Filed To Story: Traded To The Lycan King Novel (Colette & Merikh) by MG Wattsons
“Yes, brother?” she asks him, another jab of pain rolling through me. Colette pulls back, leaving her hands on my face as she makes me look at her, my breathing ragged and my muscles quaking under my weight.
“Did you see her?” Elm asks, and she stops what she is doing at my back.
“In a sense,” she answers after a moment. She then taps my shoulder, leaning forward so I can see her. “Take a seat on the bed.”
Colette slips to her feet, helping me stand upright before I step backward two small steps and she helps to ease me down onto the bed.
“Hyacinth.” Elm demands with his voice and she rolls her eyes before looking at him.
“What could possibly be more important than what I am currently doing?”
“Did you see Lily?” He asks, tears in his eyes and his fists clenching and releasing anxiously.
“Yes, I saw the power hungry bitch.” She says, crossing her arms over her chest.
“She is not a power hungry bitch.” He snaps, and she throws her hands up in exasperation.
“Even now? Even after what happened, what she has done behind your back, you still defend her?” Hyacinth asks in exasperation.
“She is my queen,” He reminds her. “And yours.”
“No. She is a traitor to our kind, and I warned you about her over and over again.” She hisses,
“Enough.” Colette says. “Elm, she was there, but like a hallucination or a ghost. Your Lily admitted to what she is doing. Hyacinth is right. Lily is a traitor and has been planning this for sometime.”
He looks at Colette, shocked. Then he paces away, dropping into the armchair, his head in his hands.
“What the am I supposed to do?” He asks, looking at me for an answer.
“You need to tell your kind,” I say after a moment. “We all need to go back to our respective homes and recover, recuperate and devise plans of action. War isn’t just marching to us, it has wings, we are running out of time.”
“It’s not that simple.” Elm says, sitting forward. “She is my queen, their queen. I can not simple declare she is not bt for the role and rai her out”
“Why not?” I ask, baffled that her actions aren’t enough for her to be completely cut off by her kind. “She has chosen a war on the opposite side of your people.”
“Because there are laws and stipulations to think about,” He says, growing more irate by the second.
“You can bypass all of those, Elm Hyacinth says, a bored frown on her lips. He snaps his eyes in her direction, anger simmering there. She places her hands on her hips, readying herself for any verbal assault be flings her way.
“You are second guessing your side, Merikh whispers. Elm looks away, clearing his throat before he rubs his temple.
“No, no, that’s not i…” He says after a pregnant pause that has my heart pounding and my mind swirling.
Is he changing his mind? Does he love his traitorous queen so much that he would rather reposition himself and his kind against us in this war? I move toward him, my eyes trained on his face, trying to determine if I can trust a thing he says now. After that hesitation, the way he is refusing to inform his community about what has happened and how she is evil.
“Then explain it, Elm.” I say firmly, stopping in front of him.
“Love is not something Fae look for or really care about in relationships. But I love her. Still, after all of this, I want my Lily back . I want to know what made her do it, what was promised. Without her title, she is no longer protected. If I declare her a traitor now, there will be no answers as Fae kill on sight for sins of betrayal. He says, his eyes watery but no tears fall.
“She did it because she is a selfish bitch who has always only cared about herself. She saw the opportunity to get what she wants, and she is taking it,” Hyacinth scoffs as she rolls her eyes. “You are the only fool that didn’t see her for what she is.”
“Everyone leave,” I say, a wave of exhaustion rising above my head, drowning me in irritability and the need to just sleep this nightmare off. All this shit, the feelings Elm is feeling for his mate, who turns out to be just like my ex. It’s sickening. It brings up a past “me” that I hated. One who was a slave to someone who wished to only use me.
“You have always disliked her, I know that, but the people accepted her. The Fae have always loved her and treated her well.” Elm says. clearly not hearing me.
“You loved a version of her no one else knew, because she was faking it for you.” I groan, moving on the bed.
“How do you know that?” He asks, snorting like I’m the dumb one in the conversation. Clearly, he is not seeing things with an open mind.
“It is easier to fake it for one person than it is for a whole slew of them. Take it from one betrayed king to another. She used you for access to the power a royal is given. How the hell else would she be able to use these abilities at the magnitude that she has?” I tell him.
“He makes a fair point,” Colette adds. “Who else do you know who can possess an entire pack at the same time?”
“Who else in our kingdom has the time and is always traveling for peace?” Hyacinth asks.
Elm stands and silently makes his way to the door. He doesn’t pause as he flings it open and exits the room, leaving Colette and Hyacinth here with me.
“Well, that didn’t go over well.” Colette whistles. Hyacinth sighs heavily and then turns to look at me.
“I need to speak with him, but first I can heal a part of your injury. The bruises that were made on impact from the magical fire are something I can heal, as it is untouched underneath the top of the skin.” She says, “Then I need to go try to mend my brother’s heart”
oves to me without 1 catch Colette’s relief through the mate bond and I put my hand out for her to come and stand by me. She moves to me hesitation, taking my cool hand in hers.
“This is going to hurt before it gets better.” Hyacinth whispers.
She moves to my back, a soft throbbing in my muscles grows more intense, like a weight pressing into me. My chest grows tight, and nay breathing more labored as I close my eyes and grit my teeth. I can feel my spine creaking and my ribs suddenly shift, cracking with soch Tonce I gasp, unable to make a sound as the pain consumes me,
Then it eases, my lungs filling with air with rase, and my muscles no longer tense and aching. I look at Colette who watches me close,
Ling over her perfect·lips.