Found by the Lycan King by Natalie Winter

Chapter 117 Zenovia A light breeze caressed my cheek, making an idle strand of hair tickle my nose. | was in a deep sleep, but that somehow wokeup as the breeze kept my hair flying in my face.

My eyelids fluttered as | saw dots of yellow and orange flicker around in the air. My eyes swam into focus to realize that it was the sunrays filtering in through the windowpane.

It was nearing sunset, it seemed, as | slowly crouched up when I felt my throat go dry. It was rough as sandpaper and | wanted to drink swater from the bedside pitcher.

But moving was an effort. My bones seemed like they had turned to liquid fire and my muscles.

were sore.

With trembling hands, | reached for the pitcher and tried to pour myself a bit of water. | clumsily spilled the water on the sheets but managed to get sinside the glass.

After drinking the water a bit, | felt my throat was not completely dry, but | was still thirsty. So | simply took the pitcher and put the tip of it to my mouth, drinking like an animal.

After my thirst was quenched, | wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and looked around. | was wearing a long nightgown and was in my bed.

Who puthere? | looked down at my hands and felt my skin, but there were no visible wounds or injuries. But my body felt extremely sore.

-1 kept trying to move as | slowly pulled the sheets away and moved my legs to place them down on the floor.

In that effort, | clumsily dropped the glass on the floor that crashed into pieces the moment it touched the floor.

Wincing, | pushed my feet inside the slippers and the doors opened, revealing Maria's kind face.

“Oh, you are up? That is great to know. | just have the right thing for you.” She said as | tried to take a step forward in her direction, but stumbled and grabbed the bedpost for support.

Maria clicked her tongue reproachfully, “Tsk tsk. You are not supposed to start running around the moment you wake up.” She said as my knees buckled and | plopped on the bed again.

“This is a special medicine that | often prepare after werewolf fights or pack wars. It should help you recover quickly.” Maria said, holding a tall glass in front of me. It was filled with sgreenish brown liquid and smelled of strong herbs.

| wrinkled my nose, but she insisted that | should drink it. “Where is Cal-, | mean the Lycan King?” | asked, while reluctantly taking the glass from her.

“He is busy, and he specifically askedto look after you.” “You mean he asked you to keepaway from him.” | deadpanned.

Maria pursed her lips and replied, “I...I don’t know what exactly happened yesterday as | was busy C912 trying to keep the servants inside the quarters. But since early morning, everybody is busy restoring the outdoors, and | was tasked to look after you.” | took a sip and looked at her eagerly. “But did you see him? Is he okay? Was he injured?” Maria saw the concern in my voice and | saw the way her shoulders sagged.

“He looks in bad shape. The curse...l guess it is slowly taking hold of him, right?” | made a grim face. She caught my lie easily yesterday.

“Look child, I have been with werewolves all my life, so | do not feel threatened by them. But you have injured yourself way too many times and...and it is not safe for you with the Rogue King running behind you. Maybe you should just leave the castle and start living in the human city.

| placed the glass on the side table and looked at her pointedly.

“I bet he told you to tellthat as well.” Maria grew flustered, but | only grew annoyed with the way he was trying to avoid me. Even yesterday, he kept pushingaway and now he was asking Maria to babysit me.

| was not going to let that happen.

So, | lifted the glass, swallowed the contents in one go and placed it back on the side table with a thud.

“I am a werewolf, Maria. So it would be better if you don’t try to stop me.” Maria shook her head and repeated, “A werewolf under control is a beast, but a Lycan that has lost his control is truly a monster. Choose wisely.” | did not care. Callahan had been there forwhen nobody was. | was not an ungrateful person to turn my back on him if | could do anything to help him.

Thus, | stepped to the side and then made my way outside the room. | did not have to wonder where he could be. My feet automatically went towards his office.

| expected someone to be outside it and standing guard, but there was nobody.

‘Even better, | thought and stormed inside the door.

“What do you think you are doing?” | shouted. But there was nobody to answer.

The office was empty. If he was not working, where else could he be? After a split second, | recalled one more thing that would make him slog and sweat until he passed out, | climbed down the stairs and headed towards the huge gym where he had traineduntil | would be out of breath.

The gym door was open, and | slowly stepped inside, roaming my eyes all over the huge space. And there he was, at the far end of the gym, working hard.

He was wearing a blue vest and black shorts. | could only stare at his muscles as he lifted the weights effortlessly, repeating one set after another without breaking in sweat.

His back was turned to me, so | took a moment to admire his physique. He was built of pure muscle and he was overexerting himself, almost as if he had a death wish.

walked in and slowly approached him as he grunted and added more weight to the rod.

He did not give any indication that he had noticed my prese. And he looked very angry, pissed 2/5 even.

And somehow my stupid mind thought that it made him look even hotter.

“What are you doing here?” He asked without looking atand | answered, “I cto talk to you.” He placed the weights on the floor and went towards another machine and began doing lateral pull backs.

“Leave,” He said in a curt voice, but | was only focused on the way he was straining himself, more than he should have.

| went to stand in front of him, looking at him through the gaps in the huge machine.

“Please stop hurting yourself,” | said, but he was in no mood to listen to me.

“Right now, you are hurting me, so just go.” “I won't,” | said, jutting my chin up. At that, he looked at me, really looked at me.

Those golden eyes turned their attention onand | recalled the way they had shone a rich shade of crimson last night.

Last night he had looked like a deadly predator, but now, the gaze he threw atwas raunchy and made my knees turn to jelly.

He let go of the bars and walked towardsas | subconsciously took a step back.

“In fact, | would suggest you not just leave the gym, but also the mansion and my life. You can go anywhere you want.” He said, but | could hear the way his breathing was ragged and see the way his veins bulged.

“But you-" | began, but he slammed his hand on the wall, hard.

“For fuck’s sake, Zenovia. Why can’t you listen towhen | tell you to do something?” I shut my eyes, fearing that he was going to attack me, but his hand ended on the wall beside me.

“Because | saw you at your lowest yesterday. And | can’t leave you like that.” “I am a monster, Zenovia. | am turning feral. Nothing on this plcan save me.” “No, don’t say that” My lower lip trembled with the effort to keep my voice still, but he was making it so hard.

“Did you not see it yesterday? No matter how much I try to control my urges and rage, it just flares all of a sudden and then...then | am notanymore. | can’t differentiate my people and enemies. All | feel is the need to rip them apart.” Callahan's face was inches away from mine and | could hear the way his heart was pounding, his heartbeat frantic.

He was trying to mask the hurt with anger. But | could see the pain in his voice, in his eyes.

| did not even realize when my hand rose to cup his face gingerly. This close, | could see the scars on his face, the faint white lines on his skin and the dark circles that had just begun to form.

“... am not going to run away from you,” | said, and my fingers brushed his jaw. | heard him take a sharp breath and the way he went deathly still.

His eyelids fluttered shut, and | saw the way he swallowed nervously, as if fighting semotion.

B75] 6913 Seeing that he had not pushedaway, | dared to lean forward as his body rippled with tension. Last night, he had hurt himself beyond measure. | let my other hand reach for his hand and slowly took it away from the wall, letting my fingers intertwine with his.

The wounds had healed, but the scars were still there. | slowly kissed the tip of each finger and | saw the way he shivered.

“I told you I want to help you,” | said softly and slowly reached for his other hand as well.

Brushing my lips softly on his fingers and his knuckles, | tried to ease his tension.

“I care for you, Callahan.” “You should not. | don’t deserve you.” Callahan breathed, his voice barely a whisper.

“I hurt people, Zee. I..I am a monster. You are not safe around me.” Callahan said, his voice cracking a bit. There was raw emotion on his face as he slowly raised his hand as well to touch my face gingerly.

His fingers brushed my cheek tenderly, and | sucked in a breath.

“This is safe.” | said, placing a hand on his heart that was thudding wildly, trying to get out of his ribcage.

“That heart is not evil. It cares about people. You care about your people, about me.” I said, and the tenderness present on his face was wiped away in an instant.

“I only care about you like | care about Elijah, about Maria,” He said, but | could see the trying to convince himself more than me.

way he was The space between us was already quite less and | could feel his hot breath upon me, the mouthwatering scent of his Lycan and of his cologne.

“Liar,” | said and slowly brushed my lips on his, taking him by surprise.

And the effect was instantaneous. The last bits of restraint that were holding him back crumbled and before | could pull back, his hand slammedon his chest.

He pulledclose, letting his huge body coveras his lips cdown crashing on mine. Author's note: | have a Christmas gift for you guys. This story has been adapted into a short series on a partnercalled Kalos TV. Found by the Lycan King has over 53 episodes out and ready to be binge watched on Kalos TV that you can find on Applestore/Google Play store. | hope you like and enjoy the series like you have been reading the story so far. Merry Xmas everyone!!