Traded To The Lycan King by MG Wattsons

My shoes squelch from the water that fills them. The cold of the mud mixed with the soggy fabric makes me shiver. No amount of running hot could warm me from this icy chill as it settles into my bones. I knew the second Hayes made us go back to the others that we "Shit, it's an endless fucking stream of rain," Dean growls with a shudder, his arms clutched to his chest.

were screwed. Everything on this mission has a way of going sideways.

"We should try to wait it out," Nisha yells, her voice barely audible over the droning sounding of hard, heavy droplets pelting us from the sky.

Hayes drags his hands through his hair, droplets running down his cheeks before he meets my eyes, and a frown grows on his lips. He knows there is no way I will willingly stop. We have already lost so much valuable time and likely important clues. Maybe this explains their lack of finding Ezrah all along. Do they even want to find the guy?

"Waiting it out is the difference between a quick mission or two years of wandering aimlessly." I yell over the noise. Marcos' eyes widen in shock, but Hayes doesn't seem phased by my comment. "I have no intention of resting or losing what little trail we have left." I pick up my speed, moving faster as Nisha falls behind with Koda at her side.

"Kyra," I hear my name being called, but I can't in good conscience slow down. If they can not keep up, then they will have to find me on their own later.

"Kyra!" I hear Hayes roar loudly, and yet all it does is cement my stubbornness as I keep moving. His hand clutches at my elbow as he whirls me around. Hayes' lips purse together, droplets raining over them as he huffs out an exasperated breath, spraying the water away as he pinches the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

"It's gone already," he finally says. "I fucked up by heading back. I can admit that. But slogging around in a fucking rain storm isn't going to get you anything but wet and more lost."

I yank my arm free, my pride and anger swelling in my chest. He knows nothing about my abilities. All he has done is severely undervalue what I can do, admittedly things have been off to a rough start, but that isn't entirely my fault. I trusted too easily when I should have known better that the worst kind of enemy is the one who knew you.

"Right now, I am trying to cling to whatever closeness we have to him." I throw my hands up, "Of course all the clues and trail are gone. Ezrah is traveling with an egg. One, he must keep warm at all costs, Hayes. That means he is not moving, he is hunkered down, keeping warm and staying somewhere dry."

He scoffs, shaking his head.

"I'm calling it. We have passed the furthest point you were at earlier. It is time to find shelter and wait this out." He demands.

"You are not my alpha, and as luck would have it, you are not my beta either. So you may find the others shelter, and sing cute songs around a fire and cuddle. I am doing my job." I snap, turning to run away from him. His hand wraps around my elbow again and he yanks hard, pulling me around and into his hard chest.

follow his stupid orders. Orders that will mean I am

everyone's safety." He says, glaring

I say, looking up

his body reminding me just how cold the rain actually is. Damn my traitorous involuntary movements that only help convince him he is in the right. "Enough of this back-and-forth shit, Kyra. I am not here to bicker with you. Merikh asked you to do this but with my permission you were allowed to join us. I take others' safety fucking seriously. I will not fail another person

hurtful words sit at the tip of my tongue, which I bite down so hard the twang of blood colors my mouth. What I want is to make him mad enough he lets me go, but something tells me he won't be dropping this issue anytime soon. What a drastic change from the time

even a little, I am gone to track. Is that understood?" I sneer at him, and he arches

were asking permission all while you were telling me

eyes, stepping

well, I listen to orders to the best of my ability. Doesn't mean I have good

are headed in, until I catch a whiff of smoke and a little glimmer of light. To my left, sheltered

my nose at it as we move closer. Tyler had a love for the human world's horror movies. They weren't really something

out a bird call and I smirk, amused. The guy couldn't so much as whistle when we were growing up. Now he is tweeting like a bird. A

we step onto the leaking porch. "In a

is closer

it over the rain, and considering Ezrah is a Fae and not a lycan or werewolf, his hearing is as shitty as a basic human." he gives me a tight smile, like we are battling and he won. I respond with a solid eye roll, and he shakes his

wraps around me and there is no hiding the shiver that runs through me at the relief of the warmth. Marcos moves over, looking Hayes over, who whispers and points in my direction. Marcos then grabs a warm blanket that had

off to let it dry. You should do the same, but you can wrap

bend as I clutch it. Then he frowns and Marcos reaches out and takes

yes as I turn to a corner and he follows, holding the

and take the blanket. His head turned to the side before he meets my eyes, a heated desire there, and

blanket around my