Heart Of A Lycan King
Chapter 97

NATASHA.

“This is,” sniff. “This is pure torture, Nala. Why didn’t you warn me?” Aiden sniffed again, tears rolling down his cheeks as he used his elbow to wipe them off.

“Well, you wanted to impress Nana. Not my fault,” I shrugged, laughing at his pain. “I can do it if you’ll just let me and…”

“No!” He hissed, startling me for a bit. “I can do this. I have to.”

Struggling to hold down my laughter, I nodded and walked up to check on the moringa leaves that were cooking. Noticing it was cooked, I turned the cooker off and strained the water in the sink, while Nana walked into the kitchen.

“Kun gama? (Are you two done)?”

“I’m done. He’s yet to finish though,” I answered, gesturing towards Aiden who was still fighting a battle he couldn’t and wouldn’t win with the onions he was slicing.

“Is the onion making you teary eyed, Aiden?” Nana called, walking up to the work surface where Aiden was standing.

He shook his head, while using his elbow to wipe off the tears again.

“I’m good, Nana. I’ll be done in a minute or so.”

Nana tapped his head and nodded. “I have the charcoal fire set. I just need to mix everything together and we’ll steam it for an hour or so. It was your father’s favorite food,” Nana said fondly, a sad smile crossing her face.

I gave her a side hug before I spoke. “I bet it’ll be ours too. So excited to taste your cooking!” I laughed.

It was Friday evening, and we were making dinner with Nana. Or to put it correctly: Nana is making us dinner. Mav brought her over on Wednesday morning after the ceremony on Aiden’s insistence, and per the rule, we were supposed to move to the palace. However, Aiden insisted that we stay back for another month so I can get to know Nana more before we get flooded with work back at the palace.

We are making dambu. This is made from coarse maize flour, moringa leaves, onions, blended pepper mix and so on. It is a delicacy popularly known as the signature food of the Ngunlians. I’ve never had it, but I always hear people talking about it so I’m excited to help.

Apparently Nana has been staying at the Ngunli pack for years, up until Mav found her a month ago. She mentioned him keeping her in a house with maids that do all of her bidding and it annoyed her, because according to her, she wasn’t allowed to move her sore muscles.

‘She cracks me up with her antics. I really want to meet her wolf,’ Erin sighed.

She had changed a lot after the mating ceremony, and I can openly say Erin has become more daring than she already was, and now, even possessive. Too possessive for my liking if I may say.

I was worried about Tiffany, because I haven’t seen her since the incident at the mating ceremony and I also can’t reach her. She did, however, send me a text, letting me know she’s staying with her mother for a few days and returning when she’s ready. I respected her decision. When I asked Aiden about Bilal, he said the Dragon had left for his empire already.

“I really hope it tastes good on the charcoal fire. You, the younger generation, have changed our way of cooking. The best food is one made on firewood,” Nana grumbled.

Ever since she found out we don’t use firewood, she has been complaining, hence, why we had to compromise to make a charcoal fire.

“Firewood, charcoal, gas cooker, electric cooker… None of it matters, Nana. What matters is I’m going to taste your food,” I tried to lighten her sour mood.

“That’s true,” she smiled, her kola nut stained teeth like Inna’s visible.

“I could waltz in here, steal what I want and no one would know,” Mav’s voice floated through from the door.

“Hey bro!” Aiden and I both chorused at the same time, with Aiden’s voice a bit muffled.

Mav’s face blanked a little, before a beautiful smile kissed the corners of his lips. It was then I realized why. For the first time since we met, I was calling him ‘bro’.

He pulled me into a bear hug the moment he reached me, before he ruffled my messy hair, pinched my cheeks and smiled. “Hey, sis.”

He was grinning, and it was infectious. It was impossible not to feel Mav’s joy, and it was simply because I had called him bro.

“That’s right, ignore me all you want since you have a sister now,” Aiden grumbled, sniffing even more.

“Amarya, yaya kike? (How is my wife doing?)” Mav asked Nana, completely ignoring Aiden.

“This old woman is as healthy as you are. Or even better. Besides, I still haven’t decided who between you two I’m choosing as a husband so tread carefully,” Nana replied.

Aiden turned to face us with red puffy eyes, pursed lips pulled into a tight grim, and a ‘are you serious’ kinda look. “Of course you’re going to choose me! I’m here punishing my eyes just so I can be your favorite!” He exclaimed, dropping the knife in his hands with a loud thud. “And I’m finished!” He yelled, clapping his hands.

Mav threw his head back and laughed, same with Nana. I walked up to Aiden, wiped his eyes with some tissue before I led him out. “We’ll be back,” I called. “I’ll just help him wash his eyes.”

“Take your time, love birds. I’ll keep my bride company,” Mav yelled after us.

“You didn’t have to do this,” I chided Aiden the moment we stepped into the bathroom. “First, you don’t know how to slice onions. Second…”

Face with foam, Aiden turned to look at me. “Are you saying I did a bad job, Nala?”

I faked gasping. “How dare I? You did a perfect job, Rabin Rai. But…”

He turned away grumbling and washed the foam off his face without waiting for me to help. When he finished, he pulled one of the smaller towels by the sink and wiped the water from his face. Then he turned and walked towards the door, completely ignoring me.

“Rabin Rai,” I called softly.

He paused in his tracks, his hands still on the door handle. But he didn’t turn to face me.

Oh wow! Someone is angry.

I stifled a laugh and closed the distance between us, before I wrapped my hands around his waist. I kissed his back, feeling the way his body tensed at the contact. “Are you angry?”

“Shouldn’t I be?” His voice was gruff and thick.

“Well, if the scenario allows it, of course you can be. But I have no idea why you are angry. And until you tell me, we won’t be leaving here.”

“Oh really? And how do you plan on making me stay?”

“You think I can’t?” I murmured, working my hands over his pecs, before I began unbuttoning his buttons. Once I was sure I had had enough space in, I slipped my hands underneath his shirt and ran them along his muscles.

He hissed, one of his hands holding one of mine, while the other still remained on the door.

“What?” I kissed his shoulder, then the corner of his neck. I know I’m tall, but sometimes, I wish I was taller, possibly just the same height as Aiden so I can easily k**s his mark when we are standing this way.

“You know what you’re doing and it’s…”

“Getting to you?” I cut him off.

With a loud g***n, he turned and switched our positions. My back was now pressed to the door, with both of my hands pinned above my head. And Aiden was grinding into me.

“I put in so much effort into slicing those onions and you said I’m not good…”

“Did I? Well, you may not be good in that aspect but you’re better at others. Shouldn’t that say something?” I blinked innocently.

“Good at…?”

I waggled my brows, wrinkled my nose, tilted my head then pursed my lips in thought. “Like a k**s?”

‘And yet, you say I’m the daring one. Just look how good you are at seducing him,’ Erin whispered.

Yes. That’s true. I have changed a lot ever since I got here. It might’ve been a gradual tiring process, but I’m grateful Aiden gave me that time to learn about myself. To embrace myself, and learn to embrace others as well. I am still scared, and from time to time, the crumbling sick thoughts return, telling me I’m not good enough. It is hard to completely get rid of them, but every time those thoughts seep in, I direct my thoughts to the positive things in my life.

One of them being my mate.

I still have a long way with therapy, and I have no plans of stopping soon, so hopefully, I continue to grow and embrace myself even more. Which reminds me that I have a session on Monday.

“Just demand a k**s and don’t try to seduce one out of me, Nala,” Aiden murmured against my lips, before he released my hands, and wrapped them securely around my waist. I immediately threw my arms over his shoulders and thread my fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck, standing so close with our bodies pressed together before I angled my neck.

Then finally, our mouths met.

The k**s was lazy and tender, and I closed my eyes, moaning into the k**s. But when his hands trail down my back and land on my butt, I couldn’t resist the possibility of creating enough friction with our clothes on.

That was until the loud knock on the door reached our ears.

“s**t!” Aiden cursed, fixing my hair while I buttoned him up. He looked dazed and flushed, and I’m sure I looked even worse.

“I…”

“Natasha?” Nana called from the door, knocking again.

“Damn!”

“Double damn is the right word, Nala,” Aiden muttered.

Making sure we are presentable, we pulled the bathroom door open and stepped out, at the same time Nana knocked on our bedroom door again.

“There you are,” she grinned the moment Aiden swung the door open. “I was worried I came to the wrong room. I didn’t mean to interrupt, but neither Maverick nor I could replace where you keep the salt. I have combined everything and I only need the salt.”

“Oh, that,” I was fumbling with my words, because I was sure Nana knew something was up between us. “Let’s go, I’ll show you.”

“You don’t have to. Maverick and I are done with everything. Just tell me where the salt is and I’ll go replace it.”

I pursed my lips and grumbled. “Let’s go.”

Nana laughed as she fell into step behind me, while Aiden followed closely behind us. I found Mav in the kitchen already sprinkling the salt.

“I tried to stop her from going and asked her to wait for me to replace the salt, but she wouldn’t listen,” he whispered, smiling.

Ahh, he knows too!

With the dambu set now, all we had to do was to wait for it to get cooked and then we can devour it. In the meantime, we all settled in the living room, showing Nana the games Aiden played over the years.

I told her how I met Aiden, but skipped telling her about the abuse I suffered back at the Malakarians. Then I asked Mav the question that had been bugging me.

“How did you replace her?” My head was resting on Nana’s lap, while Aiden and Mav shared a sofa.

“I work as a private investigator back in Dansheeh.”

“The human country,” I said.

“It was easy peasy to replace her once I went to the Malakari pack and did a little searching,” Mav answered with a smile.

“But how?”

“Knowing you are a Malakarian made it easy. You already know your maternal side, but not your paternal side. With the Malakari lineage in you, I figured your father must be a Malakarian, which turned out to be true. Your paternal grandfather was a Malakarian, while your Nana came from the Ngunli pack.”

“Your grandfather and I were chosen mates. We agreed to stay together even if either of us would end up replaceing our true mates. I had only given birth to your Abba when your grandfather found his mate,” Nana picked the story. “He then insisted that I should leave because he planned to stay with his mate. After much deliberation, I left, and he took your father away from me. He was only five. Years later, after he had died, your father came to replace me. I had also found my mate, but Nyala didn’t bless us with a child, the same way your grandfather and his mate didn’t.

“Your father insisted that I should return with him to the Malakari pack, but it is a place I had vowed never to step in after they backed your grandfather and chased me away as though I was a thief. Angry, your father left and never returned to see me. I can remember it clearly, you were only two years old when he and your Ummi came for me.” Nana finished, sniffing.

“Had I known that was the last time I’d see him, I’d have gone with him, and you’d have grown up with your paternal grandmother since you lost your maternal family. I’m so sorry, Natasha,” Nana cried.

I sat up, crying as well before I pulled her into a hug. It seems my family is always in pain.

“I tried to replace you when I learned about their death, but to no avail. I went to the Malakari pack once, breaking my vow so I could take you with me. But the Alpha told me you ran away.”

“I did what? Who said that? And when did you go there?”

“Two days after I learned about your parents’ deaths. The Alpha said you were nowhere to be found,” Nana replied.

Reeling with rage, I hissed. “I was right there in that pack house working like a damn servant just because my wolf is two colored and I’m an Omega.”

Nana stared at me blankly, and I found myself telling her about all I went through. Soon, we were both engulfed in each other’s embrace, crying our eyes out.

By the time we finally stopped crying and I looked around the living room, Mav and Aiden weren’t there.

I smiled, grateful for the people in my life now. If only I could replace my Aunt now and her children, I’d be the happiest.

“Lunch is almost ready, ladies!” Mav called from the kitchen. “No more crying please. It is sad to see two beautiful women crying.”

I laughed, wiping the tears from my eyes.

“You’re the best brother in the whole world!” I made the heart sign with my fingers and he laughed.

“And you’re the best sister ever. Forever grateful for having you in my life.”

“Really? Why don’t you just tell us who your mate is if you’re that grateful?” Aiden asked, stepping out of the kitchen with a large tray. We’ll be having lunch together, and will eat from one tray.

“Why? We agreed you’d replace out who she is. I’m waiting for you to do that.”

“Oh, and I did. Are you ready for me to spill?” Aiden asked smugly.

“Always. I bet you didn’t guess right though.”

“Your mate is Sherneil, bro.”

My eyes widened at that, and I swear to Nyala I don’t know why. But when I swept my gaze to Mav and caught the blank look on his face, I guessed Aiden was right.

“How did you replace out?” Mav asked quietly.

“The King’s way,” Aiden laughed.

But Mav didn’t return the laughter. Instead, he nodded, his hands tightening in the fist before he spoke. “Let’s keep this a secret, please.”

Then he disappeared into the kitchen.