The Lycan King’s Warrior Mate

5: The sauna

Willow.

For the past week, I did everything in my power to avoid the room. It wasn't exactly that hard or I was just too sneaky. The institute was huge and there was always some excuse to stay out late, train a little longer, help a junior warrior or two with sparring or just hang out with the rest of the wolves.

Most nights I ended up sleeping in the empty bunks at the back of James' room or just beside him on the floor if it came to that. It wasn’t comfortable but it was safe. Sage from his eyes, his presence and his scent that never left me alone no matter how many times i tried to scrub it out of my memory.

James didn’t ask questions and jjust let me be. Out of everyone here, he was the only one I could be myself around (uh well, almost). He didn’t know the full story about me either.

He didn’t know what happened that night two years ago or the part Damon Draevan played in it. Hell even I didn’t know the full story. My memories were still broken amd scattered across time like shattered glass I hadn’t dared to pick up.

I never thought I would need to want to revisit that night to put in pieces. I am wishing to everything we worship that it is not related to Damon. My life is already hard as it is.

The Lycan King didn’t like that I’d been avoiding the room. I could feel it in the way he watched me during training Nd the way his eyes followed every single move I made even when he was facing the other way. He didn’t say anything the first few days. Just watched me in that cold and sharp disapproving way.

Then last night when I tried to sneak into the room while he was gone, he was there without my knowledge or he wanted me to believe he wasn’t. Sitting on the edge of his bed like he’d been waiting for me.

“You’ve been sleeping somewhere else warrior. Why?” He said in that calm dangerous tone he always used like the calm before a deadly storm.

His voice wasn’t raised but it didn’t need to be. It cut straight through me like a blade. I’m sure he is used to issuing commands without as much as lifting his eyeslids.

I told him James was sick and even said he needed help. That I’d been staying with him to make sure he didn’t passs out or choke on his own vomit or something equally ridiculous. He didn’t flinch listeming to my tons of lies.

“If James is sick, he should go to the clinic. Not keep my second-in-command from where they’re supposed to be.” Damon said simply witj his expression unreadable.

I didn’t reply and I just walked into the bathroom, locked the door and didn’t come out until I was sure he was asleep. Or at least pretending to be. I hated how easily he saw through me. Like I was glass to him or he already knew every piece of me.

This morning I dragged myself out of bed (James’ bed again) and forced myself to get ready. I dreaded training now not because of the physical pain but because I knew I’d have to face him again.

And because the moment he looked at me, I felt like I was spiraling out of the darn control I have had for years. And I couldn’t afford to spiral, not here and not now. Not when every single person in this damn institute already hated my guts.

Becoming the Lycan King’s Shadow hadn’t earned me respect. It had earned me enemies. The other warriors whispered behind my back while some didn’t bother whispering at all. They said I didn’t deserve the position.

That I’d cheated my way there and that I was weak. Some called me a fraud while others called me a joke when I wasn’t. I have earned my place in this institute from the f*****g beginning. I was no goddamn fraud or joke!

But none of that compared to what happened when I stepped into the training yard today. Damon was waiting as usual. Only today, something was off about him. His jaw was set tighter than normal, his hands loose but dangerous at his sides. His storm-

colored eyes held a rage I hadn’t seen before.

He didn’t hold back today at all. Like he was waiting for me to get in his trap the whole time I was thinking about my own life. s**t. Maybe I should have expected this after the signs of disrespect I’ve been sjowing.

We fought like it was life and death. Like the very ground beneath us would shatter if one of us didn’t win. I barely got a breath in before he came at me, fast and brutal, his blows harder than he’d ever landed om me before. There was no teaching in his movements and no guidance either. Only pure punishment.

He swept my legs, slammed me to the ground and dragged me back up and tossed me like I weighed nothing. Every time I stood, he knocked me back down immediately. My limbs screamed, my lungs burned Nd my pride bled. But I didn’t give him the satisfaction of staying down.

And he didn’t say a word. Not even when I spit blood beside his boot (something that might have me killed).

When it was over, I was drenched in sweat and barely holding myself upright witj every muscle in my body trembling. I didn’t look at him because i didn’t trust myself to. I turned to walk away, my pride the only thing keeping my knees from buckling.

“Come with me warrior!” He said behind me in that deadly voice i am starting to fear from my core.

I stopped walking or more like limping but didn’t turn to look at him. I just stood there staring ahead at nothing while other warriors move around us to get into postion. I was hoping i had heard him wrong. .

“The sauna. Now.” He added and i was sure it wasn’t my ears doing play tricks.

I swallowed hard at that. He had access to places the rest of us didn’t.. He was the last Lycan King, the only one left, the royal monster everyone feared. No one dared question him Nd that that included the rules that barred regular wolves like me from entering the uppet levels of the institute.

I didn’t want to go and I didn’t want to be alone with him after everything that’s happened in this field. Not after today but saying no wasn’t an option. So I quietly followed behind him

The halls leading to the sauna were quiet.. My boots echoed off the stone walls like they didn’t belong there. He walked ahead of me, his back straight and his stride steady. He didn’t look back once knowing i was following.

When we reached the entrance, the guards didn’t stop us. Just bowed low and pulled the doors open. Heat hit me immediately, fog and steam curling out like fingers trying to lure me inside.

My heart thudded as i stayed close to the wall watching as he shrugged off his coat, tossed it onto a bench and walked toward the misty chamber like he owned it. Which I guess, he did. He owns the entire f*****g Werewolf Lore after all.

He sat there and Steam rose around him like smoke from a fire blurring the edges of his sharp features but not hiding the intensity in his eyes when he finally looked up at me.

“Are you joining me. Or are you going to stand there and pretend not to exist again?” he asked in a rough voice.

I didn’t know what to say because my throat was suddenly dry and my head started pounding. My hands curled into fists at my side. I didn’t want to be there and I didn’t want to see him like that. Didn’t want to remember that night, his touch, the sound of his voice and the way he made me feel when I should’ve felt nothing at all.

But I stepped forward anyway. Because he had already started peeling away everything I’d built to protect myself and i was too tired to keep fighting him. Even if that meant letting him see me fall.