Traded To The Lycan King by MG Wattsons

*Hayes*

Dean frowns, a heavy sigh escaping him as he places his hands on his hips and weighs what | have told him.

"And you think it's a good idea?" He asks, finally looking up.

"No, but | think it's our best option." | admit. "Is it ideal? No, not at all, but I'm trusting my instincts here."

He smirks, his cheek dimpling as he tries to hold back a chuckle.

"Forgivefor saying this, Hayes, but since | have known you, all your instincts have done is find us in fights,

almost dying."

"That was anger. This is logic. It's obvious that what we have been doing isn't working, so we need to pivot. Find

a better angle, a better plan, and | think this is the way to go." | admit. "Look, | know trust is hard past a certain

extent with me. But if you could just afforda little grace here, it would help—"

"I trust you." He says, cuttingoff, the skin around his eyes wrinkling as his brows furrow. "What | need to

know is that you can trust yourself."

My lips press together, and | look away, my gaze drifting to Kyra where she stands and stretches as the others

wake everyone up. Can | trust myself when | don't even know what the hell to do about her? About this

disgusting spring of hope flowing in my gut? | want her; | want a life with her, all the while knowing | deserve no

such thing and | can't ever have it.

"That will be something | have to figure out along the way."

"Hmm," Dean mulls in thought, and | cross my arms over my chest, watching him.

"Hmm what?" | ask, and he looks at the others.

"You should at least take Marcos with you." He exhales. "Four is better than one."

"Marcos is a great fighter, but he will only cause tension. We already have tons of that with taking the dragon

with us."

"Yo! You guys ready?" Koda hollers over to us. | give Dean a firm nod and he givesa weak smile.

"Well, | guess if all goes well, we will see you soon enough." He reaches out for my hand as | slap mine into his,

seizing it in a firm grip.

"You will seesoon. Just make sure you stick to the plan, okay? No letting people wander off and search for

us." | say firmly. "Marcos will not follow you guys."

"Good. When you see my brother..." | pause, swallowing the roughness in my throat, "Tell him | hope to see him

soon."

His eyes widen, but instead of asking questions, he nods his head.

"Sure thing."

| reach down near my feet, swooping up two bags, mine and the one | prepared for Kyra. As | stride over to her,

my heart thuds like a drum before going into war. | am putting my faith in her and her dragon friend to find Ezrah

and get what we need. Knowing what | know now, | realize that the mission of just simply finding the egg is truly

just the beginning of the journey.

"You two cwith me." | say, walking past them and into the woods.

Dean calls the others with him, the two of us agreeing it would be much faster with a lot less bitching if we just

separate and explain to our group the plan. Kyra and Teiran don't utter a word, the two just following until we

have walked far enough that Kyra clearly grows curious as she slides up next to me. My lip twitches up into a soft

smile, a weird sense of excitement growing in my stomach.

"Yes?" | say, feigning annoyance.

"Just curious what the plan is." She shrugs like she isn't interested.

"We walk this way until you pick up a scent or see something." | shrug and she cranes her head to look at me.

"And the others are hanging out at camp?" She asks, her eyes narrowing as she picks on the fact | am not being

exactly forthcoming with all the information | have.

| cto a stop, turning to face her as Teiran walks up to us.

"We will find Ezrah on our own from

now on. The others have gone to inform Merikh and Colette of who

we have found and hopefully semet

what they think of our

new..parasite." | say, looking right at him.

Teiran seems amused by my comment, but he says nothing, only nodding his understanding.

"You think that all of us will be able to take on Ezrah?" She asks, shocked.

"No. | think Teiran and | will be able to take him on while you get the egg."

She scoffs, looking away before she looks at the ground, her tongue pressing against her inner cheek as she tries

to find patience.

"You wantto steal the egg and run off and leave you two to fight a Fae?"

"I have fought many Fae." Teiran says, his tone flat and unoffended.

"See? Between the two of us, one has fought fae before. It will be fine." | tease her and she glares at me, then

her tongue darts out and licks her lip, wetting the plump rosy flesh. My lycan stirs, wanting to cforward and

take her and yank her toand claim her. But that's not something we will do, or can do.

"Hah, Hah." She barks out a fake laugh. "So happy you found a sense of humor now."

"You are the one who wanted to split up. This was kind of your idea if you think about it."

"Great. You get yourself killed and | get the blfor it. How quant for me." She mutters, stalking off.

"How does this plan mean he will die?" Teiran asks, givinga bemused look before following after her.

"I need quiet, Teiran, if | am supposed to be finding a trail." She hollers up to the sky, so she doesn't have to look

at us.

"Probably shouldn't be yelling then." | call out to her and | hear her grunt before she shootsan annoyed

scowl.

"I liked you better when you were mean." She hisses, then turns around, stepping to the left and into the trees.

"She said she didn't get much sleep last night. | assthat is where this temper comes from," Terian says, his

eyes wide, looking a little shocked by her change in mood. "That and she is hungry. And thirsty." | exhale.

"Mmm, the trifecta." He muses. "Do we have anything for her?"

"Yes. | do." | say, holding up the spare bag | packed especially for her.

"Do you plan to give it to her?" He asks, quirking a brow. "Or are you going to wait for her to realize she needs a

snack?"

| snort, shouldering both straps to our bags and pat them gently with a grin on my face.

"She's a big girl. She can tell us when she is hungry or needs a drink." Then | walk with him chuckling behind me.

"One would think you two are in love." Teiran says more to himself than to me, so | don't respond. | don't dare

hope to think love can exist between Kyra andagain.

This mate bond is here, thriving and

Her

pullingin but | know all too well that a mate bond isn't instant love. That is part of my pain over Leandra.

Knowing her, wanting her but yet having the chance to truly love the way she deserved. And giving that

opportunity to anyone else... it feels like a dishonor to her memory.

"Hey!" Kyra hisses under her breath, breaking through my inner thoughts, snapping her fingers frantically. "Get

over here. | found blood."