Unwanted Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Lycan Queen's Prey Chapter 37

~Zirah~

As the limo draws to a halt, the sight of Zeke's castle leaves me awestruck. It's a grand spectacle oftowering spires and shimmering turrets laced with ornate gold filigree. The main castle doors swingopen, and we're immediately in the thick of an atmosphere so intense, it's nearly tangible. The castlebustles with life and activity. People line up for warm meals, medical care, and a place to sleep. Thegrandeur of the exterior belies the harsh reality within, and I feel an unexpected pang of amazementfor Zeke.

We walk through the castle, each room telling the lengths he has gone to try to support hiskingdom. What should have been a ballroom, a banquet hall, and a library is repurposed intoshelters, soup kitchens, and makeshift clinics. The crystal chandeliers now cast their light on rows ofcots where homeless citizens seek shelter. The grand fireplaces serve as heating for rooms crammedwith individuals in various states of despair. "You turned this place into a homeless shelter?" I ask, alittle shocked.

"No, but yes, in a sense. I have to be limited with who I have here, so I only take families withchildren. I can't house all of them, so I choose the most vulnerable or at risk on the streets. Werotate them out once they replace permanent housing or jobs.

Unfortunately, this last lot has been here for six months, and there are no houses left, even withsubsidized rents. The city is at full capacity. I tried to purchase more land, but my city's debt riskoutweighs its lending ability." I let his words sink in. Having to pick and choose, I can not fathomhow hard that would be. How saddening it would be to turn people away.

Finally, Zeke leads me up a grand staircase to a set of double doors at the end of a long hallway. Aswe enter, the contrast is stark. This room is pure luxury - his bedroom.

"You may have the bed," Zeke says. "I'll take the couch. If that will make you more comfortablebeing here with me." I chew my lip and nod. Zeke places his hand on my lower back, leading me tothe other side of the room to a door. He pushes it open, revealing a huge bathroom. "I'll grab sometowels. It seems I've been cleaned out,” he laughs softly.

My mind is a whirl of conflicting emotions as Zeke retreats to fetch me a towel. I peel off my clothesand step into the ensuite. As I'm about to step into the shower, Zeke re-enters, his eyes drawn tothe intricate network of runes decorating my body. His gaze is curious, not lecherous, and I feel ablush creep up my neck nonetheless.

Before I can step in, Zeke steps forward, brushing up against me just as I move to do the same. Webump into each other, doing an awkward sidestep before he cuts me off again and chuckles. Hishand grips my shoulder softly before reaching past me to hang a towel on the rack behind us."Sorry," he murmurs, while his fingers linger for just a second longer than necessary. The heat of hisbody and the roughness of his callused hands sends shivers down my spine that cause goosebumpsall over my skin, hungrily inviting Zeke's touch even further, if only fleetingly so.

His eyes travel to the runes down my arms, fingers gently trailing, before moving to the ones on mychest; his fingers skimming my skin make me shiver, and his eyes dart to mine at the action, a hintof a smile on his lips.

"Seems I can draw at least some reaction out of you." I raise an eyebrow at him. He shrugs. His eyesmove back to the runes, brows creasing. "Did these hurt when you..." he trails off.

"Burned alive?" I laugh. He swallows and glances away, nodding once.

"No, Zeke. I don't remember these or much of my death and rebirth,” I tell him. He lets out a breath,his fingertips dancing along my collarbone.

“These runes...” Zeke trails off, stepping closer, his fingers lightly tracing the Eye Rune below mythroat. “What do they mean, exactly?”

"Shouldn't you know? I would have thought you studied witchcraft, folklore, etcetera, given thecurse.”

"We did study witchcraft,” he admits.

“We all did. Regan was...obsessed. He wanted to break the curse. But all this stuff, it made littlesense to me. Symbols, chants, ceremonies. I could get us cursed, but still, witchcraft was beyondme.” His words hang heavy in the room, a ghostly echo of a past long gone, a past that impactedhis entire future. His fingers stop at the hollow of my throat.

"What do you think these mean to you? Why these ones?" he asks, and I can hear the curiosity in hisvoice. I should be more nervous than I am standing naked in front of a man who, on manyoccasions, threatened to rape and kill me, yet he suddenly doesn't seem so intimidating. He almostseems vulnerable.

“Well, the Eye Rune stands for perception, vision,” I explain, my voice a whisper. “It sees beyond thevisible world.”

His fingers trail lower, between my breasts, to the Star Rune.

“And this one?”

"Star Rune symbolizes hope and guidance. The Waves Rune here,” I guide his fingers lower, “Is foremotions, intuition. The Air Rune stands for intellect and communication. Fire and Earth symbolizeenergy and physical endurance.”

His hand hovers over the Moon Rune just above my navel. “And this?"

“Fertility, femininity,” I answer. “The Sun Rune here is for masculine power, courage. And..." I hesitateas his fingers brush over the last rune on my pubic bone. I feel my breath hitch as a shiver runsdown my spine.

Zeke lifts an eyebrow, waiting. “And this?”

"Unity, connection, partnership,” I whisper, averting my eyes from his heated gaze.

His hand stills on the Rune, tracing it lightly, etching its meaning into the depths of my mind."Unity," he echoes, his voice a low rumble that sends a tantalizing shiver up my spine. He leanscloser, his breath hot against my ear.

"An enticing idea, don't you think?"