Page 40 of The Unwanted Mate of the Lycan Kings (Unwanted #1)

Regan scoffs, then laughs, making me more embarrassed at my word vomit, but if I’m allowed a choice, I’d rather touch him than Zeke first.

“Wait, you’re serious?” he asks. I chew my lip. This is so embarrassing, and I sounded so desperate.

“I can’t sleep with you,” Regan states.

“I didn’t ask to sleep with you!” My face heats even more, but it makes me wonder if he wants to. Why else would his mind instantly go there? I meant to touch him, not fuck him.

Regan sits up, leaning on one elbow.

“What are you asking for then?” he questions, looking at me rather confused.

Oh no, don’t make me say it!

“I...” Since when did I find myself so nervous about speaking?

“Zirah?” Regan snarls. I cover my face with my hands, too embarrassed to ask him with him staring at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“You said you can’t sleep with me, but you can do other stuff?” I ask him.

“You want me to touch you?” he laughs.

A gasp leaves my lips, and I shoot up, looking at him. “What? No! I wanted to touch you,” I blurt out. He watches me for a second like I’m some alien he can’t figure out, and falls back on the bed with a heavy sigh.

“Is that a no?” I ask him, and he averts his gaze back to glare at the roof.

“No!”

“So I can?” I ask him.

“No!” So which is it, yes or no? I huff out a breath and drop back down on my pillow, also staring at the ceiling.

Well, this just got awkward!

“I don’t think it is a good idea, Zirah. I’m not human.” I can feel his stare on the side of my face, but I refuse to make eye contact.

“Neither is Zeke, and you and I both know he’ll do something horrid to me,” I tell him, feeling a little rejected, which is stupid because I can’t stand the man. But it feels a lot like I’m picking the lesser of two evils here.

“I’m not like Zeke!” he states.

“Exactly, you’re not the same kind of monster,” I tell him, and he rolls on his side quickly to face me, pulling my attention to him.

“No, I’m worse. Do you think this is a joke? If I let you touch me, I might lose control and mark you. Yesterday, I nearly did,” he snaps, looking away.

“What?” I squeak.

“That’s how they die. If I fuck them or mark them, it’s like poison.

I can’t help it. I have no control over it!

And the more I am around you, the stronger your scent gets.

It’s driving me nuts. Being this close to you, I don’t know if I want to kill you or fucking mate you!

And you want to take that chance?” he growls angrily.

He sneers at me and shakes his head. “You are not worth losing my kingdom over.”

His words sting as if he slapped me, and my face burns as all the blood rushes to it.

I nod, and shame slithers through me. I feel like throwing up.

Never have I felt so humiliated before, and I now see why Granny kept everyone away from us, why we kept to ourselves.

She is right. People will only upset you or get you killed.

And I can’t believe that of all the people who have upset me since being here, Regan’s rejection hurts the worst.

“Crap! Zirah, I didn’t mean for it to come out—” I roll over.

“Just forget it, Regan,” I retort.

“You’re being a brat!”

I scoff at his words, my embarrassment turning to anger. Not only did he humiliate me, but he is also calling me names. “How am I being a brat? I asked a question. You didn’t need to throw it back in my fucking face.” I snap.

“Who even asks that? You don’t just ask to touch someone!” he screams at me.

“Oh, that’s right, I forgot. No one around here asks for permission. They just fucking take what they want. At least I asked. I doubt Zeke will.”

He grips my shoulder, shoving me on my back and hovering over me.

“You keep saying how much we fucking hate you, and yet that feeling is mutual, is it not?” He growls, and I glare at him.

“I didn’t say it to insult you. It came out wrong, but I never expected you to ask something like that.

If I kill you, I lose my kingdom...and you lose your life.

There is too much at stake. Not just for me, but for you as well. ”

“No need to backtrack now. It’s fine. I get it. Your meaning was loud and clear. I’m so fucking beneath you. Now get off me,” I snap at him.

He growls but lets me go. “My kingdom is all I have, and you have no damn filter. You’re so rude and abrupt. You can’t ask someone like me that.”

Ah, here we go again. I wonder if I will get a peasant speech, or if he will take it further and point out every reason for how inadequate I am.

“If I were someone else, I would’ve said yes, Zirah. Have you not heard a thing I have said tonight?”

“But you said you can still do—”

“Yes, I can touch and be touched, just not by you!” he growls.

“Why?”

“Because he wants you,” comes Lyon’s voice, making both of us jump. We both look at the balcony to find Lyon standing in the doorway.

“Lyon?” Regan asks, sitting up and watching his brother step closer.

Lyon ignores Regan, not breaking eye contact with me. “He needed an excuse. His kingdom seemed like a good enough one. He has wanted you since you challenged him in the stables!”

Regan growls at him, and Lyon smirks, raising an eyebrow.

“If only you knew how much you push his buttons—”

“Shut up, Lyon. You know nothing,” Regan snarls. Lyon is dressed for the day in a white shirt and blue jeans, looking the most casual I’ve seen him.

“Really? If I’m wrong then why didn’t you challenge our father for the throne? You’re the oldest, as you love to remind us. He is old. You’d take him, you and I both know it. Instead, you chose to play this little game. And why is that?” Lyon taunts.

Regan looks like he is about to attack his brother. “He threatened our kingdoms,” Regan argues.

Lyon rolls his eyes. “If that is what you want to keep telling yourself, Regan, go for it. But you and I both know the real reason. She challenged you, and now you’re hunting.

It just angers you because no one ever catches your attention as she does.

That confuses you, but let’s not play pretend.

You’re here because you want to be! I know for certain after what I’ve learned. ”

I peer up at Regan, but he grits his teeth and ignores his brother’s words. “Where’s Zeke?” Regan asks.

Lyon sighs. “Asleep still. I just checked him.”

“And how long have you been standing there?” I ask, and he smirks.

“Long enough to hear you arguing over wanting to touch him,” he teases, and my face burns.

“So, why are you in my room?” Regan falls back onto the bed with a huff.

“Seeing if she survived the night with you, for one, and I found something,” Lyon answers.

Regan sits back up. “Found what?”

“Dad is dying. That is why he has orchestrated all of this. It’s also how I know you just lied to her. His aura affects Zeke and me, but with him dying, I know it doesn’t affect you unless you allow it to. You could take your throne, your strength matches him now.”

“How do you know he is dying?” Regan asks.

“It doesn’t matter, but I think Zeke is the one behind it. Dad started getting sick the week he showed up here.”

Regan climbs out of bed when Lyon steps through the balcony door and closes it behind him.

“No stay with her, I have to wake Zeke in an hour. Stay here. We’ll discuss it tonight. Just do whatever you two were going to do,” Lyon says with a devious smile, tugging at his lips.

“No, it’s fine. We weren’t doing anything,” Regan retorts, moving to take the paperwork out of his hand. However, Lyon pulls the paperwork out of his reach at the last second and steps closer until they are chest-to-chest.

“Gnash won’t let you hurt her,” Lyon tells him.

“If you’re so confident, you let her touch you then,” Regan snarls, and Lyon shrugs.

“Fine by me,” Lyon slams the paperwork against Regan’s chest, forcing him to take it. “I trust our wolves more than I trust myself, and for some reason, they want her almost as much as you want her.”

Regan growls, but he doesn’t deny or confirm what he said is true.

“Gnash won’t let me hurt her, Regan, so he won’t let you. ” Lyon shoves past him, taking off his shirt. Regan watches him with pure menace in his dark eyes.

“Where do you want me?” Lyon asks.

“Lyon!” Regan snarls at him, and Lyon smirks and sends me a wink.

“Yes, brother, is there an issue?” Lyon asks, smiling tauntingly. Regan clenches his teeth until his jaw muscles tic.

“Get out!” Regan growls at him.

“Then help her out. Surely, you don’t want Zeke to be her first hand job.” Lyon snickers, and I feel my nerves and nausea kick back up again.

“Out!” Regan bellows.

Lyon sends me a crooked smile. “You’re welcome,” he says, giving me a bow.

I chuckle and shake my head. “For the record, I am not giving anyone a hand job.” My face heats and I avert my eyes.

“Oh, so you just expected to touch him and give him blue balls, as if they aren’t blue enough with his new vow of celibacy?” Lyon mocks.

“My balls aren’t fucking blue,” Regan snaps behind him.

“Blue balls?” I ask him. Though now it makes me a little curious.

“Yep, so blue, the circulation looks cut off,” Lyon taunts Regan. Yet seeing him with just Regan, I can tell his personality is vastly different from what I have encountered when he’s around Zeke. He’s more playful and less threatening.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Regan asks him.

“Depends. Am I needed here?” Lyon asks him before looking at me.

“Do you need a model to feel up and play with? I don’t mind being your boy toy, but you won’t be leaving me with blue balls,” he warns.

My lips tug at the offer, but Regan pushes him toward the door. “We’ll manage. Why do you make shit awkward?” Regan grumbles.

“I don’t make shit awkward. Who the hell turns down being touched by a woman? What’s wrong with you?” Lyon asks, looking offended.

Regan growls and points to the balcony door, and Lyon hurries out, laughing.

“Bye, Zirah,” he calls out, then disappears.

Now that he is gone, Regan sighs and turns back to me.

He folds his arms across his chest, a worried expression on his face, so I don’t push him.

Instead, I swallow down the worry, waiting for him to speak.

He moves closer to the bed, casting his gaze on his wolf.

“If I lose control, you can’t run from me! I will mark you. You do not want me hunting you.”

“But if you lose control, won’t you mark me, anyway?” I ask.

He bites his lip, casting a nervous glance at Gnash. “I don’t recognize anyone but my brothers and wolf when I lose control. So just stay still and call for Gnash!”

I nod my head. “Zirah!” he growls.

“Stay still and call for Gnash!” I tell him, and he sucks in a breath before exhaling loudly.

“Where do you want me, then?” he sighs.

“How about the bed?” I ask him. Leaning over to the bedside table, I flick on the lamp.

“Seriously, this is awkward enough, and you want to turn more lights on?” His hands run through his hair, nervously tugging the ends.

“What’s wrong? Are you mutilated? Is there something wrong with it?” I ask him. He growls, grabbing the waistband of his boxer shorts.

“There is nothing fucking wrong with it, it’s fine!

” He drops his pants and his briefs. I suddenly wish he would put them back on.

That thing is monstrous. Not even the ones in the anatomy books that Granny gave me were that size, and Lyon is wrong, he doesn’t have blue balls, but they are pretty big.

I shudder mentally, trying to imagine how something like that would fit in a woman. I know the mechanics of sex, but I question how it’s even possible for human women to mate with a lycan.

Leaning over, I switch the lamp off.

“Now you want the lamp off?” he huffs when I feel the bed dip. I turn to look back at him, only to come nose-to-nose with him. His eyes flash black as he moves closer, forcing me onto my back.

“I’m supposed to touch you,” I sputter, and he hums.

“So you can touch me, but I can’t touch you?” he questions. Does he not remember our argument two minutes before his brother got here?

“That wasn’t what I asked!” I shriek.

“Well, now I am asking. If I am allowing you to touch me, you’ll allow me the same. Besides, Lyon is right. Maybe if I get you out of my system, I can stop obsessing over you!”

“No, no. I wanted to touch you. This wasn’t part of the deal.”

“You can, but new deal! If I am letting you touch me, you’ll be letting me touch you. Lyon has a point, and I am not walking around with a raging hard-on all day. You caused it, so you’ll fix it,” he purrs.

“But I’m human. You hate humans!”

“True, but I am struggling to come up with excuses to hate you!” he purrs, dropping his face closer. I swallow, and his eyes flicker back and forth between their normal color and the color of the true monster he can be.