Thane
I growl at the woman standing in the doorway. She’s tall, dark-haired, and looks as though she wants to tear me apart. She won’t get anywhere; I’d rip her to shreds before she could blink!
I won’t let this b.itch anywhere near my mate. The Fairy King could have sent her for all I know. It doesn’t matter that I can sense the wolf within; Astro could have easily gotten her to do his bidding. No one is getting near Lyric; they’ll have to get through me first!
“Lyric, Harmony,” The woman smiles.
“Who the hell are you?” Theo demands while pushing Harmony behind him, protecting his mate from the crazed-looking woman.
I take Lyric’s hand in mine, entwining our fingers because I need to feel her somehow. I have to know she’s right beside me, safe and sound.
“Who I am is no concern of yours, Lycan Prince. Lyric,”
I growl, cutting the woman off. “You were asked a question, wolf. Who are you?”
She bares her neck slightly in submission, unable to resist my Alpha aura. Not that she had a choice in the presence of the king. Even the enemy will submit when forced.
“My name is Alisha. Lyric and Harmony are my brother’s daughters.”
‘I know it’s been six years, but do you recognize this woman, Lyric?’ I ask through the mind link.
‘No, I’ve never seen her before. My father had a sister that moved to England with her mate, but I never met her. I don’t sense any lie from her, though, so she could be who she claims.’
Interesting, Lyric can also sense lies as I can.
“My mate does not know you, woman.”
“She wouldn’t,” Alisha folds her arms around her chest. “I haven’t seen the girls since they were two years old. I moved to England with my mate when the girls were toddlers. I returned to America upon hearing of my brother’s passing.
“My parents informed me how Elena’s sister had taken the girls, and no one saw them again. It didn’t matter how many requests were sent to Lennix about visitation, but none were ever granted.
“My father, the former Alpha of Black Water Pack, received a letter a few years ago,” She swallows back her emotions before carrying on. “The letter informed my father of Emily’s passing and that Lyric and Harmony had died with her, so we had to stop sending messages. It didn’t make any sense because Emily died in childbirth. How could the girls have died with her? But Lennix was adamant that they were gone; they’d been killed by a rogue the same day Emily passed away, and there was nothing he could have done to save them. Do you have any idea what it was like for my family to be told the girls had been killed?”
Lyric clutches my hand tighter. I can feel her anger as if it were my own.
“I can only imagine,” I acknowledge.
“Two weeks ago,” Alisha continues as if I hadn’t spoken. “I received word from Gamma Caleb, we’d spoken years ago, and I was shocked to hear from him. He said I should return home, that the girls were alive, and Lennix had been lying to my family all this time.
“I didn’t believe him, of course, so he called me. Hearing his words about Lennix and his Beta’s actions broke my heart. Caleb told me he’d written to the Lycan council, requesting the king visit Hell Howlers. Caleb believed you would put an end to Lennix’s reign of terror, and the girls would finally be safe.”
So it was Caleb who brought me here. I had wondered who’d contacted the council, and I realize the man had to do something to help Lyric and Harmony. I’m glad he did, or I might never have found my mate.
“Caleb told me to prepare for his next call, that once the king found out that Lennix was dirty, he wouldn’t be a problem any longer. I arrived back in the US three days ago, and Caleb called me half an hour ago. I arrived to find out the girls would be moved. So again, you aren’t taking them anywhere. I don’t care who you are!”
“And I suppose a Beta wolf-like yourself is going to stop us?”
“That’s enough.” Lyric shakes her head at me. “Harmony and I are leaving with you and Theo, Thane.”
“But,”
Lyric lets go of my hand. She shakes her head at Alisha while stepping closer.
‘Your Queen isn’t afraid to stand up to you.’ Theo chuckles inside my head. ‘She’s feisty, Thane.’
‘I know,’ I mumble. ‘Lyric is more than the average wolf.’
‘She’s fairy. The pack won’t like that, Thane. Lykos has never had a hybrid queen. It’s bad enough she’s not Lycan; can you imagine what the elders will say?’
‘I don’t give a shit what they say. Lyric is my mate, and she will be their Queen!’
“The King of Lykos is my mate,” I sense pride in Lyric’s voice, and it makes my heart swell. “Prince Theo is Harmony’s mate. Our place is with them, just as your place is with your mate.”
“I know,” Alisha sighs in defeat. “But I spent six years wondering if you were out there. Five years grieving you, though I knew you weren’t really dead. You have a big family out there, and all we want is to know you.”
“Maybe one day, that will happen. But Harmony and I have been through so much, and what we need right now is to get to know our mates while we heal.”
A tear slips from Alisha’s eye as she nods in agreement.
“Aunt Alisha?” Harmony moves to Lyric’s side and smiles.
“You look so much like your mother.”
Harmony giggles as Alisha cups her cheek. She reaches her other hand to Lyric, who steps back, avoiding her aunt’s touch.
“Lyric, I would never hurt you.”
“You won’t get the chance.” Lyric growls, showing her Alpha power and making her aunt submit by showing her neck.
Impressive.
Harmony shoots Lyric a wide-eyed look before turning to her aunt. “Aunt Alisha, Lyric has a touch phobia. She didn’t mean to be sharp with you.”
Touch phobia?
I wouldn’t have guessed. Lyric was okay with me touching her.
‘You’re her mate, dickhead. Your touch is probably like a soothing balm to Lyric. Think about it, have you seen anyone else other than Harmony touch Lyric since she woke up?’
‘And you call me a dickhead? Since Lyric woke up, she’s seen me, Theo, and the doctor. No one else has been in the room on my order.’
‘Touche.’
“I understand. I don’t wish to hurt either of you; I just want to get to know you. Can you understand that?”
Harmony nods her head. “I do, but Lyric and I need a little time. Can you give us that? Just long enough to settle into our lives with our mates? It won’t be forever, just a few weeks.”
“Of course,” Harmony allows Alisha to hug her. “But please take my number and keep in touch?”
“Of course, I’d like that.”
‘I want to leave, Thane.’ I hear Lyric’s voice inside my head. ‘You said you’d take me back to Lykos with you.’
‘I will take you with me, Lyric. I would never leave without my mate.’
‘Then please, can we go now? I hate this place, Thane. I don’t want to be here anymore. I can’t take all the secrets popping up, people coming out of the woodwork. I can’t take anymore!’
“No!” Harmony yells, grabs Lyric and hides Lyric’s face in her neck.
“What the fuck just happened?”