The Lycan King’s Hybrid Queen
Chapter 44

Thane

"Wait, so he's dead?" Theo asked the question I was about to ask. "Does it look like he's dead?"

"Yes! Voldemort just killed him! What was the point of this story?"

"I don't know, Theo; I've not watched this movie before either. Goddess, can't you just watch the movie without asking so many questions? You can't possibly enjoy the story or even get what's going on if you don't shut up!" Lyric chuckles at her sister's words.

Lyric and Harmony have forced us to watch all eight Harry Potter movies for the past few days. It's taken days because we've been working on training and plans for when Astro arrives. Blaze and Tyler have been doing a lot of the work I should be doing. But Theo figured Harmony and Lyric needed this time with us before everything goes to sh.it.

Two movies a day, though?

I'm losing my damn mind! It's not my thing, but I've pushed through it for my mate.

'So, does he die?' I ask through the mind link.

'Kind of,' Lyric chuckles back.

'What would be the point of the story if the main character dies?'

'Not everyone lives in a fight for survival, Thane, including the main character!'

'I gathered that when he lost his parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, Tonks, and Lupin, not to mention half his school friends.

Lyric snickers and continues to watch the movie. Harmony gasps at specific points, and I roll my eyes more than once. But Jagger reminds me how much Harmony and Lyric love both the books and the movies. Plus, they missed out on a few, and they're seeing the last movies for the first time, as Theo and I are. It makes sense as to why Theo wanted to screen them in the cinema room and not on regular TV. He wanted to give our girls the cinema experience. I would have been happy watching it on TV. Who'd have thought a seventy-five-inch TV wouldn't be big enough?

I smile when Lyric lays her head on my shoulder. I kiss her head and lay mine against hers.

'I smell something!

'What are you talking about, Jagger? All I smell is Lyric.

'It's faint, as though someone is blocking us from...! Jagger growls. 'Aspen says she's allowing me to smell as much as possible. But she can't unblock what Lyric did fully. Lyric is hiding something important.' 'Why and what would Lyric be hiding from me? We tell each other everything!'

'You might wanna check again.

What the hell?

Lyric wouldn't keep things from me, but Jagger wouldn't lie either. He has no reason to lie to me; we're a team. But I thought Lyric and I were a team, and now I replace out she's keeping stuff from me.

I don't know what happened in the last half hour of the film; I couldn't concentrate. All I could think about was what Jagger said.

Perhaps there are some other powers Lyric hasn't told me about. Maybe she's worried about something she doesn't know how to talk to me about. That could be a number of things. The coronation is tomorrow, plus Harmony looks as though she's ready to pop any day. The size she is, I doubt she'll make six weeks. Or maybe she will; she's not that far off now.

I didn't hear Theo and Harmony leave; I was lost in thought. I can't get my head around this secret-keeping thing. I thought we had an understanding after everything that happened before. No more secrets, that's what Lyric said. I didn't have my mate down as someone who'd keep things from me. I scanned her for lies while she watched the movie. But I didn't replace any, so I'm even more confused now.

"Thane? Thane!" I turn my head to Lyric. "Did you not hear me calling you?"

"Evidently not."

Lyric furrows her brow at my bored tone. "What's wrong with you?"

"There's nothing wrong with me, Lyric. What's wrong with you?"

"Thane. What the hell? You're being weird."

I roll my eyes and get out of my seat. I'm annoyed that she's keeping things from me and clearly has no intention of saying anything!

"Wait! Thane, please tell me what's wrong. Have I done something to upset you?"

I take a deep breath and rake my fingers through my hair. I have better things to do than waste my time on this. But I also don't want to act childish toward my mate. I want Lyric to trust me and come to me when something is bothering her. I want her to tell me in her own time what she's keeping from me. But I'm also not a patient man.

I turn to look at Lyric standing behind me. She really doesn't know what's wrong, and why should she? It's not like she can read my mind. Though she can read my emotions, she doesn't need to with the way I'm acting.

"What are you keeping from me, Lyric? And don't say nothing; Jagger already told me you are."

"I... I..." Mouth agape and eyes wide, Lyric struggles to articulate what she wants to say. "How does he know? No one should know!"

"Know what, Lyric? What aren't you telling me? Baby, whatever it is..."

"I'm sorry, Thane. I'm so sorry."

I sigh and pull Lyric into my arms. She sniffs while rubbing her cheek against my chest.

"I didn't mean to do it, Thane. I know I shouldn't have, especially not from you. But I was scared. I still am."

"Scared of what? Tell me, and I can make it all better."

"We have to keep it a secret for as long as possible. I'm using every bit of magic I can spare without it drawing Astro here."

I grab Lyric's shoulders and push her away from me. "You're using your fairy magic? Are you crazy?"

"Don't yell at me! I don't care if I'm crazy; this is too important. I'm not using enough for Astro to notice, Thane. Even I was; I just want it to be over."

"We all want it to be over, Lyric. I'm sending my sisters and yours away to the fuc.king Vampire Kingdom to keep them safe. My parents will be without their children, Theo will be without his mate and child, and you're playing with their lives! Fu.ck!"

I hiss when a crack echoes across the room; the second Lyric's hand connects with my face. Sh.it, she hits like a man!

"Don't you ever speak to me like that again. How dare you accuse me of playing with our family's lives? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I am your mate and your king!"

"Yes," Lyric nods. "You are both of those things, and I am your mate and queen. You want my respect? It works both ways, Thane. You were the one who said I was your equal. Well, it's time you started treating me as such."

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I know Lyric is correct in what she's saying, and I'm not being fair. Lyric would never put our family in deliberate danger; I know she wouldn't. It was Lyric's idea, after meeting Aidan, the Vampire King, to send our siblings to his castle.

Aidan was quite taken with Lyric and instantly agreed to protect our loved ones. He didn't ask for anything in return, which would have been his right, and he swore to protect them with his life.

Isla will be leaving with her mate and Ivy after Lyric's coronation, leaving for a place they'll be safe. Starr and Esme will also be going after the coronation with Aidan. However, Harmony refuses to leave until after the baby is born. Even though Lyric gave Harmony their parents warning, my brother's mate won't budge. I could order her to go, but I don't want to cause the girl more stress than is necessary.

Emori won't leave Tyler, though having her here would greatly help. No one knows Astro the way Emori does, and her input would help immensely.

Mom flat-out refused to go anywhere and wouldn't hear another word on the matter. She won't leave Dad, just as Grandmother won't leave Grandfather. I'm not happy about that, but I won't force either of them.

"Do not slap me again... Outside of the bedroom." Lyric raises an eyebrow while trying not to smirk. "I'm sorry, okay? I know you're doing everything you can to protect our family. But you said it yourself. Using your fairy magic means Astro will replace you." "Losing control of my fairy magic will draw Astro here. I'm using the equivalent of a drop of water worth a day. I've spoken to Emori about this without telling her what I'm hiding. I just needed some advice. That's how I know Astro doesn't know anything. We still have a spy to flush out, Thane, so I had no choice. I would never have done this if there was any other way."

"Any other way to what, Lyric?"

Lyric lets out a long, shaky breath while taking my hands. "To hide our baby."

"Say what now?"

'Pup!' Jagger yells so loudly inside my head that I stagger back a little. 'Lyric is having our pup, Thane!'

'Did you have to shout? You almost deafened me! I can't smell any pup, Jagger. Are you sure Lyric is pregnant?'

'Breathe in, Thane. Lyric dropped the shield for us, so you'll be able to scent our pup now!

I breathe in, and my eyes cloud over. The scent of my child inside its mother fills my senses. I feel the warmth of love filling me for my pup. Oh, Goddess above!

"How far along?"

"Not even a week."

I close my eyes for a moment. I don't know how to process this information!

"How did I not know instantly? Lycans always know, Lyric."

"I can't answer that, Thane. Perhaps you did, but it didn't register after our talk about waiting. I don't know; all I know is I sensed it a few days ago and instantly blocked everyone from knowing.

"It was a knee-jerk reaction. I didn't know what to do! After Emori told us about the spy sending information about me back to Astro, I panicked. I was scared, Thane! We don't know who that person is yet, and I won't risk anything happening to our child. I didn't even know I'd want it this much, but I do, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep this baby safe. No matter what it takes, Thane, even if that means using my magic."

I stare at Lyric for a moment, her eyes shining with tears, and I fall deeper in love with her. She already loves our child so much she'd do anything for them. She kept things from me, but she did what she thought was right at the time. However, "How long would you have kept this from me, Lyric?"

"Until tomorrow night. I was going to wait until after the ceremony and surprise you. We would have to keep it from everyone else for a while, but I swear, I was going to tell you. But it's all ruined, and now you hate me."

I don't sense any lies. Everything Lyric just said is the truth.

'Lyric is upset, and so is Aspen. Jagger growls.

'That's your fault for outing her!'

'Shut up! Make her smile.

I stroke the back of my hand down Lyric's soft cheek. "I don't hate you, Lyric; I never could. I love you with all that I am. I was hurt that you felt you had to hide this from me. But I do understand."

I place my hand on Lyric's stomach and close my eyes. I can feel my baby in there. I'm going to be a dad!

I lean my forehead against Lyric's. "Can you allow me to keep feeling this, Lyric? I don't want to be blocked from this."

Lyric nods her head against mine. "I promise I won't block you out. But you can't act differently, Thane. No one can suspect anything until I can no longer hide it. Can you do that?"

"Yes. I'll do anything for you, Lyric, you and our baby."

"I love you, Thane."

"I love you, too."