Filed to story: Traded To The Lycan King Novel (Colette & Merikh) by MG Wattsons
“You are infuriating.” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose before I shake my head. “You tricked me. Yes, I accepted. But you didn’t choose me because you wanted me. You were there for me because of WHO I am, WHAT I am. Merikh, you came to steal me and use me.”
“And the second I realized we were mates…” he says, but I interrupt him.
“You should have told me, but you didn’t. Instead, you pushed me away and tested me with Grady-”
“He came on his own!” He laughs dryly. “I didn’t seek him out. The dumba*s came looking for you. All I did was let it play out.”
“THEN! You refused to listen to me and you forced me into that promise, so I couldn’t know we were mates.” I say, tilting my head and licking my teeth, waiting for him to find a retort for this. His chest rumbles with a low, dissatisfied growl from his lycan.
“I have already explained those actions to you,” He says simply. Like the explanation was enough to make it all okay.
“Then there was how you never told me what I was or who my father is.” I say, my hands on my hips as I watch him drop onto the edge of the bed.
“Is this punishment, then?” He asks, his voice a whisper.
My hands drop from my waist, my heart shattering, watching him look defeated and broken. His sullen eyes lift to meet mine and my breathing hitches. He is destroyed.
I want to rush to him, fall to my knees and tell him I was kidding, that it was all just me being a little crazy. But the truth is, the more I say it out loud, the more I realize I need to make this decision on my own.
“No, Merikh.” I exhale, tears in my eyes as I move to his side. Sitting next to him. “This is me standing my ground and needing to do this on my own. I love you and who I am with you. But I feel like I am missing so much of who I am. I want to give you every part of me, but I still don’t know myself fully.”
He reaches over, taking my hand in his, but he doesn’t look at me.
“So this isn’t about you not loving me?” he whispers, and I laugh at the absurdity.
“Never.” I say, jumping up and stepping between his legs. I hold both sides of his face, making sure he is looking up at me. “This is something that I have to decide on my own, okay?”
“Okay,” he agrees reluctantly, “I will not hinder your decision. Even if it is one I don’t like.”
Percy grins when he sees me walking down the hallway toward him. The relief I feel only shows how much this young gamma has grown on me and the reminder that I have missed him. He looks completely normal, well fed and free of mind. But then again, he had the last time as well. So, as I approach him, I give him a gentle smile.
“I promise the witch is no longer in my head.” He says, putting his hands up. I chuckle, stepping into a quick embrace before stepping back.
“It is so good to see you back to normal.” I tell him and he nods.
“Yeah, well, it was a weird sensation. My only regret is I didn’t realize it sooner.” He says, frowning. I sigh, tilting my head.
“Perc, you fought her off! An incredibly powerful fae, not just powerful, but the d*mn queen. You held her off and tried to give us a warning.” I remind him.
“Yeah,” he says as he shakes his head. “But she still won out eventually.”
“No.” I scoff. “You won. There isn’t a single person you hurt. You let us know in time so you could be saved. It takes a powerful warrior to do that.”
He nods, looking away from me as the others scurry around with luggage and mingling.
“I know it may seem weird to ask this but…is there anyway you would be comfortable with me still remaining on as you gamma?” He asks, his freckled cheeks growing pink as he clears his throat and looks at the ground. I furrow my brows, confused.
“Why wouldn’t you be?” I ask him and he seems shocked by my response.
“Alpha Merikh suggested it might be best for me to step down, just for a little while.” He explains, and I find myself growing, annoyed with my mate once more.
He continually claims that he needs me, that I am the one in control, and yet he does things behind my back. I get he is trying to protect me, that he isn’t doing these things to be controlling or possessive. But intended or not, that is exactly what it feels like.
“Alpha Merikh is wrong.” I say with a tight smile. “I would not feel comfortable with just one Ga*ma. You guys are a package deal. I need you and Penny.”
“Glad to hear you say that,” Penny says from behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see Percy’s twin grinning. “When Alpha made the suggestion, it felt…wrong.”
“I will talk to him about it.” I promise.
Hayes walks past us, a somber look on his face as he looks lost, almost like he is just going through the motions. I look at him before turning to see Percy and Penny with an alarmed look on their faces as well.
“I will go speak with him,” I say, rushing off after the lumbering beta. “Hayes…”
He looks up slowly, blinking at me before he gives me a half-a*sed smile.
“Can Thelp you Luna?” he asks.
“Uh, well, first you can explain this mood to me.” I motion to him and he sighs, shaking his head.
“It is complicated” He whispers, then he glances around. “I would like to discuss it with you when we make it back to the pack…if you might have the time?”
It is obvious that Hayes is desperate and if this has anything to do with our last heart to heart, I can only assume he is struggling with his new found mate.
“Of course,” I tell him. “We are family before I am your Luna.”
“Thank you Colette.” He says, rubbing his face. “Where Merikh is usually great to talk to about these things, sometimes a woman knows a woman better than an alpha.”