Page 34 of The Unwanted Mate of the Lycan Kings
“And you and him are—”
She quickly shakes her head.“What?No!It’s not like that...I’m human and a wit—”
“But you like him.”
“He’s sweet.”She shrugs.Maybe because she never witnessed his bad side like I have.
“What will happen to you when the king dies?”She shrugs, “I’ll die without lycan blood, and that’s okay.I’ll finally be able to go home.I’ll be set free.”She smiles sadly.
“You’re not scared?”She smiles.
“No witch fears death.We know it’s not the end.So I embrace what will come next.”I smile because that is precisely why I don’t fear my demise, any true witch doesn’t fear death because life and death go hand in hand.For something to be reborn it first must die, and energy never dies, not permanently.It forms into something else, and that is what we all are, energy.Expansion.Metamorphosis.Limitless.
“Come on, we can’t leave King Theron waiting.He can be quite impatient, and I know he wants to send you into town today.”
“Why?”I ask, moving to put on one of the skirts and tops Shelley gave me.
“For clothes for one.It’s getting chilly at night, even though the days are stiflingly hot.”She sighs.
“Can you come with me?”I ask her, and she nods and chews her lip.“Yes, but whoever’s care you’re under today will also be coming.”
“Whoever’s care I’m under?Can’t I just go with you?”
“It’s part of the king’s rules.Each day while he’s gone, one of his sons will be assigned to you until he returns.Once he does, you’ll choose whose kingdom you go to first.”
“What?”
Shelley scratches her neck nervously.“I’m sorry, but for two weeks, the king wants you to remain here with his sons, just to ensure he can trust them not to kill you.Then when we return, you’ll be told to choose which kingdom to go to first.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose.“This isn’t happening!”
“That is exactly why you need to run the moment you get a chance.I know the kings will kill you the moment you’re not under their father’s rule.They can’t kill you here, but in one of their kingdoms, it wouldn’t be hard to make it seem like you ran away or killed yourself.”I swallow, knowing she is right.I didn’t know I would have to travel between kingdoms.
“So come on, let’s see who you’ve been assigned to first and figure out your next move,” Shelley tells me, and I sigh.
“Hunter, come!”I call, following her out of the room.
The king has a schedule set up on a board when I enter the dining hall, a calendar of sorts, and I gulp back the dread when I see that today I will be with Regan.He does not look happy about it at all as he sits glaring at the board like he could set it on fire if he just glared hard enough.
“Zirah, finally you’re here!”
“Unfortunately!I was hoping she choked in her sleep!”Zeke sneers, glaring at me.
“Maybe if I’m lucky, you’ll choke on that damn ego of yours!”I spit back at him as I take my seat beside King Theron.
“Moon Goddess, why didn’t I make his mother swallow him?”King Theron mutters to the roof as he rubs his temples.I snort a laugh and Zeke mutters something, turning his gaze away, while Lyon looks appalled at his father’s words.
“As I was saying to my sons before you entered, I have assigned each day for the next two weeks between the three of them.Upon my return, and as long as none of them have forfeited the throne, you’ll choose whose kingdom you shall go to next.Think of this as a trial run, a try before you buy to help you pick which pig of a son you end up with,” King Theron snaps, glaring at Zeke.“You’ll be with King Regan today.He’ll take you into town to buy some clothes, and you’ll spend the rest of the day and night with him.Each morning at nine, you’ll be passed to the next.”
“When you say spend the rest of the day and night, does that mean every second of it?”I question not wanting to spend the night with any of these assholes.
“Precisely.You’ll live like a married couple.”
My eyes dart between the three kings, who all stare at me like this is my fault.“Nope!”I snap, sitting back and folding my arms across my chest.
“Zirah, must I remind you of what you agreed upon?These are the rules of this arranged marriage.At the end, you’ll pick which son you find worthy.”
“I’m not sleeping in the same room as any of them.I’d rather sleep in the stables!”
