The Lycan King’s Hybrid Queen
Chapter 60

Thane

"How did you even know?"

"Because you forced Tristan to keep it a secret?" I growl at the Bear King. "Someone saw your little exchange with my brother." "Who?"

"Not that it's any of your business. But my Queen both saw and heard you. She spoke with Tristan. It's not like he could deny what she'd heard. You're a bas.tard for what you did, Brody." "Like I've never heard that one before."

As soon as Brody arrived, he was brought to my office. He gave me attitude, but I didn't expect anything else from Brody Maddox. The look on his face tells me that he'd rather be anywhere than here right now. I have a horrible feeling he's going to refuse to help my brother.

'You think he came all this way to not help Tristan? Why would he have bothered?'

'I don't know, Jagger. But look at him; Brody doesn't look like a worried mate. He looks like he couldn't care less about Tristan!'

'Just try and keep calm. We need Brody on side. If he flat out refuses to help, I'll tear him apart.

"Look," Brody sighs. "You think it was easy for me? Do you think I didn't instantly want to go back and apologize for every horrible thing I said to him? I'm the King of Bears, he's a Lycan Prince, and he's over sixty years younger than me. We'd never work!" 'Have you noticed Brody hasn't once said Tristan's name since he got here? Don't you think that's strange?'

'I had noticed, Jagger'

Jagger growls inside my head.

"You didn't even give Tristan a chance!" I snap at Brody after cutting Jagger off. "The age thing is the most ridiculous excuse I have ever heard. I am over one hundred and thirty-seven years older than my mate. It never entered my head to reject her because of my age.

"If it's the Lycan - Bear thing, I'll admit it's unusual. I've never known it before. But you were paired with Tristan for a reason."

"And I don't care what that reason is, Thane. No matter what anyone says, I won't take him as my mate."

I scrub my hands over my face. My body is tingling from head to toe with the need to kill the fu.cking Bear King. My fingers buzz with the urge to grab Brody around the throat and squeeze the life out of him!

Why can't this bas.tard listen to reason?

I don't want to lose my brother, and I will do anything to bring him out of Status Sleep.

But how can I do that when our only hope of that happening refuses to help? 'Can I kill him now?'

'Not yet, Jagger.'

"You don't have to take Tristan as your mate. Just be near him, Brody. He's locked away in sleep because he lost his twin sister. Tristan is in so much pain that his Lycan did the only thing he knows to save him. But he won't survive long, Brody. My parents have already lost their daughter. Please don't let them lose their son too."

I'm not above begging, though it's not someone I would do in normal circumstances. But even the Lycan King isn't too proud to beg when it comes to saving one I love.

I can see a war waging in Brody's eyes. He feels the mate bond being this close to Tristan. It's the natural order of things. But he's fighting it because of the most stupid reason.

Why can't this as.shole just be honest with himself?

"What exactly is it you want me to do, Thane?"

"See Tristan. Be near him, let him know you're there, anything to try and bring him out of this."

Brody's eyeballs dart from side to side.

"Why are you fighting this, Brody? Why can't you bring yourself to say my brother's name?"

"Just show me where he is so we can get this over with. I have a kingdom to run."

I lead the miserable bas.tard to Tristan's room. All eyes turn to Brody, who tips his head in acknowledgment. He looks at Tristan lying there, unmoving in his bed. I thought I'd see some emotion in Brody's eyes, if not on his face. But there's nothing. 'Are you sure this as.shole is Tristan's mate?' Theo's voice fills my head. 'I've never seen anyone with less of a reaction to their mate than this pr.ick!"

'Shut up, Theo! I don't care how he reacts as long as he helps Tristan.'

'And if Tristan wakes up? What do you think will happen when Tristan realizes his mate still doesn't want him? It could send him crazy, Thane.

I sigh because Theo is right. This could blow up in our faces. Tristan could become feral if he wakes up and realizes Brody still doesn't want him. Sh.it, I don't know what's worse, a sleeping Tristan or a feral Tristan.

"What am I supposed to be doing here?"

William growls at Brody. "Get on the bed next to him. Hold his hand, anything! Pretend like you give a sh.it about the boy for five minutes!"

"Watch how you speak to me, old man. You need me more right now than I will ever need you!"

Growls fill the air as every person in the room, but me crouches into a fighting stance. Every Lycan is upfront with their human half. Brody's Bear is also upfront.

I scrub my hands over my face before yelling. "Enough!" The growling stops, and now all eyes are on me. "How dare you do this here!?" My family members bear their necks in submission. "As for you," I round on Brody. "You might not care about Tristan, but he is your mate. You're a cold-hearted bas.tard, Brody Maddox. At least pretend to care a little. Would it kill you?"

Brody's Bear retreats and he sighs. "You think I don't care? That this is easy for me? It's not! I'm fighting my every instinct not to pick Tristan up and get him the hell out of here. I want to take him back to Nightshade where he'll be safe from the sh.it the Fairy King will bring to this place. But I know that it wouldn't do Tristan any good. He needs you all more than he'll ever need me. But don't stand there and tell me I don't care!"

If this is Brody caring, I'd hate to see the uncaring side of him.

'At least he said Tristan's name.'

'I suppose.'

"Just get on the damn bed, Brody. We're wasting precious time!"

Brody reluctantly moves his jacket and drops it on the bottom of the bed. He climbs onto the bed beside Tristan and leans back against the headboard. He's uncomfortable with all these people watching.

'All of you need to leave the room.' I tell them through a group mind link. 'Don't bother arguing,' I shake my head at them all. I know they want to protest, but there's no time. 'Just wait outside for a moment. I'll call you back in soon! 'Fine.' Theo mumbles into my mind.

Everyone leaves, and I turn to look out of the window to give Brody some privacy. But I can still see Brody and Tristan's reflection. I see Brody reach his hand to Tristan's face and cup his cheek.

"Please wake up," Brody whispers. If I were human, I wouldn't have heard him. But with my Lycan hearing, I heard. "I know I said some horrible things that were uncalled for, and I'm sorry. I also know you're in immense pain after losing Starr. But your family needs you, Tristan." My heart is in my throat. As the minutes tick by and nothing happens, I begin to lose hope that this will work.

Brody slips his arm under Tristan and pulls my little brother against his chest. He holds Tristan's hand plan flat against his chest and kisses his head.

I close my eyes, leaning my forehead against the cold class.

What am I going to do?

What if this doesn't work?

And it doesn't seem to be working thirty minutes later. There is no movement, no sign of life from my youngest brother.

Is this really it?

Are my family really going to lose another child?

This can't be it. Astro can not take Tristan from us because this is all down to him!

'What else can we try, Thane?'

'I don't know, Jagger. I'm all out of ideas. I thought having Brody here would help Tristan. But I was wrong, and I don't know what to do now!'

The bedroom door opens, and I turn to tell whoever it is to Fu.ck Off! But my eyes widen instead.

"Leviathan. What are you doing here?"

Leviathan looks at Brody. "I'm here to help or try to. Now, why don't you put him down and let me take a look."

My eyes lock with Lyric's. She smiles; slightly, then frowns when I don't smile back.

Did she do this?

Could this work?

Please, Goddess Selene, let this work. Give Tristan back to us.