Lycan Queen''s Prey Chapter 42


    ~Regan~


    The fury that consumes me is a storm unleashed within the confined space of my once meticulously


    maintained bedroom. My hands be vessels of rage, hurling an ornate crystal decanter against the


    wall, the sound of shattering ss is as shing as my emotions.


    Zirah is gone.


    She left me, and went with my brother Zeke, no less. It''s an unfathomable amount of emotion; she left


    with the one that hurt her most, knowing this gnaws at my heart like a ravenous beast. She’d rather be


    with a man who tortured her than be with one that would kill for her.


    Caught up in the whirlwind of my anger, I don''t notice the door opening. ncing up, it''s my uncle.


    James appears like a ghost in the midst of my torment, as he usually does, but we''ve never really got


    along. He is harmless, just likes to add his two cents worth, and is over-opinionated when ites to


    my affairs.


    As he surveys the destruction. His face is nk, and emotionless, his eyes are dull, his brow heavy,


    and his jaw clenched. He steps into the room, turning toward my direction when he doesn''t find me, his


    lips part, slighting this side of the room is even destroyed worse than that of the rest of the room. His


    gaze scans the wreckage of my room, before theynd on me, slumped on the floor, a half-empty bottle


    of aged whiskey clenched in my shaking hand. His voice is a calm contrast to the turmoil raging within


    me.


    He watches me, a look of reproach on his face, I should be ashamed of myself, yet I''m not. I''m too hurt,


    too angry to care. He stops in front of me, his feet crunching in the shattered ss. He sits on the edge


    of my bed, d in a simple white shirt, a faded brown cardigan, and a pair of ck trousers. Dark


    brown hair graying at the temples, under his eyes are lines, the exhaustion of a life lived, and the stress


    of the recent events shows on his face.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    My Uncle utters a deep sigh, before his brows furrow, and he takes in my appearance. "Are you over


    your tantrum?" He asks, his words dangling in the room like bait, my eyes lift, and I re up at him. I


    respond the only way I know how right now, the guttural growl rumbling from deep within my chest as I


    fight to stay in this form. My fingers grip the ss tightly as I take another swig.


    "She hates me?" My wordse out as a statement, not a question.


    The deep pain that lies beneath it all scorches my fragile heart, like a hot iron to my chest. Yet I can


    also feel it. Death. It''sing, that burning sensation, the only thing keeping me from focusing on the


    decaying feeling of death that stems from her rejection.


    James starts to speak, but my anger rears its ugly head again. "Don''t! This is your fault," I use, my


    words a jagged knife. "You were the one who suggested she go to each of our kingdoms. She rejected


    me because of you!" The words hang heavily in the room, a tangible personification of my rage. Uncle


    James says nothing, but he didn''t have to. I could see the guilt in his eyes.


    The tense atmosphere in the room shifts, an unsettling quietness settling between us. He slowly rises


    from my bed, his gaze locked on mine as he steps closer towards me. "You are angry," he begins


    softly, despite the soft tone of his voice it does nothing to soothe the rage inside me. "You must


    remember you are not the only one cursed, so is she.” His hand lightly rests upon my shoulder, a


    gesture offortbined with understanding. "She has to choose not who she loves, but who can


    be redeemed, think about that, Regan. What would be the consequence of choosing wrong?"


    I take a deep breath, leaning my head back against the wall before responding, trying to contain my


    anger as best as possible while still voicing my anger at him. "I know," I mutter quietly, releasing a


    heavy sigh afterward as I tip the bottle to my lips again.


    "Do you, though?" He asks quietly, and I growl. "Well, I am assuming if we die for our sins, she dies for


    her choices too," I snarl angrily. "But it still hurts," I whisper, almost heavy-hearted. Tears brim in my


    eyes, I haven''t cried this much since watching my mother die, yet here they are once again threatening


    to spill over if I allow them too.


    James nods knowingly before withdrawing his hand from my shoulder and stepping away from me. We


    both sit in silence for what feels like hours before he finally speaks again, this time his words are


    coated in understanding even though they might have seemed harsh on the surface.


    "What''s done is done, no point dwelling on it, you have only a couple of days to redeem yourself, so


    there is no point moping about it," he tells me.


    His words bring a flood of emotions—anger, hurt, betrayal and loneliness—all washing over me like an


    intense wave of sadness that threatens to consume me whole.


    I want to yell out my frustrations at him, but I know it wouldn''t matter; it wouldn''t change how she feels


    about me. It would only make things worse and drive an even bigger wedge between us, she needs to


    But it doesn''t change the fact I''ve tormented my own people for over a decade, made them fear their


    own shadows. It doesn''t matter if I would never harm them, sometimes living with the fear of what can


    happen and the repercussions are worse than enduring it. To live in fear is to not live, to not see past


    your own shadow as you look over your shoulder.


    "So, what are we doing? Making a deration of love, fighting to the death, or having a pity party?" he


    asks, and I re at him. I have no idea what to do; pray that Zeke was saving them all these years. I


    wonder if I should go check the mine, and make sure nothing is down there. The driver always


    some ways, he''s also the best of us.


    I nce at my phone, about to ring him to ensure they got back to his kingdom. My hands tighten


    around the phone when it buzzes. An iing call from my father. His voice is strained, worried, and


    pained. "The vampire king came to the castle looking for you all. He took Mchi." he breathes out in a


    rush. The urgency in his voice spikes my already chaotic emotions.


    "What?" I ask, sitting up straighter.


    "Crap, I am on my way," I promise, my tone tight with determination. But then there''s a gasp, a gurgling


    sound, and my father''s voice falters. "No, get Mchi; I''ll be fine," he groans. "What is it, Dad?" My


    voice is urgent, but the silence from the other end is deafening. "Are you sure?" I press on, but there is


    still no response. "Dad?"


    The name echoes in the hollow silence. Panic surges through me, a wave of icy terror, when I hear his


    breath leave him before a thud. "Dad?" He doesn''t answer, and I look at James, who stares at me with


    worry.


    He snatches the phone from my hand. "Theron, you wrinkly old bastard, answer before you give us a


    heart attack," Still silence, and I see him press his ear harder to the phone. His hearing is a little better


    than that of a Lycan.


    "Think he''s passed out, his heart is beating," he states. I snatch the phone from him and stand. "We''re


    on our way," I tell him, hoping he can hear me.


    I end the call, my mind racing. Decision made, no wallowing now. I leave the ruin of my room behind,


    heading back to my father''s kingdom. I dial Lyon as I start the car, the long drive stretching out before


    me as James climbs into the passenger seat. Lyon answers on the second ring.


    "Where are you?" I demand, my voice hoarse with worry.


    "Heading to Zeke and Zirah, why?" Lyon responds, his confusion palpable even through the phone.


    "Good, stay there and don''t leave her side," I order, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "Well, I wasn''t


    nning to, what''s wrong?"


    "Something''s going on, and I''m heading back. I need to check on Dad before I see the vampire king.


    He took Mchi." The name feels like a weight on my tongue.


    Lyon offers to turn around and meet me, but I decline. "No, get to Zirah and Zeke. Let Zeke know


    what''s going on. I''ll keep you all informed." The conversation ends, but the silence isn''tforting.


    The road stretches ahead, seeming to have no end. James tries to reach anyone at the castle, dialing


    all numbers he has, but when they are met with no answer, worry really sets in.