Traded To The Lycan King by MG Wattsons

*Kyra*

"Are you sure you know where you are going?" I ask Hayes for the one millionth time over the last three days.

His muscles are tense, every step making them flex as if he is in pain. He has taken minimal breaks, stopping only to allow me to stretch my legs. The baby has slept, not a single peep, no food, no wet or poopy britches.

"Yes, Kyra." He says, not a hint of anger or annoyance as I look up at his exhausted face.

"I can walk now, Hayes. You don't have to carry me anymore. It's been three whole days."

He scans the area in front of us, saying nothing as his jaw clenches and he tightens his arms on me. I turn my head, looking for what he seems to see: a quick movement in the dense leaves and a shift in the wind. I try to allow myself to smell the air, but all I can scent is Hayes and the somehow almost comatose dragon baby in my arms.

"Someone is here." I murmur, low enough only for him to hear. He skirts his eyes to me, a curious glance before he stops, and lowers me down gently.

"I can sense them, but I can't see them." He mutters, keeping both hands on my waist as he tugs me close to him like he is fearful someone might try to take me from him.

"To your left, it's too dense in here for a breeze yet, the trees sway and the leaves move." I tip my chin in the direction and he gently pulls me behind him, one hand reaching around his back and resting on me.

"Come on out." Hayes demands, his tone a threat and far from a request.

A dark figure takes a few steps toward us, pausing just as I recognize his frame. I press my hand to Hayes' back, leaning in gently.

"It's Teiran." I tell him, but his muscles don't relax, his protective demeanor unchanged, which surprises me. "Hayes."

"You guys covered decent ground." Teiran says, stepping closer to us, a curious glint in his eyes as he tilts his head, looking at Hates. "Though you both look like shit."

"How long did it take for you to find us?" Hayes asks.

"Not very long. I spent a day or two with your brother and Colette, trying to make sense of Ezrah and his frantic screaming and threats."

"What did Ezrah have to say?" I ask, peeking out from behind Hayes' shoulder, still shielding the baby from view.

"He was screaming about how we stole the egg. He didn't have it. The messenger boy even cried and then tried to kill himself for failing to protect the child." Teiran scoffs. "Clearly, he doesn't realize how resilient a dragon egg is, tougher than rocks." Hayes looks over at me, a message in his eyes as he flicks them down to where the baby is. Something happened to hatch the dragon boy, be it the egg breaking or it being ready to come out, but what does it mean that he has been born? "What happens if it does?" I whisper, clearing my throat. "I mean, if an egg does break?"

Teiran snorts, his hands moving to his hips as he shakes his head.

"An egg doesn't just break, not on its own or by force."

Hayes looks at the ground, then he exhales deeply before he takes a step to the side, exposing me and the baby. I watch Teiran's eyes blink and grow wider with every passing second. His chest heaves in disbelief before he breaks into a dry chuckle. "I don't fucking believe this shit." he shakes his head and then drags his large hand over his face. "Where the fuck did the baby come from?"

"The egg." I tell him, my brows furrowing in confusion.

"Bullshit." He growls, stepping closer. His eyes glow a fiery red, a warning that his dragon wants to emerge. I take a step backward, Hayes flying in between us, a warning in his body language as he seems to grow in height, his frame shielding me. "Why the fuck would we lie?" Hayes hisses at him.

"I have some of the shell," I rush out, pulling it from the little blanket with the baby. "Look for yourself."

Teiran seems to seethe, his lips pressed together as they move wildly as if he is fighting with himself. Then he drags his hands through his hair and, with caution, places it out for me to give him the shell.

I take a hesitant step toward him, my chest feeling tight as I give it to him and he lifts it to his nose, dragging it along his face. An unearthly rumble emits from his chest as he shakes his head and opens his eyes, looking at the baby asleep in my arms, confused. "How the hell...?" He murmurs, looking at Hayes for a moment before he takes a step closer, his arms outstretched for the baby.

"H-he is a boy." I stutter out, my heart fluttering in disappointment as I lift the little bundle and hand him over to his older brother. Teiran's face changes from confusion to awe as he takes him in hand, then he lifts him.

The blanket falls away, the little baby finally stirring as what looks like embers seem to glow in his veins. Teiran does the same, like a fuse lit and traveling toward the bomb. Hayes grabs my hand, pulling me back as I fight him off, not wanting to leave the baby.

I know he isn't mine. That isn't the

child I carried and lost. I didn't birth him, but I held him for days, cuddled him, and cared for him since the moment he came out. There is a bond there, a desire to want to keep

the little fragile thing sate Tro

harm. What if Teiran tries to kill the baby?

"Hayes," I argue with him, pushing him off as I keep my eyes on the little flaming lights dancing over their bodies. But Hayes is determined as he bends down and lifts me over his shoulder.

"It's too hot for us." He grunts, breaking into a sprint.

"I don't feel any heat!" I roar, reaching for them as they burst into a flame that takes my breath away.

My heart explodes, then sinks to my stomach, a sob breaking from my lips as Hayes slams me into the base of a large tree, his massive body covering mine as heat blasts past us. I try to stop the crying, holding him tight as I bury my head into his chest. "It's okay, I've got you," he murmurs over and over before he finally stands and helps me to my feet.

"I don't want to see." I murmur, shaking my tear-stained face.

"Kyra, they are dragons. They live and breathe fire." He grabs my face in both of his hands, forcing me to look in his eyes. "They are fine. Look!"

I whip around to see Teiran laughing with a little lively baby in his hands. The infant now looks like it is months old, holding its head up on its own while giggling.

I blink, confused, my mouth falling open as I grip Hayes' hand in mine and squeeze it tight. This doesn't make sense, not that I know anything about dragon babies, but this...seems strange, magical.

I take measured steps toward them,

my mouth fully agape as they look at me and Teiran points to me. The baby giggles and coos, sticking its chubby hands out like it wants me to take it. My nose stings with fresh tears forming and I pinch my brow with my free hand, shaking my head.

"I don't understand..." I mutter.

"He is a dragon," Teiran announces happily.

"But, you...I mean, what the hell was that?" I stutter, eyes still wide in shock.

Teiran looks down at my hand in Hayes, his lips pressing together before he looks back up at me.

"That was the royal blood flowing through us. It was a test to see what he was and burn out anything else. He is truly only just dragon." He announces. "But he is a motherless prince, or so I thought."

The little chubby dragon baby whines, a whimper and pout on his lips as he tries to get to me. I happily reach out, taking him in my arms and grinning at my little buddy.

"I was worried about him." I admit. "He slept the entire time and never once tried for food or even needed a diaper change."

"Dragons can survive years without food. Even in infancy, the dragon protects, almost like a hibernation." Teiran says, his voice closer as he leans over me, looking down at the baby. "But there is one thing they can not survive without." "Mmm, and what is that?" I ask, not bothering to look up as I make baby noises and play with the soft chubby hands.

"A motherly figure." He whispers.

"Over my dead fucking body." Hayes roars from behind me.

I feel his hand on my back before it

drifts away and suddenly a massive claw wraps around my body and I am being lifted. Trees creak and break as wood splinters down over Hayes as he shifts into his lycan form and throws his head back in a terrifying roar that makes my chest ache as I watch him grow smaller as we lift further into the sky.