Filed To Story: Traded To The Lycan King Novel (Colette & Merikh) by MG Wattsons
“Friends are honest with each other.” I remind him and he slows down. A look of disbelief and hope morphing his face to something softer, less harsh, even with his scars.
“You think we are friends?” He asks, his voice a hoarse whisper.
“If we are going to be next to each other until all of this is over, it will be easier to be friends.” Tell him. His eyes narrow and his lips press together in thought.
“So we are only friends for now, for the sake of this mission?” He asks, sounding disappointed.
“No.” I exhale. “We can be real friends. Friends with barriers.” and walls, and tall barricaded gates that keep me from touching him. He blinks slowly and then moves a step closer, his hand brushing mine as we walk for a minute.
“Are you friend zoning me, Kyra?” He asks, as we approach the bickering Marcos and Teiran in front of us.
“Hell yes I am,” I say, flashing him a victorious smile. “And there is nothing you can do about it.”
He frowns, his mouth falling open like he might protest, but he thinks better about it and closes his mouth. Then he grabs my hand, forcing me to stop as the sparks from the mate bond dance over my skin, forcing a shudder from my body.
“Not even when I do this?” He whispers, his thumb stroking over the top of my hand as he gazes into my eyes so intensely I am forced to look away.
“Especially when you do that,” I say, extracting my hand from his. “Friends don’t hold hands.”
“Even when there is something there?” He asks, seeming almost frantic.
“Like what?”
“Sparks?” He whispers, licking his lips. “The kind that are life changing. Do you feel anything?”
My skin goosebumps, the air growing thin as I feel like I might faint. Is he saying that he feels them n too? Does Hayes finally feel the mate bond? My chest rises and falls and + clear my throat and glance around, rubbing my sweat palms over my shirt.
“Sparks? No.” I lie looking him right in the eyes. “Uncomfortable, yes.”
Everyone sits and stares at Teiran, Nisha’s eyes sizing him up with unbridled curiosity. Dean clears his throat, waiting for Hayes to say something, anything. But he doesn’t. Instead, he stands and turns to walk away.
“Hayes,” Koda hisses, causing Hayes to stop, look over his shoulder uninterested, and then he walks off.
“I’ll take the first watch,” he mutters.
“I am Teiran.” The dragon heir says. Nisha slaps at Koda, her eyes wide.
“I told you he looks familiar,” she hisses at him.
“And how do you know him?” He asks, sounding bored.
“He is the dragon king’s kid.” She grits out. Koda sits up straighter, his mouth falling open as he looks at me, a grimace on my face as I try to hide my face.
“He is what?” Dean screeches.
“Calm down, they exiled him,” Marcos says in Teiran’s defense and I feel a twitch at my lip, amused that suddenly Marcos is defending him, even if it is minimal. “Disowned really.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Koda scoffs. “If he looks like a dragon and smells like a dragon, then he is the enemy.”
“Do I look like a dragon just sitting here?” Teiran asks, and Koda frowns.
“He means you are big,” Nisha tries to explain.
“He is here because I asked him to help us.” I say, cutting the chit chat short. “Yes, he is the dragon king’s son, yes he was exiled and yes, I do trust him. At least enough to trust that we are not his enemy.”
“Did you stop to consider that maybe he is our enemy?” Koda groans. “And Hayes agreed to this?”
He suddenly stands, throwing his hands up in anger before he chuckles to himself and he sneers at me.
“Yes, Hayes agreed. Teiran and I saved Hayes and Marcos. He had no problem killing his own kind to keep us safe.” I snap at him as I jump up too, rolling my shoulders back.
“You two saved Marcos and Hayes?” Nisha repeats, her tone mocking as she rolls her eyes.
“Yes.” Teiran interjects. “It seems your leader has a desire for death,”
Everyone falls silent. Dean looks down at his hands and Koda looks away, clearing his throat. We all know about Hayes’ wish for death, the oath his brother made him take. There is no room for arguing with anyone about that.
“I’m going to go sit with Hayes,” Dean says, getting up and walking off.
“Teiran, you should get some rest.” I give him a half smile and he nods, clearing his throat before he lays down, and turns his back to the flames. “Looks like you have a pet dog,” Nisha teases, a giddy grin on her face as she looks at an angry Koda who scowls at me.
“I am no one’s pet, and I am least of all a dog.” Teiran bites out from his spot.
“Enough.” I exhale, my fingers pinching the bridge of my nose. The last thing I need is more arguing over moot points. My body is exhausted and muscles are sore. “I am going to get some sleep while I can.”
I find a spot near the fire, my body shivering as I lay in the dewy grass, the moisture leaching through my clothing. Sleep, like always, eludes me no matter how long I lay counting the breaths. I roll onto my back, my hand over my stomach as I watch the stars.
Hayes had to feel it. Why else would he bring up sparks, and them being important? I shouldn’t have denied it, but the fear of what he will do if I say yes made it feel impossible to say anything else. Would he have denied me on the spot, or would it be saving his life to admit it and ask him to accept me?
Not that I want him to. He is kind of a pompous ass who brings out the bitter, kind of annoying, bitchy part of me. But he is Hayes, my Hayes. The same guy who would make even the darkest days feel like there was light. He could take any terrible ordeal and use his words to make me think about it differently.
Hayes made me a good person. No, he made me want to be a better person, even after I left, hell even after meeting Tyler. I would remind myself to think objectively like Hayes would and yet, when I am around him, it is hard to think at all aside from wanting to smack him or kiss him silly.
| groan quietly, pressing my palms to the lids of my eyes. Why did everything have to spiral out of control when I need it the most? My stupid, bond driven lycan wants to be curted up with Hayes, to be accepted. But Hayes and I…we are not in the place to love anyone. More so him than me, and the last thing we need is a sex driven situationship.
“Can’t sleep?” I hear a soft whisper and look around my hands to see the outline of Hayes as he takes a seat next to me.
“Not uncommon,” I admit, and he nods.
“Yeah, I know the feeling. Might be part of why I am such an asshole.” He gives me a soft grin and I chuckle.
“Or that could just be natural?” I tease.
Hayes’ lips twitch, catching my attention, my heart racing at just being next to him. Down, lycan, down. Last thing I need is to get caught staring at his plush, upturned kissabte lips. He might get the right idea. That I want to smash my lips to his and leap into his arms. I don’t want sex; I don’t want to be marked…I want to be loved. By him.
“How can I help you sleep?” He asks, reaching out a hand to help me sit up.