Found by the Lycan King by Natalie Winter
Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Zenovia

I gulped nervously.

There was no point in hiding anymore, so I slowly stepped out of my hiding spot. Callahan's gazewas intense, and I saw the way he looked up at me from head to toe.

Maybe he was checking if I had skipped a workout because he was not around. My clothes and thehair plastered to my temples should be enough proof that I had diligently worked out even if hewas not around.

Elijah waved at me upon seeing me, while Matt only gave an acknowledging nod. Callahan's gammaand beta were the exact opposites.

Matt just felt like a mini version of Callahan sometimes

Callahan looked at the two soldiers and said, “People don't believe I play fair, and I can tackle thetwo of you simultaneously. So, go change, we are going to have a little spar.”

My eyes went wide at those words. He had not taken my name, but I knew it was directed at me."Who is mad enough to say that?” Matt asked, but Callahan shrugged.

“People think it is easy to become a King and rule a kingdom. Sometimes you have to answer thosedoubts. Are you ready for a spar?”

He asked them both.

This was a silly act. If his pride was hurt by my words, he could have just snapped at me like healways did.

Why did he have to put up a show? Especially with all the pack members around. Elder Lina wouldsimply tear me apart if she learned I was the reason her lunch had been delayed.

“Uh, but we have the entire pack in the garden. They expect lunch to be served soon, King” Elijahtried to reason, but Callahan shook his head.

“The fight won't last long either way. Let's go outside”

He said without looking at me and stepped out of the main door and climbed down the short flightof stairs.

Elijah and Matt-only looked at each other but did not say anything. They just went upstairs to keepthe file in the office, as it was something important.

That left me staring at the broad back of Callahan. Seeing that there was nobody around, I wentnear him and murmured,

“Uh,

you don't have to do this. I was just annoyed when I said that.”

But Callahan only rolled up his sleeves.

“If I let even the weakest member of my pack question my strength and let it slide, it will make morepeople question my leadership. Not the first time that this is happening, either.”

I felt a little hurt when he called me the weakest member of his pack, but it was not as if I coulddeny it. But what got me wondering were his next words of people questioning his leadership.

I did not know the details, but the line was enough to tell me that he had slept over that fact andmy remark had hit a nerve. Callahan was mysterious, and I knew nothing about his personal life ormuch about the pack members, either. And nobody told me much when I asked anyone either."Please don't do this,” I began, but in an instant he pulled me away from the entrance and I felt myback softly hit the outer

wall.

The trees were tall enough to hide us from the eyes of others who were at the far end of the frontyard.

Callahan's eyes bore into me, and the nearness of us made me suck in my breath. His eyes had acertain glow to it, a fire that seemed to rage inside those golden eyes that held me captive in theircage.

“If 1 win the spar, you would do something for me”

My eyes kept staring at his perfect face, and my fingers ached to touch his hair.

What did he want me to do? I was his pack member and subject, so he could order me to dowhatever he wanted either way. “W-what?" I asked nervously, stuttering like a little girl.

His gaze dipped to my lips, and I felt I saw his eyes darken just a little. He licked his dry lips and thebreeze flowing through the garden reached us, carrying his intoxicating scent to me.

He was already too close to me. If I leaned forward just a little, our lips would brush. He seemed tohave read my thought

because I saw the desire flicker in his eyes.

But before I could lean forward, he pulled himself away and muttered, “I will tell you when it istime”

"But-"

I began, but he walked away without a backward glance. And I just stayed plastered to the wall,panting due to the shock.

His fingers had barely grazed my arms, but it had left me wanting more... much more.

While I was trying to calm down, a voice asked, “What are you doing here sticking to the wall?”Elijah had returned but had not bothered changing into gym wear.

“N-nothing,” I said and pushed my hair behind my ear and tidied my shirt.

“Well then, let us go. It has been a while since we three had a friendly spar. It will be nice”

I nodded meekly as I walked with Elijah and Matteo joined us soon.

But it felt like a walk of shame to me as everybody was staring at us as if we were the culprits...ormaybe Callahan had told them that it was me who had doubted his leadership.

Callahan had his back turned to me, and his pack members were all seated around a huge table thatthe servants were still putting chairs around

They placed huge tables around a huge open space shaped like a circle, which would serve as thefighting ring.

My eyes searched for Elder Lina, but she was busy talking to the others, so I quickly settled in one ofthe chairs her, trying to hide from her as much as possible.

Callahan and the two other men stepped inside the circular arena, and everybody settled in thechairs.

away from

“Its been long since I fought with my two warriors and I think I might have gone a little rusty. If theyboth manage to overwhelm me, I would gladly accept any punishment offered to me.”

At those last words, his eyes subtly flicked to me.

He had spotted me in a crowd of thousands of people without any issues.

"Who would be the judge?” Elder Lina asked and added, “You need a referee.”

Callahan smiled. “The entire pack will be the referee today.”

Everybody cheered as the three stepped in. Callahan's eyes tore away from me and he turned tolook at his beta and gamma, who were grinning.

Somebody announced “Begin’ and his two warriors rushed forward at Callahan, who did not moveuntil they were just a hair's breadth away from him.

The two attempted to throw him off, but Callahan jumped up and did a roll midair, and landed backon the ground in a second.

The crowd cheered while I stared transfixed at them. The spar was a sight to behold.

The three did not intend to lethally harm each other, but they did not go easy on each other tooAnd I could not take my eyes off Callahan.

He moved like a blur, his muscles rippling under the sun as he tackled not one but two opponentswithout breaking into a

sweat.

Though Callahan was a tad bit broader and taller, the two soldiers put together were no lessdeadly.

Elijah would throw a punch at Callahan from the front while Matt would kick from behind, aiming athis knee, but every single time, Callahan was quick enough to dodge or parry both attacks.

It was like watching a beautiful dance, a power display as a series of kicks, punches and fistssmacked into the three of them. “This should be a paid event” One of the girls seated ahead of megiggled, staring wide-eyed at the

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spar.

She poked her friend sitting beside her, who nodded, “Yes, one where only I get to watch the LycanKing.”

So he had admirers in his pack, too. That should not have surprised me.

The earlier girl whispered, “Even better if it is me who he is tackling like that. I don't mind gettingtossed around by him.”

The two giggled, and I tried to snuff out the little flare of jealousy growing in me.

I wondered how many girls dreamed about him kissing them, roaming his hands over them.

The voice of Elder Lina shouting, “Time over’ brought me back to the present.

The spar might have lasted only for half an hour, but the two warriors were panting and Mattparticularly looked

disgruntled

I could hear him grumble to Elijah, “You were too slow with that punch”

It made me chuckle as the crowd cheered and everybody clapped at the end of the spar.Callahan's gaze found me again, and he only looked at me intently, his eyes trying to convey athousand words before he tore his gaze from me.

And just like that the smirk was back on his face again.