Lycan King’s Nemesis

**GWEN**

“What do you mean by that?” He asked me, in a milder tone. I didn’t even know what I meant. All I knew was that I was tired of everything. I didn’t need him trying to fight every man on my way. I was not a child. And definitely would never cheat on him. If only he knew that.

If only he trusted me.

“I-I need to rest a bit before dinner,” I said, shuffling away.

I opened the closet and rummaged through, searching for nothing. My head clouded. Tears incessantly poured down my face. I wished things would go back to how it was between us, at the same time I was scared. Until when are we going to continue like this? We are sweet today, and then by tomorrow, we are back to square one.

“Little wolf…”

“Ju-just go, for now, Ashton.” I managed to choke out. I didn’t want him to see me like this. I didn’t want him to go too. I didn’t even know what I wanted now. Just him! It irked me, but that was the truth.

“Okay.” it was sad. Even sadder to me that he would give in that easily. He didn’t even insist.

He didn’t love me as he said.

That evening, my facade was muddled as Kora prepared me for dinner. And thankfully, she didn’t mention it. I knew she noticed as she kept giving me the eyes through the mirror as she had been doing for the past week. And keeping mute.

“You are ready to go, now,” she massaged down my shoulders, and when my eyes met hers in the mirror, her face was glimmering at me. I put on a forced smile and stood.

I walked to dinner, my body trembling. I had a lot to say, but I couldn’t say them. They get stuffed in my throat unable to come out as I do not know how to present them or who to present them to. Is this how other marriages functioned or was it just mine?

Immediately I sat down with my family-as we had been eating alone for the past week-the dining room doors swung open and Ashton walked in with his mother for the first time this week.

Charlotte’s face as always was gleaming delightedly. She placed her palms together in a greeting gesture at my family and my mother returned it.

They sat down, Ashton beside me at the head of the table. I looked up at him. He was observing me too, and then his eyes skipped to the others around the table leaving an eerie silence in his wake.

“I’m sorry for not being present this last week,” Charlotte addressed my family as the maids served us. “I have had a lot going on, tea parties, balls, mingling with friends outside the palace, and many more. It came at the wrong time. So, today, I decided to lean back and check in with my other family by extension. I hope you have been having fun here in our Kingdom?” She asked no one in particular.

My mother nodded and genuinely flashed a grin her way. “We have been having the best treatment than we imagined. Today we visited the pack and met with a few people who seemed inquisitive about the werewolf cultures and we were willing to share.”

“Oh, that’s… fantastic!” Reeled Charlotte. She appeared intrigued too. Is she feigning it?

“Yes, it is. I also found out that most of our cultures were synonymous with yours. You see, we are not so different.”

“Oh, there I can assure you that you are correct. I may not have been opportune to be in the werewolf Kingdom, but I read a lot as a child growing up and discovered that we’ll, we share kinship to an extent.”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Whenever you are ready to visit, be certain that our doors are open to entertain you. You are a king woman,” Julian inserted, with a slight bow.

“Oh, thank you very much, Julian,” Quipped Theresa, pecking Julian on the cheek. Then faced us. “Oh, Did my husband tell you he is the Alpha in my pack?”

“Well, he might not have told me, but I know…” Charlotte apprised her, picking up a glass of red wine.

A look of confusion crossed Theresa’s features which she was fast to mask. “Oh…” And went on to pick up her spoon and face her food.

All this while, Ashton remained quiet. I did too, seeing as I had nothing to imbibe plus, I was very cautious of saying something that might enrage Ashton. This was our first dinner together with my family. I didn’t know what made him change his mind to come, I appreciated it and didn’t want to ruin it.

“Are you okay, baby?” My mother suddenly asked, placing her hand on top of mine on the table.

I sharply looked up with a nod. “Yes, why?”

“You look pale. Your colour seems to be darker.”

From the side of my eyes, I caught Ashton’s head move and rapidly shook my head. “Nothing, Mother. I guess it’s stress from today. I will be okay by morning.”

She pretended to budge, but knowing my Mother she was not done with me. “We will talk later.”

“Oh!” My sister suddenly screamed, dropping her spoon loudly, her eyes flying to her protruded stomach. She wrapped her fingers around it.

“What?” Julian asked in concern, bending over her.

She glanced at him with a full-blown euphoric gaze. “He just moved. Our baby just moved!” Her eyes were on my Mother next. “Mom, our next Alpha just kicked! Your first grandchild.”

“Oh…” My mother lowered her spoon and placed her hands together, saying something I didn’t catch. I was happy too, I didn’t know when I stood and walked to her. I knelt to her belly level and placed my right hand there. Truly the baby was moving.

Tears gathered in my eyes.

“Can you feel it?” Theresa queried. “Your nephew is so strong.”

“Yes, he is.” I hummed, the tears spilling. I had mixed feelings. But mostly of elation. I might not be able to bear children for now, but I was overwhelmed with joy knowing my sister was having her dream come true. I was experiencing this happiness through her.

“Gwen? Are you okay?” I heard her ask and shifted back with a sniff, realizing that I was visibly shaking. “I-I am just… too happy for you, Theresa. You have no idea how much.”

“Thank you, sister. Yours will come soon, too.” Maybe she didn’t need to say that. Or maybe it was in my head due to how much I needed a child. It now made it look like her words were out of spite. All the same, I merely bobbed my head and made my way back to my seat.

Losing all appetite.

After dinner, my mother didn’t let me escape and cornered me, taking my wrist to take me out of the palace for a walk.

“Tell me what’s going on, baby? I know you are unhappy despite how much you hide it.”

“I am fine, mother.” I squinted my eyes against the fierce breeze that whipped my hair about. I gathered them in a single tight bun and secured them at the nape of my neck. I took my shawl and wound around my neck. I led her in the direction of the stream.

“You are my child, Gwen,” Mother insisted. “I know you think I loved your sister more because I was often taking her sides, but it’s because she was the weaker one. She didn’t have your strength and I didn’t want her to feel loved less too.”

“Mother,” I stopped before we got to the stream, and took her forearm, staring into her eyes deeply. “I used to think like that, honestly but trust me, I never wanted it the other way. Theresa is my sister and you don’t need to explain to me why you needed to show her the same amount of love you showed me. To be frank, considering the nature of my birth, suddenly I feel she was cheated. Yes, because imagine showing equal love to a stranger as your child. It’s something that would be considered… rare.”

“You are not a stranger, Gwendolyn Dorothy!” She hissed. “Don’t ever say that! Your father would send me packing if he overhears that.”

I laughed out suddenly, the statement thoroughly amusing.

“Yes,” we continued. “That man loves you to dust. Sometimes I confess I fear you took my place in his heart.”

“Oh, mother.” I waved off her ridiculous jab.

“But seriously… what is it? I noticed how you were with your sister’s baby.”

“Mother,” I went to sit down on a rock by the stream that faced the water. As a tradition, I picked up a rock and threw it into the river eliciting fine ripples at the top. “Well, you’re right. What you saw back there was a direct impulsive reaction necessitated by my inability to carry my own child. I am presently hoping for a miracle, mother, to have my own child.”

…