Messages and Runaways
~
Lycus
~
There was nothing more distasteful than a lycan having a hunter as a mate.
It was rather a curse than a blessing, and perhaps Lycus considered this being his ultimate punishment for all the wrongdoings he has caused throughout his life.
How he'd be viewed as a lycan if his people found out about this.
Lycus never wanted a mate, didn't crave the desire for one. He couldn't describe it. Just a dark hole in his chest that couldn't be filled and he doubted having a mate could help it.
Until he saw her.
Lycus was at the threshold of his territory where all he saw was her. The smell of blood and flesh enriching his senses and the beast inside himself stirring.
The lycan was displeased.
But from that moment onwards, everything blurred. Lycus didn't know why he stood in front of her, his body made him do so and he quickly caught on how much he terrified her.
He had a twinge of resentment about that.
But there was a string pulling him towards her.
To Accalia.
Bewitching she seemed with her unruly black hair, lucent brown skin and plump lips he couldn't help but stare at.
And right then and there he was going to mark her, not caring who she was, a Larren hunter and a human he never wanted.
Lycus would bound themselves together and wouldn't think twice about considering her needs.
And then his Lycanthrope curse flashed through him and he stopped himself for what stood before him was a hunter.
The slightest part of him thought he should kill her. His own mate, a being to tied him to his humanity and his salvation. Dead and gone. How simple that would be if she died by his hand. His lycan side would mourn her but he imagined he would move on for his own sake.
But that's not the odds for lycans. To kill your mate is asking for endless pain and punishment. Myths travel through the world of lycans, tales of curses that bestow upon you once you kill your mate and the true loss of something you can never get back.
To Lycus, those tales hit too close for him to delve into.
And now, damnation will scorn through the supernatural world from Lycus finding his mate.
A fragment of him wished her nothing, but a twisted and eminent essence of him already longed for Accalia to remain by his side, despite what she cared about.
Her name was eloquent to him. Something he wanted to say again and again. He hasn't even heard her name being told to him by his mouth. Only by the exchange of conversation expressed between the two cousins.
"You can't be mated to him, Accalia, that's insane."
"I don't believe it either, Cadence, this seems like a sick joke. Barbaric even."
Barbaric indeed ...
Even Lycus thought this was a joke when he first saw her. Lycus even eavesdropped on their conversation and how they spilled that they weren't even supposed to cross into this territory in the first place, but the wolves they were hunting lead them here.
He should've killed them the first chance he got. Lycus couldn't even slash his claws across the cousin's throat. He didn't know why, he just couldn't bring him to do it in front of her.
A growl rumbled in his chest at that.
Of all beings and it had to be her? Lycus thought.
"Brother?" A hand slapped onto Lycus's shoulder and gripped it harshly. "What on earth is wrong with you? You've been acting strange since Nina and I got here."
Lycus came back from that black hole that was dragging him into its obsidian depths with just a simple tug.
He almost forgot why his brother and his mate were here. A gathering was to commence in the Fenris pack in nearly two days. Neighbouring packs were to attend the yearly event and Alphas to converse with each other. It is not common for them to see each other as brawls tend to arise and meaningless fights with the constant need to dominate one another. It's not smart to have Alphas and lycans together for long periods of time.
But Lycus calls for it now and again for the Alphas to unite them as one pack. As it once was. Until many lycans branched out decades ago.
Most people didn't realise Lycus did this to stake his claim as the original breed of lycan. It is respectful to acknowledge the Fenris bloodline, although many Alphas would want the brothers' heads on sticks.
But the fact of the matter remained, the Fenris family are the first of their kind and no matter the amount of Alphas and packs, they were to kneel before them.
And sometimes, it was good to have a family reunion as well.
"I have a lot of things on my mind, Gabriel," Lycus responded coolly, trying to manage his senses that swirled onto one thing only.
"Right," Gabriel drawled out, "your Beta has a bruised nose, your wolves aren't out and about and you look like you haven't slept well in days."
Lycus growled lowly and crossed his arms, wanting his brother to keep his mouth shut for once in his immortal life. Unfortunately for Lycus, Gabriel would be hanging around here for a few days.
He wouldn't go home quickly after coming here like other Alphas, he'll linger around and suffocate his brother as he's done since they were children.
A sharp and sudden sting struck at Lycus's face and he flinched, head flicking to the side.
"Lycus, what's wrong?" Gabriel called from his side.
Lycus grabbed his face and inhaled sharply. "I don't know, something—"
Accalia.
Lycus's eyes blackened and he looked to his brother who had taken a step back, taking in his brother's appearance that was on the verge of shifting.
Lycus scrambled for reasons behind this. Someone must've touched her, laid their filthy fingers on her face hard enough to internally pain her. Who could've done this?
His warriors came to mind. The two wolves he sent to collect the two girls and bring them back, untouched and unharmed.
Lycus knows the mate bond, even though he has spoken on his resistance on wanting a mate, even in the past threatening to end her life quickly if finding her, he knows that you can't feel this notion from your other half unless they're mated or the infliction they've experienced has cut more deep enough to leave an internal mark.
Someone Accalia knows has harmed her, hurt her enough that they've left an inward cut that continues to bleed and leave droplets onto Lycus, where he too, can sense her pain.
His warriors wouldn't have done them harm, they'd know better since their lives were on the line if they didn't follow through with Lycus's orders.
Lycus had to find her; get to her in whatever way he could ...
"Who's got you all worked up?" Gabriel demanded.
"A huntress," Lycus cleared his throat, "she's my mate."
If it was anyone else, Lycus would've sealed his lips shut, but Gabriel and Lycus have hardly cared for hunters. They've never posed as a major threat to them, hardly provoked battles and fights, but they were ruthless humans, nevertheless.
Lycus meet Gabriel's arctic eyes and immediately wanted to take it back.
"Don't get too excited," Lycus spat.
Gabriel masked his handsome face with a stoic look and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I mean ... Nina will be excited."
"You must keep it to yourself, if the Alphas that are coming here find out who my mate is, she might as well be dead. You can only tell Nina." Lycus bellowed lowly, watching out for anyone listening in and if he'd have to snap their necks for it.
"Of course, brother," Gabriel pledged with a nod. "I promise, I won't. She'll be apart of us now, hunter or not."
"There's more," Lycus bit out and waited for his brother's reaction that would be nothing but judgements and righteousness.
"More?" Gabriel's voice grew icy now.
Lycus sighed before responding, "She and her cousin took off—"
A resounding and bellowing noise of what sounded like a herd of cattle trampling caught the Fenris Alphas' attention.
Lycus turned and was met with two stumbling men running down a steep hill as though their life depended on it to reach the bottom to the Alpha.
Lycus felt impelling rage dance through his veins and he watched the pathetic fools stumbling to the dirt, falling to their knees before the Alpha and gasping for air. It didn't appeal to him that they were battered and bloodied. It did amuse him that their faces plead with mercy and forgiveness.
"What is it?" Lycus spat, disgusted by the state of them. One smelt of petrol and the other ... Accalia's enticing scent lingered on him.
The beast within the Alpha rattled and thrashed.
"The two hunters fled from a petrol station, Alpha," one trembling wolf reported and it took him a moment to utter the last part, "They wanted us to send you a message."