Blood Ties

25

Accalia couldn't bring herself to say something she didn't wholeheartedly mean even if she wanted to take away his hurt.

The purpose of the mate bond was to restore a lycan's humanity and be a counterpart they needed to seek humility than the monstrosity. Whose to say the bond needed to be founded in love?

"I'll wait for you, Accalia."

Accalia pulled away, not helping herself and said, "that's not fair on you, Lycus. I feel so much for you ... I do. But—but—"

Lycus thoughtlessly scooped her face in his hands again and didn't allow for her to move an inch. "I know. I feel it as much as you do, but I also feel your cautiousness around me. Remember I did tell you if you want to leave, you can. I won't stop — I'll try and not stop you."

Accalia shook her head, not wanting to hear that last part. Relaxing against him, his touch withholding something only he would have over her, she buried her head into his chest and felt out for his heartbeat that reaped with humanity.

"Don't say that. I don't think I can bare being without you, even with the conflicting thoughts I have, I'm just not there yet." Accalia confessed to him and secured her arms around him.

"I don't want you to leave me, Accalia. Not now, not ever. Not even in death."

Accalia felt her eyes burn and Lycus placed a kiss on the top of her head, sealing a fating deal between them both.

"I'll wait for you," Lycus whispered solemnly.

Would he always? Accalia thought gravely to herself and that thought made her hug him tighter.

____

Accalia tilted her head as she stared at the unfamiliar face in downright repulsion.

She couldn't tell if it was indifference or murder dancing across those grey eyes that suited well with the paleness of his complexion and the hollowness creeping through his cheeks, highlighting his ghastly appearance. He was everything you thought a lycan would never be.

"No wonder he's a damn lycan all the time," Cadence muttered with a laugh, "the poor thing looks dead. Almost feel bad for the guy."

"I can't wait till he is." Lycus piped in and tucked the photo of Cole Canus back into his jacket.

This man — lycan, scratched me, Accalia pondered and shook her head slightly, wanting to rid that face from her mind.

Her back didn't ripple in a sting of a constant reminder of claw marks laid into her back but tickled faintly with ache. The stitches would be removed soon enough and it was all thanks to Lycus's lycanthropy blood that sped up the healing process.

"How old is the photo?" Accalia asked, noticing it had ridges and yellow strains on it.

"Over thirty years old," Lycus answered.

"So in the 60s?" Cadence mumbled and Accalia clenched her eyes closed, breathing heavily to not laugh.

"The 80s, you bonehead." Lycus snapped and Cadence flipped him off.

"He could've changed a lot since then." Erisa hollered to everyone.

Accalia couldn't agree more. As sick as he appeared in the aged photo, he could have had his entire appearance altered and that only placed them in a situation of unsureness.

"We'll find out when you go to the Hell Blue's bar tomorrow," Lycus said to Erisa who shuffled near Cadence on instinct, fighting to keep her gaze levelled on the Alpha. "You'll have to change your appearance."