Heart Of A Lycan King
Chapter 67

NATASHA.

It took a moment for my breathing to return back to normal. And all that time, Aiden didn’t say anything. He simply wrapped his arms securely around me, and let me take all the time I need to process all I’ve learnt.

I mean…why go to this extent for my sake? How desperate must Matteo be to include his uncle and goblins in this? He never wanted me, that much was obvious. So why go through this extreme end of endangering the whole kingdom to have me back?

“You have nothing to do with this, Nala,” Aiden murmured, his hand running up and down my back. “Elder Manze has always disagreed with everything I do. And everyone knows how greedy he has always been. Whether Matteo joins him in this or not, he’d still have pushed through with his plans.”

“It’s just…” I sighed, tucking myself more into his embrace. But it wasn’t enough. It felt like I couldn’t get to him as much as I wanted to. “It just makes no sense that he’d go to this length to get me back when he never wanted me. When he rejected me.”

“He’s maybe a psycho,” Aiden replied, kissing my forehead tenderly as I pulled away from the hug. “And hardly anyone ever understands psychos.” He added.

I sighed, massaging my temples. I seem to be doing that a lot recently. “That’s not all. The horrible odor bothering you and everybody else? I couldn’t smell it. Nothing at all. Everything was fine for me.” I said. It had been bugging me a lot, and neither Erin nor I liked the creepy feeling gnawing at us.

“The foul smell?” Aiden furrowed his brows. “You got nothing from it?”

I shaked my head.

“How? Everyone in there smelt it.”

“That’s why I’m getting worried. That’s not all, the presence in my mind returned. Like in the past.”

“That must be why I felt movement in me during the meeting,” Aiden said, his eyes widening a bit. “Right where the tattooed wolf is, I felt a movement there,” he added, pulling his shirt and singlet up to reveal the glowing eyes of the wolf.

“Whoa!” Was all I could say. “Something isn’t right.” I added after a few passing seconds. “I don’t like this,” I confessed.

“Neither do I.” Aiden confessed, pulling me onto his lap. I stretched my legs on the seat of the car, resting my head on his chest. “Whatever it is though, know that I’ll always keep you safe, Nala.”

“I know,” I murmured, twining our fingers in a firm grip.

“And allow me to remind you how good you were back there, Nala. Nothing would’ve stopped me fighting all evil for you, but nothing makes me happier than fighting beside you. You stood your ground firmly, and while it may be hard to convince every single one of them, you managed to pull most of them in. And that counts as the first step towards success.”

I smiled, my heart swelling with joy at his words. Matteo and his shenanigans had stopped me from realizing just how hard I had worked with the Elders, and it had stopped me from acknowledging that I did something good. But now that Aiden reminded me, I couldn’t help but agree.

I did that. And that is just the beginning.

I turned slightly so I could face him, then tucked my legs in on his laps, as though I’d straddle him. In the position, I hovered above him just a little.

“You and I are a strong force together, Aiden.”

“Mmmn,” he g*****d softly as I wrapped my hands around his neck, tugging him closer till he couldn’t resist and licked my mark. “I think so.”

“I think I’ve gotten enough air. Let’s go and wrap this up,” I said, trying to slide off his lap.

“Oh no you don’t, Nala,” he growled, his hands falling from my back to my waist, while I maintained mine around his neck so I wouldn’t fall. “Don’t be a little tease. Not unless you want me to spend the rest of the day in pain,” he sighed, his brows pulled in tightly.

“That’s ridiculous,” I laughed. I hadn’t meant for this to escalate into something else. I only wanted to feel him closer, not this. In a way, having him so close makes me feel protected, and I needed that reminder in that moment more than anything.

‘You didn’t mean it? Why get this close if you weren’t hoping for anything? I need more of that touch,’ Erin whimpered. Horney beast.

“It’s not,” he murmured, tipping his head up and capturing my mouth with a growl. I m****d against his lips, sliding my hands from his neck down to his chest. Aiden licked into my mouth and I felt my body shudder, my thighs restless against his. “Nothing about kissing you is ridiculous, Nala.”

My head fell back after we broke for a breath, and Aiden trailed his tongue up to the center of my throat, sliding it back into my mouth when he drew even with my lips again.

“Nala,” he said thickly, sampling my mouth with slow bites. “I want to k**s you for hours straight, but I can’t,” he ground our h**s together once, moaning into my neck as I listened to the thick sound leaving his throat. “A little more of that mouth and I’m going to finish.”

‘That’s right Sarki, k**s away my worries,’ Erin said, wagging her tail.

“Do it,” I whispered in his ear, trying to wrap my legs around him and straddle him. “I want you to.”

The irony that we both were making out in the car in the middle of a meeting was funny. If anyone had told me I’d be able to do this someday, I’d have burst out laughing and denied it. But here I am, moaning every time Aiden grinds our h**s together, or k****s my neck, my ear, or my lips. And I didn’t mind it one bit.

“You smell so nice,” he murmured in a rasp voice that set my insides ablaze. “I could drown in it all day.”

‘You smell even better,’ Erin purred, and Aiden’s body shook from a chuckle.

“My man isn’t going to drown,” I whispered, using my tongue to taste every inch of his mouth. Every angle. Every corner my tongue could reach. “Is it weird that I love the idea of us making out in the middle of a council meeting?”

“That’s the thrill of it,” Aiden hummed, capturing my lips in another searing k**s, before he flipped us over, covering me with his large body. “I’m torn, Nala.”

“Torn?” I asked with a gasp as we broke apart.

“Torn from the aching urge to take you, and the need to just hold you in my arms.” He slid the hem of my gown higher and began massaging the inside of my thigh.

I didn’t know what to say, because I felt the same. So I continued to run my hands over his body, every inch I could reach as he hovered over me, the pressure from his trousers kneading my parted thighs. Leo had distracted Erin, leaving only Aiden and I.

However, just as I was about to run my fingers around it, a loud knock from the car door resounded in my ears. I pushed Aiden away quickly, looking through the thick tinted windows and seeing Mama standing.

“Oh my!” I gasped, trying to adjust my gown while Aiden shut his eyes and cursed loudly. “Stop that. What if she hears you?” I asked, panicking.

“She can’t,” he g*****d, pinning me with another k**s till I felt my breath seizing.

“Stop. Mama is right outside,” I sighed, as I fixed my headgear since Aiden had slipped it off to play with my hair.

“I…” Another loud knock cut the words from his mouth and Aiden g*****d again before he began fixing his caftan. After sweeping me a quick glance to see if I was pretty decent now, he unlocked the door and stepped out, stretching his hand to help me out.

“Yata! (My daughter!)” Mama called, pulling me in for a tight hug. “How are you? Feeling any better?” She asked after we’d pulled away.

“I’m fine, Mama. Ina wuni?” (Good Afternoon), I greeted, ducking my head shyly.

“Lafiya lau. How are the cramps? Do you feel better now?” She asked again.

Heat rose up my cheeks as I ducked my head down even more. “Yes, Mama. The honey in warm water trick helped a lot.”

“That’s great news!” She hugged me again. “Perks of being a woman,” she laughed as she pulled away.

Despite how shy I was discussing this with Mama, I slowly eased into it. Mama has a way of making one feel comfortable around her. She may only be my mother-in-law, but she always treats me like I’m her own daughter. Every time I see her though, there’s a dull ache of missing Umma.

I wish I had my family around.

“I guess I’m invisible now,” Aiden grumbled beside me, tucking his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

“Are you being grumpy right now? In the presence of your mate? Great, show her how much of a baby you are.” Mama teased.

“Mama!” Aiden g*****d. Again.

“I’m not lying though.” She pinched his cheeks playfully. “You’re my big baby.”

“And I?” Mav asked as he strolled towards us, pulling Mama into a hug when he reached us.

“My big baby also. But aren’t you two being too much?”

“Too much?” Aiden asked, pursing his lips. “I didn’t knock on a couples car just now though,” he murmured under his breath, but loud enough for Mama to hear him.

I gasped, throwing a quick glance towards Mama to see her smiling broadly.

“Bro!” Mav laughed, tapping Aiden’s shoulders. “You still haven’t changed.”

“You’d have known that if you didn’t decide to leave,” Aiden grumbled.

In a matter of seconds, the atmosphere around us changed. Mav pulled his hand away, tucking his tongue in the corner of his mouth, while Aiden stared ahead without saying anything more.

‘Did you have to say that?’ I mind linked, not liking the shift in the atmosphere one bit.

‘Just stating the obvious,’ he said quietly, not meeting my gaze.

‘That’s not my man. My man doesn’t deliberately hurt people or make them feel uncomfortable. Especially not family.’

‘Nala…’

‘I know you are trying, and I can’t begin to fathom the hurt you feel. But can you keep trying? With the way you’re doing things, you’d only be pushing him further away.’ I replied, taking his hand in mine and squeezing it lightly. ‘I mean, you were fine around him just this morning. Keep doing that and keep the atmosphere around you two open till you’re ready to let go of your hurt completely. Please.’

He was quiet for a while before he met my gaze.

‘What do you want me to do?’

‘I know you’re grumpy because Mama interrupted. But the atmosphere was fun and filled with love before you said that. Try getting it back.’

“I’m still pissed about that, Bro. But our bet is still on, right?” Aiden said, tapping Mav on his shoulder.

“Certainly, brother,” Mav smiled, but I could see the pain in his eyes. “That’s our little bro secret.”

“You bet it is. Like the days we switch stones for meat after stealing them from the stew.” Aiden said, and in seconds, we were all laughing, including Mama who looked at me and nodded her head.

“Let’s have a group hug. I want to hug my babies,” Mama said.

“I’m not a baby,” both Aiden and Mav said at the same time.

“I thought you two just finished grumbling about that?” She laughed, pulling me towards her as Aiden wrapped his arms around me, with Mav’s arms around his.

My throat tightened. I didn’t expect to be part of the hug. But being part of the hug made me feel special. Wanted. Like I was part of a family.

“I love you all, Yarana. (My children). Always have and always will.”

“Love you too, Mama,” Aiden and Mav replied as we all pulled away from the hug, but Aiden still had his arm around me.

Do I say ‘I love you’ to her too? I wondered miserably, unable to meet her gaze.

Then suddenly, Mama was helping me tighten my head gear more with a wide smile on her face. “There, you look all better now.” She said, “You did good back there. I was happy to see you putting them in their place. I’ve been dealing with that for years, and now I’m happy I have someone to help me fight.”

“Thank you, Mama.” I smiled. “Together, we can show them the power of women,” I added.

“You are right. We certainly will. I’m so proud of you, Natasha. You’ve come so far.” Mama whispered, dabbing her eyes with the white handkerchief in her left hand.

My eyes welled up with tears too as she continued talking. “You were so scared and too quiet when you got here. Look at you smiling and being all happy now. You fought hard, Yata,” she added, hugging me again.

It is official. I love this woman, and I’ll forever be grateful to Nyala for blessing me with a mate like Aiden and a family like his.

“Thank you so much, Mama,” I managed to say. “Thank you for being the mother I lost.”

“Always,” she used her index finger to wipe the lone tear off my face after we had broken from the hug. “I know this council meeting is hard with a lot to take in. Especially seeing your ex in there and listening to all he had been plotting. But you’ve held out well so far and I know you can till this ends. He’ll be punished for all of his crimes. That I’m sure of. Nyala ta miki Albarka, (May Nyala bless you),” she smiled.

I smiled back, while Erin basked in the motherly love shown to us.

“You made her cry,” Aiden said from beside me, but he was smiling too.

“That’s it. Show me you’re all grown up now with a mate, Aiden.”

Mav and Aiden laughed, while Mama and I simply smiled.

“About your gift…” Mav trailed off, clasping his hands together. He shifted from one foot to the other, looking everywhere but me.

“Yes?” I asked eagerly. “I wanted to ask since we met this morning but I didn’t want to be a nuisance.” I added, smiling.

“Nonsense,” Mama chided. “You can never be a nuisance to him. You’re his sister.”

“Yes,” he grinned. “I figured this council meeting was too intense for the gift. So I was wondering if I should bring it over tonight? Or tomorrow afternoon? I’m hoping the gift will cheer you up,” he replied.

My excitement doubled over. “I don’t mind. I’m pretty much excited you thought to give me a gift.”

“I hope you’ll like it.” He avoided my gaze again.

“I’m sure I will.”

“Is this a family reunion without me?” Lacie’s voice floated. I turned around to see her, Ivayne, Sherneil, and Tiffany walking towards us.

“Reunion?” Mav laughed, although I saw the way his eyes glazed over when they finally reached us. However, the smile on his face never vanished. “Is that what you call this?”

“Here comes my second baby!” Mama laughed.

“Second baby?” Lacie gasped dramatically. “Who’s the first?”

“Natasha,” Mama answered without missing a bit.

“Oh dang it, Nat! You’ve won Mama over!” Lacie screamed, still dramatic.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty,” Sherneil, Tiffany, and Ivayne greeted Mama, bowing. She hugged them the same way she hugged Lacie and I.

“Been a while since you and your mum came over, Sherneil. How have you been?” Mama asked.

“I’m fine, Your Majesty,” Sherneil replied quietly, her face grim and unreadable.

“And you must be the new girl,” Mama smiled at Ivayne. “And you are Natasha’s friend,” she turned to Tiffany.

Both ladies nodded.

“Sherneil will be joining us for our next match. I’m hoping to have her train more women if they’d like to join. So far though, she’s the only one,” Aiden said.

“I want to join!” I said eagerly, raising my hand. “I want to play football.”

“Do you now?” Aiden pinched the bridge of my nose.

However, before either of us could say anything, Kane interrupted. “It is time to get back in, Your Eminence.”

As we made our way towards the hall, the dread that had died for just the moment I had been occupied returned in full force, alongside the presence in my mind.

‘Nat, do you feel it?’ Erin asked, her voice strained.

‘Yes,’ I replied, looking over to see Aiden’s brows furrowed as though he was in pain. ‘Yes, I feel it. Like a panic.’

Silence. Then suddenly, the hollowed voice spoke.

‘Be careful.’ And everything stopped.