Traded To The Lycan King



*Hayes*

Nothing like a cold shoulder for an entire week of trudging through woods with no trail and the air thick with tension. And I don't mean just between Kyra and me, but everyone and this Fae chick who trudges along, threatening to string us up in the trees anytime she senses even a hint of annoyance with her.

"Flora," Kyra says as pleasantly as she can muster, but I can see the way her nose twitches, hating how fake she has to be. "I don't mean to be rude, but we do need to move faster than what you are going."

"How about I go as fast as I please? You don't like it, you can leave me." She shrugs, a smug smile on her lips.

I have walked in near silence since I last spoke with Kyra. Nothing to say more than offering food or water or the occasional grunt when addressing options for which way to head next. But if this sprite doesn't watch her mouth, I will slap the shit out of her.

"I guess you don't want revenge for your friend," Kyra mentions, shrugging as she takes her speed up a notch. For some reason, Flora's attachment to that dead deer is the only way to keep her in check. Which is not only weird, but annoying.

"That's not fair," Flora mutters, glaring at Kyra's back as I come on her. She glances at me, a frown on her lips, before she smirks and bats her eyes at me flirtatiously.

"Something in your eye?" I ask her, and she scoffs.

"No."

"Then why are you looking at me like that?" I press my lips together, stopping as she steps in front and turns to face me. My arms cross over my chest as I heave a sigh, annoyed and curious all at the same time.

"So you two are mates?" she asks, her voice soft and I can hear how it changes, as if she is trying to be seductive, but she has been alone too long in the woods practicing on trees all day. I shake my head and chuckle, amused where I was once annoyed.

"What does it matter to you?" I ask her.

"You just...you two don't act very in love." She reaches out, rubbing her fingers over my forearm.

"Is there a certain way people are supposed to act when they are in love?" I ask her, arching a brow when I notice Kyra and Teiran stop walking and watch us from far away. She tilts her head to the side, a smirk on her lips.

"They usually at least act like they like each other." She says and I bark out a laugh, my head falling back as I find great humor in her assessment. Something comes over me and I meet Kyra's amused gaze and shoot her a wink. My hand reaches out and I cup Flora's cheek, my thumb stroking over her cheek before I lean forward. Her cheeks instantly heat and grow pink, her eyes wide in shock as her heart rate shoots up.

"Sometimes love is seen in other ways, like jealousy." I whisper, a fluttering in my chest as I hear angered footsteps stomping in our direction. I hide my face at the side of her cheek just as she is ripped away. Kyra's eyes blaze in anger as she throws her fist back, her aim directed at Flora. Until it swings wide and she clobbers me in the shoulder. I take a step to the side, a scoff breaking from my lips as my hand flies up to touch where she struck me.

"What the hell was that for?" I hiss at her as she straightens herself and throws her hair back.

"I felt like hitting someone and you seemed like the better choice." She shrugs. Flora lets out a giggle, which snowballs into a fit of laughter as she looks between us and shakes her head from side to side.

"One day I wish to choose a mate who loves me unlike you two," she snickers.

"That is by far the rudest thing you have said yet," Kyra snaps out.

"Enough." I grunt, pushing past them and up to Teiran, who looks at me smugly.

"It looked like that was going to work in your favor for a minute." He says. I nod in agreement.

It was stupid, but a part of me wanted her to be jealous. I mean, it was the only reason I did it. Several times I could swear she felt the bond, but she acts like she can't like there is nothing between us. Not that the past week has helped with any of that.

And again, it's not like I can have her. A mate deserves to be protected, someone strong enough to save them when they need it, and I failed one mate already. My fate should have been the same as hers and yet I am meant to live with the pain of my failure. Why else would the moon goddess keep me alive?

"Stop..." Teiran says, his hand coming up to block us.

"What is it?" Kyra asks.

"Someone is in the woods, and they

are close Flora says from the ground We all look down and see her kneeling, hands to the ground as her eyes grow cloudy and she hums under her breath.

"Ezrah." Kyra whispers to herself.

"They are moving, but slowly," Flora continues. "One person."

"Direction?" I hiss out and she turns her head as if trying to hear better.

"That way," Kyra whispers, pointing to the left. A moment later, Flora nods in agreement.

"Yes. I would agree with Kyra." She says, coming back up.

"I guess there is a first for everything." Teiran mutters and Kyra shoots him a scowl.

I walk in the direction they indicated, my steps measured and quick as Kyra rushes over and steps in front of me.

"Where are you going?" She hisses, her eyes looking over my face as I exhale.

"To spy." I tell her, and she rolls her eyes, scoffing.

"I am the tracker so I will be the one going-" Her words drift off as I take an intimidating step toward her, rolling my shoulders back and saying nothing as if I will step through her.

"Over my dead body." I tell her, and she grunts, slapping her forehead.

"That's the problem, isn't it? I have to go because can't trust you to come back with information we need. Who is to say you won't go and fight him die a and then leave us with your body and have to track him down again?" She says, looking me dead in the eyes.

and

"I will come back." I tell her, but I can see there is no trust in my words. Not after the two times she was forced to save me as I tried to loophole my way out of this miserable life.

"Hayes,” she says, sucking in a deep breath as if she is trying to calm herself down before she exhales. "I can not trust you, so I am going to need you to trust me. Okay?"

My stomach twists hearing those

words, and my heart hurts knowing how true they are. I have done nothing to earn her trust. But she has done nothing to lose mine, which means we are stuck with only one option. Me standing around and waiting for her to report back. Me trusting her even when my not wanting to go alone doesn't feel like a trust issue but more of a

protective one.

"Fine." I sigh, nodding as her mouth falls open.

"Fine?" she whispers, and I frown.

"I trust you, Kyra.” I tell her, stalking closer to her, “But know that if you don't come back in an hour, I will be coming for you."

"Three hours." She says firmly, and I bark out a laugh.

"Two hours." Teiran chimes in. "No more and no less."Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

"So we are just going to hang out here for two hours?" Flora scoffs.

"No, you are coming with me." Kyra smirks and she squawks in disbelief.

"Me?"

"Yep. you." Kyra says, grabbing her wrist and dragging her away in a sprint.