THE LYCAN

Chapter THREE

Hunter’s POV

I slammed my glass on the table forcefully. My jaw tightened as the liquor spilled over the rim.

It stained my papers, but I didn’t bother to wipe them.

Instead, my eyes stayed on the numbers as I growled.

“How bad?” 

“Bad enough.” Across the desk, my beta, Alex, didn’t hesitate as he shifted more reports to me. “Already, five infirmaries are at full capacity. We started trying to redirect some patients, but… “ He trailed. “The lower districts were hit the worst, and they can’t afford treatment.”

My wolf hammered beneath my skin.

There was still no cure.

I had pulled the best healers to the capital city, poured in as much money and resources as we could spare. Still nothing.

The strange sickness ate at my people, ravaging the weaker wolves and moving into the pack.

“How fast is it spreading?”

“Faster than we can contain,” Alex admitted, dragging a hand through his hair. His eyes held dark bags. “It started in the river district, but now, it’s moving inward.”

Any closer to the palace, and I’d have bigger problems to face.

Heat crawled under my skin. “Contain it.”

My vision doubled and I reached for the glass again. 

Alex shifted. “Yes. We’re try— “

“Try harder,” I growled and tipped the liquor back.

The burn of the alcohol barely registered anymore. But it dulled the noise and that was enough.

“Lycan– “ Alex started, then paused. “Maybe you should slow down.”

“Get this plague out of my city.” I ground out, pouring more liquor in reply.

This was what? My eighth glass? twelfth? 

I’d lost count hours ago.

Alex pressed his lips, then nodded. “About your Luna. She’s fortunate. She was very close to the infection line when they found her.”

I went still.

My glass, still raised in my hand as I looked over the rim to Alex. “What?” 

“If she’d kept on running—one more hour and she’d have caught the sickness.”

My grip on the glass tightened. “She shouldn’t have been out there in the first place.”

He knew it too.

The Princess was supposed to be weak. 

Was supposed to be some spoiled brat, having lived her entire life as an Alpha’s daughter.

How the hell did she manage to escape from the most guarded palace in Velmora and elude imperial soldiers for an entire day?

“Maybe she had help?” Alex spoke up softly.

No one would dare help a tribute bride escape.

No.

Whatever the witch princess had done, she’d done on her own.

“Leave.” I returned to my glass.

His feet shifted, and he paused, staring at me intently again. His next words came carefully. “Her death anniversary is in two days. Maybe you should— “

“LEAVE.” My command rang out as every line of my body went taut.

Alpha turned to leave then paused. His tone shifted, grating on me. "I know it hurts this time of the year. But… slow down on the drinking.”

“Get out.” I bit out, heaving as my chest burned hotter. 

Inside my chest, my wolf raged. Rattling against my control as claws pushed against my fingertips. I forced it back.

But Alex didn’t move immediately. He paused one second, then nodded. “As you wish, Lycan.”

The door clicked shut behind him and I dragged another deep drink from my glass.

But it was useless. The pounding in my head had spiked up, enveloping my mind with images of her.

Deep blue eyes, that long shiny hair.

I could almost hear her laughter as memories of her smile stabbed my ribs.

“Vanessa.” My lips formed her name hoarsely and I dragged another drink from the glass before throwing it at the wall.

The glass exploded on contact. Liquid and glass flying everywhere.

She was gone. 

My mate was dead and she was never coming back.

The familiar emptiness in my chest deepened. Fury followed, sharp and coursing through my blood.

Tomorrow would make it three years. Three years since my world crashed down, and she took my mate from me. 

And now, the spiteful princess was in the same palace with me.

I could feel her. The heartbeat in my mind, throbbing faintly as my jaw clenched.

Ashlyn Bradford. 

The spiteful princess that took everything from me.

My vision was doubled. Barely clear as I stood abruptly, my chair scraping harshly against the floor.

She would regret it.

The witch would spend every day of our marriage paying for all she took from me.

I would make sure of it.

The study tilted, but it didn’t matter.

I staggered down the hallway. 

My vision blurred as I moved slowly.

Some minutes later, I reached my chambers and shoved my bedroom door open.

My heart stopped.

My vision shifted, blurring in and zooming out as the fresh smell of jasmine hit my nose.

She was here. Her blonde shifting golden in the candlelight.  

It was a bit longer, and her features almost looked different. But I could feel her heartbeat in my mind, as steady as if it belonged to me.

“Vanessa.”

“Hunt.” She whispered back as she rushed from the bed to my arms.

—------------------------

Ashlyn’s pov.

My heart slammed against my ribs as my husband staggered towards me.

He was mouthing a name, but I couldn’t hear over the sound of my sobs. He was really here.

 He was alive. 

“Hunt.”

My body moved before my mind could catch up. Rushing from the bed, I slammed into him and pressed a kiss to his lips.