Filed To Story: Traded To The Lycan King Novel (Colette & Merikh) by MG Wattsons
“The dragon king was the only viable target. She is a Phoenix, so she smells like fire, like a dragon.”
“And how did you know she was a phoenix?” Caspian asks, sitting forward, the water sloshing back into the glass.
“Process of elimination,” he frowns. “She was able to use fire, but it was different from a dragon’s fire. It was…less controlled and she should have been able to just fly away on her own, but she didn’t. She needed to be rescued.”
“Exactly.” Caspian hums in thought. “Merikh, I would like to speak with you for a moment.”
He then stands abruptly and walks out of the room, expecting him to follow. I look at Hayes, who has his eyes trained on our enemy turned temporary ally. He waves me off with a simple flick of his wrist.
“I am fine, brother. If blood sucker makes a single fucking move and I will gladly end him.” He mutters, and I don’t doubt it. Hayes has a lot of pent up anger and he is looking for a way to let out. I have no doubt that Johannes would be the one to go down. Mostly immortal or not.
I stand, patting him on the shoulder once before I walk down the hall and find Caspian pacing back and forth, his hands on his hips. He looks distressed, his worried and tired eyes finding mine as he shakes his head.
“What is on your mind, Caspian?” I ask him with a frown and he shrugs.
“I am desperate,” he says, looking sad. “We have to find her, even if it means joining forces with Johannes.”
“Fuck that!” I hiss, “I don’t trust him. I killed Lauren. It wasn’t a simple stab wound or use of silver. I made sure there was no way out for her I fucking-”
“Enough, Merikh.” He lifts his hand with a heavy sigh. “I am not saying I trust him or believe him. But he is willing to take an oath.”
“An oath is just fucking words,” I remind him, and he frowns.
“Unless you make him do a blood oath,” I can see the plea in his eyes.
“No,” I scoff and chuckle dryly, pacing away. “No fucking way. I will not have him linked to me with an oath,”
“This is Colette,” He reminds me. “Your mate, your luna.”
I drag my hands down my face, groaning as I nod and sigh.
“Fine. You are right.” I shrug and give in. He is right. This isn’t about him being the fucker who killed my father or one of my sworn enemies. This is about Colette, my little luna. And I will do anything, including keeping this fucker attached to me to save her.
Caspian clasps me on my shoulder in appreciation as he steers us back to the kitchen. When we walk in, we find that neither man has moved an inch. Both of them lost in a staring contest until I clear my throat.
“We will initiate the oath.” I announce, silencing Hayes with a stern glance and he growls under his breath.
“Fine.” Johannes says, standing, but I can see the tension in his shoulders. I half expected to call him out on his bluff, but it seems he is being D
Colette My body shudders involuntarily, the cold leeching in through the dirtied denim pants I have on and the thin shirt I pulled back over my head to retain whatever heat I can.
Mom breathes heavily just on the other side of the bars, as close as she can be without being too affected by the silver. I expected them to come back for me, but as my mom expected, they are letting me heal before they start up again.
It seems they want it to last as long as possible. No doubt they get a sick sense of enjoyment out of our pain. But maybe that is how the dragons are, maybe instead of living for fire they live for others suffering.
“Are you still awake….” I whisper over to my mother. I hear her groan before she clears her throat.
“There is no such thing as sleep in this place.” She says back, her voice hoarse from dehydration.
“How is your pain?” I ask her, not really knowing what else to say.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of questions running through my head. Questions I have pondered for years, answers I had convinced myself that if I knew them, maybe I could be happier. But now when I have her here, I can’t think of a damn one.
She chuckles before breaking into a coughing fit. My chest aches with every chest rattling expelling of dust she lets out and I press my head to the cement, holding back tears. After a moment, she clears her throat and I hear a heavy sigh.
“Ten years and these are the questions you ask me?”
“It seemed polite to have a little small talk first,” I joke, and she chuckles lightly.
“Well, at least my brother was good enough to teach you manners.” She muses. I don’t have the heart to tell her he taught me a lot more than that but that it was quick learning at the end of his whip or the whim of her niece.
“What do they want from you?” I ask, deciding to skirt around the familial problems she may not know we even have with her brother.
The cell goes silent, then there is an exhale and the sound of shuffling. When she speaks again, her voice is closer, more hushed.
“At first, they wanted to know where you were . I assumed you were alive and that your uncle had come for you as promised.” She explains. I furrow my brows in confusion.
“Alpha Bentley didn’t come for me.” I say slowly, “I was left in the pack for him to find.”
“No, you are mistaken. He promised me he would come for you. I couldn’t reach Caspian and-” She trails off, going silent again.
“Melody…?” I whisper, and I hear a soft, quiet sob in the darkness.
“I need a minute,” she murmurs, and I hear her shift away from me.
There is a clatter as the door opens, echoing through the damp prison, lights flickering on as I cover my eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the sudden change. There is a shuffling and I can hear a sizzle to my right as I blink and look at my mother clutching the bars.