Lycan's Affection

Eleanor finally stopped for a breath, just as the orange fingers of the gradually rising sun started to stretch over the horizons. It lit up the lycan palace, and her breath hitched at what she would see there. The security at the borders had been extra tight, and she had to prove herself to be weaponless and a true lycan before they let her in.

The trip was short to the front of the palace, and the scene chilled her bones. Most of the lycans were on their knees in front of the palace, hands clasped together. Some wailed, some prayed, and a few just stayed there, grim expressions on their faces.

Suddenly, she heard a trumpet sound. It felt like an announcement, but the entire population started to wail again, this time more uncontrollably. Some started to shift, and howls filled the air.

Mourning howls.

Eleanor felt her body go cold from the scene. Was Conaan....could Conaan be...

She swallowed, tears filling her eyes.

"No, no no. He can't die. He can't. I didn't put in the poison, he can't die!" Her body trembled, and before she could think, she started to run fast towards the main gate. It was closed, and she fought her way through. Without stopping, she pushed through and ran to the large door.

She could smell the healing incense from where she was, and she swallowed, then opened the door.

The healer was the first person she saw, and the woman's aged face looked stained with tears.

"Where is Conaan?"

The woman squinted at her, then took in a deep breath. "What do you want?"

Eleanor's patience ran thin, and she walked past her, then to the chamber she had recognized belonged to Conaan from her short stay. The heavy incense filled the air, and she pushed through, then grabbed the door handle.

It did not budge. She started to knock hysterically, not quite knowing what she was expecting, like her fervent knocks would wake her up. Like it could wake the dead.

Brandon suddenly opened the door, his eyes rather clear and devoid of any tears. He looked rather angry, however, his eyes sweeping over her.

"Why are you here?"

"Please, please let me see Conaan. I need to tell him..."

"Tell him what?" He said, cutting her off, his voice steely. "Does your voice have some power to bring the dead back?"

She swallowed, then shook her head, her tears now very fervent. "He can't be dead. He can't die. That's a lie. Conaan can't be dead. He is a lycan, for goodness sake! There is no wolf shifter as powerful as him. Mere poison can't take him down. Please, please let me see him. He is too strong to just go down like that, I know he is..."

"You are absolutely right, Eleanor."

She stopped her rant, her eyes a little wide, the tears freezing in her eyes, covering her eyes in a glassy shield.

Brandon eyed her one more time, then slowly moved away, opening the door even wider.

There was a lot of smoke in the room, from the incense, but through it, she could make out a silhouette.

Her breath caught in her throat as the silhouette took slow steps towards her, slowly emerging out of the darkness of the room, towards the dim light of the corridor she was standing on.

Her eyes widened with every slow step till her lids couldn't stretch anymore, her lips parting with surprise.

Conaan came into very slow view, the coldness in his eyes enough to mend an iceberg back.

Even when he had made Alexander leave her behind, he had looked at her with a bit of mercy. And pity. But now...the way he looked at her, he seemed almost inclined to kill her.

She swallowed, her knees feeling fluid under her as she took him in. He had a loose robe and slacks around him, his hair slightly disheveled, but cascading down his shoulders.

He still held a bit of paleness to him, and his lips were slightly cracked.

"Co...Conaan."

"Your highness. You should rest more. I will make sure she does not..."

Conaan shook his head. "Leave us."

Brandon's eyes widened, then thinned as he turned towards her. Reluctantly, he walked away, leaving the door open.

Eleanor took a small step in, her chest heaving with emotions she couldn't name. They mixed into a vortex she couldn't control, one that took over her mind.

"Conaan...you are..."

"Alive. I am alive, Eleanor."

"Conaan, I swear, I.." She started to say, walking briskly towards him.

He put a weak, pale hand on her shoulder, stopping her from coming any further towards him. Her lips parted in surprise, her eyes filling with tears.

"What do you want?"

She swallowed. "Conaan..that poison, I swear I did not..."

His eyes closed, and he opened them again. "Do you want me to tell you?" His words were slow, and very quiet.

Eleanor said nothing. Just stood there, her tears frantic, her body slightly spasming with tears.

"You want everything but me. Everything but who you truly are." His eyes darted across both of hers as he said it, and if he felt anything, they didn't show it.

"Conaan..."

He moved backwards, wobbling a little on his feet. He swallowed as he met her eyes again.

"I waited years, Eleanor. Every time you let Alexander touch you, kiss you, the part of me that was mated to you burned. Every time you kissed him, that part of me that loved you burned."

Her eyes filled with renewed tears, her lips parting to expose her slightly clenched teeth.

"And for years, I let that mate bond be. Because I believed you would find your way to me. Someday."

He moved closer to her, his slightly shaky hand coming up to her, patting her hair gently. She looked up, her hands clasped over her mouth.

"What is there to cry for?" He asked as his hand left her hair, then wiped the tears away. "All I will be doing right now is granting your wish."

Her brows furrowed as he stepped away from her, then took in a deep breath. His head tilted slightly upward, his eyes thinned.

"I, Conaan...king of lycans reject you, Eleanor as my mate. I will pick your replacement within a month."