Heart Of A Lycan King
Chapter 34

A- ‘Hey! I just sent your team your way. Donald should be there with them any moment from now. How is my beautiful woman doing?’

A smile tugged at the edge of my lips as I pushed away the book before me and blew a lock of hair off my face. Then I hit the phone and began typing a reply.

N- Hi! Didn’t you leave an hour ago? Don’t tell me you are already missing this beautiful woman with scars?’

I set the phone aside and resumed reading the large book before me. Ever since Aiden and I visited Baba two days ago, I had buried myself immensely in reading about the system of the Kingdom’s politics. The caste system, the hierarchical system of ruling, and the bloodlines capable of being Alphas even if not born by an Alpha. Somehow, after my meeting with him, it felt as though he was challenging me to do more and not wait for things to be done for me.

So, I spent most of my time these past two days on the porch reading as many books as Aiden would let me have, that is, after a two hour therapy session with Doctor Lily yesterday. My next session is in three days. When he had left for work this morning, I was already awake and reading more of the book titled ‘The Art Of Politics In A Caste System’. The book has everything I was looking for and I had been writing down the points I’d like to extend my research on.

My phone buzzed again. So, I closed the book, shoved it aside, leaned against the wooden chair and tapped on the message.

A- ‘One of these days, I am gonna k**s away those scars, Nala. Nope, not the feather like k****s I gave you last time. I’m gonna k**s you senselessly.’

As I read the words, I imagined him saying them as he was looking at me. As weird as it may sound, I pictured him looking at me intently, lips tilted to the side in a crooked grin.

My stomach suddenly curled, and I licked my lips subconsciously and brought my fingers to my lips. How would it feel when he k****s my lips and not my scars? Would I enjoy it?

Another buzz, and I sucked in a deep breath before I read the message.

A- ‘I need to go now. Take care of yourself and wish me luck. I need it today! Also, Sherneil is a bit complicated. When you meet, you may think she’s rude, but that’s not it. She just does not like to speak too much, and dislikes loud noises. Also, whatever you do, do not give her light touches, or expect her to understand a hint without you clearly telling her what you need. I’ll explain more about her soon, but for now, do things your way and get her to be free around you.’

Yeah, this man knows how to twirl the threads of flirting and turn it into something entirely different. Then I typed a reply back.

N- ‘All the very best, Aiden. I’ll be here rooting for you. Always! And thanks for the tips, I’ll keep all that in mind.’

A- ‘Thank you. I Love You!’

There was a heart emoji at the end of the text. I stared at the last three words, my heart thundering loudly against my ribcage as my fingers shook. Aiden had only ever uttered those once which was when I was in the hospital. I didn’t give the words much meaning, because I had thought he was only trying to find a way to break me more than Matteo had.

However, today, he said…no, sent the same words. The words had a huge impact on me, even though they were just words written in a text. How would it feel to hear him say those words to my face?

Realizing that it wouldn’t be fair to leave a text like that with no reply, even though I had no idea what to say to that, I clicked on the red heart emoji and sent it to him before setting the phone aside and picking up my book.

I need to occupy my mind with something before I begin jumping around the porch now.

‘Nat?,’ Erin called, sounding a bit panicked.

‘Yes, Erin? Are you okay?’ I asked worriedly.

‘I’m not sure I am. I have been ignoring this thinking it is my mind playing with me, or if I had been traumatized after meeting with that scary priestess. But right now, I don’t think it is my mind playing with me,’ she replied, pacing the vast expense of my mind. She looked worried, almost scared.

‘What is it, Erin?’ I was already scared down to my wit.

‘I feel a new presence in my mind,’ she said with a very distraught voice.

‘Wait, what?’ I asked, dumbfounded.

‘I can’t remember what happened to me. All I could remember was the point I woke up. I tried to see if I could recall anything, but nothing came to my mind. However, since I woke up after that incident, I feel a new presence in my mind. It’s not our mate’s presence because we aren’t marked yet. This presence is entirely new, yet, it felt like I knew it. Like I was supposed to embrace it,’ Erin explained.

Cold shivers ran down my spine as I listened to her speak. I felt nothing like that. No new presence. No confusing emotions on the shadows part. Nothing. How was it possible that Erin felt a new presence?

‘Are you sure you aren’t imagining things, Erin?’ I asked just to be sure.

‘Yes, Nat. This was why I didn’t say a word about it all because I was trying to confirm if it was my mind playing with me. But no, Nat, the presence is there. And it feels quite familiar.’

I sighed, trying to make sense of what this meant.

‘Should we tell Aiden so we can return back to the Priestess?’

‘No,’ she said quickly. ‘The woman gives me the creeps.’

‘But she may also have the answers!’

‘I don’t think she knows anything besides what she had shared with us. Also, she did say she’d get back to us after the ceremony, so I suggest we wait. That would give me more time to figure out if this is real or if I am going crazy,’ Erin said.

‘Whatever this is, we are going to get through it. I know we can,’ I replied.

‘I know we can. I’m just scared. I have a bad feeling about all this and the fact that we share a bloodline with the Fikoions. I’m really scared.’ She mumbled.

‘I promise everything will be fine. We’ll just have to start searching and I have the perfect idea on how to start that.’

Erin simply stared at me for a moment, nodded her head before residing to the back of my mind.

I rubbed my temples, closed my eyes and sighed. This is becoming too disturbing.

“Earth to you, Natasha!” Tiffany’s voice brought me out of my reverie.

I looked up to find her standing above me, hands on either side of her h**s as she stared down at me. “Are you okay?” She asked, furrowing her brows.

“I am fine. Just got carried away,” I smiled. “Everything okay?”

“Well, look there. I suppose that is the team you told me about two days ago?” she asked, pointing her finger towards the car that had just stopped and Donald was the first to step out, followed by two other women.

“Natasha!” Donald called as he waved his hand.

I grinned, stood up and rushed to them. He had a huge smile on his face as well, and looked a lot thinner than the last time I had seen him.

“Is this how a friend acts? Vanishing for weeks without a single word? Plus you weren’t picking up or returning any of my calls,” I chastised him, crossing my hands over my chest.

“I am sorry,” he said, smiling. But I knew better than to trust that smile. It didn’t reach his eyes. “I just had to get away for a while. Anyways, meet your team!” he smiled a bit widely as he turned to the two women standing behind him.

One had thick afro hair, caramel skin, large doe eyes, a firm grim etched on her lips. She looked like she would want to be anywhere but here. She wore a green knee length ready made dress and carried a laptop bag. The other, however, was a complete opposite. Light skinned, wore thick glasses, long black curly hair, and a wide smile spread across her red painted lips. Two completely different women. This is going to be interesting.

“Good day, Your Majesty. My name is Ivayne, and I’m a tech geek. I have already been briefed on the team we are making and I look forward to working with you!” the light skinned woman said, bowed her head a little before she looked back up and adjusted the bag she had swung on her shoulders.

“Welcome, Ivayne. I have a feeling we’ll make a wonderful, powerful team,” I smiled back.

“Greetings, Your Majesty. My name is Sherneil, and…and I’m here to help as much as I can,” Sherneil mumbled, looking everywhere but at me.

She was sweating, when the sun hadn’t even come out and the morning still had a cold chill to it. I then recall all Aiden had said about her, and the first thought that crossed my mind was if she was sick, or bipolar.

“Welcome, Sherneil. My name is Natasha. You both can drop the honorific. As a team, we don’t need all that now, do we?”

“Of course not!” Ivayne laughed. Yup, I like this woman. “Well, looking forward to working with you and making a good team, Natasha!” She clapped her hands and giggled.

I watched as Sherneil scrunched up her face, before her arms started wiggling on the sides. She looked nervous. Uncomfortable. Scared. Hmn, this is interesting.

“Tiff, introduce yourself to the team,” I beckoned to Tiffany.

“Hello, Ladies. My name is Tiffany, and I look forward to making myself useful around,” Tiff said with a smile.

“Well, I guess my job here is done. I’ll be leaving now. Kane said he had already given you the major files regarding the case, but here is the new information he had found. He said it might be useful,” Donald said, passing me a sealed envelope.

“You aren’t staying?” I asked.

“No. There’s an interesting case going on at the Grand Hall. I need to be there to see how it unfolds. I’ll see you ladies later,” he replied, stepped into the car, waved at me then drove away.

I turned with the envelope once he left and looked up at the women. “Well, let’s get to work, Ladies. I haven’t read the first file I got because I wanted us to do everything together. Aiden gave me a key to a room and said I am only allowed to go in when we are ready to work, so, guess that is our work space. Let’s go, ladies.”

MATTEO.

“So, what is it you wanted to talk about, young man?” The Grand King’s booming voice filled my ears as I stood beside my Beta. Today was the day. The big day I get Natasha back and everything will be back to normal.

“Thank you for granting me an audience, Sabbene,” I bowed my head again, before looking up and letting my eyes wander across the faces of the five elders sitting beside the Grand King. “I have a problem, and I’m certain that you are the only one capable of fixing that for me,” I said.

“I am not your king, why bring your problem to me, Alpha Matteo of the Malakari pack? Does your father know about this?”

“No, Sabbene. My Baba has been ill for a while now, so I didn’t want to bother him. Besides, as the Grand King, I am certain you can take care of my problem,” I replied with a smile.

There was no way the Grand King would let the King take Natasha even if they are mated after what I’m about to tell him. Then I’ll request for a reward in exchange for saving his son from the cursed wolf.

“Go on. I don’t have much time to waste,” he nodded, tapping his fingers on the throne-like chair he was sitting on. The chair was beside the King’s throne, and I felt even more confident knowing the King knew nothing about this.

“Sabbene, my mate has been taken away by the King,” I announced slowly, waiting for the shock to register between them all.

Soon enough, loud murmurs filled the grand hall and I felt my lips stretch in a small smile.

“Are you sure about this?” Caine whispered beside me. “What if something goes wrong? How is she your mate?”

“Shut up. I’m saying this because she is my MATE!” I hissed before I turned away from him.

“The King came for the unmated female wolves from my pack three weeks ago, and forcefully took my mate away,” I added.

“Your mate, you say young man?” one of the elders asked.

“Yes, Elder. She is my mate. I wouldn’t have minded leaving her for him. However, this woman we are talking about is a two colored wolf,” I explained.

“We know that already,” another elder grumbled. But before he could continue, the Grand King shot him a look and he didn’t say another word.

Now that I think of it, Uncle isn’t here, and we agreed that he’d be here to back up my claims. I wonder what happened.

“Then did you also know she was the pack’s s.lut?” I asked, staring right straight to the Grand King. “I didn’t mate with her because she got pregnant for one of my Omegas. I was waiting for her to give birth without knowing that she had aborted the pregnancy. That’s not all, this said woman is not only a two colored wolf, whom we all know is cursed, but it seems the curse in her already works. Every man who has the unlucky fate of being with her, ends up being sterile,” I finished, gauging every reaction from the men sitting before me.

They all looked scared. Angry. Especially the Grand King, who looked like he was about to rip someone’s head off.

Yes!

“I’ve also seen her around the Fiko Dark forest twice, Sabbene,” Caine backed me up like we planned. If only Uncle was here, then things would’ve been much easier.

“A s.lut, a cursed wolf, a lowly omega is no woman fit for our King. And I’m…”

A loud growl erupted from somewhere, and before I could make out where it came from or who was responsible for the growl, I was pinned to the wall behind me, a hand wrapped tightly around my throat.

The moment I looked into the eyes of who was holding me, terror gripped my soul, so hard that I began to see a different pattern of what I had done. It felt like fear had taken an icy grip all over my body as though it was going to rip me out of my skin. The rage in the King’s eyes was unlike anything I had ever seen, which made it not seem too much of a surprise when I peed my pants out of horror. There, right before the Grand King, the Elders, the King and my Beta, I peed again.

“You f*****g b.astard!” the King growled as his fist connected with my face. “I am going to end your miserable life today!” he snarled, as his fists continued to hit every part of my face, while his arm, which was still around my neck, tightened even more.