Defying the Lycan King (Kira and Derek) novel Chapter 258

Chapter 258: Hearts Out

The summit was over, and the courtyard of the Pinewood Pack had filled with light and soft music.

It was a vast, elegant space, the kind of grounds only one of the oldest Lycan bloodlines could boast, and tonight it was crowded with Kings, Alphas, Betas and Lunas circling one another with drinks in hand, all of them networking, weighing and measuring.

The dinner party marked the end of it, and for the first time in longer than anyone cared to count, the Lycan Kings had actually agreed on something. Set their differences aside and formed a united front against the Shadow King.

The werewolves, though. That, they had not agreed on.

Most of them were still deeply sceptical about fighting shoulder to shoulder with werewolves, and Derek could hardly blame them, not with the memory of the last Great War still sitting like a stone in the collective gut of their kind. Betrayal has a long half-life.

Derek stood near the fountain in a sharp burgundy tuxedo, listening politely to an Alpha and his Luna from one of the packs in Southern region.

"And your Queen?" the Luna asked brightly. "We heard you are married now, Your Grace. We were so hoping to meet your Queen tonight."

Derek returned a polite smile. "She is a bit under the weather and could not make the journey. But she sends her regards."

Declan was a short distance away, deep in conversation with other Alphas and Betas. The evening felt productive, yet Derek’s mind kept drifting back to Dravengard.

Your Grace?

Derek frowned. Connor was speaking to him through the mind-link, clear as anything. Which was impossible, because the mind-link only worked in range, and Connor was supposed to be four hours away in Dravengard.

Connor. Derek’s eyes swept the courtyard. What in the goddess’ name are you doing at Pinewood? You’re meant to be in Dravengard protecting the Queen.

Connor hesitated. Actually... the Queen is here with me. She insisted she needed to see you tonight.

Derek excused himself mid-sentence, leaving the Alpha and his Luna blinking after him, and began cutting through the crowd.

Where are you?

In the parking lot, Your Grace.

Connor. He shouldered past a cluster of Betas without seeing them. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to drive her at night? The Umbras hit something almost every single night now. Almost every night, Connor.

With respect, Derek, Connor replied, and there was a distinct note of long-suffering in it. You know exactly what your Queen is like. You’re both stubborn as stone. She was coming here with me or without me, and I decided I’d rather it was with me. I brought enough gammas.

Derek had no answer to that, which irritated him considerably. He came out into the car park and stopped.

She was standing beside Connor’s SUV in an elegant cream dress that hugged her figure beautifully, her hair loose over her shoulders.

She looked composed, beautiful, and in fact, far too stunning for a woman who had just done something monumentally reckless. He halted, his breath catching.

Kira’s eyes moved, searching, and she found him across the lot. For a moment, they stared at each other. Then, as if pulled by the same invisible string, they both started moving at the same time.

When they met in the middle, Derek opened his mouth to speak, but Kira placed a finger gently against his lips.

"Shh," she whispered.

Derek went still, staring at her in confusion.

Derek froze. His brain short-circuited for a second. Every thought in his head stopped, and there was only the impossible fact of her mouth on his and the words still ringing in his skull. I love you. Said out loud to him. By her.

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