Page 17 of Prey of the Lycan Queen (Unwanted #2)

Chapter Seventeen

After spending the majority of the day at Serenity, swimming, eating, and lazing around, we head back to the castle. As we emerge from the tree line, Agatha is waiting for us.

“Aggy?” Lyon smiles, moving toward her.

As the old woman grins, her face is a maze of wrinkles and creases, and her vibrant blue eyes glisten. “Lyon. My Queen. We were wondering if you’d be joining the rest of us for dinner tonight?” she asks, and I glance at Lyon.

“The choice is yours,” he tells me, and I nod, eagerly wanting to see what the city is like at night.

“Of course,” I tell her, motioning toward the winding path back to the city center.

We’re met with the joyful sound of children playing before we’ve even entered the city.

Their faint laughter carries over miles of wooden terrain, and when we finally break into the clearing, my heart leaps at the sweet sight.

The children are racing between chairs and the legs of adults carrying trays of fish.

It seems like everyone has a job, and the market stalls shift to an outdoor restaurant before my eyes.

Tables, picnic blankets, and fur rugs cover every inch of the place. Everyone brings a plate of something to contribute. Those who didn’t bring food brought games and musical instruments, and everyone helps set up.

I immediately jump in to help the women set up the tables and arrange food, and a few people begin to play music, which turns the children’s games into dancing and singing.

The homely atmosphere is something I never realized I craved, but being here shows me just how much I’ve had to live without.

Bread, cheese, and cold meat cover the tables, along with freshly picked and peeled fruits and vegetables. Small bonfires fill the scattered fire rings around the square, and a woman begins to pour drinks from kegs of punch and water jugs.

When Lyon returns with another man and a group of kids carrying wooden platters piled high with grilled fish, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride as he interacts with his people.

This is not the man who betrayed my mother.

He has truly beaten his sins and morphed into the opposite of whom he once was.

Gone were the days when Lyon desired only wealth and grandeur.

Now he finds contentment with his humble kingdom, dedicating himself to diligence and humility instead of greed and pride.

He no longer gives in to the temptation of his sins, but he shows grace and honor instead.

As the night wears on and the bonfires burn low, the laughter and chatter die down to a murmur. I find myself sitting next to Lyon on a fur rug, staring up at the star-filled sky. “This is beautiful,” I whisper, leaning my head against his shoulder.

Lyon wraps an arm around me, pulling me closer to him. “It is,” he agrees, his gaze fixed on the stars. “But not as beautiful as you.”

I blush at his words, feeling a warmth spread through my body when some children come over to us. Lyon sits up on one elbow, looking up at their dirty faces, and their smiles brighten. “Did you bring them?” one boy asks, and Lyon chuckles.

“Don’t I always?” he asks, and the two boys and a little girl smile brightly.

One boy with sparkling green eyes spins around to look behind him. “He did bring them. I told ya! I told ya!” the boy teases. Suddenly, dozens of children rush us.

“Who doubted me?” Lyon asks, crossing his arms and giving them a mock scolding look. He clicks his tongue waiting for an answer.

“Milo, did,” a little girl speaks up. She must be around seven.

“Did he now, Mimi?” Lyon asks. She nods eagerly, looking up at him. “So can I have his?” she asks.

Lyon pulls me to my feet before I am accidentally trampled by storming little feet as children rush him from every direction.

He grabs his bag and pulls the strap over my head, sitting it on my shoulder.

The bag is heavy, and I glance at him, but he smiles slyly.

I am tempted to look in the bag to see what causes such weight.

“Since when have I failed to bring them back from the High Kingdom?” he asks one of the boys who I assume is Milo.

“But you didn’t come down last night for dinner,” he shrugs innocently.

“So you assumed I didn’t bring them?” Lyon asks.

“He said you ate them!” The little girl laughs, and the boy hisses for her to be quiet, but she sticks her tongue out at him.

“Maybe I did,” Lyon tells them, scratching his chin.

“I don’t know,” he pulls out his pockets.

“I can’t feel them, so I must have,” he declares.

All the kids start tugging and pulling at him, knocking him over, and they wrestle him to the ground before checking his pockets.

His laughter is contagious. So many tiny hands prod and pull, and I can tell he is ticklish.

“Okay, okay, I didn’t eat them! I didn’t eat them! ” Lyon calls out.

“See, told ya, Milo,” Mimi huffs. Her blonde pigtails wiggle in the wind as she folds her arms across her chest, giving her meanest look, yet somehow, she only appears cuter.

“Then where are they? Milo asks. We shook you down and your pockets are empty!”

Lyon smiles deviously. “You shook me down. You’re right, I don’t have them.

..” The kids begin to pout as they let him up.

His eyes go to mine, crinkling at the edges as he smiles and lifts his finger, pointing at me.

“She has them,” he tells them. Simultaneously, the children all turn their big bright eyes to look at me.

“I have what?” I ask, still not having figured out what it is he promised them. When suddenly I see the inner savage that resides in Mimi.

“Get her!” she screams, and my heart soars as the kids charge at me like a herd of wild animals.

I squeal, turning and running for the fields. My laughter rings out as the kids chase me. Gnash, Hunter, and Shadow join the commotion, but they don’t seem to be helping me escape. “You’re supposed to be on my side,” I tell my wolves as they herd me into a corner.

When the kids circle me, I realize they’re after the bag Lyon placed on my shoulder, but I realize this a moment too late.

One minute, I see their eager faces, and the next, I’m being mauled by tiny hands.

I close my eyes, waiting to hit the ground, but the kids keep me upright as they rummage through the bag and my pockets.

Their tiny hands tickle and prod until they steal the entire bag, running off in victory. Falling on my butt, I hear Lyon snickering and look up to see him strolling toward me.

“A little warning would have been nice,” I tell him.

“Nah, I liked the look of horror on your face when you realized you were next.” He laughs.

I raise an eyebrow at him just as Shadow and Gnash brush against my sides.

I nod toward Lyon, and all three wolves rush at him.

One minute he is standing, the next he is on the ground being mauled by their fierce flicking tongues.

“You’re right,” I tell him, standing over him. “That was quite satisfying, seeing the horror on your face when you realized my wolves were coming for you.” I laugh. Lyon tries to trip me, but I take off running back to the square. He’s hot on my heels, and just as we reach the kids, he catches me.

His arms coil around me, and he growls, burying his face in my neck. His stubble tickles, and I cringe, which makes him do it again. He leads me toward the fires, and I finally see what the children are so hyped about. “I got attacked over marshmallows?” I laugh.

As we settle around the fire, I can’t help but feel content and at peace with everything. The warmth from the fire and the people surrounding us makes it hard for me to imagine ever wanting to leave.

Lyon laughs with some of the men, joking about the fish they caught earlier in the day, while others play music on their instruments, their voices blending in harmony.

As the night draws on, some children have curled up in blankets near their parents, while others play games under the dark sky. I find myself lost in thought, staring into the fire until a hand on my knee brings me back to reality.

“We should try to rest while we can,” Lyon tells me, and my brows furrow.

“What do you mean?”

Lyon smiles. “You’ll see, but come on, let’s go rest. I feel a food coma coming on.” He offers me his hand.

“Shouldn’t we help pack up?”

“No need,” Lyon says, not adding anything else as I see parents carrying sleeping kids toward the huge community hall, which I’ve heard is used for celebrations. “Not everyone wants to walk home with their little ones, so some will sleep in the vast hall. The parents take turns minding the kids.”

Turns out, Lyon was right about the food coma. The more I walk, the fuller and heavier I feel. “I shouldn’t have eaten so much,” I tell him, feeling woozy.

“Wouldn’t have anything to do with the ten smores the kids made you?”

“It would have been rude to say no, and they were so good!” I groan the last word, remembering the sweet gooey goodness. Lyon laughs, leading me inside the castle, and the moment we reach his room, I fall face-first onto the fur blankets.

All three wolves decide to become extra padding, and they move around me, cocooning me in their warmth while Lyon starts the fire in the hearth. When he returns, they move again, allowing him room before curling up around us. It doesn’t take long before I succumb to sleep.

Yet sleep doesn’t remain.

The sudden racket of loud banging jolts me awake.

My heart pounds as if ready to break free from my chest. I look toward Lyon, alarm etching my face, but he seems unperturbed.

With his eyes still closed, his lips pull into a gentle smile.

“Did you hear that?” I ask. His eyes open, peering up at me in amusement.

“Just fireworks, Zirah,” he reassures me, the curve of his mouth growing.

The idea of such a display pulls at my curiosity, and the childlike excitement that bubbles within me is undeniable. “Can we see?” I whisper eagerly. He smiles.

“Anyone would think you’ve never seen fireworks before.” He laughs.

“I haven’t. I’ve seen a flare set off when I was kid, does that count?

” I chuckle as he shakes his head. “Believe me, fireworks are the last thing you’re worried about in a cave.

The only celebrations we had were the loud sighs of relief after a storm when we realized the cave didn’t collapse and kill us all in our sleep. ”

“Oh, you’ll love this then.” He sits up, and I rush to slide my feet into my boots, we quickly get ready, and Lyon leads me downstairs and out of the castle.

He takes my hand, leading me through winding lanes and lively bazaars, the city illuminated under a cascade of colors and light.

It feels like a scene out of a magical tale, the air filled with laughter and music, the streets teeming with life and joy.

Vendors holler, a few remaining children run about, and there’s an infectious energy that sweeps me off my feet.

“What are they celebrating?” I question, unable to keep the awe from my voice.

Lyon turns to me, his eyes soft under the moonlight. “Their queen...You,” he tells me, and I gasp.

We sway to the music, our bodies moving in harmony, and the night turns into a blur of laughter and joy as we wander around watching the fireworks and everyone celebrating.

People dance around the bonfire, and Lyon pulls me back toward the city center by my hand, leading me into the crowd. His body moves effortlessly with the music, and I follow suit, feeling free and unburdened.

We dance until we are breathless, until our feet ache, and our bodies are exhausted.

We eventually retire to the castle, only instead of going back to the room, Lyon takes me to the rooftop.

Sprawled under the canvas of twinkling stars, we watch more fireworks light up the skies, the smell of smoke and celebration in the air.

In this moment, I feel an overwhelming sense of calm and contentment wash over me.

“This is what life should be like,” I say softly, breaking the comfortable silence between us as I turn my head to look at him.

“It’s what life is like here,” Lyon replies, his voice low and soothing. “And you’re part of it now...If you choose to be,” he whispers.