A Luna for the Lycan King novel Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Darren

I paced my private office like a caged beast, each step echoing off the stone walls of the castle. My breath came in ragged gasps as I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging at the roots.

“Damn it all,” I growled, my voice barely above a whisper.

The image of my father’s broken expression flashed through my mind, tearing at my heart. But what choice did I have? My own mother, threatening my mate, my Ally…

A wave of protective fury washed over me, setting my blood on fire. My hands clenched into fists, claws extending involuntarily.

“I had to do it,” I muttered, trying to convince myself. “For Allissa. For our child.”

But the doubt gnawed at me, an insidious whisper in the back of my mind. Was there another way? Could I have reasoned with her, made her see she was wrong?

No. The memory of my mother’s treacherous words of killing Allissa had my body trembling. A snarl ripped from my throat. The scent of cinnamon intensified as my anger built, filling the room with spice and heat.

“I’ll rip out her throat myself if she so much as looks at Allissa wrong again,” I vowed, my voice a low rumble.

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closed my eyes, taking deep breaths to calm the rage that threatened to consume me. I thought of her … my Ally. The only one who could calm me. Her sparkling blue eyes, the curve of her smile, the way her brown hair fell in soft waves around her face. The scent of butterscotch, so uniquely her, filled my senses.

My heart rate slowed, the anger receding like the tide. In its place rose an overwhelming need to see her, to hold her, to assure myself that she was safe.

“I have to protect her,” I whispered, resolve hardening my voice. “No matter the cost.”

When I locked my mother up, I sensed Ally. My eyes immediately found her, and I could see her worried eyes. I wanted nothing more than to run to her. To scale the castle walls to be by her side. But then I suddenly felt a new fear grip me.

There was work to do.

“Fuck,” I muttered, looking up at the ceiling. My mother’s followers would need to be cleaned from the castle. It was a

realization that hit me like a punch in the gut. They were all throughout the castle. Those loyal to my mother and the Waiting Ladies. The nobles who would back my mother and her stance on killing my mate. My eyes flashed with fury at the thought. “I’ll destroy them all!”

I pulled out my phone, fingers flying over the screen. “Emergency meeting. Now,” I texted to Heath, Ryder, Tim, Rodney, and Lyle. The door opened immediately, and I realized Lyle had been waiting just outside the entire time. He was struggling over the issue of our mother as well. I could see, by the look in his eyes, that he was worried about me.

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“You did what you had to do. I support you, and it was the right decision.” Lyle walked up to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “What’s the emergency?”

“The Waiting and mom’s followers. They could be a threat to Allissa. The nobles who back them.” I watched as darkness flashed through his eyes and a small growl ripped from his throat.

A moment later, everyone else rushed into my office.

“As you know, I had to lock my mother up. She’s lucky to be alive right now. I will not tolerate any threat against my mate.” I stopped and met their gazes, checking to make sure they didn’t disagree with my decision. I was relieved to see them all nodding their heads in agreement, which meant I had chosen the right people to be by my side. “One problem is locked away while I decide what I will do about her. However, I just realized we have another problem. My mother’s followers, the Waiting people, and the nobles who support them could all be potentially dangerous to my mate.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Tim asked. By the look in his eyes, he was ready to act.

I meet each of their gazes in turn. “We sweep every inch of this castle. Anyone even remotely upset with my decision gets thrown out on their ass. No exceptions.”

“And if they resist?” Tim asked, his voice low.

A dark smile spread across my face. “Then they’ll learn why my anger has been so feared all this time.”

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fortunate to have him by my side.

“Protect the queen!” Rodney lifted his fist in the air and the other men repeated his chant.

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“We will start inside the castle, and then we will set up new guards and protection. Let’s get to it,” I commanded and watched as the others began to fall out. “Lyle,” I stopped him, catching his arm. “Lyle, I need you to check on her. Make sure she’s okay after … everything. Keep her safe.”

He squeezed my shoulder. “With my life, brother. Always.”

I followed him out of my office where we parted ways, but I went back to check on the isolation keep. I don’t know why … I guess I needed one more moment of closure. I was worried Ally would be afraid to continue to stay with me. What if she doubted my ability to keep her safe? My own mother was a threat to her. Would she want to leave in order to protect herself and our unborn child?

Would she think I was a monster? I locked up my own mother … would she think I was a monster capable of anything? I would do anything for her and for the sake of our growing family. I was capable of doing monstrous things. There was a darkness inside of me and it had wanted to rip my mother to shreds. Gods, what if this darkness made Ally fear me? My chest tightened. I couldn’t bear it if she feared me. My mother feared my father for years how did my father bear it? I would crumble. I needed Ally that much.

…

My phone buzzed, interrupting my spiraling thoughts. It was a text from Lyle. My heart rate quickened as I swiped to open it.

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smudge of flour on her cheek. She was laughing, holding up a plate of what looks like a baked saucy dish.

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“Looks like I’m in good hands,” the caption reads. “Your mate’s a culinary genius. Her cooking is delicious.

A low growl escaped my throat. Jealousy, hot and fierce, clawed at my insides. That should be me there, tasting Ally’s cooking, making her laugh. I had never tasted anything she made and now I was inwardly pouting. I wanted to be there. To be part of her laughter. She looked happy and that was a relief, but what if she was happier that I wasn’t there?

“Damn,” I muttered, staring at the picture. Allissa’s blue eyes sparkled with joy, a stark contrast to the worry I’d seen earlier. I needed to hold her in my arms. I was an insecure mess! When was I ever this insecure before? I guess it was because I knew that without her … To hell with the whole world. Burn it all to the ground. I just needed her. I clenched my jaw, pocketing my phone with more force than necessary.

My feet carried me swiftly through winding corridors, past tapestries depicting ancient lycan hunts. Everything was a blur as I headed toward the kitchen. I picked up traces of her scent and my heart rate quickened. Why the hell is this castle so big? I suddenly felt annoyed with the vastness of my castle.

I couldn’t reach the kitchen fast enough. Finally, I reached the doors and I pushed them open.

Chaos reigned supreme. Flour clouded the air, vegetables littered the floor, and in the center of it all stood Allissa, her brown hair dusted white, blue eyes sparkling with mischief. She was covered head to toe in what looked like flour and tomato

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Ivan, his imposing bear–like frame oddly comical with egg yolk dripping from his hair, gave me a sheepish grin. Finn, usually the picture of vampiric elegance, was trying to wipe cream off his face with as much dignity as he could muster. And Lyle, my own brother, was frozen mid–throw, a handful of mashed potatoes suspended in the air.

My eyes met her eyes. Those beautiful blues that were connected with mine. Beneath the food splattered over her face, I could see a light pink stain creep over her cheeks.

“Who assaulted my queen?” I growled, my eyes flipping over the three men in the room. Then, as if time stood still, I watched a glob of bright red sauce leave Ally’s hand, racing through the air toward me. My reflexes kicked in a moment too late as the sauce splattered across my chest. The kitchen fell silent, except for the soft laughter coming from my Ally.