The Lycan King & I

Nine.

"Gather the pack at midnight for a run?" Wells breaks the long silence some time later.

"No." The King curtly responds, and his eyes glaze over. I knew we were fast approaching the Northern castle, as the howls were growing louder and plentiful. The King had been communicating via mind link for the past hour or so. I hope in vain that he isn't distracting Wells from the road.

"Tell Val we're close." The King instructs, "And keep Axle away."

"You got it." Wells nods. A short time later later, our car slows to a stop on the cobblestone entrance of the pack house, the castle in front of us was larger than most schools I'd seen. Each grand window seemed to be taller than the last, and dozens of steaming chimneys broke through the roof.

"You live here?" I sigh under my breath.

"You won't be living here," Wells snorts.

Right. I've never lived in the same quarters as wolves. Underlings only came to the North as one thing: a prisoner. I blink back tears.

"Welcome to the North, Queen Luna." The woman in front of us bows as the King and I enter the set of magnificent, double doors. It took what seemed a mile walk through the luxurious castle to get to this point. Normally pack houses were bustling, but i hadn't seen a single person.

"My King Alpha, Beta Wells," The woman looks to be a few years older than me, but only a few inches taller. She is stocky, muscular. She reminds me of a bulldog. Her dark hair was short, but the look was too chopped to be a fashionable decision. It was one for ease.

"Valerie," The King introduces, "This is Eliette."

"It's an honor," Valerie says, and not at all ironically. More like it's an honor she hasn't killed me yet. The bulging muscles under her clothes aren't lost on my eyes, neither are the scars and scratches littering her body.

"You understand why you're here, right?"

"Yes, Benjamin. But I have no clue how to tell If I'm the Luna's guard." Valerie admits.

"Just try." The King encourages.

"Aye-aye, Sir." She salutes. Val was off-kilter. Her eyes look me up and down, crinkling in amusement, "I'm liking the color choice."

"Don't start," The King shakes his head tiredly.

"Your work?" Vals eyes shift to Wells. They're talking about my blood red jacket.

"Yup."

"Nice," Val snorts, arms crossed.

"You have an hour." Is the Kings parting order.

Valerie talks a lot. I wouldn't mind if she wasn't so abrasive. She didn't notice when she was overwhelming me. Its making sense to me how she's mated to Axle, King of Terror. Two intense Wolves with muscles to back them up.

She reveals a lot about the North. We're in the Alpha's apartment of the Pack House, but he doesn't stay here often. I don't understand why, it was the epitome of a room fit for a King. Apparently the Pack House was not mandatory, though much of the pack chose to live there.

More interestingly, I listen to what she reveals about Benjamin. It's not much. She reveals he has a house close to he preferred to stay in. But, his younger brother lived in the pack house. He had a younger brother.

"You gonna need help washing up?" She asks warily, I feel she isn't comfortable with being assigned to handle my clean up.

"No," I disappear into the bathroom. The shiny marble expands larger than any bedroom I'd ever stayed in. My embarrassment grows as I realize I don't know how to work the levers on the washing faucet.

I opt for a bubble bath, lathering up in the soap and scalding water. I don't come out until my toes are wrinkled, and my long hair is combed with the comb I found lying on the counter.

"Cool, you took care of the hair." She's dodged that bullet. "Now onto attire..."

"What was wrong with my coat?" I was defensive of it, it was the nicest piece of clothing I'd ever worn.

"It was Wells teasing the King, nothing new." She explains to me. "I gotta spar him soon and give him a good ass kicking, he's been unbearable lately."

I am quiet as she begins pulling different articles of clothing out of a pile on an armchair, and surveys them.

"Red is the color of a queen awaiting to be marked, probably was making Benjamin tuck in his tongue every time he opened his mouth." She chuckles, then mumbles darkly, "Course an annoying Wells is an improvement over moping Wells."

"Wells mate?" I inquire politely. Valerie reminds me slightly of Thiele. Helpful in her own way, but her words were often blunt. Valerie was kinder, but less matronly. I feel secure enough to speak so much as she tosses me a navy blue wool sweater.

"Yes, Beta Grace." She says solemnly. "I usually don't hang around she-wolves, especially Baitors, but I like Grace. She's a tough one, like you and me."

"I'm not tough." I shake me head. Valerie was a warrior and Grace was a baitor? I did not belong in the same sentence as the two. "That is why I can't belong to the Northern Pack."

Valerie is the one shaking her head now, "Luna's are made, not blood born. Luna's are hand carved out of struggle."

I'm wide eyed.

"I'm not asking you to share anything. But I'm guessing you've been through some hard s**t, kind of comes with the territory. Are you going to get dressed or not? It's my nieces clothes, you're tiny."

I realize I'm still just in a towel and throw on the sweater before fumbling with with a long skirt she hands me. I roll the waistband twice to try to keep it around my hips.

"You're tough." She continues, "It's been three days since you've met Benjamin? And you haven't mated?" She whistles, "That's impressive will power."

"M-mated?" I choke slightly in shock.

"Ya know. Do the deed. Make love. The making process." She says in a 'duh' tone. I'd never had an older sister, but I believed it'd feel a lot like this. "Most mates take a few weeks to complete it, but alphas are known for moving fast. Must be all the testosterone."

My mouth is gaping in a way that reminds me of a fish out of wash.

Valerie pales like she said something wrong, it seems to just dawn on her my extreme anxiety. I am shaking in her nieces clothing- which is warm, but a little roomy. "s**t. I forget Underlings don't have mates. Forgive me, Luna."

"It's okay."

"It must be so complicated, with all the games and drama." She crinkles her nose, "I mean, how would you even know who to choose who to have pups with? Mating just makes everything so... easy."

I don't know how to explain to her how many in the South thought the Wolves partnership process was insane and primal. Marriage wasn't far fetched, it was a sweet promise that I always envisioned. Getting bitten, I never envied.

"I'm not sure what you mean." I whisper.

"Don't be nervous," She seems worried now as my shaking increases. "Mating is the easiest part of the whole bond, in my opinion. Plus Alpha Males are a piece of cake in bed. Just play up to his wolf. Let him undress you, let him chase you a little, and he'll be happy."

Undress me? Be chased?

"What's the verdict?" Wells voice makes me jump a mile high as the doors open again, the King close behind. The two are still wearing their attire from the road. I'm glad they've interrupted this conversation.

"She's clean..." Valerie announces, "...And still in need of a protector."

I can practically feel everyone's shoulders sag. I'm not sure how, but I've let them down again.

"Are you sure?" The king asks.

"I think I would've known as soon as I met her," Valerie shakes her head. "If it's not me or any other high ranking guard, are you sure?" Wells stiffens at her question.

The King growls viciously, eyes glazing as he sends a link to Valerie. She bows her head in remorse. His eyes are black with anger, I feel the tears welling in my eyes. Fear.

"It's time we go, it's been a long journey." He sighs.

This was it. To the prisons.

I try to swallow the painful lump in my throat, "I appreciate all your kindness, and wish you and your mates happiness."

My statement is meant with a long pause. The King looks lost, "Are you ready to see your new home, Eliette?"

That sets me off.

"C-can I have my c-cloak?" I sniffle, a blubbering mess, "In case the dungeons are cold?"

"Dungeons?" Wells is bewildered.

"Yes." I solemnly accept my fate.

"Eliette, you are not going to the prison." The King seems frustrated, "Our Kingdom has not killed an Underling in my entire reign as Alpha."

Valerie excuses herself when my sniffs turn loud sobs on the walk back to the car. Wells is uncharacteristically silent during the short drive. A source of comfort, this doesn't help the hot tears falling on my cheeks.

I take in the surroundings of my new environment. We were in the house Valerie had mentioned the King stayed it. Just a few miles from the castle, it was cozy. It had a rustic sense to the wood that made me believe it was built by hand.

"This is home." Alpha Benjamin is the most at ease I've ever seen him.  He led me straight to a room upon our arrival, where I waited tearfully on the end of the gigantic bed of the bedroom. He had disappeared into a door that I assumed was the bathroom. Emerging in a sweater that clung tightly to him, I vaguely note how his dark curls are damp from washing up.

"This is our home." The King corrects, sinking onto the end of the bed next to me, "This isn't a prison, you aren't shackled or in trouble- please stop crying."

Our eyes stayed locked for a long time after that. My tear brimmed, olive orbs in a world of their own with the stormy, indigo eyes that were pleading with me. My choppy breaths seemed to escape my parted lips, and go straight into his heart shaped ones. We stared long enough that our breathing matched, it felt like he was breathing in the exact air molecules I was exhaling.

His breaths seemed to even and steady, and the constant of it seemed to radiate into my own body. The longer we stared in behold of one another, the stronger the feeling within me got. There was a tightly wound ball of ribbon in my core that was slowly untangling itself, unraveling into every tip of my body. It quelled the ball of anxiety inside of me slightly.

"I can't be your mate." I murmur.

He gives a crooked smile, "We've just confirmed it."

"C-confirmed?"

"Didn't you feel it?" He's more animated than I'd ever seen before now. At ease and animated, two words I never thought would describe the King of the North. "I took on some of your worry, or tried to. It's... a little manipulation mates can do."

"You were in my mind?" My face is scrunched in every direction. Was that the explanation of the feeling of serenity that washed over me.

"No. Well, I guess in a way." He shrugs.

"I didn't feel it, I can't be your mate." I lie.

"You doubt it now," He shakes his head, "But I promise you, every interaction we have just proves it further."

Someone of my rank shouldn't be physically able to keep direct eye contact with someone emitting as much power as the King was. The fact I had been able to hold my own with him baffled me.

"And until you believe it, you are going to have to trust me." He lowers his voice slightly. I am hanging on every word that is leaving his lips, leaning towards him in anticipation, "We are mates."

I am so enthralled by the vowels that leave his lips, I lean too far and fall forward onto him. He grabs my shoulders, stilling me with ease. I jump at our skin touching like I've been electrocuted, "I'm sorry for touching you, My King."

"Benjamin," He corrects tiredly, before sighing and rising from the bed. He lifts back the thick, down covers that look softer than a rose and motions for me to climb in.

"Is now when you mark me?" My words have him sputtering, looking at me with lips like a gaping fish.

I had been taught on how to live with Wolves, how to serve Wolves, how to care for Wolves and respect them. But not once, training with Esmere included, was I ever taught how to be a mate to a wolf. I had to figure out how to do the job adequately.

"No," His voice cracks slightly, before he clears it. "I am not marking you, I just want to sleep with my mate."

I stare warily at the sheets of the bed that he is still propping open. "Cmon, I know you haven't slept in days, you need rest."

I hesitantly climb in and lay on my side, I am so close to the edge that I could fall off with the breeze. I feel him gently climb in on the other side, shifting closer to me. I bolt up once again when I feel his large hand cover mine.

"Easy, easy," He holds his hands up where I can see them, "I'm sorry, I won't hold you hand."

I didn't expect this so quickly, the bed part of the mate bond. Everything Valerie mentioned earlier rushes in my mind.

"I-i think I'm supposed to let you undress me," I blurt in confusion, needing more instruction on what was expected of me.

He stares at me for a long moment before shaking his head slightly. He reaches over to flick off the bedside light, before laying on his back in defeat and closing his eyes. I stay staring at his dark figure until I hear him sigh, "Just go to sleep, Eliette, please."

Sinking into the cool sheets, I stare at the darkness for a long while. My eyes don't seem to adjust to the black. I wonder if this is foreshadowing my time in the North, I won't adjust. My overthinking is interrupted when the King's breathing eventually evens out. I am lulled to follow.