Offered to the Lycan King by Misha K
Chapter 216
Music recommendation: Something Just Like This by Coldplay.
“You look so pretty Keya,” Lia said, hugging her daughter warmly.
Keya reveled in her mom’s warm hug and inhaled one of her favorite smells in the world-her mother’s. When she removed herself from her embrace, she looked at her mom’s face. Lia was smiling but her smile didn’t reach her eyes. She knew the reason. There had been fresh reports of violence in the Crescent pack region and her father Alpha Hawk was having a lot of trouble managing the problem. Along with his Beta, Aunt Gina, they were patrolling the borders of that area.
“Did you see the newspapers today?” Lia asked, taking a nervous breath in.
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Keya pursed her l*ips and nodded. “Yes, I saw,” she sighed. “There’s a lot of commotion over nothing!” Her gaze drifted to her father Alpha Arthur who was sitting on the settee, reading the newspaper with his brows furrowed into a straight line. She walked to him, k*issed him on the cheek and settled on the sofa next to him.
He took off his reading glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “They want more space for their communities and equal status.”
“It’s really your fault, Arthur? said her mother as she moved across the room to join him. “Had you and Hawk not decided to give demons and bear shifters space to live in our pack, this situation wouldn’t have arrived.” After Hunter and River had relinquished their positions to their sons, they had rarely interfered in pack’s matters. Instead they had gone on a honeymoon that never quite finished. They traveled to every place on earth, often sending them postcards and photos of their expeditions. In their absence, the pack flourished even more. And when a pack flourishes, other communities want to be a part of it. Demons and bear shifters asked for a small space to live. Out of generosity and goodwill, Arthur and Hawk agreed even though Lia had her reservations. The plots were bought at exorbitant prices that were much above the normal price (again on goodwill).
This was seventeen years ago. In seventeen years, these species became an integral part of the community and now they demanded equal status as the Lycans and the werewolves which meant they wanted representatives in the councils.
Arthur had called his parents to help him out because Falcon, the demon Alpha, was Hunter’s good friend. Arthur hoped that they could negotiate well in squashing demon rebellion.
Arthur closed his eyes and rubbed them. “I just can’t think of a way to mitigate this situation. Hawk is patrolling the entire pack’s territory to find out the culprits who are adding fuel to the fire.”
“We were all such a happy community,” Lia pined. “We have to find a way to regulate this.”
“Maybe, you can create a council to supervise the protests?” Keya suggested. She picked up the newspaper and peered at a photo of a demon burning down the shops just outside of a werewolf gated community. Her heart ached at the monstrosity.
“We have already done that and the complaints have poured in like heavy deluge during Asian monsoons!” Lia remarked.
Arthur slid his spectacles on his head.”What would you do in such a case, Keya?”
Keya jerked her head back. “I would have met all the leaders. But having said that, I would like to investigate the whole matter and bring forth the real culprits.”
“Yes, of course,” Arthur nodded. “Speaking like a true Luna. Your brothers Grisham and Lachlan are investigating the recent crime scenes.”
Keya’s older brothers, Grisham and Lachlan were five and four respectively when she was born. While they inherited features from her fathers, Keya and the youngest in their family, her little brother of eight-years, Aidan, inherited their mom’s features. They had the same blonde curls and baby blue eyes.
While Grisham was somber, Lachlan was just the opposite. He rarely left a chance to jest or play pranks on his siblings. The two of them were poles apart in their natures, but were thick as brothers and watched each other’s back like eagles.
“Keya!” Aidan called her from the door as he bounced on his feet to her. “Your eighteenth birthday is next week!” He came to sit next to her, extremely excited.
She giggled and pulled him in her lap. “So?”
“What gift do you want from Granny and Gran da?” He asked with a glint in his eyes. When she shrugged, he suggested, “Why don’t you ask about Xbox 4?”
She raised her eyebrow. “Which I am sure you would take away the moment I get it?”
Aidan blushed. “No, but I will come and play it in your room.”
She narrowed her eyes on him as Lia and Arthur laughed. “Smart a*ss. That would mean that you are going to stay in my room for the whole day which is unacceptable!”
His l*ips downturned. “I take it that you don’t like me.”
“Come here, you brat,” Lia said, spreading her arms. He got up and went to her. She cuddled him, k*issing him on his head and cheek. “We can buy the Xbox for your birthday.”
He pouted and crawled to his father who chortled. Arthur tousled his hair. “I will buy one for you tomorrow.”
“You really pamper him,” Lia chided him. “You have spoiled all my kids! Only Grisham is most sincere.”
“Really?” Aidan screamed and hugged his father.
Arthur hugged him back. “I love you, Aidi!” He winked at Lia who hmphed.
The door opened again and Hunter entered. He had another newspaper in his h*and. “The situation is getting bad,” he addressed Arthur as he picked up the TV remote.
“Gran da!” Aidan jumped from his father and rushed to Hunter who immediately picked him up and settled on the couch opposite to them.
“You have to see this!” He switched on the TV.
A news anchor was blaring over the chaos occurring behind him. “Look at this,” he said, pointing at the burning shops from where dark smoke billowed towards the sky. A she-Lycan was crying with a little baby on her h*ips. The anchor shouted, “What are the Alphas doing? Why are they silent? This pack belongs to the werewolves and Lycans. There is no place for bear shifters and demons. They should go back to the cities which our Alphas built for them. It is high time the Alphas take action on it! Why is it that the general public has to pay for the faults of those who rule? We demand answers and we want quick action!”
Lia shook her head. “This is another repercussion of giving freedom to the press. Why couldn’t you just manage the pack like other Alphas? What was the necessity of imbibing human values? It doesn’t work this way in our world!”
“I want the pack to progress, Lia,” Arthur argued.
Hunter switched off the TV. “There’s no point in arguing over it,” he stated.
The door opened again and River walked in, clutching her shawl in her h*ands. She went to sit next to Keya who leaned on her shoulder. River k*issed her on her head and said to Arthur, “Do you know Ethan, son of the Alpha of the bear shifter?”
Keya’s cheeks heated at Ethan’s name. She was supposed to meet him in an hour. She had a serious crush on him ever since she reached puberty. Standing over six feet tall, he had hypnotic green eyes. He was beautiful with a strong chin and broad cheekbones and very k*issable l*ips, though they had never k*issed. In fact, beyond a hug, they hadn’t done anything.
“Yes, what about him?” asked Arthur, turning his attention to his mother.
“I heard that his father is involved in the violence,” River said. “You should talk to him.”
“Are you sure? Do you have any concrete evidence?” Arthur asked with a frown on his forehead. “I don’t…”
“Then we can’t say anything to him. However, I will put my spies to keep him under surveillance.”
Hunter put Aidan down and slapped h*ips. “Aidi, go to your room. I have brought you a gift!”
Aidan squealed. “I knew it!” He hugged his grandpa and rushed out of the room.
As soon as the door closed behind him. Hunter looked at Keya to Lia and then Arthur. “You know what, I have a temporary solution to this problem,” he said in all sincerity.
Arthur crossed her arms across his c*hest. “Do tell us.”
“The solution is going to buy us time to deal with the current situation,” Hunter said. “And it involves Keya.” Keya jumped up to sit straight. “Me?” She was more than eager to help her family in whatever way she could. “Yes,” Hunter replied as he exchanged glances with River before speaking to Arthur again. “You know how precarious things are right now. There is a lot of restlessness amongst our community. None of us are able to find a way to ease the tension. We have to boost the morale of our community.”
“What do you have in mind, father?” Arthur asked, as tense silence blanketed the room.
The door g*roaned open and a very tired Hawk trudged in.
“Hawk,” Hunter said. “Come and join us. How’s the situation?”
Keya’s heartbeat increased, an ominous feeling coating her t*hroat.
Hawk went to sit next to Lia and wrapped his arm around her waist. He leaned his head over her shoulder. “Hi baby girl.” Lia soothed him by t*ouching his t*high and rubbing it gently. “It’s really bad…”
Hunter took a deep breath in. He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his t*highs. “Do you recall that whenever there is some celebration in our family, the pack members respond to it pretty nicely. When I married your mom, there was jubilation. Remember when you both married Lia, there was celebration in the pack for over a week? And when Grisham and Lachlan were born, how did people react positively because they were assured that the Dark Moon pack would have future Alphas?”
“Yes, I remember. Those were fond memories,” Arthur replied with a soft smile. Hunter turned his eyes on Keya.
“My birthday is next week, gran da,” she pointed out, not sure what direction he was getting at, but she wasn’t liking it.
“Keya, you have a duty towards the pack since you are from the royal family,” Hunter said in an authoritative voice. “Since you are turning eighteen within a week, we have to grab this opportunity.”
“For what?” Keya asked, raising her eyebrow.
“We are going to hold trials of Alphas for you, Keya.”
“No!”
River held Keya’s h*and and squeezed it. “Just listen to your gran da, Keya.”
“No, I won’t do it!” she burst.
“Keya! Mind your manners,” Lia admonished her.
“Keya, just hear us out, sweetheart,” Hunter urged. “This is going to be so big. This is bigger than anything. You have to consider it for the sake of your pack.”
“You want me to marry someone I don’t know? I won’t accept it!” She got up and stomped out of the room, rage bubbling in her c*hest.
Dear all, Due to popular demand, I am starting with Book 2 of your favorite story. Hope you enjoy it.