Unwanted Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Prey Of The Lycan Queen Chapter 22

~Lyon~

The next day.

I glanced sideways at Zirah, her mesmerizing gaze scanned the horizon of my kingdom. There was avibrancy about her, an energy that seemed to reflect onto the landscape, making it seem more alive,more inviting. And yet, the insecurity gnawing at my insides was hard to ignore.

Will she like it here? Could she accept the simplicity of my world?

We moved towards the outskirts of the city where I'd planned for a picnic, an opportunity for Ziarahto soak in the everyday life of my people. My kingdom may lack in luxuries, but it doesn't fail inproviding a sense of community, warmth, and belonging and no one goes without.

"So, is it always like this?" Zirah asked, pointing to where everyone had converged in the city center,everyone pulling up chairs or lazing about while snacking from the grazing tables. "Yes, we are theproduce kingdom, we have most of the farms here, along with a huge salmon farm. We supply theother kingdoms with fresh produce in exchange for what we need, everything is then sharedamongst the kingdom." I explained as she picked up a piece of watermelon.

"So you eat most meals together?” she asked and I nodded. "Every night, I would have brought youhere last night, but didn't want to overwhelm you on your first night here,” I told her. "This place isoverwhelming," she admitted. "But for all the right reasons," she added, just as Agatha approachedus.

She was one of the locals, an elderly woman with a twinkle in her eyes. "My King," she nodded,handing me a basket full of food and a blanket. "You should take your Queen to visit Serenity, I hearit's warm at the moment,”

"I will think about it, Aggy,” I told her. Serenity - our local secret, a serene waterfall that has been thesource of leisure and joy for my people since we discovered it. It is in the mountain behind thecastle, but the water is always unusually warm, like hot springs. Zirah turned to me, her eyes filledwith an eagerness I can't deny. "What's Serenity, Lyon?" The woman smiled fondly and I chuckled.

"I guess I better show you then," I told her.

My kingdom may not be grand, but we've thrived on our ability to live with the essentials andnothing more. Everyone has a place, a role and no one goes without. I hope Zirah understands thisessence of what I am trying to build here. This is my redemption for my sins, the only way I knewhow.

Grabbing her hand, I pull her toward the forest. The sun is shining bright overhead, and a gentlebreeze ruffles through the leaves as we walk through the forest. I can feel Zirah's excitementgrowing with every step we take. Her hand is warm in mine, and I replace myself staring at her fingers,admiring their delicate beauty.

We soon reach the base of the mountain, where we start to climb up rocky terrain. Zirah is athleticand nimble on her feet, and she climbs up with ease which makes me want to ask her what it waslike to grow up in a cave. I try to keep up with her, but she moves too quickly for me sometimes

As we climb higher and higher, the forest becomes denser, and the canopy above thickens.Eventually, we reach a clearing where sunlight filters down through the branches of trees, castingshadows on the ground.

That's when we see it - Serenity. A huge Waterfall in all its glory. The waterfall is fed by a hot springlocated deep within the mountain, which keeps the water at an even temperature all year round,even when the mountain is covered in snow. As we approach it, I can hear the sound of the watercrashing down onto rocks.

Zirah gasps as she takes in the sight before her. She stood there for a moment, taking it all in — thewaterfall cascading down into a pool of crystal-clear water, surrounded by lush greenery and rockscovered in moss.

"It's so beautiful,” she says, her voice filled with wonder.

I smile at her reaction. We stand at the edge of the waterfall, feeling the mist on our faces as wetake in the sight before us. As promised, it's warm, almost hot to the touch. Shadow jumps straightin followed by Hunter. However, Gnash lays on a giant rock watching them.

"Do you want to go in?" I ask, gesturing towards the water. Zirah glanced around.

"No one will come up here, Agatha would have sent word, she loves to gossip, she also loves tomother everyone,” I laughed.

She nods eagerly, and I can see the excitement in her eyes as she strips off her clothes with no fear.I can't help but stare at her. The runes covering her arms flickering, yet the ones running from herthroat down her body are mesmerizing.

She dips her toe into the water, her eyes lighting up. "It is warm," she giggles before diving in. She'smagnificent. But I can't take my eyes off the tattoos running down her body, glimmering under thewater. I can see the outline of her body through the translucent material, the runes on her armsflicker. I can see her full breasts, the outline of her slender body, and the curve of her waist.

Moving closer I strip my clothes off, tossing them on the rock beside Gnash. The crystal clear wateris inviting, you can see the bottom, fish that can handle the warmer water swim past, and littlebubbles rise up to the surface. I follow suit, jumping in and letting the warm water envelope me.

As we spend the day together, Zirah asks about Zeke. "Is Zeke's kingdom like this?" she asks. I feel apang in my chest. Zeke, with all his flaws, does have a kingdom that boasts more luxuries than mine.I can't deny the sting of jealousy, a feeling that I swiftly push down. "No, opposite actually,” I tellher, and she nods. Reaching into the basket I grab the containers out that Agatha had packed forus. Laying naked on our picnic mat we eat.

"Why do you live like this, Lyon?" she asks, her voice soft but filled with curiosity.

I look at her, the question stirring up old memories and emotions that I've spent a long timeburying. "I wanted to atone for my past mistakes, make up for what I did to Litha, I thought if I couldjust prove I was capable of good, the curse would break," I confess. The words echo through thesilence, heavy and fraught with meaning. "I thought I killed my mate...and my brothers. I betrayedthem for this place, so I owed it to you and Litha to make sure I took care of it."

My voice breaks a little, guilt seeping into every word. I can still feel the sting of their betrayal, theraw pain I felt when I thought I killed our mate. "I've always felt guilty. Living this way...it's myattempt to make up for it. It's the least I can do for my people, for my brothers."

I don't meet her gaze, the weight of my confession becoming too much. I can only hope that sheunderstands, and that she sees the man I've become instead of the one I used to be. That she canlook past my mistakes and see the effort I've made to better myself, for my kingdom, and for her.