The Lycan King’s Hybrid Queen
Chapter 54

Thane

"Do we have to talk about this now?"

"Yes, Blaze, we do. Now, stop pacing and sit the fu.ck down!"

Blaze rolls his eyes, pulls out a chair, and slams himself into the chair next to me.

Blaze, Theo, Tyler, and I are in my private library. It's early morning, and training just ended. We could all do with a shower, but while I had Blaze, I wanted to talk to him about his mate. He may have avoided the topic for weeks; we all have because we've been busy lately. But there's no avoiding me right now.

"Right, now tell me why Theo thinks your mate rejected you."

"What?" Blaze looks confused. "Why would you think that, Theo? And why did you go running to Thane! I would have told him myself if I wanted him to know anything! Not that there was anything to tell." "Blaze," Tyler takes Blaze's arm and shakes his head. "Calm down."

Blaze snatches his arm back and shoots Theo a death glare. This isn't like Blaze, the moody attitude. Sure, he's a violent fu.cker when he starts, but he's the silent brooding type, not this angry person I see before me.

"I didn't run to Thane, Blaze. All I told him was what I saw. Now I replace out your mate is human, and you met her elsewhere. So who was that woman I saw you with, and why'd you let me believe she was your mate and that she'd rejected you?"

"You assumed, Theo, and I didn't correct you." Blaze shrugs. "That girl was a friend of Bella's," Blaze's younger sister. "I smiled because I was happy to see her. I hadn't in months because she'd been staying with family in Ireland.

"I was upset because she'd found her mate, and he'd rejected her. I was livid and wanted to kill the guy. I only didn't because Amelie asked me to leave it. She went off to replace Bella, and I went to the gym. But you stopped me on the way, assumed what you did, and I let you because it kept my true mate hidden. You weren't supposed to tell anyone, so I didn't correct you."

Theo looks at me with furrowed brows, and I shrug. I don't like that Blaze kept his mate a secret, but it was his choice.

"You didn't verbally reject your mate?"

Blaze shakes his head at me. "I know I should have, but I couldn't bring myself to. I am truly sorry that I kept this from you, but my head was a mess. I didn't know what to do for the best." "So, you just left your mate?"

"Yes, Tyler!"

"How could you do something so stupid?"

Blaze growls at himself while raking his fingers through his hair.

"She's human; it would have been nothing more than a one-night stand to her."

"But you said she was raised in a wolf pack, that she knew what you were. She'd know all about mate bonds, Blaze."

"But she wouldn't feel it, Theo, and I didn't tell her that's what we were. Goddess, I was doing fine until..."

"Until what?"

"Until you and Theo met Lyric and Harmony. Then Emori came back to Ty, and I just kept thinking that I'd made a big mistake. I don't even know her, but she was mine, you know?" Stupid fool.

Blaze should never have walked away from the girl. Bringing her here may not have gone smoothly, but I would have understood his need to be with her eventually. I would have allowed the girl to stay.

If Blaze decides to go after his mate, he'll have a lot of groveling to do. She's human, so the bond won't be strong for her, but that doesn't mean it won't be there. Once the girl sees Blaze, something will be there for her. It will be her choice whether or not to forgive him.

"Listen to me, Blaze," He looks at me. "Stop beating yourself up like this. Go and replace your mate and bring her home."

"To what, Thane? For me to watch her grow old and die? I'd rather carry on without her than have to witness that."

Goddess, why do these three always know how to pull on my heartstrings?

"No," I sigh. "I don't expect you to bring your mate here so you can watch her die."

"What? You'll let me bring my mate here, get her permission, and then change her?" He scoffs.

"Yes, Blaze, that's precisely what I'm saying."

"Thane,"

"It's okay, Theo. It wouldn't be right that I allowed Tyler to change his mate, freaking Astro's sister, of all things!"

"Hey!" Tyler yells, making us all laugh.

"The point is," I continue once the laughter dies down. "You deserve to be happy, Blaze, as much, if not more so than anyone else. Go do what you have to do and bring the girl home. What's her name?"

Blaze smiles dreamily. "Her name is Rain."

"Thane!"

"Mom?" Each one of us jumps out of our seats when my mother stumbles through the door, Dad hot on her heels.

"He took my baby! He took my baby!" Mom throws herself into my arms, clinging to me, sobbing and shaking. What the fu.ck?

"Dad?"

"Astro took your sister. He took Starr."

My eyes widen in shock.

"What the hell?" Theo blows out a breath. "How is this possible? How did he get past Aidan? Oh, Goddess, what about Harmony?"

"Aidan just called," Dad swallows hard while taking Mom from my arms. She clings to him, still sobbing. "He said Starr went out even though he'd warned her never to go alone. Aidan said Starr had been acting strangely for days.

"When she didn't return, Aidan sent men to look for her. His guards said they weren't able to get to her before the Fairy Warriors dragged her away. My baby girl." Dad's eyes water, still on me, and I don't know what the fu.ck to say; I'm in shock! "Aidan said that Harmony won't wake up; it's as if the Fairy King somehow put a spell on her."

"No!"

Tyler grabs Theo's arm. "Calm down. Let Dad finish, Theo."

"That's my mate! Sh.it, what about Adam? Dad, what did Aidan say about Adam?"

"Adam's fine, so is Esme. Aidan is on his way here with the kids and Harmony. Your mom needs Esme here. Goddess, they weren't safe, Thane! Where's Lyric?"

"She's sleeping. Sh.it!" I bolt from the room, everyone chasing after me. But I suddenly have a terrible feeling. If that bas.tard was able to get to Harmony, a woman he wouldn't recognize if he looked directly at her, then he could have done something to Lyric. I burst into our chambers to replace Lyric lying flat on her back on the bed, just as I left her hours ago.

"Lyric?" I call her name, but she doesn't stir. I climb on the bed and reach out my hand.

"No! Don't touch her!"

I turn my head to see Emori rushing through the room with Taylen. Theo, Tyler, Blaze, Mom, Dad, Bolton, and Amelia all stand watching. I do not allow others in my room! I can't believe these people think it's okay to... Whatever, it doesn't matter right now. "What are you talking about?"

"Please don't touch her," Emori repeats. "Tyler mind linked to let me know what happened. Lyric is like this because Astro has pulled her into her own subconscious mind."

"So, if you touch Lyric, it could kill her." Taylen swallows hard.

I leap off the bed, my left eye changing as Jagger joins me upfront.

'You said Astro was too weak to come for Lyric yet!' Jagger growls.

"Yes," Emori nods. "Astro's body is too weak in the flesh, but his mind is strong. He sent his henchmen to collect Starr as punishment for what he believes you did, killed me. Astro has used this kind of trick before, invading someone's subconscious mind while they slept. This is what he's done to Lyric through her dreams. Why didn't you tell me Lyric was pregnant?"

Mom gasps, but I don't take my eyes off Emori. Everyone can see Lyric's baby bum because the spell seems to have broken. With Lyric asleep like this, she can't keep the protection shield up.

Goddess, dammit, all to hell!

'This bitch is too nosey for her own good.'

'Pull back, Jagger; we don't have time for this.

My Lycan steps back, allowing me to take over entirely.

"That's none of your business, Emori!"

"Don't yell at her, Thane. This isn't Emori's fault."

"Shut up, Tyler! You," I point to Emori. "Tell me how your sick brother managed to do this."

"Because Lyric is pregnant. Using her magic didn't cause this; the pregnancy itself did. All the stress she's been under left her mind open to him. If Taylen and I had known about the baby, we could have helped keep Astro out of Lyric's mind." Great, just fu.cking great!

No, I won't allow myself to be angry about Lyric's decision. Our baby means absolutely everything to Lyric. If my mate had known what could have happened, I know she'd have told Emori.

"Where does Harmony come into this?"

"I honestly don't know, Thane. That's the one thing that doesn't make sense to me. But maybe it's because Harmony is connected to Lyric with them being twins." "Mommy! Mommy!"

"Esme!"

Esme jumps into Mom's arms. Dad takes Adam from Garrick, and Aidan rushes into the room with Harmony in his arms. He lays her next to Lyric, and I notice he wrapped her up and wasn't touching any exposed skin. Goddess knows how he knew not to touch her. "Harmony,"

"Don't touch her, Theo." Aidan shakes his head. "If this is what I think it is, it could be dangerous."

It is what Aidan is thinking, though I have no idea why or how he'd be thinking it.

"Thane, I'm so sorry; it all happened so quickly. Here." He hands me a note from his pocket, and I read it to myself.

Dear Thane,

By the time you read this, I'll be long gone. It wasn't easy to come to this decision, but in the end, I knew it was the only way. Astro has somehow infiltrated my mind. He sent me visions of a future where every one of you is dead, and all that's left is me. I don't want to live in that world, Thane. I can't live without all of you.

Astro said there was a way to erase that future, and that's if I traded places with Lyric. I know he could be lying, and he could still come for her. But isn't it worth taking the chance that he might be telling the truth?

I have to believe that giving my life for everyone will work out for the best. Know that I went willingly, and I did it for you. Please don't hate me, Thane. Please. I am loyal to my King, my brother, my hero, and I love you so much.

Tell Mom, Dad, Theo, Tyler, Esme, Isla, Ivy, Adam, Lyric, Harmony, Emori, Blaze, and all of our uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandparents that I loved them all. Tell Thorin and Tane that even though they were sh.its to me all my life, I loved them so much. Could you do something for me, Thane?

Please take care of Tristan for me. He won't understand why I'm doing this, nor why I had to leave him. But tell him that even in death, he will always be the other half of my soul. I'll always love him, and I hope he'll forgive me one day.

I love you, Thane. You will always be, in this life and the next, my King.

If my sacrifice is for nothing, remember never to give up until you kill that bas.tard Fairy King! Kill him in the worse way, Thane!

Don't blame Aidan for what I chose to do; it was my choice to make, Thane. It was no one else's doing but mine.

Goodbye, Big Brother.

Oh, Starr, what have you done?