Traded To The Lycan King by MG Wattsons

Someone shoves on my shoulder, making me groan as I drag my heavy eyelids open. I jolt away from Merikh's face that is far too close for comfort, an annoying grin on his face. My brows pull together and I frown at him, reaching up and shoving his face away. "He's alive," He pronounces to the empty room and I roll my eyes.

"What do you want?" I ask him, and he shrugs, just moseying his way around the room.

"Can't a guy check in on his baby brother?" He asks, and I scoff.

"You came to just check on me?" I ask him and he nods.

"Actually, yes, I did," He says sticking his hands in his pockets. "I knew you weren't going to die on us, but three days of sleep does seem excessive and everyone was convinced you just needed the rest. Me? Not so much."

"I am healing a broken leg and other injuries." I remind him, wincing when my hand begins to tingle and burn. "Ugh," I grunt, lifting the freshly bandage limb.

"How is it feeling?" He asks, finally looking serious.

"Partially numb and partially painful." I shrug, noticing a difference in length.

Panic rises in my chest as I swallow roughly and lift both arms. The unmistakable size difference hits me hard as I grow teary-eyed and unable to breathe. The healer had mentioned the possibility of amputation, but I figured they would give me the time to heal first. "Kyra tried to stop the healer, if it makes you feel any better. She insisted we wake you up to speak with you about it."

I scoff, shaking my head before I drop my arms and slam my head back into the pillow.

"Might have been nice to have a say in it." I mutter, and he frowns before he walks over and takes a seat on the bed.

"Hayes, Kyra did try to wake you up, but there was already an infection setting in and you were out because of it... It was my call to move forward." He frowns and I can see the guilt and the lie on his face. "It was Kyra." I say softly.

"No, it was me." He insists, and I give him a look, which makes him glance away and exhale.

"I am not stupid, Merikh and no amount of time can make me forget how you look when you try to protect someone else."

"She was against it at first..." He sighs and shakes his head. "But when you wouldn't wake up, that's when she panicked. She hasn't slept since you went to bed, between Tiago and her worry for you..." "She made the right call." I whisper, looking at where my hand used to be, a dull ache in my chest as I try to weigh the emotional toll this will all have.

"She did," He agrees, but he keeps his eyes trained on me as if looking for something more. I roll my eyes and sigh.

"What?" I ask and he shrugs.

"Just making sure you are actually okay." His concern is moving but ill placed. At least, right now. Until the time comes that I have processed what I have lost, then I will need people to lean on. "How is everyone?" I ask, changing the subject. "Dylan? Harmony?"

"They are unharmed and unphased." He says, looking sad. "Both a curse and a blessing at times of war where young child have to learn to understand the meaning of life and death." "You can't shield them from everything that happens, Merikh." I give him a half smile of encouragement and he chuckles.

"I hate how true that statement is," he mumbles, lifting his hand and rubbing the back of his neck. Merikh looks exhausted as he drops his hand down to his lap and sighs heavily.

"How are you?" I ask, my brow arching up as he looks at me and the corners of his mouth drop.

"I am struggling." He admits.

"How could you not be? This war took many lives, but a lot of good came from it too. Alliances, and the ability to work with other species."

He nods along, agreeing with me.

"Yeah, yeah," He groans, standing up as he paces away. "We lost so many more than you know, Hayes. In the two years you were off trying to get yourself killed, I was struggling to keep outer packs alive."

I chuckle dryly, licking my lips. There

is the anger have expected from

him all along. One thing about

Merikh that I know will never change is when he is angry he must let

tits

infor

out. He had been holding this too long, understanding of my hurt and self loathing for too long. Now he has hit his limit and I know what he wants from me.

"And I was doing nothing?" I ask, knowingly stoking the flames of his frustration.

"You were running away, and I get it. But you had duties too. You walked away from them because you were heartbroken." He says, his voice calm, but I can see the anger behind his eyes.

"It wasn't about being heartbroken." I whisper, closing my eyes tightly before opening them again. "In a way it was, but that was just the surface of it."

"Then what was it? I am trying so hard to let go of my anger and hurt from the past two years, heavens knows I am trying, but Hayes, you disappeared within yourself and then reemerged when you found your new mate. Are you here because you want your mate or because you want to be here?"

My chest heaves up and down as I force myself to remain calm and understand where he is coming from. Merikh and I were all we had, and then Colette came and she became family. I thought he would be okay, that he had someone, so he wouldn't need to rely so heavily on me anymore. Clearly, I was wrong.

"I left because I wasn't strong

enough. Leandra died because I was

weak, and I needed to prove to

myself I deserved to be a beta. How

the hell could I protect you or any of I your future children if I couldn't

protect the one person I was meant to protect? Merikh, she didn't just die, she suffered horribly in the most awful way." Tears stream

down my cheeks and I wipe at them

with my nub of a hand.

"Hayes," He whispers, his face falling and that look of sympathy I used to hate so much taking over. Only this time I don't hate it like I used to. This time, it feels medicinal.

"I wanted to die, yes, and I was angry

at you for your alpha's order, but in the back of my mind, I knew you were doing it for me. It's not about a mate. My coming back is solely due to me understanding myself beyond anger. Kyra did what she always does for me. She cleared my mind, she challenged me and she forced me to think."

I press my head into the pillow, looking up at Merikh.

"And what will you do now that Kyra will stay here and raise Tiago?" He asks.

"Well, can't exactly be a top-notch warrior without a hand," I tease, and he rolls his eyes at me. "But I figure I can help where I am needed. Maybe be a dad and an uncle."

Merikh nods his head, then sighs and shoves his hands back in his pockets.

"Truth be told, I just missed your ugly mug and now that you are home, I don't know who to worry about."

I break out in laughter, my good hand flying up to my hair as I run my fingers through it.

"Worry about those trouble makers of yours, especially Dylan." I tease, and his eyes widen in agreement.

"That boy is freaking Houdini and apparently he is rather skilled with water." He says.

"Yeah, I heard Percy mention that. You, uh, ever get to the bottom of that?" I ask, and he shakes his head.

"Is it weird that I was surprised? I mean, I shouldn't be. Colette is royalty, of course she can manipulate the water. But I just sort of assumed it would be less prominent down the bloodline." He mumbles, then he glares at me. "What?" I say innocently.

"You have gotten better at changing the subject." He says, pressing his lips together.

"You can be angry with me again later." I say, faking a yawn.

"I can see right through that tactic." He mutters, smirking before he walks over to the door.

"Merikh," I call out to him and he looks up. "The war is over. Now is the time to rest. Let Colette help you and rely on Thatcher. When I am better, we can discuss how I can help you and the pack."

He nods, a happy smile on his face.

"Welcome home, Hayes. It's good to have you back."