Stay With Me (Part 2)
1474 Words
I stared at the closed bedroom door for several seconds after Lucien left.
Had the Lycan King really just volunteered to bring me breakfast?
A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.
It was ridiculous.
This was the same man who had terrified an army of Shadow Hunters without breaking a sweat.
The same man every Alpha feared.
The same man who had once looked at me with an expression so cold I thought he barely tolerated my existence.
And now...
He was making sure I ate.
I shook my head.
"I've officially entered another universe."
A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.
The door opened slowly, revealing the Queen Mother.
Unlike the regal woman I'd met days ago, she looked... older.
The lines beneath her eyes had deepened.
Her silver hair, usually immaculate, had escaped its elegant braid.
She carried herself with grace, but grief hung heavily over her shoulders.
The moment our eyes met, tears gathered in hers.
"You really are awake."
I smiled gently.
"I'm hard to get rid of."
She laughed through her tears.
"Just like your mother."
The mention of her instantly silenced the room.
The Queen Mother approached carefully before sitting beside my bed.
"I've wanted to tell you so many things."
I lowered my gaze.
"I don't even know what to ask anymore."
She reached for my hand.
"I suppose we should start with an apology."
"You don't owe me one."
"I do."
Her voice trembled.
"For twenty-two years."
She looked out the window, as though searching the distant mountains for the past.
"The night your mother died..."
She stopped.
Took a shaky breath.
"I lost my daughter."
Another tear rolled down her cheek.
"And then I lost my granddaughter."
Her fingers tightened around mine.
"I buried Elena."
Her voice cracked.
"But I couldn't bury you."
My chest tightened.
"There was no body."
The words barely escaped her lips.
"So every single day..."
She smiled sadly.
"I kept hoping."
The room fell silent.
"I prayed to the Moon Goddess every night."
She laughed quietly.
"Lucien used to tell me I was refusing to accept reality."
My eyes lifted.
"He didn't think I was alive?"
"No."
She smiled faintly.
"He searched for years."
I blinked.
"What?"
The Queen Mother nodded.
"Not because anyone ordered him."
Her smile grew warmer.
"Because he couldn't watch me suffer."
A strange feeling settled inside my chest.
"Lucien searched for me?"
She nodded.
"Every rumor."
"Every lead."
"Every abandoned village."
"He even crossed rogue territories."
Her eyes shone with emotion.
"When everyone else gave up..."
"He didn't."
I looked away.
The dream came rushing back.
"He hasn't left your side."
"He blames himself."
Why?
Why would someone like Lucien care so much?
The Queen Mother suddenly laughed.
"You know..."
"What?"
"I've never seen him panic before."
I frowned.
"Panic?"
"When you were stabbed."
She looked genuinely amazed.
"The healers had barely carried you inside before he was shouting orders."
A tiny smile appeared on her lips.
"He threatened every physician in the kingdom."
"What?"
"If anything happened to you..."
She lowered her voice dramatically.
"...he said he'd personally close every healing temple in the Lycan Kingdom."
Despite myself, I laughed.
"He didn't."
"Oh, he did."
She chuckled.
"The poor healers nearly fainted."
I couldn't picture it.
The calm, composed Lucien...
Panicking?
It didn't seem possible.
Before I could ask another question, the door opened again.
Lucien entered carrying a large wooden tray.
The smell reached me first.
Fresh bread.
Honey.
Herbal tea.
Roasted meat.
Fruit.
Far more food than one person could eat.
The Queen Mother raised an eyebrow.
"You cooked?"
Lucien looked mildly offended.
"I assembled."
She laughed.
"That means no."
He ignored her.
Walking straight to my bedside, he carefully placed the tray across my lap.
"I asked the kitchen what recovering patients should eat."
I looked at the feast.
"You asked?"
"You were unconscious."
His tone was matter-of-fact.
"I couldn't."
The simplicity of his answer somehow made it even more touching.
The Queen Mother watched us with an expression I couldn't quite understand.
Then she quietly stood.
"I'll leave you two."
"What?"
I looked between them.
"You don't have to—"
"Oh, I insist."
She smiled suspiciously.
"Enjoy breakfast."
Before either of us could stop her, she disappeared, closing the door behind her.
The room became painfully quiet.
Lucien pulled his chair closer again.
"You should eat."
I picked up a piece of bread.
Then paused.
"You haven't eaten either."
"I have."
"Liar."
His eyebrow lifted.
"I can smell it."
He looked genuinely surprised.
"My wolf."
I shrugged.
"She's getting stronger."
A small smile crossed his face.
"Good."
I tore the bread in half.
Holding one piece toward him.
"Here."
Lucien stared at it.
Then at me.
"I don't need—"
"Take it."
"...Princess."
"I'm serious."
He hesitated.
Then slowly accepted it.
Our fingers brushed.
Just for a second.
A strange warmth shot through my hand.
His eyes met mine instantly.
He'd felt it too.
Neither of us moved.
Neither of us looked away.
The moment stretched.
Longer than it should have.
Until I cleared my throat awkwardly and looked back at my food.
"Thank you."
He spoke so quietly I almost missed it.
"For what?"
"For making sure I ate."
The corner of my mouth lifted.
"I thought kings didn't accept orders."
"I don't."
"You just accepted mine."
A rare laugh escaped him.
It was low.
Warm.
Unexpectedly attractive.
I stared.
"You laugh."
His smile disappeared.
"...Occasionally."
"I've never heard it before."
"Most people don't."
The conversation felt...
Easy.
Natural.
Nothing like our first meeting.
For the first time since all this madness began...
I wasn't talking to a king.
I was talking to Lucien.
A knock shattered the peaceful moment.
A royal guard entered quickly before kneeling.
"Your Majesty."
Lucien stood immediately.
"What is it?"
"The Council of Alphas has arrived."
His entire expression hardened.
"They've demanded an emergency audience."
"I expected as much."
The guard swallowed.
"They know."
Lucien's silver eyes narrowed.
"Everything?"
The guard nodded.
"The entire kingdom knows the Lost Princess has returned."
Silence.
A heavy silence.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"They're requesting permission to see Princess Ava."
Lucien answered without hesitation.
"Denied."
The guard looked startled.
"Your Majesty..."
"She needs rest."
"They insist."
"I don't care."
"They're threatening to leave the alliance."
Lucien folded his arms.
"Then let them."
The guard looked trapped between duty and fear.
"My King..."
Before he could continue, another voice echoed from outside the room.
"That won't be necessary."
The doors opened.
A tall man entered.
Older than Lucien.
Broad-shouldered.
Sharp grey eyes.
His clothing marked him as an Alpha.
Power radiated from him.
But unlike Lucien's calm dominance...
His felt political.
Calculated.
Dangerous.
He bowed politely.
"Forgive the intrusion."
Lucien's voice became ice.
"You weren't invited."
"No."
The Alpha smiled.
"But this concerns every pack."
His eyes shifted toward me.
For a brief second...
They softened.
"So."
He murmured.
"You truly survived."
Something about the way he looked at me made my skin crawl.
Not hatred.
Assessment.
Like I wasn't a person.
Like I was a piece on a chessboard.
He introduced himself calmly.
"I am Alpha Magnus."
"Head of the Council."
I nodded politely.
"It's... nice to meet you."
"I wish I could say the same circumstances."
He looked back toward Lucien.
"The Council has reached a unanimous decision."
Lucien's jaw tightened.
"I didn't ask."
"You don't need to."
Magnus spoke calmly.
"You are no longer the only one responsible for her."
The room instantly grew cold.
Lucien took one step forward.
"I beg your pardon?"
Magnus didn't flinch.
"The princess belongs to the Kingdom."
My heart sank.
Belongs?
"I am not an object."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Magnus smiled politely.
"Of course not."
"Then stop speaking about me like I am."
For a brief second, surprise crossed his face.
Then amusement.
"She truly is Elena's daughter."
Lucien looked almost proud.
Magnus noticed.
His expression became thoughtful.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then he dropped the sentence that changed everything.
"The Council has arranged Princess Ava's engagement."
The room froze.
My heart stopped.
"...What?"
Lucien's silver eyes flashed violently.
The air around him exploded with power.
Every window in the room rattled.
The candles flickered.
Even Magnus took a cautious step backward.
Lucien's voice was barely above a whisper.
Yet somehow...
It was the most terrifying sound I'd ever heard.
"Repeat."
Magnus straightened.
"The Council believes the princess should marry an Alpha to strengthen political alliances."
I couldn't breathe.
Marriage?
To someone I had never met?
"No."
Lucien's answer came instantly.
Cold.
Final.
Magnus held his gaze.
"The decision has already been made."
Lucien slowly smiled.
It wasn't kind.
It wasn't amused.
It was dangerous.
"The Council..."
He took another step forward.
"...has just made the biggest mistake of its existence."
- Writer
