The Lycan Princess's Silent Mate

2 - Something is not right

Ivy

“This place doesn’t look too bad.” My cousin Sebastian says as we exit the car.

I lean back against the car while looking up at the three-story packhouse. It doesn’t look like anything special. Sure, the pack grounds are perfectly manicured, the houses are all clean, and the packhouse seems nice. But there are no trees around Claw Meadow Pack. Where I grew up, there were trees everywhere. A vast forest surrounds Knight Castle, stretching hundreds of miles around Lykos. Yet this far out, there isn’t much nature to be seen.

That seems so odd to me. Wolves need nature; it’s where they’re happy. But this place seems more like a place humans would live. They have a massive town, with many stores that I’ve only seen in the human world. Okay, I went there once with Blaze and Rain, and I didn’t see everything, but still.

“It’s not all that.” Echo, Sebastian’s mate, mumbles.

“Aww, my baby,” Sebastian laughs while kissing Echo’s head. “We’ll only be here until tomorrow; then, we can return to comfort.”

I tune the two of them out. I can’t deal with them being all lovey-dovey. I wouldn’t begrudge anyone their happiness, but I can’t deny I’m a little sour. The Moon Goddess gave me two mates, and neither wanted me.

I’ve wondered many times what’s wrong with me. Being rejected once is painful, but being rejected twice is excruciating. I survived because neither man ever touched me, so the bond wasn’t strong enough for me to succumb to it.

The first guy, James, rejected me because he was gay and couldn’t see himself with a woman. Not that he told me that initially. No, the pig was vile to me and said things he would have died for if my father had heard him. Actually, my dad did attack him, but the man isn’t dead.

I met my second-chance mate at Dark Moon. My cousin Winter and her mate Fenrir are Alpha and Luna there. For a second, I thought Joe would accept me. I dared hope I was good enough. But the first thing Joe asked was my name. I gave it to him, and he immediately rejected me. It hurt so much, but I understood when he explained that he had a family with his chosen mate and wouldn’t leave her, even for his destined mate.

I was just glad he didn’t take advantage of me and then reject me. I’ve heard of that happening more than once to others. Some can’t control the Lycan within, and they mate with the one meant for them. When it’s all over, they reject their mate and leave them. I shudder to think what might have been if Joe hadn’t been so respectful.

I’ve tried since that day to move on, and I have for the most part. But it’s not easy seeing loved-up, mated couples all around me. Even my younger brother is mated.

What’s wrong with me?

Why am I not good enough?

Why would the Moon Goddess cause me so much pain?

Two years ago, Hel told me there was someone out there for me. Death, she told me. Death would be mine. I didn’t have a clue who she meant by that, and it scared me.

Who wants to be mated to Death!?

Lucifer told me I would be the one to save his brother. I didn’t even know Lucifer had a brother.

When Ares murdered me accidentally because I jumped in front of Levi and saved him, I was brought back to life. Aurora used the Stone of Cerberus and breathed life back into my body. But while I was dead, I saw a man wearing nothing but black trousers, and his body was sculpted like a God of old. I couldn’t see his face, but his shoulder-length black hair framed his face as he bent the knee and leaned over me.

I will never forget that deep, sexy voice and the way he whispered, ‘Find me, my love. I am waiting for you. Kiss me once and bring me back to you.’

I wanted to curl up in his arms and have him hold me for all eternity. I felt so warm and loved by a man whose name I didn’t know and whose face I never saw. I reached out my hand to touch him, but I woke up with a gasp.

When I woke up, I was confused. So many people surrounded me, but my eyes landed on my Uncle Thane. He’d been crying, thinking I had died. It hurt so much, and I couldn’t help jumping to my feet and rushing into his arm.

I wanted to know where Ares was because I wanted to smack him in the mouth. I was angry, and I wanted to hurt the God of War like I could take him in a fight. Of course, I couldn’t, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t have kicked him in the balls! Bastard men and their inflated egos!

Uncle Thane explained that Zeus had dealt with Ares, and I wasn’t to worry about anything else. It all worked out in the end. Ares and Triton returned to where they came from, and Aurora and Levi were safe once more.

Uncle Thane threw a massive party to celebrate Aurora and Levi, Sebastian and Echo, Mark and Sophie, and Katy and Everett’s mating. It was a fantastic night, and everyone enjoyed themselves. People came from far and wide to witness the mating ceremonies and to congratulate Katy on becoming Fairy Queen.

It turned out there wasn’t a curse on Valnor. Oriana, the previous Queen, was just an evil bitc.h who believed she could be better than Astro, the King before she became Queen. The people who followed them and still believed in their ways were the ones making Valnor an eerie place. However, Katy rid the city of those who sought to harm her people; now, Valnor is a prominent place. Everyone loves their Queen, and we are all so proud of Katy.

I still dream of my mystery man, who I know as Death, and wonder if I will ever find him. Even if I did, it’s not saying he will want me. It would be just my luck that he rejected me.

Why the hell wouldn’t he?

‘Because you know what they say. Third time lucky.’

‘Very funny, Freya.’ I roll my eyes at my Lycan.

“You okay?”

I nod at Uncle Theo. “Of course.”

He winks at me, making me chuckle.

Uncle Theo is Beta of the Royal Lycan Pack, and Uncle Thane, the Lycan King, entrusted Theo with dealing with this trip. The King had reports of abuse within this pack – too many complaints. Claw Meadow is not all it seems to be.

As future King, Sebastian came along with Echo. It’s all part of their training to become King and Queen of Lykos within the next few years. Adam, Theo’s eldest son, is also with us. Adam is built like a wrestler. He’s tall and packing muscle, thanks to all the training he does with our Warriors. Uncle Tyler sure likes to put the males in our family through their paces.

My mom thought it would be a good idea if I came along. I wasn’t too keen, but she said getting out of the house would be good for me.

You would think I wouldn’t need to get out of the house after spending weeks at Winter’s pack, a few more in the Fairy Kingdom with Aurora and Levi, traveling to Blue Fire for a couple of months and then traveling to Scotland to spend even longer with Grandma Moira’s family. Everywhere I went, I looked for Death, but finding him was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

However, over the past year or so, I haven’t been out of the house much at all. I began to get depressed, and it took me a while to pull myself out of it. I didn’t put up much of a fight and agreed to come because I didn’t want to wallow any longer.

“Heads up.” Adam tips his head toward the front door.

A tall, red-headed man, who I can tell is the Alpha, stands in front of three other men. They all look like him, so I assume they’re his sons. The only difference between these four men is the color of their hair. One is red-headed like the Alpha, and the other two are blond.

“Your Highnesses, it’s so wonderful to see you all.”

That’s right, Uncle Thane didn’t specify in his letter to the Alpha the reason we’re here today. When that happens, Alphas and Lunas tend to coach their pack members on what to say and how to act. Too much is hidden when that happens. So, as far as this Alpha is concerned, we’re on royal business, merely visiting packs on the outskirts of Lykos. We don’t get to see those packs often, but when we do, it shows the Royal Family cares about every subject.

“Alpha Jack.” Theo shakes hands with the Alpha.

As Theo introduces everyone, Alpha Jack shakes hands with us in turn.

“I would like to introduce my sons. Rodrick is my eldest and my Beta.”

The red-headed son shakes hands with the men, ignoring Echo and me.

Ignorant, sexist pig!

It’s also unusual for an Alpha’s son to be his Beta. Perhaps Alpha Jack’s Beta died, and Rodrick took his place.

“And this is Flynn and Eric, also my sons.”

“Welcome to Claw Meadow.” Flynn smiles while shaking my hand.

The instant his fingers touch mine, my eyes widen and cloud over. My arm shakes as visions fill my head. I see a man cowering on the floor. I can’t see his face because his long, sweat-soaked hair covers it. He’s naked from the waist up, barefoot, and wearing torn trousers. His tanned skin is also covered in sweat, and his slim body is quivering. He has slight muscle, but it’s easy to see he doesn’t eat much.

Standing over the man is Flynn, his brothers, and Alpha Jack. They’re laughing while beating the poor man. They call him names and spit on him.

‘This is what you deserve, Parasite.’ Alpha Jack mocks. ‘You’re worthless and unloved.’

‘Disgusting piece of shi.t!’ Eric yells while kicking the man in the ribs. It had to have broken them, but the man didn’t make a sound.

How is he so silent when it’s clear he’s in pain?

‘Why couldn’t you have just died instead of Mom?’ Flynn growls while grabbing the man’s hair and pulling his head back.

I gasp because he’s beautiful. Even with all the cuts, bruises, and dirt all over him, he’s stunning. His eyes are the strangest color I have ever seen, the darkest shade of brown I have ever seen—almost black!

‘One of these days, I will end you, and no one will stop me.’ With that, Flynn punches the man so hard in the face that it knocks him clean out. While he’s down, Alpha Jack and his sons continue to beat the poor man.

In shock, I yank my hand out of Flynn’s grip. He’s staring at me curiously. I don’t want to look at him; he disgusts me!

Those reports were accurate; there is abuse going on in this place. Abuse of the Alpha’s secret son locked away somewhere in this packhouse. At least, I think it was the packhouse. It was definitely a basement. It was dark and dank and had boxes everywhere.

‘I saw that,’ Sebastian mind-links me. ‘What did you see when he touched you?’

My ability can be a curse and a blessing. It doesn’t always work, and I can’t turn it on or off whenever I want. The visions come when they feel like it. It used to scare me, but I learned as a young teenager that my ability activates when someone needs help the most.

‘Something I wish I hadn’t. Oh, Seb, there’s a poor soul somewhere in this house, abused and almost broken. The secret son of the Alpha. We have to find him before it’s too late.’

We just have to.