Filed To Story: Traded To The Lycan King Novel (Colette & Merikh) by MG Wattsons
Merikh POV
I pace my office, back and forth, waiting for Percy to update me on what the hell is happening.
“You could just go watch for yourself.” Hayes says, unamused. He is angry with me. It’s not like he has a reason to be. It’s not his mate about to have a meetup with her ex and probably try to run off. “Why the hell would I want to watch her betray me?”
“You are making assumptions.” He shoots back, wandering to the massive bay window overlooking the lake and the cliff that is above it. I roll my eyes, looking at him.
“The last time I didn’t make assumptions, I was blindsided and our father ended up murdered.”
“She isn’t the bitch that set you up. Colette doesn’t have a calculating bone in her b*dy and you know that,” Hayes groans, throwing his head back before he glares over at me.
“How would I know that?” I grit out to him. “How do I know she didn’t lure him here?”
“Wow.” he scoffs with the shake of his head before turning to face me fully. “Is that what it’s come to? You are so I over?” hopelessly in love with that poor girl that you are convincing yourself she will screw “f**k off,” I grumble. He is wrong, trust is earned. When it’s given freely, that’s when people screw you over, or worse, when it gets people killed.
-Grady found her-
Percy says in the back of my mind and I glare at my younger brother, who still shakes his head. He finally lifts his hands like he gives up and he retreats to the couch where he plops down with a heavy sigh. “If Colette finds out, she may never forgive you,” He grumbles.
“You and I both know there is a lot she won’t forgive me for, won’t change her fate or mine.” I move toward the window, my heart pumping as I wait for more information from Percy. “She is mine whether she hates me or not.”
-She hit him in the face- Percy says and I can hear his amusement, like he is proud of our little Luna, and I smirk to myself.
SHTË
I like the sound of her hitting her ex mate who felt she was worth letting go. Not that I can hate him too much. How can I when he is the reason I know she is truly mine? No, Grady’s screw up made my plan so much easier to get her into my pack. But that doesn’t mean I have to lik -Stay close but not too close-
-Alpha…I hear Percy’s conflict through the mindlink and my anger grows. I know he and Penny take their role seriously. But until tomorrow, until she is officially their Luna and announced to the pack, their loyalty is expected to remain with me and the pack.
-That is your Luna, Percy. Your job is to make sure she is safe. If she tries to leave with him, you will stop her. Do you understand?—
-Yes, Alpha-he shoots back.
I see Hayes’ pointed scowl, but I ignore it. He’s never found his mate, so he doesn’t get to dictate how I treat mine or determine if I can trust her.
“You are putting him in a tough spot. Why not send me?” He asks. “Why the hell would you-“
“Because I need you here to control me!” I roar at him, my eyes burning him up with anger.
Is he so dense he doesn’t see that I will kill f**king Grady? The second I leave this office, that fucker is dead and it will hurt Colette. It will f**king hurt her and as much as I know all of this-
this test of loyalty will hurt her I know killing Grady would make me forever lose her. There would be no coming back from that. She is my second chance mate. There is no one else for me, but that doesn’t me “What?” His eyes grow wide and he sits forward on the couch, alert. Then he grows soft and he frowns. “You are a f**king confusing man, brother.”
“Yeah, well, I feel the same damn way.” I grumble. “I didn’t create this opportunity, Hayes, but I will not pass up the chance to determine her loyalty before I take her as my Luna. It’s as if the moon goddess hers “You are making a mistake.” Hayes grits out, standing and slapping a hand on my shoulder. “You should learn to trust-“
“Trust?” I chuckle dryly. “Trust? What exactly should I trust? The mate bond that already fucked me once? That the traitor among us will just happily reveal themselves? No, Hayes, the only thing I trust is blood and my senior ranking wolves. Everyone else can fuck right off at this point.”
“There he is,” He says, his voice dripping in disappointment. “The cool Alpha of Death everyone talks about. Been a while since I’ve seen him. Can’t say I missed him.”
-Luna is telling him to leave, Alpha-Percy says, breaking through the mind link.
My lycan vibrates with pride and happiness as I freeze, unsure of what to do. What my lycan wants to do is go to her, chase her down and hold her tight. Not in a million years did I think she would… I mean, I had hoped, but even I know hope is usually a useless emotion that sets people up for a harder fall.
-Stay with her, I am coming-I decide, finally feeling like I can breathe for the first time. Just knowing she is choosing me is enough to keep my murderous tendencies at bay. For now.
Hayes watches me in shock as I rush out the office door, everything passing me in a blur as I make my way out the pack house and toward the trail Percy said they were. She’s not Lauren, I remind myself, and I inch up in the tree line, listening to the hushed whispers of Colette and the fuckface Grady who seems to think he can sneak into my territory unnoticed. The wind works in my favor, blowing their words toward “I don’t like this,” Percy protests from above me in the tree.
“I didn’t ask,” I mutter,
“This is breaking her trust,” he warns me, but I don’t care.
“You go around the other side.” I say, glaring at him before he nods and slinks off silently through the forest shadows.
“What do you mean?” Grady’s voice whispers, sounding confused.
“Merikh will kill you.” Colette sounds scared,
“I’m not afraid of him,”
“You should be,” she snaps. “He will end you so quickly. I have seen how quickly he changes, Grady. You don’t stand a chance against him.”
Damn right he doesn’t. Hell, the moment she sends him on his way, I will scoop this dickwad up and stow him away in my dungeon. Colette is not leaving me, ever.
“I’m not leaving without you, Cole.” He says with conviction. “You said you love me. How can I leave you?”
Silence falls over them and my chest aches, my lycan angrily railing against my sanity,
trying to break free and make an example of them. When did she tell him she loved him? Tonight? Before I got here? Does she still love him after everything?