”

I shook my head, then remembered he couldn’t see me. “No.”

“Because I may not be the right person for that. I may get angry, scream, succumb to violence, which I’ve noticed is one of the things you hate,” he winced a bit. “I may do all the wrong things at the wrong time and that would only end up worsening the situation. So, go for therapy, and when you’re ready, speak to me. I’ll be waiting for as long as it takes.”

A small smile tugged at the edge of my lips, and I fought so hard to hold it back, but it was a futile attempt. I could feel myself sinking more into the bed as I brought the sheets to my nose and inhaled the remnants of his lingering scent.

“I am 20 years old,” I said. I just wanted him to know. And like Erin said, I need to make an effort.

“And I’m 27. My favorite color is red. Don’t taunt me please, Lacie always says it is a girl’s color,” he sighed.

I hated when he mentioned Lacie.

“Mine is blue. Any shade of blue. And no, I won’t laugh at you. Your choice is yours,” I giggled softly. “My wolf…is a two colored wolf. The one rumored to be …”

“The most beautiful,” he cut me off quickly.

“But legend has it that a two colored…”

“Have you ever seen one, Nala?”

“No,” I said quietly. “Which is why the possibility of me being cursed is real.”

“No, it’s wrong. It’s just like the creatures in the Fiko dark forest. No one has ever really seen them. But they follow the shadows and…” he paused, as though recalling who he was talking to. “I shouldn’t be talking about this with you now. All I want you to know is that, you being a two colored wolf doesn’t mean you’re cursed. You’re far from that.”

“But I’m not a blessing…”

“You are my gift. Our perfect gift, Kamla Nala. Don’t you ever doubt that.” His voice had an edge to it as he spoke.

But as I stared at the walls, it seemed like a shadow just passed through. Like I was being watched. There was this creeping coldness that washed over me, soaking away all the warmth I was feeling seconds ago. I felt it. The chill. It was there. I shook the feeling quickly, attributing it to the fact that Aiden had just spoken about the ‘Shanayans’ of the Fiko forest.

“If you say so, Aiden,” I murmured, and he was silent for a moment before he spoke again.

“I love your voice, Nala.”

“Thank you,” I mumbled, feeling the inferno in my stomach slowly building up. “I got a journal from the therapist,” I added, feeling the need to share that with him, as well as deviate his attention from murdering my insides with his words.

“That sounds fun? Sorry, I don’t know how those things work. But a journal is always fun. I had one when I was younger,” he said.

That piqued my interest, and I held the phone tighter. “Really? Where is it?”

“What? You want to see the fantasies of a young man? No, Nala. Not ever!” he chuckled, the deep throaty sound sending me overboard.

“We can make a compromise,” I said, making sure I had a tight grip on my voice.

“A compromise like?”

“Perhaps, I read yours and you read mine?” I said tentatively.

“Hmm,” he said. “How about something different. You read mine, in exchange for something different.”

For some very weird reason, my stomach chose that moment to turn, a loud cry coming from it. I wonder if Aiden heard that.

“Something like?”

“A date, Nala,” he breathed. “An ice cream date when I get back.”

Time seemed to have stopped, and for the tiniest moment, I thought my heart was going to explode. He wants to go…on a date…with me…

“You…you want to go on a date with…me?” I asked, my breath getting caught in my throat.

“Yes, Nala. I want to. Only if you want to as well. No pressure,” he quickly added.

I felt bad for always having him on edge around me. So I quickly said. “I have till you return to decide, right?”

“Yes!” he replied, the enthusiasm in his voice back. “You can take your time deciding.”

“Not that I have plans of saying no. But I’ll think about it,” I murmured with a small chuckle.

He was quiet, and I had to pull the phone from my ear to see if he had ended the call. It was still on.

“Um, Aiden?” I called, my nervous senses kicking in.

“I wish I could hold you and bury my face at the crook of your neck right now, Nala,” I heard him whisper, his voice groggy and deep.

Instead of being scared or getting that uncomfortable feeling within me whenever he does things like this, today, I feel nothing, except for the sudden urge to feel his arms around me as I take in his scent.

Today, I wanted Aiden to embrace me.

But I didn’t know how to say that. I had no idea how to express what I truly felt. What I wanted. So I kept quiet, letting the imagination build from within.

“Goodnight, Nala. Go sleep and have a good rest. I can call you tomorrow, right?” he asked softly.

“Of course. Good night. And I hope you win your match.”

“You’ll watch it, right? It’ll be aired live.”

“I wouldn’t miss that, Aiden. Have a goodnight rest,” I murmured.

“And you too,” he replied.

I waited till he ended the call, a minute or so ticking by, before I slipped the phone from my ear, a large grin plastered on my face.

That felt…amazing.

And it got me thinking, perhaps, I wasn’t bad after all. And maybe, just maybe, I may be happy someday.

Who knows? I might not even be cursed.

Then I felt it again. The feeling of being watched, and a movement in the shadow caught my eyes. At first, I had assumed it was my eyes still playing a trick on me, but no. The shadow was moving. And quite suddenly, as though a loud booming voice was speaking to me, I heard a strangled voice say.

“The connection is there. We’ll come for you.”

My heart thundered. And just like that, the voice vanished, along with the shadow. My body was shaking, as though I had suddenly been drenched with ice. A pain tugged at the back of my neck, and then another hit my spine before it vanished completely.

‘Erin?’ I called, my voice shaking.

But there was no response from Erin. No reply. It felt as though our connection had been severed.

It felt…empty.