Lycan's Affection
Tonight

Eleanor swallowed, then took a step back, her chest heaving. Her secret was finally out. She was never one of them, and over the years she had done well to hide that fact. But now...

Alexander's eyes swept over her once more and he broke into a cynical laugh, wincing a little at the long cut on his shoulder.

"You were lying to me, Eleanor. You were lycan."

She looked up to him, tears stinging the back of her eyes. "You are not a victim."

He laughed as he stepped closer. Suddenly, three soldiers held her hands to her back forcefully. She yelped, then started to struggle, but even though she was stronger, they were bigger.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Actually, Eleanor. I am glad. I wonder what Conaan, if he survives that much poison, would be willing to do for his little girl. Tell me something, Eleanor."

She bit down on her lips, then lunged forward at hin, but he was faster and he moved away, amusement dancing in the eyes she had once loved.

"Not so fast. You are so feisty."

"Damn you."

"Oh, I'll be damned, Eleanor. Now it all makes sense. Conaan knew, and he wanted you. Are you...perhaps, his mate?"

She didn't reply, but the paleness of her face told him more than enough.

He broke into another round of laughter as he clapped his hands, turning back for just a second before he turned to her. Jane was now on her feet, her expression unreadable.

"That explains how he kept you alive. Hell, he must have hated me for having his mate first. but what could I do? His mate wanted me so bad."

Eleanor spat at his face, her teeth gritted. "You are nothing but a puny little boy trying to be alpha. Conaan showed you that when you went there. Showing you just what it means to be an alpha male, instead of pretending to be one."

His eyes widened, and he raised his hand to slap her cheek, but someone caught it in the hair, stopping him before he could do it.

Matthew was standing to Alexander's side, his grip on Alexander's hand tight. "You have done enough, brother. You poisoned Conaan after everything you did to Eleanor. That is enough."

Alexander's brows raised as he pulled his hand roughly out of Mathew's grip. Matthew could only swallow before the slap landed on his cheek instead, sending him reeling to the floor.

"How dare you tell me what to do?"

Eleanor's eyes widened as he turned to her. It was hard to recognize the man she once loved, the man who she had thought was the embodiment of all things pure.

"Take her to the dungeon. I want to see how much the lycans will be able to pay for her."

"Alexander. Let me go! Let me go back to Conaan!"

"You came on your own. Hours ago, you were so keen on being with me. Let me grant your wish one last time, Eleanor." His voice had a mocking undertone, and he smirked at her deep frowm, then pulled away.

He waved at the soldiers, and they started to pull her away from the grounds roughly, amidst her cussing and protests.

Brandon stood by as the lycan healer put small incense cones on Conaan's upper body, especially the lining of his stomach. She had said it would burn out the poison before she had to give him any sort of medicine.

Conaan was still, and his pale complexion even paler. His hair was sprawled on the pillow, dark strands falling beside him.

His breaths were slow, almost nonexistent, his chest rising every other second.

"I am done with the essence. The poison should burn out by tomorrow morning, and I will make a few herbal concoctions to reduce the effects of the poison."

Brandon swallowed. "How bad is his condition?"

The healer turned to Conaan's still body, then gave a small sigh. "If he doesn't make it through tonight...."

"What do you mean?"

The woman swallowed, closing her eyes for a bit. "The poison was too strong, I could feel it. And it had to be a very abnormal dose. So safe to say, but...tonight is very critical. If he does not survive tonight...if he can not make it through tonight, then...there will be very little I can do to help him."

Brandon's lips parted, his eyes immediately filling. He turned to Conaan once, then back to the healer. "You have to do everything in your power. No, even outside your power. Conduct a prayer session immediately. Make sure you pray and work. We can not lose him."

The woman nodded, her gesture just as urgent as Brandon's voice, and she walked away.

Eleanor brought her knees to herself, her eyes closing, her teeth gritted as tears ran down her cheeks. The dungeon was dark, and she could smell the wolfsbane kept in place to stop the imprisoned wolves from escaping.

She swallowed, remembering when she had gotten herself into this mess.

The memory came back like a stab, her heart tearing into pieces with guilt and shame.

She could remember how Conaan had looked that night, sitting in front of the river, his hair falling down his shoulder. She didn't need to check his face to see.

He was the lycan prince who was about to take her away fron her beloved Alexander. He seemed to be having some time on his own, all weapons away from him.

She did know however, that he was strong enough to win any fight without a weapon.

Slowly she has approached him from behind, the full moon illuminating her, yet, she didn't care much. She wouldn't marry him.

Now that she thought of it, she wondered how he didn't smell her. She was his mate, afterall, the smell becomes twice as strong.

But maybe he had known, just like the poison, and maybe he had simply let her do whatever she wanted with him.

Was that trust? Or was he just generous with his chances with her?

At that point, she hadn't cared. His face had slowly turned to the right, and she had stopped in place, waiting, not able to go back or forth. He had said nothing for a while, and they both just stayed there, she behind him, the knife she had so hurriedly grabbed, held in her fist, her eyes thin with hatred.

Yet, there was a desire. She looked at this man, and the part of her heart that loved Alexander despised him. But her wolf, and the more sensible part of the heart thought he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

He was hard, yet soft, his body pale, his hair striking a contrast between it and his skin. She didn't care for his face, only his back, the tattoo on the side of his arm that she could only see half of...she had thought it was beautiful.

"Eleanor?"

Hell, there was always a way he called her name. Even back then. He called her name delicately, his voice soft and beautiful.

"I am not going to allow myself be mated to you," she had said sharply. "I do not care that you are the prince or..."

"Is there someone else you want?" He had kept his back still turned to her, and he slowly shook his head, his hair bouncing with it.

"Yes."

She heard him chuckle.

"Eleanor...I saw you and I want you. You happened to be mated to me. Can't you see how everything aligns?"

She swallowed, just as she caught him trying to stand. Before he could, she lunged at him, wrapping her arm around his neck, pushing his body backwards to her.

He let out a small, surprised gasp, his hand coming up to hold her arm.

"What are you doing?"

"You saw me so you can have me? Simply because you saw me?"

"Eleanor..."

"Damn you! Damn all of you, lycans!"

He was quiet for a while. "I do not regret seeing you, Eleanor. I would do it all over again."

She had lost it then. Now that she thought of it, she had been impulsive, foolishly impulsive.

And she had put that knife in front of his eye and tore through it. His hand had protected him, but the scar on the remaining side had stayed, below his eyes and above it, and he had fell to the ground as she released him.

He hadn't yelled, she had expected that yell. But it never came, even as she ran away, dropping the knife behind her.