The Lycan King (Book 1)

Nikolai

"I know how." Dimitri announced as he strolled out of a hallway in his boxers. “I'm back with my buddies.” He came and hugged Ava. She patted his back awkwardly for some reason and then he came to hug me but I pushed him back. Now I know why.

"Take a damn shower. You stink of sex." I gagged.

"Which is the best scent ever.” He winked. "Man. I missed this place. Almost forgot how good it was."

"No. You missed the sex. And forgot how good the pampering here was." I corrected him.

"This man knows my heart." He pointed at me and winked at Ava. "You know he secretly loves me right? Like he loves you, yes, but deep down, he is in love with me. Which, well I consider cheating. But I let him be with you, y'know? I'm a generous man and I don't mind sharing." He placed his arm around Ava's shoulders and winked at me flirtatiously.

"Oh hell no.” I groaned and pushed his arm off my mate, pulling her into my body. "You stink dude. Go have a fucking shower."

"It will take me like three hours." He grinned. "Do you want me to have a shower or help her?"

I gritted my teeth. He was in an extra annoying mood today. He usually was when he was “satisfied'. "Wear some damn clothes at least.” I grumbled.

"Fine." He thankfully agreed.

"Rose. Get me a pair of shorts." He yelled. I pinched the bridge of my nose.

A slave skipped out giggling out of his room. "Here are your shorts, Master.” She purred, placing her hand on his chest.

"Good girl. Remind me to reward you later." He whispered in her ear smirking making her giggle more.

Oh god.

"Now run along." He smirked at her and slapped her ass, making her run back to her room. "What?" He looked at our disapproving expressions. "I'm just being a good Master and keeping the girls happy." He smiled and put on his shorts.

"Wipe that smile off that face or I'm going to punch it off." I threatened.

"Oh I'm so going to enjoy this.” He smirked but then his expression turned serious and then he faced Ava.

Damn right. It's time for business.

"So from what I know, you loose your control when you are angry. Anything else that ticks you off?" He asked her.

She thought about it. "No, I think that is it."

"Good. Now I'm going to make you angry. And you will not do anything to stop me, okay? You will try to control yourself." He looked at her.

"Okay." She nodded.

He turned around and punched me in the face, making my head tilt back.

"What the fuck?" I growled and Ava gasped.

"What better way to make Ava angry?" He grinned and tried to punch me again.

I ducked.

"No!" Ava yelled. "Not like this. Please.”

Fuck, he is right. I can't believe I'm even considering this. This is dumb. Probably the dumbest thing I've ever done.

His grin grew when he saw me realise that.

He threw punches at me and I stood as straight as I could. He wasn't pulling back any of the punches. And they hurt like a motherfucker.

Ava kept pleading and shouting but Dimitri didn't listen. He was having the time of his life. He kicked the back of my knee and I fell down.

"Please no!" Ava kneeled in front of me, shielding me from Dimitri.

"Dimitri stop!" She cupped my swelling cheeks and looked at me with her teary eyes. "I don't want to learn like this."

"Hmm...this isn't working." Dimitri pouted, looking confused about that fact.

I could hardly stand and I was already sore from different parts of my body. I looked at Dimitri and nodded my head at Ava

He was going to get someone to hold her down.

"Rose, Sunflower, come here fast.” He yelled. Sunflower? The crazy fucker gave them new names too.

Two giggling girls came running out.

He wound an arm around her waist and picked her up. He placed Ava on the couch which had a direct view of me.

"Hold her tight and don't let her move okay? A reward if she stays put and a punishment if she gets off the couch.” He told the girls, making Ava's eyes widen.

Then he picked up a dagger from the table and grinned at me.?

"You sadistic fuck.” I grunted. I didn't expect him to do any real harm.

But if this really worked...

"Put this in your mouth. I don't want you biting your tongue off or anyone thinking I'm murdering you." He tried to shove a piece of rag in my mouth.

"Fuck no." I scoffed.

I can handle it. I looked at Ava. I have to handle it. We got lucky that there wasn't anyone else in the library. If Ava lost control in front of anyone else, we were doomed. Not even us being the King and Queen or Vladimir being here with us will help. I can’t put her in danger. She is everything to me. "Suit yourself." Dimitri said and I kept my eyes on Ava. She was sobbing as the girls held her but she made no move to move.

Dimitri dragged a chair and motioned me to sit. I sat my sore ass on the chair.

He cut out my t-shirt first. "I want a clear view." He smiled. "Isn't he hot, Avalyn?" He asked her. "It would be such a shame to reconstruct this fine body."

More tears popped out of her eyes but if looks could kill, Dimitri would be six feet under. She was getting angry. I can't believe this is actually working.

"Now remember. Control, okay?" He told her and brought the dagger to my shoulder but it flew out of his hand before it touched my skin.

Ava's hair had turned white and eyes blue.

"Avalyn.” I snapped.

She blinked and she was back fo normal.

"Control." I told her.

Gritting her teeth she nodded.

Dimitri brought the dagger to my shoulder and pressed, drawing blood. He brought the dagger down my arm, making a straight line which hurt a bit but since it wasn't silver, I could tolerate it. This pain would be better than her dying.

He went to the other shoulder and made a similar line on the other arm.

All jokes left Dimitri's face as he concentrated on the task at hand.

Then he lifted the dagger and I shut my eyes when I realised he raised it, wanting to impale it in my shoulder but opened my eyes when I didn't feel anything.

Dozens of daggers were in front of Dimitri, a millimetre away from his skin. If he moved even a little, it was going to have a lot of holes in his body.

"Drop it Avalyn.” I grunted.

She shook of the girls and stood up. "I am done with this stupid game!" She yelled, her eyes turning into ice. "No one is hurting you on my watch.” She glared at me but the daggers dropped to the ground.

And slowly, the bloody lines on my arms sealed and the swells reduced and under a minute, the soreness was gone and I felt fit and healthy.

It should have taken me a couple of hours...

But seeing Ava, I knew she was the one who did it.

She has a healing affinity too.

Dimitri stepped back in shock at that.

Of course she does. She isn't a normal Faye. She is a Royal Faye. They have to be strong.

"I am not doing this anymore.” She snarled and went to our room, slamming the door behind her. Glancing at Dimitri, I followed behind her and then closed the door behind me too.

She was lying on the bed, crying. Her hair back to normal and sprawled on the bed as she dug her face into the pillows.

"Avalyn." I called softly.

"Don't talk to me." She sobbed into the pillow.

"Okay I'm sorry. Alright? That was dumb and I shouldn't have done it." I lied. It was totally worth it. Healing powers? What more are you hiding,?Moya?Lyubov?

She didn't reply to that and kept crying. I walked to the bed and sat besides her head, caressing her hair and watched it change colour under my touch. It was beautiful to watch.

Slowly, she turned her head to look at me. Then she frowned. "You're healed.”

"You healed me, Love." I told her.

"Me?" She frowned. "I don't know. I don't remember..."

"You probably did that in anger.” I whispered. And in love.

I heard a loud lash's sound before I heard a scream.

Ava lifted her head up, shock clear in her eyes. It was coming from out quarters and there was no one who would whip a slave...oh that motherfucking genius. I controlled my grin.

"Who is it?" She asked, hopping off the bed.

"I don't know let's go see.” I lied and followed her out of the room.

Rose and Sunflower were leaning across the table as Dimitri held a whip in his hand. There was a mark of lash on one's back. I don't even remember who is whom.

I nodded at him. Well played. He smirked.

"Oh hi. I'm sorry, did we disturb you?" He asked us.

"I don't think so." I said causally and went and sat on the couch which had a clear view of Dimitri and Ava.

Dimitri landed a strike on the girl, making her scream. "Two, Master.” She cried.

Ava had tears in her eyes again as she saw me and Dimitri.

Her eyes turned blue and hair white as she healed the wounds of the girl, leaving her skin unblemished, as if there was nothing there before at all.

"Avalyn!" I reprimanded her.

"Count again.” Dimitri said and landed another strike on her back, making the girl let out a pain- filled scream.

"One, Master." She sobbed.

"I'm a man of my word Avalyn.” Dimitri shrugged. "I told them I'd punish them, and I will."

"Bu"

"What did we talk about in the library, Avalyn?" I asked sharply.

"But—" I arched my brow. Was she seriously going to argue with me on that now?

She glared at both of us. "Fine. Then I'm leaving. I'm not going to stand here and watch!" She was about to go out of our apartment quarter.

"No can do,?Moya?Lyubov. It's risky and I won't allow you to go out on your own. No going out of my sight, remember?" I asked.

She turned around and marched back to the bedroom, slamming it behind her again.

"Count." Dimitri said before be brought down the whip on the girl's ass, making her scream. "Two, Master." She cried out.

He brought down two continuous strikes on the other girl, making her scream in pain. "One, two, Master." She cried out.

We never said we were good men.

We were as bad as they got.

But we were good to our family.

And were ready to do anything to protect it.

Family above all.

Ava came of of the bedroom, loosing the battle with herself, sobbing, "please don't. Please stop." She grabbed Dimitri's arm that held the whip.

"Don't do this please. I used my werewolf strength to get out of their hold. They are humans Dimitri. Don't punish them for something thats not their mistake. P-punish me if you want." She cried.

A growl left my throat at her words.

"But that would go against my honour, as your Beta. Luna.” Dimitri replied. "And I may be slightly sadistic but I'm definitely not masochistic. Nikolai doesn't love me enough to let me go if I even touch a strand of your hair."

Damn right.

"Please." She said in a broken voice. A plea.

"Fine. The punishment has to be served. But I suppose I can allow you to heal them after I'm done.” He offered.

"Yes! Thank you!" She said immediately.

"Anything for my Luna.” He grinned at her before landing another strike on a girl, making her scream loudly.

Ava flinched but she stood her ground.

Dimitri had finished five strikes on each girl and Ava was crying and shaking besides him but she controlled herself and not once did her hair colour change.

It's working!

"Now only five more to go!" Dimitri announced happily.

Her face pinched with pain when the girls screamed. Ava ran to me and collapsed between my legs and rested her head on my thigh, seeking comfort. Her arms wound around my leg as she closed her eyes. I pushed through her mind and she easily gave me access.

She was gaining control by surrendering... surrendering to me. She was submitting to me and giving up control so she wouldn't do what she desperately wanted to do. She was doing just what I said. Her mind flashed back to a memory. She wanted to kill herself. Desperately. But she was deathly scared of Emilio and didn't want to do something he had not ordered her to do. Her submission kept her alive all those years...

She had told me about this before but seeing this flash in front of my eyes, actually knowing what she was feeling and thinking had me seething in anger.

My Ava lived like that everyday. She woke up everyday wanting to die. And even now that she is free, she will live with that memory forever. And there is nothing I can do about it.

The only thing I can do is kill Emilio. It will being her a certain kind of peace I will never be able to offer otherwise. That day will come soon

Dimitri stopped when they reached to ten lashes each. He turned to look at me and raised his brows.

I nodded. It's done. Avalyn did it. A weight fell on my shoulders. I was her anchor. I will always have the responsibility of keeping her in control. And I will happily follow through it.

Her eyes were still closed as her head rested on my thigh. She wasn't sleeping, she was in her submissive state, one where she would recognise nothing but me and my voice.

I trailed my finger over the curve of her face. Her eyes snapped open, a peaceful brown colour that I loved. Her posture shifted to a perfect kneeling position, with her hands on her thighs and eyes downcast.

"Heal them." I told her.

Her eyes closed and her hair turned white as the both the girl's backs healed like it was untouched, not leaving a single scar.

Ava's eyes opened but she didn't look at me, her hair turning dark brown again.

I nodded at Dimitri. He looked at Ava before looking back at me and nodding and left, the girls following him as he went to his room.

I will have to break her out of this state now. And I know exactly how to do it.