Page 9 of The Unwanted Mate of the Lycan Kings
“How so?”I ask curiously.
“Because the three kings raised them since they were pups.They found them while hunting after accidentally killing the mother.Their father ordered them to raise the animals.They have been with the kings since they were small boys.”
“But wouldn’t they be old or even dead by now?”I question.
“Not when the kings feed them their blood daily.Those wolves are savage and obedient.If the maze doesn’t kill you, their pets will,” Malachi warns.If that’s supposed to offer hope, it does the opposite.
“What’s in the maze?”the girl behind me dares to ask as we stop at the massive entrance.
“Step in and find out,” Malachi taunts, his lips tugging up and showing off his sharp canines.Until he smiles, you could almost forget that he’s a monster.
Chapter 6
As I approach the top-floor balcony of the castle, I canhear Zeke arguing with our father.Stepping out into the night air, it becomes abundantly clear something has ticked Zeke off.He’s furiously glaring at our father, and Lyon stands leaning against the wall near the bird feeders, watching with a look of disinterest.Such a Lyon thing to do.I swear, he cares little for anything but getting his cock sucked or tormenting our brother.For the most part, he knows better than to push my buttons.It would only end in him being pummeled from an inch of his damn life.However, Zeke occasionally likes to tempt death.
It takes a lot to rile Lyon up, yet getting under his skin has become a game to Zeke, which is why those two have such an on-and-off relationship.One minute they get along fine, the next, they are plotting against each other.Either way, they’re both snakes.
“What’s this about, father?Malachi said you changed The Maze Games this year,” I ask, falling heavily into the chair surrounding the metal fire pit.A server brings me a whiskey, and I take it while watching as my father shakes his head at a raging Zeke and waves him off.My brother’s temper has always had a short fuse, but never toward our father, so something has irked him to no end.
“This is some fucking bullshit,” Zeke growls as my father takes his seat across from me.
“Shelley, dear, can you get me a glass of water?”my father asks the young maid Lyon has been eyeing.I raise an eyebrow at him when his gaze meets mine.He smirks, knowing he was caught checking out his latest victim.The human girl scampers off, and my father leans back in his chair.
“Zeke, stop acting like a child and sit down,” my father commands.Zeke mutters something inaudible, which makes my father scowl.
“You’re changing The Maze Games this year.We noticed there are no male contestants, and I want to know why,” I state, watching the maid trot back through the door with a tray of drinks.
Zeke scoffs and shakes his head before snatching his drink from the frightened maid, who grips her tray tighter to conceal her trembling hands.
“Yes, I have made some changes.You boys will compete in the games this year.”
I nearly drop my glass and choke on the mouthful I just took.“Excuse me?”
“Now you know why I am pissed off, but the old fool wouldn’t tell me why until you arrived,” Zeke says dismissively.
“Are you looking to hire us within the castle, father?”I laugh.This is ridiculous.The Maze Games are held each year.People compete as a punishment, and those who survived were given jobs within the kingdom.Those who died were not worthy.Though no one has survived the maze in over thirty years, so this year will be no different.
“No, Regan.You will not be competing for a place inside the kingdom.You three will be competing for my throne,” he states just as Shelley hands my father his drink.Lyon pushes off the wall to join us, clearly shocked by this information.
“Your throne?”Lyon asks, confused.Neither of my brothers are worthy of the position.They can barely run their own kingdoms.My father holds power over ours, but I am thefucking oldest, so this information has me seething, and why the sudden rush?
“I want to stand down—” my father starts.
“What has that got to do with us competing in this ritual?”Lyon demands.
My father sighs heavily, his eyes moving to each of us.“You boys have been competing for this kingdom your entire lives.None of you are worthy,” my father states, and I scoff.
“Something funny, Regan?”
“I have been running my kingdom and yours for a fucking century, and you want to pull this shit?You dare tell me I am not worthy?”I snarl.
“That may be so, son.But your temper and barbaric ways make me hesitant to hand over the highest seat in the four kingdoms.Zeke is an alcoholic—”
“Oh, here we fucking go again,” Zeke groans, having been scolded for his drinking problems plenty of times.
My father shoots him a look.“As I was trying to explain, Zeke can barely manage his kingdom’s people, let alone run it.Lyon is oblivious to today’s politics.I don’t know where your mother and I went wrong, but you three are a pack of damn savages.Not one of you is worthy of my throne, and not one of you has even a sliver of humanity,”
“Humanity?We aren’t human!”Zeke retorts, waving his glass at the maid for a refill.My father rubs his temples in frustration.
