The Lycan King

Nikolai

Ava had invited the vampires to stay the night but they politely declined, informing her that they had rented a hotel in the nearby human town. I knew she was worried but I told her to let them be. More than being worried about them, I knew she was worried about the humans but all of them clearly had pets. When you were a high ranker, having pets was more like a status symbol more than a necessity.

I took Ava down to the beach after that, we had lots to discuss.

"Take off your sandals." I told her as I removed my own. She smiled widely as she quickly did as I said. I placed them on a rock before holding her hand and we took off for a walk.

"Lets talk about you first. I know we haven't done that much since you shifted." I told her. "How do you feel, Love?"

"I feel...alive." She looked up at me.

It was true, her blood hummed louder, her eyes glowed with more happiness than I had ever seen and there was just something different about her. "I mean, I was living before. But now, it feels like I was merely surviving then. I am truly living now." She said as she kicked a rock ahead. "At first, I wouldn't even feel entitled to kick this rock, almost as if I'm doing something wrong by moving it from its place." She whispered.

In moments like these, I realised how deep her submission ran. It had been ingrained in her for ten, long years. I made me furious that she had to go through it, but what made me more furious was the fact that my mate had been suffering through all of that silently, all alone and I had no clue.

"And now?" I asked.

"I feel like my old self, Nikolai. When I was still a kid and papa was still alive." She swiped a palm across her cheek. I tugged her in front of me and smiled at my beautiful girl. I cupped her cheeks with both my hands and wiped her tears with my thumbs. Her long, brown hair were flying all over the place because of the wind and her warm brown eyes were glassy. She was still as beautiful as ever.

"How were you when you were little?" I asked. I wanted to know more about her. All she had shared with me about her past was the dark part of it. I wanted to know how she was before that too.

"Papa used to call me firefly." She chuckled but there was nothing humorous about it. It was more of a 'I can hardly believe it' laugh.

"He said that I was like a firefly because I had fire within me and I was meant to fly. Back then, I used to be confident and strong, I didn't take shit from anybody." She bit her lip. "I had a best friend, we used to be the only girls who play with the boys. The other girls thought that the game we played would get them dirty because of the mud or something so they would stay away." She smiled, her thoughts a million miles away. "And I used to get into a lot of fights." her eyes slid to me and then widened at my smirk. "I wasn't crazy!" She palmed her mouth.

"Never said you were." I laughed.

"I only fought because I thought there was injustice happening in the situation." She reasoned, her eyes light with laughter. "So yeah, Papa thought that I needed to channel my anger so he started training me. Thats why I became good at aiming and a little at fighting at such a young age." That she was. She had a knack for learning things quickly and since she had started training everyday, she had gotten much better.

"Your Papa was a wise man." I smiled and we continued walking.

"The wisest. I miss him everyday." She whispered. I wanted to say something to make it better, but there was nothing I could say to take away her pain. So I remained silent.

We had reached the edge of the beach so we took a u-turn after that. "He was a strong Alpha. He was fair but strict. No other packs tried to mess with him you know? That's why I wonder how Emmanuel managed to kill him." I told her. I had met him a couple of times during the annual meetings and the ball I was supposed to attend with Adrik.

"You said something about the people would have told him if they knew, what was that about?" She asked me.

"The pack members are loyal to their Alpha Ava. That is unless they are forced otherwise or are bitter about something. No wolf would defy the Alpha anything if he is a happy with his life in the pack. From what I know about Alpha Javier, the people were happy in his rule. It would be difficult to manipulate wolves into accepting the death of their Alpha so easily. And even after that, convincing the entire pack that the Alpha died and he being the Beta lived isn't easy. A good beta would kill himself if that means the Alpha lives." I told her.

didn't know." She seemed

think your father had any pets?" I asked her. "Anyone you thought he was close to but that

She whispered. "She was the human who was always there, she was close to papa. She was the house cook and always took care of me, like my mother would have if she were there." Her hands shook as she combed her fingers through her hair. It was a nervous habit of her's. I took her hands

knew it was bothering her too much. "Maybe she was just there to fill the void of your mother. You are a girl, your father couldn't teach you

start but

you are like a firefly." I smiled down at her. She peered up at me through her glassy eyes. She just shook her head. "Doesn't feel like

again and made her stand in front of me. This was a conversation during which

years of torture, being able to love a possessive ass like me, killing a full grown werewolf while you were a human, shifting into an Alpha wolf at the age of twenty three, reprimanding me for

"I wouldn't say

her forehead. "That's more than

were hurt and angry, I understand Nikky."

good enough of a reason to treat you like that. And Nikky?" I raised my brows in

have so many nicknames for me, I wanted a few

only for you, sweet. You may call me whatever you wish."

her butt. "I might just have to spank you for being naughty then. You know what? Go ahead and give me another

against my mine, grinding slowly. I groaned as I kept a firm grip on her hips and pulled her back. "As much as I

said and then turned completely serious. "To be honest, I love them already and

that's familiar, I have this urge to protect them." I narrowed my eyes in distance. I didn't feel like that for anyone else

us." Ava smiled, satisfied with

ceremony, you resisted Vladimir's illusion and yesterday, Vasilik's mind control." I

Vladimir, I am not sure. I got an illusion. In fact I got it today before I woke up too. She told me

minds. He couldn't see anything in your mind. I don't think you had an

white hair?? just like mine when they turn white." She said and took a lock between her fingers. When it stayed brown, I took in between mine and we saw it

say

her who she is, she said she is me. And she told me this both the times she came in my dream-?'Save Nikolai, lead them all to victory,

of this seemed cryptic. A fae would probably

to that and we continued

decision by asking Vladimir to take the position as the king? What if he doesn't want it? Can we really manage to handle an entire kingdom?" She asked. "Especially

Vladimir accepted that he misses his kingdom. He is happy here but that's his home. But I'm okay with whatever he chooses. And

working all the time was a relief, I missed being in a real

the war we know is coming, it is good to have alliances, good thing you didn't say you didn't

what I was thinking too. And if Vladimir denies the position, Rhazien would be the

you are already good at it Ava. Trust your instincts, you will never go wrong with it." She

instincts tell me to

go." I told her and we continued our walk till we reached where we had taken off our footwear. We wore our own shoes