Lycan King’s Nemesis

**GWEN**

Leaving the palace was a premium mistake which I was to learn later that night after crossing the great palatial gates. Agreed, I was furious at Ashton for the cruel things he said to me. It wasn’t the first time he had crossed the line, but for goodness sake, I felt like it was because he knew I was desperate that he was intentionally doing these things. Knowing fully well I was too handicapped to act.

I detoured into the forest with my bag, having nowhere in mind to go. In the forest, I wandered until I arrived at a small stream, which by now was beginning to rouse from sleep.

By this time, the sky’s radiant smile started peeking through the dense cloud, giving me a clear direction of the pathways.

“Phew.” I dumped my bag with an audible sigh and followed suit on the floor. The sharp grasses protested under me, letting out a loud squeak. I ignored them. Not them too.

With my knees pulled up, I placed my chin on it and simply stared at the water, in blankness. I couldn’t even find it in me to cry anymore. I was stranded, homeless with nowhere to go, and here I was glancing at the water which appeared to be sharing in my thoughts seeing as it was tranquil.

“You better not pity me, I was once your Queen,” I muttered sadly, blinking back moisture from my eyes.

I lifted my head and darted around, realizing I had to move on. Eventually, Kora would discover me gone from the room and I fear she will blow the trumpet. I know Ashton won’t care, in fact, he would be very delighted I finally left. However, he might insist on finding me to punish me for going against him. According to him, I couldn’t dump him during the game season.

Not because he cared for me.

I struggled up, patting my dress. I have to find where to hide for some time to clear my head. If Ashton caught up with me easier than I desired, then I’m definitely going to lose my mind.

After traipsing around aimlessly, I finally found myself at the front door of Tyler’s cottage. Apparently, there was nowhere for me to go. The only two places I could have gone to; one was my former pack which I had a resolution never to try and the other was the human territory to search for my true family, and that one was bleak. It will be a death call. The humans won’t hesitate to put me down once they discover me. And even if they don’t, who in particular will I look for there?

If only I had my wolf.

“I’m coming!” Tyler shouted from inside after I rapped gently. I waited, my eyes still skimming about. I won’t be shocked if Ashton materialises out of the blue.

The keys rattled from the other side hence the door hissed and swung open. His eyes went wide at seeing me. “Gwen?” He craned his neck outside, glancing from side to side. “What are you doing here at this time?”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I need your help,” I said, having no choice. “May I come in?”

“Of course.” He sharply shifted, giving me room to pass. His musky scent wafted into my nose as I passed him. Even though it was early morning, that smell was still prominent. I tried to focus.

“I need a place to stay a little while, Tyler, and you are the only person who can help me,” I said the moment I was inside. My bag dropped.

“I don’t understand,” his awestricken eyes flicked to the bag and back at me. “What about the palace? What happened?”

My right hand went below my hair to scratch with my eyes lowered. “I had another fallout with Ashton. I rejected him.”

“You did what?”

“He-he kept accusing me. He’s caught up in this wide imagination of me being the devil, plus you know the other stories, Tyler… I am tired.” My fingers quivered as I spoke, the trauma built again. “I thought I could endure his excesses but every day they seem to multiply. It’s as if he goes to sleep thinking of the next thing to do to make my life more miserable.”

“Gwen…” Tyler strolled to my side, fell in his hunch before me and took my quivering fingers in his big tanned ones. “I’m so sorry you are going through this.”

I was shaking my head, tears clouding my eyes which I tried not to let spill. “The goddess hates me so much, Tyler. I don’t know what I did to deserve all the bad things happening to me. Why would she make Ashton my mate knowing he would never love me? I try… I try so much to make him see me. To see that we can work… but… every effort I put in makes him despise me the more. I feel so dejected, so broken I fear I might run mad if I continue…” I broke down, unable to contain my pain. “Why me, Tyler? Am I such a horrible person?”

He sat beside me in a flash, taking me in his arms to bury my head in his vast chest. I was trembling as I sobbed, my fingers tightening around his loose white shirt. “You are not close to horrible, Gwen,” He rasped in a soothing tone, caressing my back in comfort. “Your husband, my King is such a blind man not to see it.”

I pushed away, not caring how messy I must seem with tears streaking all over my face. “Then why, Tyler? Why is it that all the people I have cared for in my life ended up hating me so much?” Look at Julian.

“Don’t say that, Gwen.”

I shifted out. He was only trying to appease me. I knew it, I was cursed. Only a cursed person would go through what I have been through in these past few months; lost the love of my life, married a man that hates me and can’t even bear a child. What then is remaining of me?

“Hey…” Tyler scooted closer, taking my chin to angle my face to him. “You are the most beautiful and kind woman I know, Gwen. You place others before yourself and if those men didn’t see it, then they didn’t deserve you.”

His words shattered my heart afresh, making me dive into his arms without pondering it. “Tyler…”

“It’s going to be fine, I promise.”

“I am so stranded in this world right now, I feel so afraid.”

“You have me, Gwen and I’m not going anywhere.” I refused to leave his arms for a long time, enjoying the warmth of this best friend I had gotten in a few weeks and hoping to keep it for a long time. With Tyler, I am myself, not trying to please, and not afraid to say.

It was different from what I had with Julian or Ashton. I might somewhat be attracted to him, but only because Tyler is a hot-blooded male. There is no female alive who wouldn’t be attracted to men like Tyler and my devilish mate, Ashton. It was just that. Nothing more.

Soon, he showed me to a room and helped store away my bag of clothes. “I know the palace is bigger and better furnished than here, please manage it.”

I beamed brightly. “I don’t care one bit, Tyler. I should be the one worried that I invaded your privacy without prior notice. Thank you very much, my friend.”

“You are welcome and I don’t mind. It’s boring out here by myself all the time, so having an extra person would go a long way.”

I jerked my head down, an idea occurring to me. “So, now that we are going to be housemates for some time, why don’t you introduce me to your mystery lady love?” His countenance fell and he shifted on his feet as he does each time I approach this topic.

He cleared his throat. “The thing is she said we should keep it low for now. You know, she’s the daughter of one of the elders, and she’s afraid if words got out that she’s dating me, her father might demand marriage and she’s not ready for that for now.”

“Oh…” I poked my lips in understanding. “It’s not a problem, Ty, whenever she is ready, I shall meet her.”

“Cool.” He scanned the room, shifting backwards. “I’m going to make breakfast now: Lamb stew and rice. Hope you like that?”

“I eat everything, Ty. I’m not picky.”

“Okay… So, bath, and come down.” He was gesticulating with his finger as he spoke. He seemed out of place, his cheeks glowing red, unlike him. Perhaps, he hadn’t lived with a woman before.

At the door, as he opened it, I stopped him.

“Ty?”

“Ummm?”

“Thank you. For everything.”

He grinned handsomely and nodded. ” And thank you too, Gwen. I will do everything in my power to make you happy while you are here. I promise.”

“Can we not tell anyone I’m here for now? Please.”

“I don’t intend to tell anyone, believe me. But wait, what of Abby? What am I supposed to do with her?”

“You can go see her at the palace to maintain the farce. Please, Ty, for my sake.”

“I will, but only because of you. She behaves just like her brother; spoilt and sassy.”

I laughed as he closed the door and left.

For once since last night, I felt peace. I lugged backwards on the bed and shut my eyes, only opening them sometime later when I heard a loud ruckus coming from outside.

Who is that?

…