Bullied Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Chapter 27

Lily's

POV

We sat in the car for the rest of the ride in comfortable silence as I pondered on everything he had told me about his abilities and how it had made feel even closer to him now that I knew all these things about him. It made me feel almost special. Almost.

I had to remember that Ren had a mate that was waiting for him when we got back from this escape world that I had asked him to create for me.

I needed to not be carried away by how sweet and kind and transparent he was and get my priorities straight that he was just being a kind person. But why did it feel like there was more sometimes? Or was it just me that was wishfully thinking of all of that? "We're here." Ren said, his voice as gentle as always, pulling me out of my thoughts and for a second, I panicked, wondering if he had heard what I thought about just now but when I looked at him, he was gesturing towards something in front of us. "What?" I asked and turned in the direction of his gaze to see that he had parked in front of a quaint diner.

"I was thinking that you might want to eat something. Don't worry the place is usually very quiet by this time. Not that I skip school a lot, please don't say that to anyone or I'll deny it." He answered and I laughed, my thoughts all but forgotten. "Don't get down." He said and before I could ask why, he had gotten down from the car and closed the door, only for him to jog around to the other side and open the door for me.

"That's why you asked me to remain in the car?" I asked in shock and when he nodded with an innocent grin, I could not help the butterflies in my belly. Getting down from the car, I felt my heart jump when he took my hand and led me into the diner that was as adorable inside as it was outside, leading me towards a booth at the extreme end beside the window, which had a great view by the way and helping me sit comfortably before he sat across from me, never letting go of my hand. "My sister and I have been coming here since we were kids." He said with a smile and I nodded.

I didn't know why but I could not help but flee intense glee that he had not let my hand go, not even when the waitress came, who was blushing incessantly when she realized who he was as he ordered the burgers and fries for us.

I fought the urge to blush when he had asked what milkshake I would like before proceeding to tell the waitress, hand still wrapped around mine on the table.

The food came in about ten minutes and even though I knew that he had to let my hand go to eat, my hand suddenly felt cold from the loss and as we ate, I realized that our eyes met more than once, meaning that he was staring at me just as much as I was staring at him.

Just as we were about to finish eating, an elderly woman, looking to be in her sixties or seventies walked towards our table, a big smile on her face and Ren rose to his feet, towering over her as he pulled her in for a hug.

"My boy. Happy to see you, sweet child." she said when he released her and sat down.

"Olga, it's a pleasure to see you." He answered with a smile before turning to look at me.

"Lily, this is Olga, she's the owner of this beautiful place"

"Oh, you flatter me too much. It's nice to meet you Lily." She said with a chuckle, taking my hand and shaking her head when I tried to stand.

"Hello, Olga. It's so nice to meet you." I said and she grinned, nodding her head as she assessed me with her eyes.

Turning to Ren, she raised her eyebrows.

"Is this your new girlfriend? Finally! I knew you could do better than that lousy girl, Mauve, thank the goddess. She is way prettier and more decent than that girl. You know I never liked her."

My eyes were wide and face red as she took my hands and continued.

"This boy here is the literal sweetest. He will take good care of you, don't worry."

And then she called the waitress over and gestured to me.

"Get her another milkshake. Let's make her even happier and healthier, why don't we? Do you want anything, son?" She asked Ren who was also as stupefied as I was but he smiled and shook her head and she sent the girl off, still holding my hand. Reaching out to pat my cheeks fondly, she finally released me and turned to face Ren.

"What about the boys, Rennie boy?"

I almost snickered at her nickname for him until she mentioned those dreaded names.

"Aiden and Zac? Are they doing okay?"

The smile on Ren's face disappeared but it was back in an instant and he nodded.

I could not help it and even when Olga finally left and the waitress brought the milkshake, I could not get over how his smile had disappeared when she had asked about his friends.

I could not help it and even when Olga finally left and the waitress brought the milkshake, I could not get over how his smile had disappeared when she had asked about his friends.

Why were they such horrible people? Didn't they know that it was hurting their friend? Even if they didn't care about me, what about Ren?

"Again, I'm sorry about Zac and Aiden." Ren whispered, thinking my change in mood was because of them but I shook my head.

"You're so good and nice. I just can't imagine why you're friends with them. They're not good people, Ren."

He shrugged and relaxed back into the seat.

"They're not always horrible, Lily." He answered and I would have argued but his tone was not defensive. He sounded almost certain.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"I can see people, Lily. Remember how I saw all of you in those colors? I can see my friends too and even though they are acting like this, I know there is good in them, even though they don't seem to believe it themselves." Our hands brushed on the table and I froze, the sparks sizzling between us.

If he felt it, he didn't show any emotion and when he continued, I realized it was because he was still trying to answer my question.

"When I was little, I was terribly sick, something unheard of in wolves and imagine a werefae being sick? My illness was attributed to a rumour that I was cursed. I was weak. Terribly, Lily. The healers had already said I wouldn't make it past my tenth birthday.

"And you know how bullies are attracted to those that they see as weak, don't you? Zac and Aiden saved me. I know that my personality contradicts the fact that I'm best friends with the biggest bullies in school but trust me, they didn't start out like that. I know them in a way that no one else will and they know me in ways I don't even know myself. They will always have my loyalty." He finished and I couldn't help it, I reached out first to take his hand.

Being bullied was one of the most awful feelings in the world and it surprised me because I had always thought that the princes would have led a very different life. I always thought they'd have it easy. I was wrong.