THE LYING KING

Scar

As soon as my thoughts started to drift away from the day's events I leaned back into the relaxation of the steaming hot water. The tension in my muscles started to loosen and my shoulders began to drop, my eyebrows lifted and unscrunched themselves. I wished it was this easy to relax my brain. I also wished I had held her a little longer, and my thoughts of her came flooding back, there was so much regret and longing in my heart they turned to frustrations in my thoughts “

“Dammit I let her run away”, I said out loud to the empty room,“but I had no choice. I knew she wasn’t ready for the truth, and I already loved her so much". I thought silently scared to say it out loud even by myself and no one else to hear it. I couldn’t bear the thought of hurting her or even confusing her. She deserved protection for once, but it didn't matter. She had run off before I could fully explain but I had only read about how a Matebond would feel, and well... it was intimidating. I felt like a small child facing my biggest dream and deepest desire. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling of failure I felt I had handled it like a coward, and now I’d ran the risk of not protecting her. Though we still almost kissed, when her skin touched mine, it confirmed everything! She was my mate, and that she was an alpha! I was so proud of her. I knew all she’d been through. I was getting very close with the King and as smart as he thought he was; he couldn’t tell I was a hyenamen; and if he could, he was a hell of an actor! He spoke so ill of us Were-hyenas, though not all Weres. He thought Were-lions like himself were the best of the best! I couldn’t wait to burst his arrogant little bubble. He was such a smug pompous asshole! He wanted to buy the bookstore just to hurt her it seemed sadistic, and I had done everything I could to stop that from happening, but he was still King. I had convinced him to sell me the bookstore; I had promised to close it down and not make it a new business. It could only be a place of residence. He was all too eager, to get rid of it. At first, I was surprised. I couldn’t figure out why, he seemed so thirsty to get rid of what he called “a dusty old bookstore”. He quickly admitted had never set foot inside or ordered a single book; but the moment we signed on the dotted line; he snarled

“This will keep her from being so busy; unable to do house chores; lazy, lying around, and reading all day! I’d already killed her little dreams of a college education.” he sinisterly chuckled proudly.

“Now my servant could focus on her duties, no more reading, no more writing, no more arithmetic” he giggled satisfied with himself. I had spent years perfecting my fake laugh. Hyenas’ natural laugh is so noticeable it has a sort of echo with a high pitch interference like a yelping from two different voices, and I couldn’t risk using it in public with the reputation that we had; especially the men; no matter how funny something was supposed to be. The threat of death from not laughing was just as dangerous as death for being hyena and it kept me on guard. I couldn’t even fake laugh at that. I was disgusted. I hid it well though it was the only way to get the store for my mate. I knew it would be therapeutic and healing and safer for her to come to the Busy Bee after I executed the first phase of my plan; once I’d rescued her from her life as a slave. I had spent many years waiting, reading, and plotting for this very moment. I was confident I had the perfect plan, but I had to be very careful. She worked for the royal family. This wasn’t going to be easy. Not even if everything went exactly as I had planned this would be difficult for the both of us. I still had a few back up plans and fail safes just in case things went wrong. I couldn't risk one of us dying or wounded. SHE was the whole point, and I was the only one who could keep her alive or explain everything. There was too much at stake to not be prepared, and when I saw the vitriol, the king had for her, I knew the story was deeper than I had been told or even assumed and that it would take some time to peel the layers back. I just hoped it wasn’t too late or in vain. She ran, which I should’ve expected, knowing that she had been taught all the lies, and stereotypes about our kind, when she was growing up. Which meant, she definitely, believed them about me, and sadly, probably believe them about herself. She had no one around to tell her the truth. I was prepared for that though and planned to love her so fully her fears would be senseless, and her self hate would vanish like a foggy sunrise into a new day. It would just take some time to gain her trust, and I was trying. I hadn't exactly been able to see it with other Hyenaman. It's not like I had a blueprint or an example. I just knew how fiercely I was taught to love myself and my people and she was my queen. I loved her with the love of our ancestors; amplified by the reverence of our people; and though I hadn't met them I felt the hope for a new day and a spiritual reckoning in my soul! I knew our people were waiting and praying for her ascension. She was the heart of the revolution! The chosen one, I just had to make her see!