The Lycan King novel Chapter 55

Avalyn

I tried to pull my hand from his grasp but he didn't budge. My eyes widen as I saw Leikos and Darius walk out in front of me.

"Dimitri. What are you doing? Please! Dimitri! Leave me." I tried to wretch my hand away from his tight grasp.

I looked at the two men who had vicious smirks in their faces.

Darius walked towards me and grabbed my face. "Pretty little thing, isn't she?" He chuckled darkly.

"Why do you think Nikolai is stuck to her like a fucking leech?" Dimitri laughed maliciously.

I didn't recognise him.

Tears grew in my eyes as I looked at him. "Dimitri." A whisper left my mouth. "I considered you my brother. Nik consi—"

"Shut up." He growled. "I've had enough of your talking for the night. My fucking ears are bleeding."

"I saved you!" I sobbed. How can he do this? We were fine a couple of hours ago!

Is this really true? Is he really betraying us? His entire pack? Especially after I saved him today?

He let out a harsh laugh. "That was all a ploy. They wanted to see if you were were a Faye. I showed them. And I have Nikolai's trust. Enough to let him let me take you out alone like this."

My chin trembled as I looked in the face of a man I did not realise. His dark eyes didn't have the love and humour they usually held. He looked more...darker somehow. Dangerous.

My heart stammered. "B-but...you...brother.."

I tried to mind-link Nikolai but I couldn't feel him.

"Don't try to mind-link him. I mixed wolfsbane in your drink. You won't be able to use your powers either." He said.

Worry gripped my heart. What will I do now?

I have no option other than being strong. If I'm going to die right now, I'd rather die strong, with my head held high than with tears in my eyes and begging the traitor.

I reigned in my tears and spat, "You disgust me."

"I've been called worse." He said, unaffected.

"Enough." Darius hissed at both of us.

"I've not had such a beauty beneath me since a long time." He caressed my cheek with the back of his fingers.

Never in my life will I let anyone else touch me.

I kicked him in his ballsack, making him fall on his knees in front of me. Exactly where he belongs. And only my hands were bound, not legs.

"What do you want?" I demanded from Leikos as he watched Darius writhe on the floor. Dimitri was a lost cause. I was done talking to him.

"Your heart." He said.

"Why?" He wants my heart?

"I will be truly immortal. Nothing will kill me." He grinned.

Nothing?

I gulped.

I tried to take a step back but Dimitri had a tight hold on me.

I was trapped and had no where to go.

"You fucking cunt." Darius stood back up. "I will fuck you so hard that your mother will feel it in her pussy." He snarled.

Anger filled me. His disgusting mouth doesn't even deserve to talk about my mother.

"Don't you fucking talk about her." I tried to kick him in the balls again but he was quick and caught my knee.

"Not so fast." Dimitri said and pulled me, making me stand besides him. "I want my payment first." He growled.

"Which you will get. Give her to me!" Darius tried to get a hold of me but Dimitri punched him so he fell back.

"She is mine until you give me my payment!" Dimitri snarled.

"Bring her out." Darius hissed as his red eyes fell on me.

Bring whom out?

Two men brought out Sofiya. One of her eye was swollen shut and her lip was torn.

I gasped and tears grew in my eyes.

Was this the reason Dimitri was doing this?

"You told me you haven't touched her." Dimitri growled loudly.

"She talks too much." Leikos spoke. "We taught her some manners."

"Please don't touch her." I begged.

Not her. She's pregnant.

"Yes. You're much prettier anyways." Darius licked his lips.

I shuddered.

"Release her." Dimitri snarled and tightened his hold on me painfully.

The men released her and Sofiya sobbed as she came running and hugged her brother.

"Now." Dimitri spoke lowly.

Huh?

Suddenly, Dimitri pushed us behind him and the doors opened, a file of guards entering in the quarters.

Suddenly I was being hugged into someone's chest.

Nikolai's chest.

I hugged him tightly and broke down.

This is too much.

Too much for one day.

I can't do this anymore. I want to go home. I want to walk around in my home without guards and feeling scared of getting ambushed. I want things to go back to the way they were.

"Shh...you're safe. I've got you." He kissed my forehead and caressed my head.

My breath hitched as I tried to control my breathing.

I looked over his shoulder and saw a lot of men. But mainly, I saw Darius and Leikos being captured.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I cried.

"Your reaction had to be natural." He whispered. "I'm sorry. And Sofiya's life was in danger. We couldn't spoil the plan."

Sofiya.

I released him and looked around for her. She was hugging Vladimir and crying.

I rushed to her, pushing past the men standing around. "Sof!"

She turned to me and hugged me.

"I'm so sorry!" I cried. I am such a bad sister! She was kidnapped and I didn't even realise it!

"It's fine. It's fine. I'm okay." She tried to calm me.

I should be the one to calm her!

I tried to heal her wounds but my powers really weren't working.

Dammit.

"When did this happen?" I asked her.

"This afternoon. I was out for a walk in the garden and a couple of guards came and told me that Vladimir had called for me. They brought me here and then I suddenly blacked out. When I woke up, I realised I was tied to a chair." She closed her eyes in pain.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you." I murmured. She doesn't deserve this. Sofiya is the kindest person I know.

"It's fine. I'm happy they didn't catch you first." She said. "They would have killed you immediately."

"I thought I was going to die." I said softly.

"Not on our watch." Nikolai said from behind me, his arm coming around my waist. I placed my hand over his.

"Thank you." I heard someone say.

I turned to look at the source and realised it was Zora.

What is she doing here?

"We should thank you for coming out and helping us." Nikolai said.

What did she do?

"I saw two guards come out of Louis's house one day. I didn't know what was going on so I didn't say anything. The same say, I saw your Quarter getting attacked. Which can't happen unless the guards are ordered to do so or are offered money. Which only Darius and Leikos can do. Then I saw the mark on the men's arm. Which meant that the guards had stolen the branding iron from Louis's house. They used that to mislead you into thinking that the followers of Sacredos were after you. Which they aren't. No one likes Louis in Mozog. He has always been a pervert. I saw you and King Nikolai take those wet books. I know about the immortality that comes from eating a Faye's heart. I made the connection," she said.

"I don't tell you certain things to keep you safe!" He gritted.

"That's not keeping me safe. That's keep me in a false sense of security." I gritted back. "None of us will gain anything out of that. It's as good as lying to me!"

"I'm not a fucking liar." He growled.

"You are not." I agreed.

"But you are scared. Scared of me seeing things you don't want me to see. So much that you go out of your way to keep me in the dark." I added softly.

He went quiet at that.

"You have no idea how cruel this world can be Ava. What people can do for money and power. And their own amusement. And I will shield you from it all. As long as I can." He spoke quietly.

"I have first hand knowledge of how cruel the world is, Nik. I've seen it. I've lived it. Which is why I know there is good in the world too. I've seen it. And I'm living it right now." I told him. "Don't keep me in the dark, Nik. You can't shield me forever."

"I can try." He looked at me.

"I don't want you to." I whispered.

There was a knock on the door. Nikolai cast me a glance before his opened the door a bit and stood in front of it so no one could see inside.

"I need to talk to her." I heard Dimitri say.

"Not right now." Nikolai tried to close the door but Dimitri put a hand in between. "Please?"

"Give us a minute." Nikolai said and shut the door. "Go wear some clothes."

I motioned the slave to get me the clothes I told her to get and she ran in the dressing room and came back, handing me the pyjama and a loose top.

I wore them and then nodded at Nikolai to open the door.

"Can I come in?" Dimitri asked and entered before I could reply.

He looked determined as he walked to me and stood in front of me.

He kneeled on one leg in front of me and bowed his head. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I understand." I said softly. "Please stand up, Dimitri."

He lifted his head pinned me with his green orbs. "I also want you thank you for saving my life. It was not supposed to go that far in that hallway."

"It's fine. Please stand up." I said, not wanting him to kneel in front of me.

"I want to offer you something." He spoke, his voice soft.

"What?" I asked. What did he want to give me? I didn't want any gifts. I didn't want anything. He did it all for Sofiya and I completely get it.

"A blood oath." He spoke.

My breath hitched.

"You saved my life. I want to prove it to you that I will be loyal and grateful to you for as long as I will live." He continued.

My eyes snapped to Nikolai's and he nodded.

He thinks I should do it.

"Are you sure?" I asked, feeling anxious.

"I've never been more sure about anything else in my entire life."

Shakily, I offered him my right hand.

He undid the buttons off his shirt and took it off. He extended his claws and clawed his chest, right over his heart. The skin tore easily and the wound started bleeding immediately.

He took my hand in his and made a small cut in the middle of my palm before he placed it over the bleeding wound on his chest.

"I, Dimitri Volkov, Beta of The Rogue Pack solemnly vow to loyally serve Avalyn Volkov, Luna of the Rogue Pack, Queen of Mozog for as long as I shall live." He vowed as we both looked into each other's eyes.

I felt a surge of power flow from him and up to my arm which finally settled in my heart.

"You have done a good job today, child."?I caressed his cheek.?"You have been brave and made the right choice."

"I could not have chosen a better Beta for me than you, Dimitri. You still have a long way to go. I hope you make the right choices for yourself and the ones you love."?I titled his head up and kissed his forehead.

"Release all the guilt you have held in your heart, child. It's not your fault. It was how it was supposed to happen."?I placed my hand on top of his head.

"Protect the King.

Protect the Queen.

The time is coming."?I spoke.