Lycan King’s Nemesis

GWEN??

After dinner and everyone had retired to their different rooms and I was certain Ashton would not show up in my room that night, I wore the black hooded cardigan Kora brought me in a simple pair of jean trousers and sneaked out of the palace.

I went to the stables like the other night and saw that same horse that betrayed me at Tyler’s place. I decided to give him a second chance when he neighed at me and use him once more. I enticed him outside with an apple I saved from dinner, and made sure he didn’t make any sound to attract the stable hands. When we were distant from the stables, I struggled to mount him, happy he didn’t panic and run off on me.

“Good boy.” I patted his neck, grabbed his reins and kicked his stirrup to increase his gallop. I was already late and won’t want Tyler to think I changed my mind.

When I got to his cottage, he was already waiting for me outside his house. I jumped down from the horse, tied it by a post and went to join him in his car.

“I nearly came to the palace to pick you up,” he said as we drove out.

“Thank goddess you didn’t. I had to convince the patrollers I was going for a run. That wouldn’t have been easy with you around. Plus, I wouldn’t want them exposing me to Ashton.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Are you okay?” He gave me a brief glance as we hit the highway and he aced his acceleration. “You look pale.”

“Of course, I will be pale, Ty.” I sighed audibly. “I just sneaked out of the palace in the middle of the night with you, on a mission I don’t even know if we’ll make it back alive. What do you think?”

He snickered lightly. “We will be alright. I really admire your strength, your highness. If only King Ashton knows what he has by his side.”

I merely replied by relaxing back on the seat to look outside. No matter what happened tonight, I am glad I did this. It is better than to sit down and watch them kill an innocent woman.

It was a long ride but at last, we reached the borders that separated us from the humans and Tyler spoke to the Lycan guards, while I slid down the car to prevent them from seeing me.

By the time we reached the house of the human hunters, it was already approaching dawn. Tyler turned off the car engine in front of the gate, our senses becoming alert. I smelled danger lurking near even before some humans dressed in total black attires began jumping out from different directions to circle our car.

“What are we going to do, Tyler?” I panicked, looking around at the men wielding silver knives as slowly they crawled closer to our car as if they were getting ready to attack wild animals.

We were animals, yes, still, that doesn’t make us wild.

“Stay in the car, your highness, let me speak to them,” Tyler spoke in a hushed tone, his eyes not leaving them.

I shook my head. “No, Tyler. I am going to speak with them. This is my mission, I only asked for you to accompany me and I am not going to allow any harm to come to you.”

“No!” His voice was stern and conclusive. It is the first time he is raising his voice at me. “I am the guard here and you are the King’s mate. If anything happens to you, I will never forgive myself. So, I say, stay. in. the. car.” When his shady eyes met mine -even though briefly-I understood the resolution in them.

He looked away as he opened the car door, with his hands above his head, he stepped out. I strained my ears to hear what they were saying as their mouths started moving.

“Say your name and what you seek here!” A man with a black Chinese kungfu hat who seemed like their spokesperson barked, extending his sword, that the encroaching sunset light made the blades sparkle.

“I come in peace,” Tyler uttered, his hands still in surrender. “I have come in peace from the Kingdom of Chronicles, home of the Lycans. Please, low_”

“What did you just say?” That same man cut him off to ask. He shared an awry look with his brethren and then when he looked back at Tyler, his lips twisted to the side in contempt. “You are an animal and you dared come into our lands? What made you think we will listen to whatever you have to say when our leader specifically states our condition?”

“Like I said_”

“Apprehend him!” He ordered and at once as the other men veered close, I perceived I had to do something because, at that moment, I knew the predator in Tyler would want to rear its head and I wouldn’t want that. We came here for peace and that is what we will maintain.

I instantly disobeyed Tyler and intervened.

“Stop!” I careened, bringing a halt to all their movements as I exited the car. Tyler growled, flashing me a disapproving glare. I shook my head at him, lifting my own hands as I stood beside him, looking at the men.

“My name is Gwendolyn Mcgregor, mate and wife to Ashton Mcgregor, King of the Lycans.” There was a unified hiss among the men. From the way their faces hardened more, I knew they wanted nothing but to kill me abruptly. To them, they already had their target but I didn’t stop. “I understand you want my husband and not me, unfortunately, my husband is very occupied and therefore had sent me on his behalf to negotiate.”

“We will not listen to a common woman! Bring them to the cage at onc-!” The man was not relenting.

“You can keep me and free the woman!” Tyler’s face whipped to me. That wasn’t the plan, but if this is what it will take to have their attention, then I am willing to do what it takes. “Please.”

“What are you doing?” Tyler asked in a hushed tone.

“I know what I am doing,” I said through tight teeth, still darting at the men who were whispering among themselves now.

Their spokesperson shook his head vigorously. “I know what you are doing, woman. We know how manipulative your kind can be. We will not fall for it. We will keep you people until your husband comes to us as we have demanded.”

“But…”

“You have no idea what you have done by coming here. You have given yourself as a free sacrifice to be used to lure that wild beast to us. Bring them to the cage!” His voice reverberated through the yard as the men leapt forward at us.

Tyler’s defence rose but I was fast to hold him and shook my head. “Be calm,” I said as they grabbed me, and subdued me on the floor, doing the same to him.

…