Thane
“Pick it up! Now do it again!”
My warriors continue sparring while I run my fingers through my hair. I’m worried about Lyric. She’s shopping with my mother, sisters, her sister, and aunt for her ceremonial dress. I sent six guards with them, plus Tyler. He refused to stay behind, nor would he allow Emori to go without him.
By rights, Tyler should be here doing his damn job. But with Emori newly turned, Tyler’s Lycan will need to be near her until she accepts his mark. Even with all those guards, I’m still worried something could happen. Lyric could get hurt or, worse, taken. Okay, she’s not going to die, but that means nothing to me. That’s why I’m being so hard on my warriors while training; I’m taking my frustration out on them when I shouldn’t. But I’ll be fu.cked if I care.
Theo was busy with the elders, filling them in on everything we had learned over the past few days. I should be the one talking to them, but I’m not in the mood – for anything if I’m honest.
Blaze is finally awake and here with me when he should be resting. My cousin is not at full strength, but the man listens to no one.
“Zane! Keep your back straight!” Zane turns his dark eyes to me, and though I can tell he wants to tell me to ‘Fu.ck off!’ he tips his head.
The man is thirty years old, which is young to me. But he’s a good warrior, even if he does have a chip on his shoulder.
Zane’s parents moved to Lykos from Africa sixty years ago. Zane’s father, Mufasa, has been a fantastic asset to me ever since. Zane is a good warrior, but he seems to be slacking today, and that is not good enough!
I had my warriors training ten times harder today than usual. I don’t oversee training as a rule; Theo and Blaze do. Perhaps they aren’t tough enough on them. Though each man and woman did well at hand-to-hand combat today. I now have them sparring in groups of eight. I want to know how they cope in battle. There may be hand-to-hand in war, but I guarantee half a dozen will attack at the same time.
‘You’re pushing them too hard.”
“Not hard enough, Blaze.” My cousin sighs.
“Thane, whatever has pis.sed you off; you shouldn’t take it out on the warriors. They all work damn hard every single day. Neither Theo nor I let them slack on training. But we don’t push them this hard, either. Six hours you’ve had them out here, Thane. Do you want them to crash and burn? What use to you will they be then?”
Blaze has a point, but I’m not satisfied.
“Halt!” All twelve hundred warriors stop moving, each one breathing hard. “Get some water in you, then shift! Twenty-mile circuit. Be back in half an hour. Last one back shovels horse sh.it for a week!”
“Yes, King Thane!” They yell in unison before guzzling water. They then strip and shift into their Lycans.
I watch as they run into the forest, leaving training equipment strewn all over the place. Messy bas.tards! They won’t be taking a break until everything is cleared away.
“Thane, what the hell has gotten into you?”
I scrub my eyes with the heels of my hands and sigh.
“Look, I know I’m being a di.ck. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“You’re worried about what’s coming with Astro.”
I scoff. “Who isn’t? I don’t like Lyric being away from me.”
Blaze raises his eyebrow while folding his arms across his big chest.
“She’s fine, Thane. Even if anything did happen, it’s not like she’ll die. It should be everyone else you’re worried about. Stop being so damn overprotective, Thane.”
Jagger pushes forward and growls.
‘What would you know about mates?’
Blaze’s Lycan flashes in his eyes. He’d tear out their throat if anyone else dared to stand up to Jagger like this. But Jagger has a soft spot for Ace. Goddess knows why because my Lycan has never told me. ‘I know more than you think!’
Jagger laughs. ‘You know nothing! Don’t tell me what to do with my mate. Until you find yours, keep your opinions to yourself, Ace!’
‘You selfish bas.tard!’ Ace yells, stepping into Jagger’s personal space. Not a good idea. ‘I gave up everything for you because I know you wouldn’t accept her!’
‘Jagger, step back!’ I yell at my Lycan.
Something Ace just said hit me upside the head. No one should give up their mate, not for me or anyone.
‘Deal with him, Thane. Cousin or not, he raises his voice to me again, and I’ll tear his heart out!’
Jagger steps back, and I instantly grab Blaze’s face between my hands. Ace is still upfront; he hasn’t relinquished control yet.
“Ace, what are you talking about?”
‘My mate, she was everything. But Blaze…
“Blaze, what?” I can see my cousin fighting for control; his eyes keep changing from black to blue. “Ace! Blaze! Talk to me.”
Blaze takes over, and a tear slips from his eye. I’ve never seen Blaze like this before. The last time I saw Blaze cry, he was four and had fallen over a tree stump.
“Blaze, what’s going on? Why didn’t you tell me you’d found your mate?”
He shrugs me off and adjusts his sword at his hip.
“Because I knew you wouldn’t understand. Humans can’t know about us, remember?”
“She’s human?”
Blaze nods.
Great!
Why would Selene do such a stupid thing?
Humans can’t be trusted; they spout their mouths off about our kind. Sane people don’t believe them, and they end up shunned, classed as crazy, or locked in mental asylums. There are shifters out there who end up with human mates. However, humans can’t feel the mate bond as paranormal beings can and often run from their mates because they’re overwhelmed and scared. They feel like they’re losing their minds and just want out. Of course, there are those who fall for their mates and stay with them. But a Lycan rarely has a human-fated mate, and I’m not big on letting those people stay in Lykos.
“Did she know what you are?”
“Yes, something to do with her step-uncle being a wolf. I wasn’t paying much attention. We met in a bar, and I knew she was mine the moment I saw her. I couldn’t stop Ace from wanting to mate with her. We ended up in bed together, but I didn’t mark her. I fought the urge, and I left before she woke up. I haven’t seen her since, I swear to you.”
I take a deep breath. “How long ago was this?”
“Two years.”
I close my eyes and shake my head. Two years is nothing for us, but the pain and longing to be with his mate must be excruciating for Blaze. I don’t want that for him; Blaze is a good man who deserves to be happy.
“Why didn’t you come to me when you found her? How could you keep this to yourself?”
“Because I knew what you’d say.” Blaze shrugs.
“You really think I wouldn’t allow you to claim your mate? Goddess, I thought you knew me!”
“I do know you, Thane. You don’t like humans on your territory, and I wasn’t about to put you in a position to force your hand. I’m not Tyler.”
“For fu.cks sake, Blaze!”
I’m angry that my cousin feels this way and that I made him believe I would be anything but supportive.
“It doesn’t matter; I’ll get over it, Thane. Tyler was okay for over a century. Besides, I couldn’t bring her here even if I wanted to; it’s too dangerous with Astro around. She’s human, and she wouldn’t survive if Astro attacked her. But give or take seventy or so years; she’ll no longer be living, then I can move on.”
“Blaze.” I sigh because this is fu.cked up.
I don’t want my cousin to pine for his mate for years the way my brother did. I know Blaze is correct in what he’s saying about Astro. Bringing a human here would only be safe once he’s sorted. But I don’t know if I could allow a human into the castle either. This is beyond fu.cked up!
‘And then some,’ Jagger huffs. ‘Trust Blaze to have a human mate. No one will ever accept a human here, Thane. They’d expect more from your Gamma, a Royal Prince of Lykos.
‘Jagger, please shut up. This isn’t easy, and Blaze is hurting. We need to think about what’s best for him, and if that’s finding his mate, we will. When all of this sh.it with Astro is dealt with, anyway. I won’t allow Blaze to suffer the way Tyler did. ‘You’re right; I’m sorry!
“You’re mate is back.” Blaze nods to the cars now pulling up outside the castle.
“We’re not done with the conversation, Blaze. Not by a long shot.”
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