Defying the Lycan King (Kira and Derek) novel Chapter 150

Chapter 150: Piggy Back Confessions

The victorious howls finally faded, leaving only the rustle of leaves and the heavy silence that always followed pack justice.

Derek started walking into the woods. The others followed him without a word, picking their way through the trees, until they reached the place where the pack had caught up with Ruby.

Jessica took one look, turned pale, and immediately bent over, retching violently into the bushes.

"Oh goddess," she groaned between heaves. "I think I just lost my lunch... and possibly my soul."

Kai was beside her in an instant, one hand gently rubbing her back while the other held her hair out of the way.

"Easy there, love. Deep breaths. That’s it. You’re doing great. Most people don’t throw up quite so dramatically on their first pack execution. I’m impressed."

"I’m fine," she gasped, very clearly not fine. "I’m completely fine. This is a normal Tuesday for me."

"It’s Thursday," Kai said gently.

Jessica glared at him weakly between coughs. "You’re enjoying this far too much."

"Me? Never," Kai said with a grin, though his eyes were soft with concern. "I just like knowing my future wife has a weak stomach. Makes me feel useful."

The rest of the pack began to disperse one by one, heads down, murmuring quietly among themselves until only the royal family remained in the clearing.

Nana stood staring at what was left of Ruby, and tears welled in her eyes. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her usual calm cracking.

"I took that girl into my heart as a granddaughter," she said quietly. "Even now, after everything she did... somehow, it hurts me to see her end like this."

Derek stayed completely silent, eyes fixed on the remains of the woman he had known since she was a child.

Kira looked at him, and even though his face gave away almost nothing, she saw it.

The hurt sitting underneath. And she did not blame him for it. Ruby had been cruel and calculating and she had nearly destroyed both of them, but she had also been woven through the whole fabric of his life.

You could not cut something like that out without bleeding.

Kai stepped forward and clamped a hand on Derek’s shoulder.

"Bury what’s left of her," he said. "Not for her, but for Jasper. Let that be the last thing you give him."

Derek gave a small, slow nod.

Kai turned and began steering the women back toward the path to the estate.

Connor reappeared as they walked back, having changed into a simple shirt and shorts.

When Kira saw him, she said, "You should let me take care of that wound, Connor."

Connor raised an eyebrow, amused. "Your Highness, it’s barely a scratch, and we heal quickly, remember?"

"Still," Kira insisted, already tugging him toward the path. "Move, Gamma. Doctor’s orders.

***

Later that night, once the estate had finally settled and the worst of the day had been folded away, Kira found Derek exactly where she expected him to be.

He was standing alone on the edge of a high cliffside, the one that looked out over the whole of the kingdom, the lights of Dravengard scattered below like fallen stars.

She limped her way over to him. He did not turn around when she arrived. He simply kept staring out at the dark, the night breeze tugging at his hair and his clothes.

She knew he wasn’t in a good place right now, so she simply stopped beside him and stood there in silence for a while, letting the wind do the talking.

Eventually she cleared her throat. "So," she said. "I nearly fell over twice getting up here. Just so you’re aware. If I had gone over this cliff, the story of the great Lycan King would have ended with his wife being defeated by a slightly uneven path."

Derek didn’t reply, but the corner of his mouth twitched.

Kira took that as encouragement.

"And Jessica," she said. "Jessica has decided she is a hardened warrior now. She threw up in a bush less than six hours ago and she has spent the entire evening telling Kai that she has, and I am quoting her exactly, seen worse. She has not seen worse. She cried during a documentary about ducks."

A low chuckle finally escaped him.

Kira grinned, pleased with herself. "There he is. I was starting to worry you’d turned into an actual statue. The palace gardener was already asking if he should water you twice a week."

Derek turned to face her at last. The tension in his shoulders eased just a fraction. "You really are impossible," he muttered, but there was no heat in it.

Kira smiled softly. "I’m glad you’re laughing now."

She reached out and lightly touched his arm.

"What happened today was not your fault, Derek," she said gently.

"Any of it. And I think you know that, somewhere underneath all the noise you’re making at yourself up here. Whatever Jasper would feel about today, it would not be blame. He would not blame you for not being able to save her from herself. No one could have."

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