Lycan's Affection
Lights on Her Bedstand

Brandon's eyes widened, his lips parting. "Your Highness. I thought we were going to keep peace..."

"Peace?" Conaan said, turning to Brandon, his brows raised. "Peace with the man who tried to kill me?"

"Your Highness, I thought it was Eleanor..."

"Eleanor can't do that to me. And she already said she did not."

"Will you believe her? What if she is lying? What if she is trying to get on your good side so she can help Alexander? What if..."

"What if I chose to believe her? Will you go against me, Brandon?" Conaan's voice had a slightly threatening ring to it, and Brandon immediately cowered, shaking his head.

"Never, your Highness. I suppose I am still scared by the poisoning. I will get to work immediately."

Conaan watched solemnly as Brandon started to walk away.

"Brandon," he said, calling the slightly rustled lycan back.

Brandon immediately made his way back, his head lowered. "Yes, Your Highness."

"Come here," Conaan said, stretching his arms open.

Brandon tried as hard as he could to mask his surprise, before he went into Conaan's arms, slightly keeping a bit of distance.

"You saved my life, Brandon. Thank you."

"Your Highness, I..."

"I owe you, Brandon. And I will repay it."

Brandon gave a small smile as Conaan let him go, then took a step back. "It is enough gratification that you are well, your Highness. We will conquer our enemies together. And I will trust whom you chose to trust."

Conaan nodded with a small smile as Brandon turned, now in good spirits, a smile on his face.

Conaan heard the distant sound of shuffling feet, and he turned slightly. There was no one, but he was sure he had heard the noise.

He chose to ignore it as he gestured to one of the guarding soldiers.

"Bring me the entire colony of healers. They should meet me in the great hall by tomorrow's sunrise."

The soldier nodded and walked away, leaving Conaan standing in the hall alone.

Alexander's fists clenched hard as he looked at the now empty dungeon. It looked like she had left long ago and a little too cleanly at that.

He turned to the scared soldier, his eyes ablaze.

"Who came to visit here last night?"

The man lifted his head, his eyes drifting to Matthew who stood behind Alexander. He immediately shook his head.

"There...there was no one, Alpha. I don't know how..."

Alexander suddenly grabbed a knife from the gamma standing to his left, then brought it to the neck of the hapless soldier.

"Answer my question now. Who came here last night? Tell me now!"

The man swallowed, his lips quivering hard. He looked up again, then shook his head, risking Alexander's angry outburst.

Before Alexander could do anything, however, Matthew came between he and the soldier, spreading his arms wide and acting as a body shield for the soldier.

Alexander's eyes widened as he stopoed his knife just in time. "What are you doing?"

Matthew swallowed. "I was the one who released her. She did nothing wrong, and I didn't want to see my brother turn into a monster like that."

Alexander let go of the knife, his eyes widening, this time out of more spite than surprise.

"So you released her. She was innocent. Is that right?"

Matthew didn't reply, and Alexander's hand suddenly caught his clothes by the neck, tightening it so hard it cut off his air flow.

"Brother..."

"How dare you? How dare you go against me, Matthew? Everything I did was for you! Everything I keep doing is for you!"

Matthew was hardly breathing by now, and his hands frantically tapped on Alexander's hands, his lips parting so he could try to breathe.

He was red by the time Alexander released him, letting him collapse to the floor like a rag doll.

Matthew coughed violently, tears filling his now bloodshot eyes.

"Keep him in the dungeon till he learns. You will take her place, Matthew." Alexander said, his voice carrying a tone of finaIity.

"I would rather be here, Alpha Alexander. I would rather be here in this dungeon than watch you become this man! Keep me here till the end of my life. Keep me here, till you please. You won't get anywhere this way."

Alexander turned to him, his eyes thinning. "I loved you, Matthew."

Matthew bit down on the insides of his cheeks as they started to drag him away into the dungeon Eleanor had occupied. "Glad you say it like it's the past, alpha."

Alexander's fists clenched, his chest slightly heaving. Without another word, he turned away and left the dungeon, the gamma and other wolves trailing behind him.

Conaan walked slowly down the hallways, his eyes downcast. He had never felt fatigue quite like this one, and he found it hard to keep himself the way he always did.

He shook his head to keep himself awake as he headed for the bath house.

The first thing that hit him was the strong scent of lavender. His eyes thinned as he opened the bath house, his eyes slowly taking in the scene in front of him.

The bath house was filled with candles that cast the place in a warm glow. The rectangular pool itself was filled with petals, and probably an infusion of lavendar judging from the stong smell.

His eyes thinned even more as he raised them to Eleanor who was standing by the side, her hair up in a ponytail, on her lips a small smile.

"I thought you would need to relax a bit. I heard lavendar works well."

He swallowed, then slowly closed the door behind him and walked into the bath house. Eleanor immediately went up to him, her hand coming into his robe. He immediately moved away, his eyes holding questions.

"What are you doing?"

She cleared her throat. "I was going to help you with your robe so..."

"You are going to help me undress?" His right brow shot up, and she swallowed.

"Well, I...just the robe..."

He stood, watching her for a few seconds, her eyes lowered and trained on her feet. She turned redder with every passing second and he fought hard to keep his smile down.

"You do not need to help me. I can do it on my own."

She nodded slowly, but stayed still, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Is there something else?"

She looked up, then sucked in her lips. "Will you...ever forgive me, Conaan?"

His eyes thinned and he adjusted the robe he had started to remove. "Is that the price for this bath?"

She shook her head. "No, Conaan. I know I was wrong. But...I want to try my hardest. And...we can call it even if you have been with other women, right? I was foolish but...maybe this is..."

He turned fully to her, then took a step toward her. She immediately moved, and he covered the distance again, till her back hit the wall.

He moved even closer, his hand coming up to her neck, his fingers running along the tender lines.

"Other women?"

She swallowed, lifting her eyes to him. "But...Conaan you are.."

"You are right, Eleanor." His face lowered close to hers, his lips slightly caressing the corner of hers. She felt her breath hitch, her palms fixed on the wall like she was holding on to dear life.

"I have been with so many other women. I put a light by your bedstand for each woman I have conquered. So when you come back, you would see it."

She swallowed, trying to keep down the pang of hurt that tore through her chest.

He said nothing more as he turned away, fixing his robe around him and briskly walked out of the bath house.

Eleanor brought her hand to her heart, trying to keep it in check. She walked slowly back to her room, and the first thing her eyes searched for was her bedstand.

There was no light by her bedstand.