The Lycan Prince’s Puppy (by C Tamika) novel Chapter 372

Kylan

Tears still streamed down the queen’s cheeks, and an uncomfortable ache settled in my chest. Even after everything, I could not stand seeing her like this.

“I don’t know why I’m crying,” she huffed. “I regret the years we lost, but I suppose I brought this upon myself, didn’t I?”

I lowered my head and blinked hard, forcing my own tears away. When I looked up again, I saw the embarrassment in her eyes. She did not want us to see her like this either.

I stood up, and three heads snapped toward me at once. Kaelis, Kiora, and the queen all looked tense, as if they were bracing for something worse.

Maybe they thought I would walk out like I usually did. But I couldn’t.

Not anymore.

Instead, I stepped closer, gathered some courage, and wrapped my arms around the queen.

“Please don’t cry,” I whispered. “I didn’t say all that just to see you cry.”

I did not know why I did it, but I leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Maybe this was the comfort I had once hoped for, after everything that happened with Kayden.

“You’re right,” I said softly. “We need to stay together.”

After all, with everything that was coming, it felt like the right choice.

The queen took a shaky breath and rested her hand on my arm, as if she was afraid I might pull away. Her lips curved into the smallest smile.

“Yes.”

“And I’m twenty, not eighty,” I added with a quiet chuckle. “We still have plenty of time.”

I heard soft laughter to the side and turned to see Kaelis and Kiora wiping away their tears. It looked like the first real breath they had taken in a minute.

“I think this calls for a family hug,” Kaelis said brightly as she stood up.

I shook my head, but it was useless. They were already moving.

The two of them crashed into me from the side, nearly knocking the air from my lungs. I stiffened in surprise, completely unprepared. It took a moment before I relaxed, but when I did, it felt good, warm, and comforting in a way I had not expected.

These were not strangers, but my sisters. And if something ever happened to them before I could hold them like this, it would break me in a way I wouldn’t survive.

“Hey,” Kiora hummed against my cheek. “He hasn’t pushed us away yet.”

“Yet,” I mumbled. “And this doesn’t mean I suddenly find either of you less annoying.”

They both pulled back just enough to glare at me.

“Good,” Kaelis said. “I feel the same.”

Kiora nodded right behind her. “Yes, and can we eat now before everything gets cold?”

Kaelis mumbled something under her breath, and the two began bickering as they went back to the table. I followed, my chest feeling lighter than it had in years.

When I sat back down, my eyes locked with the queen’s as she looked at me across the table. Her eyes were still teary, but she wore a soft, motherly smile.

“Thank you,” she mouthed.

I reached out and took her hand, giving it a small squeeze. Then I pulled back, but she wouldn’t let me. She gave my hand a tug and shot me a desperate look, begging me not to let go yet.

I gave her a brief smile and stared back. It had been a long time since we had looked into each other’s eyes like this, and we stayed that way until breakfast was finished.

Kaelis and Kiora were already off to their next destination while I ended up standing in the hall with the queen, her ladies lingering at a respectful distance.

I gave her a tight smile as I searched for the right way to greet her. The right words, the right tone, the right everything.

It still felt strange.

The queen sighed deeply, breaking the silence first. “How was Kayden this morning?”

A frown appeared on my face. “How did you know I went to see him?”

“Just a guess,” she said simply.

I looked away for a moment, my jaw tightening. “Not much has changed,” I said. It felt safer than saying more. There was nothing anyone could do about the situation, or even Baelor, and there would be no point in telling.

That’s what we had all agreed on.

The queen’s gaze stayed on me. “There’s something more going on,” she said. “But you’re not telling me because you don’t trust me, do you?”

There was a sudden instinct to shut it down because I didn’t want to offend her, but she didn’t lie, and she had said it herself. I wanted to trust her with everything. I really did, but unfortunately trust wasn’t something I could just hand over to her anymore.

“You’re right. I don’t.”

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