Unwanted Mate Of The Lycan Kings (by jessica hall)

Chapter 69

~Zirah POV~

As I wrap my mind around what’s happening, the air freezes in my lungs, and my blood turns to ice in

my veins. Every wound inflicted on Zeke appears on Lyon as well. From what he said, it seems like it’s

also happening to Regan. This curse is more than just sharing pain or having their lives bound

together. It’s forcing them to experience the consequences of each other’s sins.

My heart races as I realize what’s happening as I watch Lyon’s skin open up once again. The whip

marks covering Lyon’s body are deeper with each strike. Red, angry lines cover every inch of him as

Regan loses control. As the shower floor fills with blood, the smell of iron fills the air. My heart races

with panic as I watch Lyon’s skin open up repeatedly, and I know I have to find a way to stop him.

I struggle to my feet, ignoring the pain and discomfort, knowing I need to stop this before it gets worse.

Lyon reaches for me, but I shake my head. “Stay here. Try to stop the bleeding. I’ll find Regan and

Zeke.”

“Zirah...” Lyon groans, making me pause to look back at him.

“I’ll find them. Where would Regan have taken him?” Yet before he can answer, Lyon groans loudly and

slumps forward, passing out. Panic slivers through me as I lift his head back to check if he’s still

breathing. He is, but that doesn’t help me locate his brothers. Yet I can’t wait for him to wake up, either.

I stumble out of the shower, trying to find my bearings as I search for the two brothers. Turning, I race

for the door, slipping and skidding on the floors as I burst into the hall.

I don’t even care that I only have underwear and a torn shirt on, not when Lyon and Regan’s lives

depend on it. I hate them for what they’ve done, but it doesn’t warrant death. Zeke, maybe, but Lyon?

Glancing down the corridor, I look for any guards, but finding none. I pause when my eyes go to the

end of the hall to Regan’s door.

Gnash! Without hesitation, I race toward Regan’s bedroom door and burst through it, stumbling in my

haste as I search for his wolf. The moment the door opens, I spot Gnash’s white head pop up from

where he lay on the bed.

The moment he spots me, he charges at me and pounces, his tongue licking and tail wagging while I

try to calm him down. Grabbing his big furry head in my hands, I stop his flicking tongue from mauling

me. “Where is Regan?” I ask his wolf. Gnash wags his tail and I grip his fur harder. “Gnash...Take me to

your master.” I tell him. He pauses, then jumps down, looks at me, then takes off out the door.

As I make my way through the dimly lit corridors chasing Gnash, he leads me downstairs and halfway

down the stairs. I hear the faint sounds of the whip and the pained groans coming from Zeke.

Before I make my way to the basement, I find myself on the foyer floor, desperately trying to keep up

with Gnash. However, the sound of the grand entrance doors opening makes me pause, and I see King

Theron has returned, his face a mix of concern and annoyance while I wonder briefly why he has

returned early. Shelley and Malachi are hot on his heels, along with another man I do not recognize.

Yet even as I stare at the king, I can see something has drastically changed, he is no longer the same,

he almost appears rejuvenated, his walk is different, his skin, even the way he carries himself.

“Zirah!” he bellows, his voice echoing through the grand foyer, making me stop in my tracks. “Where

are my sons?” he demands, his eyes narrowing as he looks at me expectantly.

I stand there, panic rising in my chest for Zeke, torn between answering the king and continuing after

Gnash. I glance at the way Gnash ran off, knowing that time is running out, but also aware of the

consequences of disrespecting King Theron. This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .

Before I can decide what to do, Gnash returns and whines at my side, his eyes pleading with me to

follow him. He seems to sense the urgency of the situation, and his loyalty to his master overrides any

fear of the king.

With a deep breath, I make up my mind.

Ignoring the king’s furious expression, I turn and rush off with Gnash, leading the way to the dungeons.

I can hear King Theron shouting after me, his anger clear in his voice, but I don’t let it stop me. I know

that if I don’t find them in time, the consequences will be far more severe than anything the king can do

to me.

As we reach the dungeon door, I can feel the weight of the king’s anger heavy on my shoulders, but I

push it aside, focusing on the task at hand and I grip the handle, while Gnash scratches at the door.

Shoving the door open, I rush down the stairs, only to stop halfway at the scene before me.

Zeke is strung up by chains from the dungeon ceiling, his clothes torn and tattered, with deep wounds

that still bleed. The stench of blood fills the room, and the floor beneath Zeke is coated in his own

blood.

“Regan!” I shout, trying to make my voice heard above the chaos and the sound of the cracking whip.

“Stop! You’re hurting Lyon, too!”

Regan’s face contorts with conflict, but the rage in his eyes doesn’t subside. Rushing toward him, I see

Regan is in the same state, Like Lyon, his body is covered in marks from the whip that he holds in his

hand. His anger is so potent he doesn’t even appear to acknowledge that while punishing his brother,

he’s also punishing himself. I can see that he’s struggling to regain control. He raises the whip again,

and I realize that I have to act quickly. My eyes flick to Zeke, who hangs limply from the ceiling, his

back carved to pieces. Zeke doesn’t seem even to be fazed by the whip, almost as if he craves it as he

orders Regan. “More!” he rasps out, which seems only to infuriate Regan as the whip slashes his back

open more.

As much as I despise Zeke for what he did to me, I can’t let Regan kill him, not if it means losing Lyon

and Regan too. So, without thinking, I run toward Zeke and throw myself in front of his body just as the

whip comes down again. The stinging pain is immediate as it hits my skin, and I cry out, tears welling

up in my eyes. My scream is deafening as my back arches.

The whip felt like a thousand razors cutting through my skin. I could feel it slicing through the back of

my shirt and the thin fabric providing little protection against the sharp sting of the whip. I clench my

teeth together, trying to fight back the wave of pain that is surging through my body. Tears stream down

my face as I try to stay standing, my body shaking from the agony as my knees give out, leaving me in

a heap on the floor.

My cry of pain is enough finally to snap Regan out of his blind rage. His eyes widen with horror as he

realizes what he’s just done. Before he can react, though, Gnash mauls him, his teeth tearing into

Regan’s arm, forcing him to let go of the whip and defend himself.

Regan backs away, shock and guilt etched on his face. He looks at me, at Zeke, and then at Gnash.

The realization of what he was doing sinks in, and the anger slowly drains from him. “Zirah…” Regan

stumbles toward me, then stops dead in his tracks. Peering up at Zeke, I reach for the pulley and yank

on it. Zeke crashes to the ground beside me in a heap when I feel a draft as the door opens. It’s in that

moment that I remember my shirt and the way it tore under the crack of the whip. I gasp, turning to

peer at Regan to find his eyes on my back.

A sudden silence fills the room. Both Regan and I freeze. I instinctively try to cover the runes with my

hands, but it’s too late.

King Theron’s voice echoes through the basement as he enters, demanding to know why the Vampiric

King has declared war. However, his words trail off when he catches sight of me on the floor with Zeke.

He takes in the scene surrounding him and follows his sons, stunned expression, to the runes on my

back.

“Litha?” King Theron murmurs, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief.