Filed To Story: Traded To The Lycan King Novel (Colette & Merikh) by MG Wattsons
“Easier is usually the wrong route.” I say with a smile and he chuckles, shaking his head, his dark hair shaking back and forth as he looks up at me. “You sound like I used to.” He says with a ghost of a smile lingering on his lips.
“Well, thank you. Old you was one of my favorite people to ever exist.” I tell him truthfully.
Awkward silence falls over us as I wait for him to say something more, initiate conversation, or at least take a seat. Instead he just sits, groaning as he leans back onto his arms.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask him, taking a seat next to him.
He shakes his head no. As much as I want to pry, to see what he net remembers, how he felt I know it’s not my place to do it. Sharing something this vulnerable takes a strength and willingness that can not be forced. SO I pull my knees to my chest and rest my chin on it, turning to look at him.
“What?” He scoffs and I shrug.
“Nothing, I’m just waiting for Teiran to come back.”
“You have a thing for him, don’t you?” He asks, massaging the palm of his left hand as he avoids looking at me.
“Would it bother you if I did?” I ask, and he scoffs.
“No, you can live your life how you want to.” But the malice in his voice boils in my gut and causes me to grit my teeth, my jaw creaking.
“At least I want to live.” I snap at him and he nods.
“If there was something worth living for, I might want to live.” He shrugs, his eyes meeting mine for a second as I blush and look away, my eyes filling with tears I force to stay at bay.
“I’m not worth it?” I ask, swallowing roughly, “Are you Merikh and Colette not worth it or your adorable—”
“No.” he whispers, “You aren’t worth it.”
“But we are supposed to be mates.” I say the words and my mouth feels dry, my throat aching as I force myself to hold his gaze. “You keep mentioning sparks. What do you plan to do when I do feel them?”
Hayes sighs. “Protect you.”
“And how will you do that?” I ask, my heart beating at the thought of him accepting me. How else would he protect me than to protect my heart and our soul tie?
“By rejecting you to save you from the inevitable pain. I will die sooner rather than later. There is nothing I want more than to leave this earth and make sure no one else is hurt because of me.”
“And you won’t give me the chance to change your mind?” I ask, rising to my knees and turning to face him.
“You can try all you want, Kyra. But my mind is set.” He says, the lines on his face telling me he means every word.
“So if I kissed you right now…?” I ask, my voice raspy as I move closer, leaning in as he leans forward.
“I would not stop you, but you have el.ne been warned. You can not love me, and when you feel the bond too, you have to promise to accept my rejection.” He says, his eyes watching my lips as I nibble on the side of my cheek, weighing his demands.
I am already lying to him. He is my mate. I felt it before he did, but I refuse to tell him that because I need to convince him there is more to life. That he needs to confront what is stuck in his head and deal with it. But I am not ready yet to hold myself back. So I pull away and heave a sigh.
“So you will never choose me? Even if we are fated?” I ask, swallowing my pride as a tear falls down my cheek.
“I have said all I need to say.” He whispers, looking away. “Take from it what you will.”
*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?