Filed To Story: Traded To The Lycan King Novel (Colette & Merikh) by MG Wattsons
“It’s easier to live for someone else.” She whispers, so quietly I almost miss it.
“Then live for your mate. Find a way to build a family in your new pack. Live for Leandra. That is the best way to live.” I assure her, and then I smirk. “And if you decide, Leandra, that you like to fight, then I welcome you to the battlefield with open arms.”
She stops walking suddenly, her entire body going still as if the world is on pause and I watch her curiously. Caspian and Hayes rush over, both stopping and looking at me before she snaps her head to the right.
“Someone is following us.” She breathes the words. Her fingers twitch as I bend my knees and ready myself for an attack.
“Really?” Caspian asks, confused.
“The jungle has gone silent.” I whisper, focusing on the trees to my right.
Fatio I watch as nothing moves, not even a breeze tickling a leaf, until the bottom of a bush shudders and I look up, catching a glimpse of something red. Disappointment floods me and I frown, popping up from my defensive position and placing my hands in my pocket, sauntering over to the bush and peeking over it.
“Percy.” I grit out.
He looks up, not surprised to see me, and I realize he wanted to be found now. Percy one of my best spies. He knows how stands, his confidence showing as he puffs his chest and looks around at everyone.
“What are you doing here?” Hayes asks, confused.
Percy is supposed to be home, resting, mourning the loss of his twin, our other gamma and great warrior, and yet he is here, standing in front of me like he is reporting for duty.
“My job.” He says, brimming with confidence. “Penny died trying to protect Luna Letty. I need to be here for Pen to finish what she was trying t do.”
“Not here for yourself?” I ask, arching a brow and he licks his lip, looking a little embarrassed before he clears his lips and meets my gaze.
“And I am here for fucking vengeance.”
I look at the determination on Percy’s face says no matter my answer; he is going to find some loophole to stay. Though he doesn’t have to convince me of anything. It is clearly what he needs, what he has to do, and for now, it is greater than his loyalty to me. Grief is strange like that. Never once the same for each person.
“Percy-” I say, pausing as he rolls his shoulders back before they slump forward.
“I need this, more than the tears I have and will continue to cry. More than I need to bury her and that part of me.” His eyes are soft, his voice close to breaking.
“Percy, I understand.” I tell him, nodding. “And we could use the extra body.”
He exhales roughly and nods. The poor guy is barely holding himself together. I can see Hayes‘ disappointed look, but I choose to ignore it for now. He is wise in so many regards, except when it comes to his own situations. Hayes didn’t mourn the same way I did. When I look at Percy, I see me.
I see the same beginning of the Alpha of Death, the determination to push aside the emotional pain and bury it beneath bodies. And having an extra fighter means better odds for Colette. I could have ordered more warriors to the fight, but once we get home, there will be a war and I need to save them for the moment we need them.
“We need to keep moving,” I say, clearing my throat.
Percy reaches down in the bush and extracts a bag full of things and pushes it up his back as he rushes to keep up with Hayes, who is walking on ahead. Leandra is the next to follow him, moving along with Percy as I pair up with Caspian. He walks at ease, but I can see the fatigue on his face and the way he shakes out his legs every now and then.
“How are you holding up, Fishman?” I ask, smirking at him.
He shakes his head, a soft chuckle breaking from his lips.
“I will be fine. Though I believe I can cross hiking off the list of mainland things I enjoy,” he admits. “I think I prefer the food, and perhaps the couch and a nice movie.”
“Makes you sound a little lazy,” I tease, and he nods.
“There is not much to do where I am from and electronics and the sea….well, it doesn’t exactly cohabitate well.” He grins.
“Yeah, we learned that up here, too.”
“Merikh,” He says, his tone growing more serious as he looks ahead, watching Leandra talk with Percy while Hayes intermittently shoots the red head dagger eyes.
“You are growing more worried.” I say for him and he sighs heavily.
“My gut is telling me something is wrong.” Caspian says, “It’s not just me, is it? You feel like something is off too, right?”
I drag a hand down my face, exhaling as I think about what he says. Caspian is right. I have noticed it since we hit the jungle, or more like my lycan did. He has been silent, almost as if reserving his strength, but every now and again my skin will prickle. I feel our presence is known, and it wasn’t because Percy was following us.
“The air is changing, the jungle is growing more silent with every mile.” I concur, leaning closer to him. “When we encountered the giants in the woods near the mansion, it felt…strange. Like the air had an electric current. I thought it was just the excitement, the itch for a fight.”
“But now you are thinking differently.” He whispers.
“No, I don’t think differently. I know differently.” I admit.
“Do you think we are being stalked?” He asks, his eyes searching before him.
I turn my head, looking around, and realize it doesn’t feel like it. It is different. This feeling is unnatural. One that isn’t someone lurking but an ominous feeling of foreboding.
“I am not all seeing Caspian.” I say, a shudder running up my spine. “But it is best if we remain closer with the rest, in case we are being followed or Lily is around working her magic.”
We pick up our speed, coming up on Leandra and Percy, who are walking in silence, and Hayes, who is holding up his hands. I push past them, all coming up to him.