Page 49 of The Unwanted Mate of the Lycan Kings (Unwanted #1)
Due to the rules of his father’s strange, twisted game, Regan has no choice but to drop me back at Zeke’s room. However as we enter, his room is empty. Regan sets me on the couch, and I glance around. The sound of running water sends my gaze to a door through a giant walk-in closet.
“He’s showering,” Regan states, peering in through the closet to the bathroom. I nod, making myself as comfortable as possible, despite not wanting to spend the night here in this room with Zeke.
Regan wanders back over to me, peering down. “Will you be okay?” he asks, and my eyes go to Gnash.
“She’ll be fine, leave Gnash if you want. I can drop him back at your room before dinner,” Zeke says, drawing our attention to him. He is leaning against the closet doorway with only a towel draped low on his hips.
Gnash wags his tail, and Zeke steps back inside the closet, shutting the door.
Regan stares at the door for a few seconds before sighing.
Turning back to me, he leans down, grips my chin, and presses his lips to mine briefly before walking out.
Gnash doesn’t even move to follow him as he leaves, and I’m left in stunned silence as my fingers trace my lips.
I stare at the spot where he was standing. Nerves settling in as the unease of being around Zeke puts me on edge. That unease grows worse when Zeke comes out of the closet dressed in shorts and a tank top.
He watches me for a second, eyes scrutinizing me. “Why did you come back?” he questions.
I say nothing, knowing my answer may anger him when he learns I didn’t come back for him but his brothers.
“For Regan?” he questions when I say nothing. He clicks his tongue, annoyed.
“I wish you hadn’t. I would have been fine. The bear would have ripped me to pieces, but not killed me.”
“You wanted to be ripped to pieces?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Of course not, but now killing you doesn’t feel right,” he snaps back.
“Wow.” Is all I manage to come up with.
“Don’t get on your damn high horse, you may have my brother fooled, but that is simply because no woman has willingly gone near him in years.”
I mash my lips together and watch Gnash curl up by my feet. I stroke my fingers through his thick fur.
“He doesn’t care for you. How could he when doesn’t even know you? Love at first sight is matebond shit. So don’t get it twisted in that warped human brain of yours.”
What I feel toward Regan is confusing; I can’t explain it. Rationally, I know Zeke is right, or maybe it’s my lack of interaction with men all together that has me confused. That doesn’t sit right with me either, but it doesn’t make Zeke’s words sting any less.
“Today you get a pass. I won’t kill you because I owe you, but tomorrow, all deals are off,” Zeke promises darkly. I swallow down the dread that sits in my stomach like a lead weight.
“Deals?” I question.
“Yes, deals, you saved me from a stupid bear I didn’t need saving from. Repayment. Tonight, I save you from a lycan.” He shrugs.
“A lycan?” I question, my eyebrows raising at his words.
“Yes, me,” he states.
“So generous of you not to kill me until tomorrow,” I spit sarcastically.
“It is. If I had it my way, you’d be dead now and my brothers would be safe. Don’t take it personally, human, but if it’s between you and my brothers, that is not a fight you’ll ever win.”
“And Regan?” I question.
“Will get over you and forgive me eventually once he sees reason. I may not get along with my brothers, but I will kill for them, and if that means killing you, so be it.” Without waiting for another reply, he storms out of his room, leaving me alone with Gnash.
When Zeke doesn’t return, I’m forced to dig through his closet for some clothes. I steal a long-sleeved shirt and some long pants and pull them on, enjoying the warmth they offer. I toss my clothes in the hamper in the bathroom.
I spend the rest of the afternoon waiting for his return, but he doesn’t come back, and I’m forced from his room when hunger takes over.
I wander down the corridor, knowing dinner can’t be far off, when I see Zeke emerge from the double doors.
Part of me wants to run from him, yet with Gnash at my heel, I continue walking toward him.
He stops, waiting for me to approach him with his arms folded, looking rather annoyed.
“Dinner!” he states, then turns on his heel and walks off. I roll my eyes, jogging to keep up with his long strides. When my pace seems to be ineffective, he stops and grabs me, earning a growl from Gnash.
“Settle, boy. Her damn human legs are too slow,” Zeke snaps at the wolf.
“You can just walk ahead,” I tell him, but instead, he chucks me over his shoulder like I am a bag of potatoes and marches down the steps.
The motion of his quick pace makes me feel queasy as I sway on his shoulder for all of three minutes. When he stops abruptly and tosses me, I squeal, seeing the floor rush toward my face. I throw my hands out to stop my fall when hands grab me.
“Zeke!” Regan’s voice booms loudly as he grabs me around the middle. He sets me on my feet, and his arm wraps securely around my middle, trapping me against his warm body.
“I knew you’d catch her.” Zeke rolls his eyes, taking his seat.
Regan growls low in his throat then dips his head. His breath sweeps across the side of my neck. “Are you okay?” he murmurs softly.
“Get a fucking room. No need to flaunt our deaths in our goddamn faces, Regan. It’s clear you’ve chosen sides, and it’s not with your family,” Zeke snarls.
He glares down at his plate, and I notice Lyon’s eyes are down as well.
Regan neither denies nor confirms his words. Instead, he tugs me to sit next to him.
Zeke grabs my shirt and pulls me to a stop. “Last I checked, brother, she’s mine tonight,” Zeke taunts while his hand fists the shirt I’m wearing.
“Zeke!” Regan growls in warning, his eyes flickering darky, but Zeke doesn’t seem to care.
He pushes out his chair and jerks me onto his lap.
The sound that tears out of Regan when he turns toward Zeke makes my hair stand on end.
Lyon jumps up from his seat and dives between them before Regan reaches us.
“He’s right, Regan. You know this. I can’t believe you would choose a piece of pussy over your own blood!” Lyon spits. Nervously, I chew my lips, waiting to see what Regan will do.
He seems lost in thought for a moment before he opens his mouth. “I’m not choosing over anyone,” Regan says, reaching for me, but Lyon blocks his path.
“Then prove it. Sit down and leave her where she is,” Lyon snarls, his eyes boring holes into Regan. Regan swallows, and I notice the way his eyes dart to me fleetingly, then to each of his brothers. He clenches his teeth and drags a chair out and sits down.
Zeke chuckles behind me, leaning closer to whisper. “I told you. He can be swept up with you all he wants, but eventually, he’ll see reason. Blood is thicker than water, and you are water, Zirah. You’re not one of us and never will be,” Zeke whispers into my ear.
I try to push off his lap, only for Zeke to jerk me back down. “Eat,” he orders, and I glare at the plate in front of me, suddenly no longer hungry.
When I don’t pick up anything, Zeke’s hand moves, and he grabs my breast harshly, earning a pained whimper from me.
Instantly, Regan’s eyes lift to meet mine, then as he notices where Zeke’s hand is, the knife in his hand suddenly vanishes.
The blade skims my cheek with the lightest touch, and Zeke grunts.
The next second, I am tossed down on the table on my back, and chairs screech as all three of them jump.
My back arches as whatever I landed on digs into my spine, and shards of broken glass cut my palms as I try to brace myself.
Zeke pulls the blade from his shoulder, and Regan reaches over the table to grab me, but he isn’t faster than his brother. Zeke presses the bloody knife to my throat, and I hold my breath. Regan freezes, and so does Lyon, whose eyes dart between his two brothers.
“One more step, and I’ll gut her where she lies,” Zeke warns with words that turn my blood to ice. His eyes lock on Regan. So much for our deal.
Regan growls low, threateningly, his shirt tearing more with each breath he takes as he tries to fight the urge to shift. Gnash growls off to the side of me while the cold metal of the blade digs into my throat.
“Zeke...” Lyon whispers, and I swallow, staring up at Zeke.
“No, he needs to pick sides, now fucking choose,” Zeke yells. Regan grits his teeth but says nothing, but I can tell by his flickering eyes that he is livid and wants to hurt his brother.
“Choose! Her or us, brother. Who is it?” Zeke booms angrily.
“Tell him, Regan,” Lyon pleads. “Fucking tell him you choose us.”
“I can’t do that...” The weight of his words linger in the air while Zeke glares at him.
“You’d choose her? You’d fucking choose a mere human bitch over us?” he booms, his fist coming down on the table beside my head.
I jump, the blade digging into my neck harder.
“After everything, everything I gave up for you.” The knife clutched in Zeke’s hand quivers against my throat, and the blade slices my skin.
I hiss, and Regan jerks forward but stops when Zeke moves the blade, cutting a line through my shirt and down my chest, making me squirm.
“Zeke!” Regan speaks, and I can hear the panic lacing his voice.
“I lost her because of you. I chose you over her,” Zeke states emotionlessly.
“I told you not to,” Regan yells.
“But I did,” Zeke’s voice shakes but his hand is steady as he brings the blade to a stop. My skin stings where the knife has marked it, and Regan looks on the verge of jumping over the table to grab it.
“You’re my brother, my blood.”
“She was a baby!” Regan screams back at him.
“And I would have raised her. I would have looked after her...”