The 5-time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King
Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As soon as they were out of the building, Xandar asked, “Why didn’tyou sleep last night?”

"Border duty.” She answered simply.

“How is it that you had border duty the night before you were boundto travel?”

“The available members were either sick or had a family to look after. Ididn’t want to flip anyone's schedules upside down over this so I stoodin place.” She shrugged. Her selfless answer exuded the nobility of aQueen, his Queen.

But something still bothered him. “Lucianne, why were youuncomfortable when your Alpha gave you credit for last year's success?Why didn’t you just thank him and accept the praise?”

She snorted, and looked him dead in the eye as she declared, “I didn'tdo it for the praise, your Hig... Xandar. When Alpha Juan got therequest, I made it a point to my warriors that the ultimate aim of thebattles was to keep innocent wolves safe. I drilled this thought intotheir heads day-in and day-out. They were to fight to protect, to fightwith honour and nobility, not for the sake of pleasing anyone of asuperior position.”

He listened to the strength of her voice, and his lips curled up as shecontinued, “1 didn't accept the praise because I didn't do it for that. Ididn't do it for you either, Xandar. I respect you as my King but I didn’tfight the rogues for you. I fought for those who couldn't fight. That'swhy I didn't accept the praise. I never will, so don't try to get me to doit.”

His animal howled internally with immense joy and pride. He and theLycan in him could not thank their Goddess enough. They werecompletely over the moon that the Moon Goddess bonded them to... agoddess. Noble. Selfless. Brave. Beautiful. What pique his interest mostwas her confident admission that she prioritized the lives of innocentwolves that she had never met over her ruler who everyone wasobliged to please.

But somehow, she still seemed unreachable. He felt that she didn'tallow herself to get as close to him as he wanted her to. Then, therewas that confusion about her willingness to reject him, or have himreject her. What was that about? Why would she ask for something likethat?

He then recalled that she mentioned her “previous mates’. Mates. So,she was rejected more than once before. But why would she think thathe was like the rest of them? He was not a wolf. Surely, Lycans weremore known for their unwillingness to deny the mate bond, weren'tthey?

He admired her side profile in silence, taking in the most beautifulcreature he had ever laid his eyes on. He hoped to learn everythingabout her one day, but for better or worse, he was dead certain that hewould never let his mate go.

When they reached the hotel where they housed a portion of wolves,Lucianne was surprised that Xandar still insisted on following her untilthey reached her room. He stared at her scar with a frown as sheunlocked the door. “Thank you for walking me back. Have a good night,Xandar.” Her sweet voice brought his gaze up to hers.

She took only one step into her room when Xandar grabbed her by herwrist and lifted her hand to his lips. She stiffened in shock as he planteda deep kiss on the back of her hand, sending a strong wave of sparksthrough her arm and then her entire body. He was still holding herhand when he locked eyes with her and uttered, “Goodnight, Lucianne.”She retracted her hand, and entered her room before shutting the doorbehind her. Xandar stood in his spot, where he heard her sigh after sheclosed the door. He then heard cupboard doors opening and closingbefore her footsteps moved across the room, where he heard a seconddoor being shut.

After some shuffling sounds, he heard the water from the shower, andthe Lycan part of him was aroused by the thought of his mate naked inthe bathroom. He walked away from her door in quick steps before hisself-control evaporated. He could easily break the hinges and knockdown the door if he wanted to. Ignoring his whimpering animal whowould rather skip the meet-and-greet and spend the night with theirmate, he returned to the hall and started making his rounds.

He found it amusing when pack leaders and warriors displayed theirsurprise after he expressed his gratitude to them. There were severalself-entitled Alphas and snobbish Lunas who tried and failedlamentably to be noble as they humble-bragged. Xandar started takingan interest in scars on his subjects’ bodies.

The warrior from the Blood Eclipse Pack, Gamma Raden, had a scar onhis face tracing down to his neck. If the scar went a little higher, hewould've been rendered blind on one side. “How did it happen?” TheKing asked in concern as he gestured to the scar.

The warrior smiled graciously as he explained, “A rogue attack fiveyears ago, your Highness. Our pack was attacked and we formedalliances with Blue Crescent and White Blood to eradicate the rogues.”“Were many injured?” The King asked.

“We lost two wolves in the final attack, sadly, but the death toll washigher before our alliance. Although it's displeasing to the eye, I mustadmit that this scar only brings me joy.” He said with a smile.

The King's curiosity was pique. “What do you mean by that, GammaRaden?”

Raden glanced at his pack leaders before he explained, “When therogues attacked, some of us who had an above average strength tookon more than one rogue at a time. When I kept taking on two at a time,the rogues took notice. All of a sudden, I found myself surrounded byfive of them. One held me by my tail and its member slashed me fromthe side and gave me this scar.” He gestured to his face beforecontinuing, “When the blood from my face was oozing, the Gammasfrom our ally packs pounced in and tore the rogues apart, leaving therogue who slashed me for me to chase before I tore its throat.”

Raden smiled. “The scar brings me joy because it has been a long timesince I knew I could count on someone from another pack to watch myback. I'm not an Alpha, and I'm not a member of their pack. They hadno obligation to save me but they did.”

The King listened attentively before he confirmed, “Blue Crescent andWhite Blood, you say?”

“Yes, your Highness.” Raden said with a slight bow, and added, “Thewarrior from White Blood is Gamma Tobias Tristan. And you've alreadymet the warrior from Blue Crescent, Gamma Lucianne Paw.”

“Mm.” the King nodded.

Gamma Raden then glanced at his leaders again, who both havedoubtful expressions. He cleared his throat, and with visible fear in hiseyes, he began, “Your Highness?"

"Yes, Gamma Raden?” The King obliged with an encouraging smile.The Gamma said cautiously, “I wasn't standing very near where youwere when you met Gamma Lucianne, so I'm not sure if what I heardwas...what I heard.” He hesitated. “You mentioned that Lucy is yourmate?”

“I did, and she is.” The King responded with a smile, despite the tint ofjealousy he felt from the way this warrior called his mate “Lucy’ withsuch affection.

Gamma Raden nodded and said, “I'm not sure if you're going to kill mefor what I'm about to say, your Highness. But as I said, I owe her my life,so I think this is going to be a fair trade.” He chuckled once, beforesaying seriously, “Your Highness, I beg you, don't hurt her. She is agood person who, for some unknown reason, was forced to go throughwith more than most.”

The King's eyebrows were furrowed. He felt insulted. Why would thisGamma think that he, as Lucianne's mate, couldn't take care of her?Who the hell did this wolf think he was?! The King tried his best to keephis composure and declared in a serious tone, “I would never

even think of hurting her. She’s my mate. I would start a war before Ilet her get hurt.”

“That's good to know. It's been an honour to meet you, your Highness.”Gamma Raden bowed.

The King smiled flatly and said, “Likewise, members of Blood Eclipse. Doenjoy the rest of the evening.” He walked away in quick steps as he feltthe jealousy overtaking his body when Raden expressed so muchconcern for Lucianne. If he stayed any longer, he might have killedRaden.

When he was speaking to a Luna who was running her pack after thedeath of her husband the previous month, Xandar felt a hand run downhis arm seductively, making him turn his sights to glare at the creature.He asked in a dangerously-low tone, “What the hell are you doing?”

It was the daughter of his Defence Minister, Sasha Cummings, whosmiled coyly at the King, making Xandar angrier.

“Sasha,” her father called out as he approached them.

The King growled again. “Should your daughter interfere in one of myconversations again, we'll have to discuss your future and hers,Cummings.”

Sasha was left stunned but opted to say nothing, and held her head lowas her father bowed and apologized, “I'm terribly sorry, your Highness. Ishould've been more alert. We'll excuse ourselves now.”

The King's glare remained on them until they were far enough for hiscomfort. He thought about Lucianne to calm himself before turningback to the Luna whom he was speaking to and said, “I apologize forthe interruption, Luna Lyssa. We were talking about the constructionworks for a training ground in your pack if I'm not mistaken?”

Luna Lyssa didn't expect an apology from the King, and was quitesurprised by the sincerity from his words. When the King rememberedwhere they left off in their conversation, she was more encouraged toshow her enthusiasm when she spoke about her plans to mandateevery able pack member to fight. The King supported her, andencouraged her to submit an application should she need help in termsof finances or trainers. She thanked him, and promised to keep his offerin mind.

When he left Luna Lyssa, Alpha Juan and Luna Hale approached himhastily and nervously. They stood before him and bowed. “Heads up,pack leaders of Blue Crescent. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Their raised heads were met with the King’s smiling eyes. No King inhistory was known to replace meeting werewolves a “pleasure’, and noLycan would bother offering a smile to their species, let alone the Kinghimself.

Alpha Juan glanced at his mate, who nodded encouragingly. The Alphalooked at the King and spoke doubtfully, “My Gamma is your mate,your Highness?”

Now, he was getting pissed-off. His eyebrows furrowed as he said, “Sheis. Is there a problem?”

Alpha Juan muttered a “wow’ under his breath before speaking, "YourHighness, please understand I mean no disrespect for whatever comesout from my mouth next.” He cleared his throat and continued, “Ifyou're not... serious about... having her,” he swallowed a lump in histhroat before proceeding, “...please let her go. I don't want to see herhurt by the mate bond again. I've known her since we were kids. She'slike a sister to me. It pains me and my Luna to see her hurt.”

If Alpha Juan didn’t have a mate, Xandar was dead certain that hewould have ripped the Alpha's throat right then and there out of purejealousy. Gamma Raden had already emptied his patience reservoir,and Xandar was clinging on to the thread of patience he had left for thenight.

“Why would you think that I'm not serious about Lucianne, AlphaJuan?” He asked, taking some comfort in saying her name.

Alpha Juan said, “My King, I admit that I don’t know your intention withLucy. Having just met you today, I have to say that I don't know you atall so I cannot tell how this... mate bond is going to... progress. All Iwanted to say is that...” he sighed like he was going to make one of thebiggest mistakes of his life, “...she has gone through too much in onelifetime. Please, don't hurt her.”

Alpha Juan looked like a man ready to receive his punishment after hefinished speaking. Xandar was impressed with what Lucianne wascapable of doing with her very existence. In one night, two wolves wereready to be punished just to tell him not to hurt her, and one was anAlpha

He chuckled at his own thought before meeting Alpha Juan's confusedlook as he declared, “Alpha Juan, my intention with Lucianne is to courther, mate and mark her and only her, have her mark me, and make hermy Queen. I don't know what I did to have you and Gamma Radenthink that I will hurt my mate, but I can assure you that I can never bearto see Lucianne hurt, let alone hurt her.” He chuckled darkly beforemuttering, “If anything, she hurt me with what she said tonight.”

Luna Hale then stepped forward cautiously and explained, “YourHighness, p-please forgive her. It's not in our position to speak abouther past. But if she decides to tell you one day, you'll understand whyshe said the things she did.”

Xandar nodded in understanding as he listened to her speak nervously.He then added with a smile, “You both need not be so afraid of me. Iwouldn't punish or kill without a proper basis. Logic and legality aside, Iwouldn't dream of killing my mate's pack leaders who are just trying tolook out for her.”

There was a moment of surprise before they bowed to display theirgratitude. Xandar moved on to the next pack and two more afterbefore he took his leave.

When Xandar arrived home, he made himself go through one file in therogue stack before turning in for the night. He looked to the side of hisbed, and he imagined Lucianne lying next to him. His handsubconsciously reached for the empty pillow and felt the coldness onits surface. His animal whimpered, missing their mate. He thoughtabout being able to see her the next day and fell asleep with a smile.