The Love of a Lycan

"I was on my way to see you when Lyrus told me that you were looking for me," Lilac said as she sat down on the chair across from his. "What happened?"

"Why were you looking for me?" Jedrek put down the document in his hand and turned his focus to his mate now. The same document that he had been inspecting for more than an hour now.

"I visited Serefina's room," Lilac told Jedrek casually. "And she said your brother, Kace, has a condition for you before he is willing to bring his people here."

"Then refuse him. We don't need his people." Jedrek knew his brother, his demand would never be a pleasant one or tactful. Unlike Torak, Kace would always act out of impulse.

"We do need as many people as we can find." Lilac emphasized her words. Both of them knew this. It was just that Jedrek was too arrogant to admit it.

Just like in Lilac's case, Jedrek had issued an order to kill Kace's mate in the past and the last order from him that was interpreted wrongly by Maximus had injured Kace. Of course, that fact wouldn't help to ease the perturbation between them.

"What is his condition?" Jedrek pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't want to deal with this.

"I don't know." Lilac shrugged her shoulders. "I told Serefina to talk to you directly. We will be having our dinner with her."

Jedrek raised his head and looked at Lilac as if she had grown one more head all of a sudden. "What?" he asked in disbelief. "I only agreed to let her stay here because you said she will help us with the coming war."

"She will. I didn't say she will not." Lilac put on an innocent face upon facing the furious king in front of her. "This is just a dinner and we will discuss about our plan. Isn't that our original plan?"

At this point, Jedrek clenched his jaw tightly, until Lilac was worried he would crush his molars.

"We had agreed…" Jedrek started, but Lilac cut him off mid- sentence.

"Yes. You told me to stay away from Tordoff and I did." Lilac played with one of the document in front of her, to avoid Jedrek's intense gaze. "But, I have never told you to stay away from Serefina, right?"

Jedrek stood up from his seat, rounded the table and sat on the chair next to his mate. "What do you want?"

Lilac bit her lips and stared out the window for a few moments before she turned to look at the king and said what she thought. "I'm giving you a chance to be with her," she said grievously.

"We have agreed with this," Jedrek said rigidly. "What chance do you want to give me again? When I have already chosen you."

Lilac lowered her head, she didn't want Jedrek to see her bitter feelings. "I know that she still loves you and so do you. You urged the mating ceremony because you want to strengthen the bond between us, so you can cast away your feelings for her, right?"

Lilac raised her head to see Jedrek, who refused to answer her question.

"You don't need to do that." Lilac smiled at him, but tears were rolling down her cheeks and Jedrek knitted his brows at the sight of her futile attempt to hold them back.

Lilac thought she could endure it, going along with Jedrek's plan to strengthen the bond between them with the mating ceremony. However, her selfishness couldn't overshadow her conscience.

She realized the deep feelings between Jedrek and Serefina the moment their eyes met at the entrance gates. No one noticed this, as both of them were staring at each other with longing.

"Your feelings for her were genuine." Lilac stretched out her hand and caressed Jedrek's face, "Not like what we have. We started it all wrong. There was so much hatred between us and disappointment. I don't even understand why the moon goddess paired us, when you look so perfect with her."

Lilac hated to admit it.

Lilac hated to admit that she loved him. After she learned more about Jedrek and what he had endured all this time, she only wanted him to be happy.

And if his happiness was being with Serefina, so be it. Lilac could never forget the way Jedrek stared at Serefina at the gates. Those eyes… held so much pain.

Just like what Eaton said; Jedrek had been hiding his true feelings for so long, until he forgot how to show it.

"Reject me," Lilac said softly. "Reject me and free us from this situation. There are much more important things we have to think about. So let's end this awkward situation between the three of us."

How could they talk about war ahead when they were already fighting their own psychological wars?

Lilac gave Jedrek a few moments to think about this, but when Jedrek didn't answer her or make any decision, she took his arms and heaved a deep breath.

If it was hard for Jedrek to do this and would be painful for him to reject her, then Lilac would do it for them.

"I reject you, Jedrek…" Yet, before Lilac could finish her sentence, Jedrek leaned over and sealed her lips with his. He stole the remaining words from her.

Lilac cried over their kiss, stopping Jedrek.

"I will never reject you and you will be my queen. We will face the war ahead," he said firmly. "The problem regarding Serefina ends here. I don't want to discuss about this anymore."

Jedrek wiped the tears on Lilac's cheek and kissed her forehead.

This is the right decision. He thought, but more to convince himself.

============== 

The night was dark, especially the place where there was no light, such as this corner of the castle.

But, it didn't bother a man in black cloak in the slightest as he stood there, talking to himself. No. He was talking to his own shadow.

"The witch is already here and the other guardian angels are on their way," The man spoke in a guttural voice. "We just need to wait."