Her Human His Lycan

Mate

Clay POV

"Release me," I demanded. The sound of clinking chains filled the air, intermingling with the low growl that escaped Ryan's throat.

"Not happening," he snarled, his voice laced with a mix of anger and satisfaction. "You're lucky we're even keeping you alive right now. She's the only reason you're breathing."

Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to comprehend why she was here. The woman who had captured my thoughts, the one I couldn't shake off, was one of them, a wolf. The sight of her, vulnerable, made my heart ache, conflicting emotions warring within me.

"Your weapons harmed her," Ryan snapped, his voice dripping with disdain. "Sure, she'll survive without your aid, for she is far stronger. But will you really let her suffer right now?"

"She's a wolf," I managed to utter.

Ryan's eyes bore into mine, his gaze filled with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Let me guess, now you hate her," he sneered, his voice laced with bitterness. "Take a good look, Clay, at what you've been hunting, at what you've been calling a beast. Because she just risked her life, her identity for you."

"Now, are you going to tell me where the antidote is, or would you prefer she suffer through the effects?" Ryan snapped.

"Blue vial in a small leather pouch on the side of my belt," I said. Ryan pulled me forward and grabbed it. He examined the vial, opening it and sniffing it before putting it to his lips as if testing it.

"It's natural and safe," he muttered. He then moved over to Emma, lifting her head onto his lap. Despite knowing what she was, I couldn't bear to watch him touch her. What was wrong with me?

Emma began to cough and squirm against him, causing the sheet to slip down and expose her naked body. But my eyes were only drawn to the bruises on her sides. Without saying a word to me, Ryan helped her with the sheet and then went to a bag nearby. He pulled out a large shirt and said to her, "When we get to the pack lands, I'll make sure better clothing is provided. But this should be enough to provide coverage for now." He then went back to Emma and helped her put on the shirt. She flinched, causing him to growl. Suddenly, he snapped up and punched me hard in the gut. Blood filled my mouth.

"Don't," Emma's voice rang out.

"He did this to you. He deserves to suffer," Ryan said to her.

She spoke to him without even looking at me. "He had no clue. He's human," she said.

"He knows enough to attack. He knows more than you think, Emma. I understand your reasoning for protecting him, but many will seek justice. Lives were lost due to his actions, and I'm well aware that some of the students were from the kingdom. You're a leader, Emma. How will it look to your people if they know you're protecting him instead of allowing him to be punished for his crimes?" he asked her.

I coughed, trying hard not to show how injured I truly was. They would only use it against me. Finally, Emma turned to me, but there was something different about her. Her eyes were purple. "No," I muttered. Not only was she a wolf, she was the Lycan princess. She was the one, the white creature that had saved me from the wolves earlier.

"Hes hurt Ryan, unlike us he can't heal. We need to treat him," Emma demanded.

"We will once we reach my pack lands," he assured her.

"I can't let you take us there. Many want justice," she told him. "In my bag, my phone. Call Jennifer and get her address. She'll help me." Ryan nodded and moved to the front of the car.

"Thank you, Ryan," she said. Emma avoided looking at me again. When Ryan finished his call, he returned to the back and glanced at Emma before coming over to me. He forcefully pulled my head back, covered my eyes with fabric, and put something in my mouth.

"Don't hurt him," Emma pleaded.

"He can't see where we're taking him. He's still your enemy. You can't trust him," Ryan replied. "I'll drive now. Come up front with me, Emma."

Silence fell as they switched seats. The car ride felt endless. When we finally stopped, they left me behind briefly. The door opened, and I was pulled out. Exhausted, darkness claimed me.

________

I woke up in an unfamiliar room, no longer blindfolded or gagged, but still tied up. My shirt was off, and there was a bandage on my injured spot. Emma entered the room, and our eyes met briefly. "Why did you save me?" I asked. "Back when the wolves attacked me, it was you. Did you follow me?"

She looked at me, her eyes reflecting pain. "I saved you because fate has tied me to you, Clay, whether I like it or not. I can't let harm come to you, even when it's deserved."

"So you really are one of them," I spoke, my voice laced with a hint of anger.

"You speak as if I am poison," she said, her voice trembling. "Not long ago, you requested that I wait for you. You expressed your feelings for me. I'm still the same person you said those things to."

"Your kind killed my family," I retorted, my voice steady yet heavy with sorrow. "So, yes, you are poison to me, a danger to humanity." Even as the words spilled from my lips, I felt a pang of guilt. It was hard to hate her, no matter how much I wanted to. There was an inexplicable pull towards her, a desire to protect and ensure her well-being.

She took a step closer, her presence enveloping me. Her eyes, filled with determination, met mine.

"If you truly lost your kind to werewolves," she began, her voice softening, "I'm sorry. I can't imagine such a loss and the toll it may take. But let me ask you something: should I judge you for what occurred at the training academy? Should I say you are a monster who does not deserve to live?"

"You judge me and my kind based on a select few," she explained, her voice tinged with frustration. "We don't wish harm to humans. In fact, many of us long for peace. Humans already live amongst us, within our communities. It is the hunters, those you have aligned yourself with, who spread lies to see our downfall. But it is not for the sake of humanity, as you claim. It is for power they wish to obtain."

"I've been with the hunters since I was a child. It is in no way about power,"I insisted.

She stepped closer, her hand gently resting on my chest, tracing the large scar that marred my skin. It sent a shiver down my spine, a mix of pleasure and pain.

"A wolf did this to you, didn't they?" she asked softly, her fingers lingering over the scar. I nodded, unable to find words to express the depth of the encounter.

"Yes," I replied, my voice barely a whisper. I could feel the weight of her gaze upon me, her eyes searching for something beyond the physical wound.

"I can't blame you for hating my kind. But are you any better, Clay, when you go off to kill?" she asked.

I remained silent, feeling the weight of her words sinking in. As she shook her head, her hair swayed gently, casting shadows on her face.

"This room is spellbound," she said. "There is no way out until the spell is removed. But trust me, this is far better than the cell many wish you to be in right now."

"I'll remove your bindings," she continued, her touch gentle yet firm. As she released the restraints, I felt a slight tingling sensation in my wrists.

"I advise you not to move too much until you're fully healed," she cautioned, her voice filled with concern.

"What do you intend to do with me?" I asked.

"I don't know," she replied, her voice laced with uncertainty and a hint of anger.

"It was Liz," I confessed. "She is the one who led the group that set off the bombs."

"So, your girlfriend," she said, her tone filled with bitterness. I reached out to her.

"Don't," she snapped, her voice filled with pain. I could see her chest rising and falling rapidly, a sign that she was struggling to keep her composure.

The door creaked open, breaking the suffocating atmosphere. Another woman entered. She glanced at Emma with concern, her eyes scanning her face for any signs of distress.

"Is everything okay, Emma?" she asked.

"Yes, I have everything under control," Emma replied, her voice carrying a hint of fatigue. "I need you to make a memory potion, one that is safe for a human. Can you do that?"

"Yes, I already have some. I can go grab one," the woman offered. "I'm assuming it's for him?" she asked, her eyes darting towards me. Emma's gaze shifted towards me, her expression filled with a complexity of emotions.

"Yes, it is," she confirmed. The woman disappeared momentarily, leaving me alone with Emma.

"Unfortunately, for now, we are stuck together," she said, her voice tinged with frustration. "But hopefully, someone can find a solution and a safe way to break this thread of fate."

"You're my mate, Clay," she finally revealed. "And for me, I unfortunately only get one. But trust me, I'll do everything in my power to find a way around this." The weight of her words hit me like a physical blow, causing my heart to ache with a bittersweet longing.

So, that's why I had these unexplainable feelings for her. I understood the concept of a mate bond, but the question still remained: Why me? Why would I, a mere human, be destined to be the mate of the lycan princess?

"This may feel like torture to you," Emma said softly. "But it's not meant to be that way."

"I'm going to figure out who killed your family," Emma continued.

"In return," she said, her voice unwavering, "you will help me put an end to the hunters, the ones in control."

"I will show you just how blind you have been, Clay," Emma said, her voice tinged with sadness. "I will show you that the true beasts are you guys."

"If you help and do not fight me," she promised, her voice gentle yet resolute, "I promise your life will remain protected."

The other woman reappeared, her presence barely noticeable. She handed a vial to Emma. Emma turned to me, her eyes filled with a mixture of concern and determination.

"I don't want to force you," Emma said, her voice filled with sincerity.

"Tell me what to do, I won't fight you," I responded, my voice trembling slightly.

"Get in the bed and take this," Emma instructed, her voice soothing yet urgent. "It will force you into a deep sleep, one that will take you back to the past and reveal the source of your anger."

Oddly, I believed her. Despite my reservations and the hatred I held for her kind, there was a flicker of trust within me. The feeling was bittersweet, a mix of longing and vulnerability. Emma handed me the vial, its cool glass against my fingers.

I drank its contents in one swift motion, feeling its bitter taste on my tongue. Almost instantly, a drowsiness washed over me, like a thick fog descending upon my mind.

"Don't fight it," the woman beside Emma urged, her voice fading into the background.

As darkness consumed my vision, I managed to whisper, "Promise me you will be here." The sound of my own words trailed off, lost in the abyss. And with that, I surrendered to the unknown.