The Cursed Heir

A savage

That night Lyra sat staring out her window. She had been pleasantly surprised by her day, genuinely enjoying the classes and being a student again. It made her feel guilty that she had such a normal day, without Jason. Now she ought to be asleep but she couldn’t turn her thoughts off. Despite the late hour, she decided to go outside to try and clear her mind.

The night air was cool, goose bumps ran up her exposed arms and legs. She made her way back to the pond she had visited a few times since moving here. She knew that she should not be alone outside without her guards but she didn’t care, no one would be awake at this hour. In the water she stared at the moon, bitterly angry at the Goddess she had grown up hearing about. She was suffocating here, constantly feeling like she was under scrutiny. At least at home she held no novelty, her father was the star of the show there and she was merely viewed as a child.

“You shouldn’t be out here alone.” She didn’t need to turn around to know it was Nicholas.

“I am never alone.” She continued staring into the water.

“The Goddess may be watching but even her protection has limits.” He stared at her, wearing nothing but a short silky nightgown. Her pale skin almost as light as the white dress, she looked ethereal in the moonlight.

“There is no Goddess, no one is watching and no one protecting anyone.” Lyra’s tone was empty, devoid of any emotion.

“Bold statement from someone with two bodyguards.” He laughed a little, and in her reflection he could have sworn he saw her do the same.

“It is ironic isn’t it, that the High Court seems to fear me and want to coddle me in equal measure?” She watched his reflection, how his smile faded for a moment and he became thoughtful.

“You think that they fear you?” He was curious by her words, after all her father ruled over the courts.

“I know they do. They think me an abomination, they don’t dare say it but I am to be their Alpha, I can feel their dread as sure as if it were my own. I’m sure you can understand what I mean, you have Alpha blood too.” She shrugged, despite the seriousness of what she said.

“Perhaps they only fear what they don’t know, what they don’t understand.” He offered, not wanting to say too much in case he overstepped.

“The court doesn’t want to understand me; they want me to fall in line. But they’re fickle, they forget how they hated my mother, forget that they too wanted her gone when it suited them. Now they only remember that my father ordered me to stop and that I was too far gone to listen.” She showed no emotion, completely monotone as she spoke of the horrors of her past.

“Do you regret it?” He asked, impulsively as his curiosity got the better of him. She turned to face him, her face deadly serious.

“I regret that Jason died whilst I remain duty bound to this world, perhaps I even regret defying my father’s orders in such a way. But I could kill her a thousand times and I would never regret it once.” There was still no emotion in her voice, she was unwavering and he knew she meant every word.

“Blood demands blood.” He whispered after a moment.

They stood in silence for several minutes, Lyra knew she ought to return to her room. Not only was it highly inappropriate that she should be here with him at this hour but even more so in her nightwear. She craved him, yearned to pull him towards her and to be in his arms. It wasn’t enough to see him, speak to him. No matter what she did she wanted more. If he felt the same, she admired his persistence, he remained entirely gentlemanly despite her behaviour. It was not in a wolf’s nature to deny their mate, at their core they were primal beings and powerless against their instincts. As an Alpha he was even more susceptible to it, his DNA geared him to take control in ways that she could not allow.

“I was rude to you, it wasn’t befitting of my station nor considerate of yours. I apologise for my behaviour.” She met his icy eyes, he seemed to be studying her.

“It’s fine but tell me, why are you so unwilling to participate?” He asked, watching her nibble on her plump bottom lip for a moment.

“Everyone thinks me so savage, perhaps I didn’t want them to see that they’re right.” She whispered, staring into the water again.

“They aren’t right.” He seemed so sure of his words.

“Well then, what am I?” She laughed, sarcastically.

“Powerful.” His gaze was magnetic, electric as the bond between them. in that moment she so yearned to kiss him.

“Perhaps the two go hand in hand.” She shrugged, trying to break the tension.

“Why are you so sure that you are what they say?” He asked, his gaze still holding its intensity.

“Power without control is chaos.” Lyra spoke in a matter-of-fact tone but her eyes were glassy.

“So then learn to control it.” She laughed a little, he made it sound so easy.

“I should go back to sleep; it isn’t appropriate for me to be out here this way without an escort.” She turned away, looking back towards the girl’s dorms.

“Goodnight Lady Lebonair.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead

Lyra closed her eyes, basking in his scent for a moment before walking away. She had never understood the mate bond, being that her parents did not have it, but now it began to make sense to her. It was impossible to ignore what was between them, and when he’d said she was torturing them both he had been completely right. She felt physical pain walking away from him, hurt as she forced herself to reject his advances over and over.

As he watched her retreating back to her room, Nick felt something close to regret. He had been wrong about his mate, he’d misjudged her. For all her bravado, Lyra was vulnerable in ways he had not foreseen. Anyone who gazed upon her could see that she was hurting, mourning Jason Hart but tonight he had seen something deeper. She was just a young girl, only eighteen and facing very real trials which even he as an alpha didn’t understand.

What struck him was how she had spoken of herself, almost in a self-deprecating manner. She was one hell of an actress, exuding confidence and poise when deep down she thought so little of herself. That word that she had used, savage was burning in his mind. He hated that she saw herself through such a harsh lens, hated that she thought others would judge her so. As a boy, Nick had always looked up to the Lebonair as had his own family. They were beloved by wolves, almost royalty amongst their kind. He wished she could see herself through kinder eyes, see the potential in her that he did.