Traded To The Lycan King by MG Wattsons

*Hayes*

It doesn't matter how good Nisha's food usually tastes, this time it lacks flavor. Or maybe it's lacking the privacy of not having everyone staring at me like. They sit across the fire as I pick at the food in my bowl, trying not to look up at anyone. Their eyes have been on me since the moment I slunk back after Kyra left me in the woods to sulk. Not that I was sulking, though. Because I wasn't. It was more than that. It was realizing how much I have missed her even when I don't have the right to. Well, that and feeling like a complete asshat for pummeling Marcos in the face when he didn't do anything wrong. I mean, his hands were all over her, but what right do I have to be upset over that?

My stomach churns and I ignore it, refusing to acknowledge the truth I can feel deep in my gut. It doesn't matter that I don't have the right to care. I do, and I fucking hate that anyone else is touching her when my hand can barely register the touch of her skin. "So..." Nisha says, clearing her throat. "Are you going to apologize to Marcos next?"

I exhale, placing the bowl and spoon to the side. "What is your obsession with apologies, Nisha?" I ask.

She shrugs, a smug smile tugging at her lips.

"I was just curious." She says.

"Be less curious, Nisha." I mutter.

"Is there a reason you are being more of a jerk than usual, Hayes?" Koda asks, breaking into the conversation.

I scoff, reaching up to drag my hand through my hair. My twisted flesh covered fingers tangle in my locks and I struggle to get them out, my fingers refusing to bend as they do on occasion. I yank hard, but the jerky movement doesn't go unnoticed by the blazing light brown eyes watching me from under her long lashes.

"You know, if your hand is acting up again, you should have Marcos take a look." Dean offers. "He probably won't even want an apology."

"Can we just drop the Marcos thing?" I growl, annoyed with their antics as they try to hide their amused faces.

"Why don't you guys fill me in on the plan?" She says, drawing the attention to her. I glance at her, surprise in my brows, and she sends me a soft smile. One that lets me know she is changing the subject for my own good.

"Right," I clear my throat. "Alpha Merikh has provided us with some intel, giving us a few ideas of where Ezrah may have potentially gone. Since we are in a time of war, trespassing on the Fae's territory is dangerous, but since we are allies, most of them anyway, we should be okay."

Kyra's brows knit together in thought before she frowns.

"And you plan to just wander around and hope to come across him?" Kyra asks, sounding shocked and unimpressed.

encounters. There is no solid proof of where he is, just verifying where

him in the void between the areas you have checked off?"

nothing else to go off of, you kind of start getting desperate." Dean says and

"I mean, I am here to track him,

heads and laugh to themselves. It is annoying and cute how highly Kyra thinks of herself. She always did undervalue herself back

a ghost, Kyra." Koda

ghost," Kyra says matter of

cuts in now. "Look, the guy was a messenger. A fae messenger. That means they don't travel like normal people do. His speed

has never handled being talked over well, even when I do it. "I mean no disrespect, but I was briefed on all of this." "Then you know you are of no

with the details and do what I do best. All of you have spent close to two years on this mission, and yet,

offense I feel,

same way as the others grow more tense, Nisha's anger rising, Dean grows despondent and Koda licks his teeth rearing to toss a smart ass comment out. But yet no one

where

about when he IS.

me he isn't here or there when you looked in the past. But how do you know he isn't right on our heels going where you have checked? Remaining unnoticed under your noses because they are pointed the opposite

find him like you say you will, huh?" Nisha barks out, unable to keep her

she mutters, looking ashamed. "But she is saying all our time invested is what? For nothing? Useless? It's

elimination. It is a calculated process of finding clues and following them in the right direction. I know you have had trackers before, and no, I'm not under the impression I will just join you guys and find him in a few days. This will take time." "I am running out of

be the

of pleading, like she is begging us to let her help. To trust her, but trust is hard for

confident. Her voice is unwavering and her shoulders squared as she defends and explains what a tracker is to us. She sounds like she knows what she is doing and she looks even more like she believes it. "We have never had a tracker before." Dean says and I shoot him

said you had used some in the past." She says,

some join us for a short time." I admit, scratching the back of my neck. Her eyes narrow

short, exactly. Because I am getting the vibe that maybe you guys drug all your trackers and leave them

had to drug any of them before. Just a day or two with us and they sort of wanted to

at each of us, a dry laugh tumbling from her lips