Heart Of A Lycan King
Chapter 84

The atmosphere in the room was so overly thick one would think not even the sharpest sword would be able to cut a slice of it. The clang of spoons and forks against the ceramic plates was the only sound heard.

It was as though everyone were afraid to say something that may cause a lash out from Baba. Today, unlike most of the days I had ever met him, he looked angry.

Too angry if I may say. And for a moment, I was wondering if this dinner idea had been a good one.

‘You’re not eating, Nala,’ Aiden linked.

I stared at the fried rice and chicken on my plate and sighed. I love food, but it is becoming extremely hard to eat in this atmosphere.

Aiden and I had returned from his match trip three days ago before Mama invited us all for dinner. A large rug had been spread in the middle of the large living room. Unlike the first time I came here when we ate in the dining room, today, we sat on the rug, legs tucked in and ate.

Five large warmers sat in the middle, and everyone helped themselves to their favorite. I chose rice because it was easier to handle through the tension than anything else. Baba chose tuwon shinkafa (rice staple) and miyan taushe. While Mama chose dambu. Aiden also chose rice with Mav choosing sinasir.

But I couldn’t stomach past five spoons. Baba’s glare towards Mav, who was sitting on my left, was too hot. Sometimes, it felt as though the glare was directed at me and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like how Mav looked uncomfortable here. I didn’t like how he only speaks when Mama or Aiden says something directed to him. Other than that, he remains silent.

‘I have no appetite,’ I linked back. ‘The whole room feels uncomfortable.’

‘I’m sorry,’ he murmured, caressing me through the bond.

‘This isn’t your fault. Stop apologizing,’ I replied.

More strained silence. Today, even Mama seems quieter than usual and I can’t say why. As always though, she wore a long boubou made from a patterned ankara and tied the headgear on her head. I was dressed similarly, only that I wore a flowered patterned ankara sewed into a skirt and blouse. I remembered Aiden’s reaction when he saw me. As always, he claimed I was beautiful.

“The search for Elder Manze still remains unsuccessful,” Baba commented as the maids cleared the space we ate in. We still remained on the rug, with neither of us making an attempt to stand up except Mama who followed after the maids.

“Yes. Kamal has doubled the guards around in search of him. But we still haven’t heard anything yet. We’re currently preparing for the full moon so I plan to personally go on a hunt for him after the full moon.” Aiden said. He was trying very hard to keep his voice neutral, but you could hear how the tension had effected him too.

“Sounds like a plan,” Baba nodded. “Did you send word to the dragon and the other realms in preparation for the full moon?” He continued.

“I did,” Aiden replied. Today he wore a blue jumper with a cap. “They’ll each send a representative since the shadows affected a part of each of their realms. Bilal, Mason, and Karima will all be here to represent their species. And the bind the guardians made to keep the shadows at bay would be broken.”

Again, Baba nodded, and at the same time Mama walked in and stood behind me.

“Come, Natasha. Let’s leave the men to their discussion and bond over a cup of fresh milk. I just asked one of the maids to mix the gruel,” Mama said.

“You’re leaving?” Both Aiden and Baba asked at the same time, as Mav shifted nervously from where he sat.

“Yes. We need to bond a bit. I still have those pictures of you two as kids I need to show her. Like the one you were snapped with gruel all over your face,” she laughed.

“Mama…!” Aiden called, his face scrunched a bit like someone does in the presence of the parent. “You don’t have to embarrass me any more than you already did some months ago. She does not need to see those pictures!”

“I bet you she does! Hush and continue your discussion. Oh, and take care of my big baby.”

“Me?” Baba said with a small smirk and I couldn’t help but feel shy.

Mama scoffed a little, placing her hands on either side of her waist. There’s just something so soothing about Mama. In mere seconds, she had managed to crash down the tension that was building around. “You? Come on, Dakarai, I meant Maverick. He’s my big baby. Everyone knows that.” Mama answered and Baba’s face instantly fell.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t contain the laughter, neither did Aiden and Mav. We all laughed, with Mama joining us.

“A rogue has no place here though,” Baba scoffed, the loud boom of his voice floating across the room.

The laughter instantly died, replaced by toe curling dread. I watched as Aiden sucked in a deep breath, the rigidity of his body visible underneath the cloth he wore. When I turned my gaze towards Mav, he looked closed off. No emotions. Just a cold stoic face staring back at Baba.

I knew instantly that this dinner had been ruined.

AIDEN.

My fist slammed down hard on the hard floor covered with rugs so fast that everyone jumped. I hadn’t planned it. But anger went ripping through me so fast my hand moved on its own. That single action hadn’t taken the air out of my ire either. Not even a speck.

“I have a lot of respect for you, Baba. More respect than I wish I did. But I can’t continue to take this. I can’t continue to sit here and watch as you glare at your flesh and b***d and…”

“He’s no flesh of mine!” Baba grounded, throwing the handkerchief he was holding across the living room as he stood up. “I have only one son and that’s you!”

“Well, I don’t want your love at the expense of hurting him!” I said in a controlled rage. It would be wrong of me to raise my voice over Baba’s, or even exchange words with him like I was about to do. But I’ve honestly just had enough of all this. “If you’re doing this for my sake, then I don’t want it!” I added.

“Aiden…”

“Did you just call him a rogue?” Mama finally spoke quietly. Too quietly. It was then I remembered what Baba had addressed him with, and I felt my head begin to spin. “Dakarai, I’m asking you a question. Did you just call my son a rogue?” she repeated, pronouncing each word with a small pause between them, while staring at Baba without blinking.

That is Mama. She never shows that she didn’t give birth to Mav. And on days she openly addresses him this way to Baba, it means she’s way too angry to be controlled. She’s telling Baba that Mav is her son, as always.

“You don’t have to be so kind. His godforsaken mother is nowhere to be found. He’s not your responsibility,” Baba replied.

“Says who?” Mama said lowly as she walked up to Mav’s side and took his hand in hers. “Who dares to say he isn’t my son?”

“Mama…”

“Shut up!” Mama snapped at Mav, stopping him from speaking completely. “Kamun shiru da bakinka a wurin! (Keep your mouth shut right there!)” she added, the vein that normally pops on her forehead when she’s angry already visible. “Now, answer me, Dakarai. What do you mean by calling him a rogue?”

After a moment of thick silence, which had gotten unbearable and so uncomfortable, Nala stepped beside me and twined our hands together. But the thundering in my heart didn’t stop. Not when my heart was in my throat, and certainly not when I was scared of what Baba’s response might be.

“I have only one son, and one heir to the throne. He’s useless to me so I stripped him of his title as my son and a member of this kingdom.” Baba answered, glaring at Mav.

“You did what!?” Mama yelled, tears already streaming down her face. “Was that the reason he left? Were you responsible for that?”

Silence. Nothing but silence. But my head was spinning, and loud buzzing sounds filled my ears. Mav didn’t just leave. He didn’t leave because he wanted to. Baba sent him away. My brother never left me, but instead, he was forced to.

Baba had turned my only brother into a rogue. For what? For whatever selfish reason he had! Dear Nyala, please shine your light on our family, I prayed quietly.

“So it was you,” Mama continued, fat tears streaming down her cheeks. “He didn’t leave us because he wanted to. You forced him, Dakarai. You did,” she sniffed, using her free hand to wipe the tears off her face. “But you know what? I’ve had enough of all of this. Mav didn’t give birth to himself. You brought him into this world. If you need someone to hate for your mistakes, then hate yourself, Dakarai! Punish yourself! This will be the last time I sit back and watch you continue to hurt the poor innocent boy. This mother has had enough, and I’m going to fix it! You just wait!” Mama snapped, pulling Mav with her as she turned to go back into the hallway.

She paused before me, tapped my shoulder then tipped on her toes to k**s my forehead. “You have her to take care of you. He has only me. I’ll be with him,” she said and I could only nod.

“I have forbidden him from staying in my house!” Baba yelled after Mama, his eyes red and puffy.

“He stays or I leave!” Mama snapped. “He won’t be staying in a motel for another day when I’m still alive. I allowed it all this while because I had assumed it was his choice. But knowing you forced him to be away from his family, I won’t take it! So make your choice. He either stays or I leave!”

Baba shifted from one foot to another. We all know how adamant Mama is when she makes a decision, and Baba knows very well that she’d definitely leave if he says Mav can’t stay, and I’ll definitely support Mama on that.

I watched as Baba took measured steps towards Mama till he stopped before her, pointed at Mav and said in a grave voice. “Look at what you are doing. Breaking my family for your selfish interest!” With that, he turned and left the room.

Mav’s face still remained blank. No emotions. And no reactions whatsoever to what Baba had just said. Instead, he wrapped his arms protectively around Mama and kissed her forehead.

“Our Mama is always our hero,” he said quietly. But I could hear the pain in his voice. I could hear the choking sound. The heartbreak. The strangled cry he was trying desperately to hold back.

I knew those emotions so well because I was feeling them all.

I untangled my hand from Nala and walked up to him. Without saying anything, I wrapped my arms around both him and Mama and gave them both a tight hug.

“I love you both. And I’m so sorry, bro,” I murmured, unable to look him in the eye. “I’ll see you…soon,” I added, then turned and left.

I needed some air. Anything to settle the fire in my mind. Anything to break the biting pain. If I hadn’t been born, then maybe Baba wouldn’t have hated Mav this way. But no matter how much I tried to make sense of Baba’s hatred towards Mav it made no sense whatsoever.

I sucked in the night’s cool breeze as soon as I stepped out. I didn’t stop, however. All I wanted was to leave. I needed to leave. So I continued to walk hurriedly towards the car.

“Hey,” Nala called from behind me.

I paused in my tracks, breathing hard and fast as I tried to calm the raging in my heart. The itch on my back told me I was letting my anger take control over me and we all know that wouldn’t be great.

But Baba has always done this. He’d always replace a reason to ruin a moment shared with Mav. Just what sort of hatred is this? Besides, there’s already an ongoing tension on the possibility of what could go wrong during the full moon in three days. And I was scared. I was damn f*****g scared because I didn’t know what to expect. Or what the Fikoians would demand.

Nala stopped in front of me, hijacking my thoughts. Pretty. So pretty with her chewed on lips and beautiful brown eyes. And just like that, nothing made sense anymore.

She whispered something to herself that I couldn’t hear and shifted side to side, her eyes dancing around as though surveying the area. Before I could ask her to repeat what she said, she touched me. She placed her flattened palms on my pecs and…her lips parting on a nervous breath…she slid them up and around my neck, bringing our bodies flush.

“Nala…” I drawled hoarsely, the impact of her unexpected touch making me unsteady on my feet. “I…”

She then suddenly wrapped her arms around my neck, causing her to wobble a little, and I could do nothing but wrap a protective arm around her back. The other followed, tugging her tight against me. My mouth found its way to the side of her face, exhaling, every inch of me reacting to having her body molded in my hard planes so securely. The chaos that had been churning inside me all through dinner settled, while a different kind of commotion took shape.

The feel of her breath against my ear as she parted her lips made my groin tighten to the point of pain.

Oh my, Nyala!

“You said no touching at Mama’s.” I murmured.

“I did,” she whispered, her lips brushing my skin before she not so subtly bit my earlobe. “We’re only hugging though. That’s all.”

“Don’t do that. Don’t talk to me in that innocent voice. Not when all your sweetest parts are pressed up against me in that skirt and blouse.” Trying and failing to maintain an awareness of our surroundings, I angled my h**s and listened to her breath stutter. “You are turning me on and you are very aware of it.”

“Am I?” Nala leaned back just enough to study my mouth for one moment. “I’m trying to help. It felt like you needed a hug.”

A low thudding began and spread throughout every inch of me. In my heart, mind, b***d. Hell, even my groin. Everywhere hurt like a raging inferno. How is she capable of changing my mood in mere seconds? One second I was angry and the next I wasn’t. At least, not as angry as I had been a while ago.

“I’m glad I have you here, Nala.” I said gruffly, pulling her back into the hug. Nyala knew I needed that hug. It set me in place, and took away a better part of my rage.

“See, told you, you needed the hug,” she murmured, kissing the side of my neck. “Don’t let this bother you too much. You aren’t to be blamed. And Mav knows you aren’t to be blamed.”

“How did you know I was blaming myself?” I asked quietly.

She laughed a bit. “You’re my man. That is enough to study your every move. What every blink of your eye meant, or the twitch of your mouth. I know what they mean, Rabin Rai. Because you’re mine,” she finished, pushing back a little to cradle my face before she pressed her lips to mine.

Our lips moved in perfect sync, before our tongues flicked together. But I wasn’t thinking, because my heart rapped violently in my chest, sending vibrations into parts of me. I felt the words she said more than the k**s. I felt them in every way possible.

I didn’t know it was possible, but while physical contact may have been my love language, Nala had taught me that words do the trick just fine. Because how can I be thinking of ways to please her while standing in the courtyard of my parents house, when a few moments ago, I was so close to becoming a thundering ball of firing rage?

“Thank you,” I said thickly as we broke the k**s. “You’re the best thing to have ever happened to me, Nala.”

“The best for me too, Rabin Rai.” She murmured, kissing the tip of my nose. “You look more relaxed now.”

“You did your magic.” I laughed, taking her hand in mine as we began walking to the car.

“Remember, whatever happened back there wasn’t your fault. You aren’t the reason Baba hates Mav. Don’t beat yourself over that. Okay? Try to make some time tomorrow and spend the day with him. He deserves it.”

I nodded, swallowing hard and fast. “Thank you.”

Before she could reply though, my phone buzzed with a text coming in. I pulled my phone out and smiled when I saw Mav’s name.

‘You’ve got yourself a keeper, Bro. I’m happy for you. And yes, I’m okay. Trust me on that.’

I laughed a bit, the bitter taste of Baba’s actions returning briefly before they vanished.

“Nala?”

“Hum?”

“How about we shift and run? I need the air.”

A small grin spread on her face before she nodded. “A run it is.”

‘About damn time!’ Leo jumped, and I couldn’t resist laughing.