Zanthus- The Lycan King

It was getting darker and terror crawled its way into the villagers’ hearts. Growls and horses were heard, he was coming for them, for their village; they knew the king and his soldiers were near.

He was called the Alpha King, an elite lycan who took over the world. Whenever he gets bored he would go out with his soldiers on a raid to conquer new land, or at least that is what the rumours suggest.

However, they didn't know that it was not boredom that brought him to their village, but revenge.

As the unfair battle started with the villagers a scent tickled his nose, so sweet to be real, he got off his horse and walked towards it.

A soldier was mauling who he now identified as his mate, she fell due to the impact of the soldier’s abuse, but stood up again to defend an elderly-looking man before she was sent to the floor again as the warrior pushed her away to reach his target.

"Touch her one more time, General Aiden." Roared the King.

General Aiden immediately stepped back, he knew that he messed up.

The girl shook in terror before crawling her way to her grandfather to seek refuge behind his bigger frame, unfortunately, that didn’t gain her safety from the most feared beast on the battlefield as he yanked her by her wrist towards his broad muscled chest, despite her struggles against his forceful hold all her efforts failed and only earned her more pain due to his iron-like grip, the human lady couldn’t help but unconsciously whine as her body gave up on her.

“what’s your name?” he asked sternly, his voice so deep she was sure she had heard nothing more masculine in her entire years of existence. The Alpha King felt her shiver in response, nothing he had planned to do would be suitable for a human girl, he had been waiting for years to find his mate and here she was what he least expected her to be, a human fragile lass.

She looked up at him, trying to lock eyes with his much taller physique, her head barely reached his chest making it a struggle to keep the gaze.

Her throat went dry at the sight of him, she once again found herself comparing him to the people from her tribe and she confirmed in her brain that she had never met anyone better-looking than him.

“I asked you a question and I don’t like repeating myself.” He glared once he understood that this lady would not answer his question.

"Your majesty I beg you, leave my Wren alone, she’s still young, I beg you have mercy on us.” Begged a desperate grandfather making Wren sob and getting her to acknowledge the fact that she was between the arms of a beast.

“So Wren it is, a cute name for a cute little thing like yourself.” He smirked before addressing the begging man in front of him, “Old man take me to your study, we have things to discuss” He ordered before tightening his hold on his now squirming mate.

The grandfather submitted to his King's order and led them towards his manor. Zanthus on the other hand gave the girl back to her grandfather as he and his Beta walked towards the old man's study.

The king sat down on one of the couches while Sam his Beta chose to stand and stay alert.

"Do you know the cause behind this attack, Alpha James?" Spoke a relaxed King.

"Your majesty, I know that you are a fair King so there must be a reason which I'm not aware of."

"Your Beta. Call for him." He ordered.

James nodded immediately mindlinking his Beta. Zanthus started feeling the unease of not having his now-found mate around him, especially since he was not in his castle but in a town he was raiding.

The Beta knocked on the door before being permitted to enter, he bowed to his King and stood next to his Alpha.

"Anything to confess, Beta?" Inquired the King.

"Your Majesty, have I done anything wrong?" Asked the Beta.

"Duke Henry! Rings a bell?"

"What have you done, Jonas?" Asked a nervous Alpha.

Jonas gulped in fear before going down on his knees and begging for mercy, "I-it was a mistake, Your Majesty. I d-didn't mean to Kill him. He was feeding on a human, he broke the treaty."

"That human was his mistress, he didn't break any treaty. An eye for an eye." Informed a relaxed King, "Out of my sight. And bring me the lass." He added.

Beta Sam dragged Jonas outside and kept him on his knees guarded by two warriors.

"What did my grandchild do?" Asked a now frightened James, he knew that his Beta was to be beheaded but he could not lose his grandchild too, no matter what.

"Nothing. She's my mate." Informed the King.

James sighed in relief for at least he knew that his Wren was not going to be punished, but her being the mate of the King pained his heart. The King was known for being merciless. How would his child survive being his mate?

"Y-your Majesty, my grandchild is human. She cannot be your mate." He vocalized earning himself a ridiculing look from the King.

"Your mate is a human yourself, James." He smirked.

"Grandsire! You called for me." She said, her voice the epitome of femininity.

"I called for you. Sit down." Voiced the King as he eyed the chair closest to him.

"You are to come with me." Declared the King once she sat down.

"What's the occasion?" Asked an oblivious lady.

Zanthus noted her sass, "You are my mate. Go get ready." He ordered.

"Grandpa! I'm not going anywhere with him. I can't be mates with the King, I am but a human." She stood her ground despite her shivering voice.

"Have you not taught this lass manners, James?" Spoke an almost amused King.

"My apologies, Your Majesty. She is in shock. I promise she is a good girl." Uttered the Alpha trying his best to save his grandchild from her own words.

Wren looked down at her lap, she had never been subject to such a situation and the dominance seeping out of him intimidated her a big deal.

"Your majesty," Spoke Beta Sam, "Duke Philip is here." He informed earning a nod from the King.

"Stay with my mate." Ordered the King earning himself a nod from his Beta.

The King walked toward the town square where the beheading of the Beta was going to take place by none other than a vampire duke for the sake of maintaining the peace treaty between the two kingdoms.

"Your majesty," Bowed Philip.

"You are to witness the beheading of the pack's Beta for the crime of killing an innocent vampire Duke. We kept the peace between the two kingdoms for centuries and we will all work hard to maintain it." Informed a heartbroken Alpha James.

Once they cleaned the mess that was bound to happen for the sake of their kingdom's stability the King ordered his Beta to escort his mate to his horse.

"I don't want to go.” She struggled against the Beta's hold whilst trying to control her sobbing.

"I am so sorry, Luna. These are his majesty's orders." Spoke Sam.

Sam let go of her as soon as the King got hold of her struggling form, his arm engulfed her waist and she found herself colliding with his much bigger frame.

Wren kept on struggling against his hold begging for her grandfather to get her away from what she publicly called a monster.

“Your Majesty, I beg you let me hug my Wren one last time before she leaves with you," begged James and he was granted his request.

"I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you, I’m so sorry your grandfather is not strong enough to protect you, child.” He hugged her tightly tears rolling down his wrinkled cheeks.

“I- I lawfully give my grandchild's hand in front of the whole village. Your Highness, please take care of her.” Begged the old man as the Alpha king took Wren by the wrist making her sit on one side of the horse, she choked at how fast everything happened, as tears made their way down her cheeks.

“She might come to visit this upcoming festival.” Spoke the Alpha king reassuring the old man.

Wren flinched as he got on the horse behind her smaller frame, their bodies collided and unknown tingles erupted where they touched. His soldiers got on their horses following their king’s orders.

Once the journey to the unknown land started Wren couldn’t hold her loud sobs anymore, she cried until her eyes turned red and her skin started burning from wiping the rivers that just erupted from her eyes with the fabric of her dress.

The soldiers on the other hand felt nothing but empathy for the little creature between their king’s arms. She was indeed his mate, they felt her aura; however, most of them were sure their Luna was going to suffer living under the same roof as the Lycan King.

“What’s going to happen once we reach your land?” She hiccuped once the crying tantrum stopped.

“You’re my mate, you will be treated accordingly and you will be expected to act upon it.”

“I cannot be anything like that to you, you are a Lycan, I’m a human. Your Majesty, perhaps, mistook me for someone else.” She tried to explain, hope crawling its way into her heart as she started seeing an opportunity to go back to her village.

“I didn’t mistake you for anyone, you are the future Luna. You will carry your duties and learn to accept your new life.”

“Duties?” She gulped.

“Warming my bed and carrying my heirs.” He informed nonchalantly.

Wren felt nothing but fearful and helpless, she was to sleep with this emotionless merciless man and carry his offspring, she had never even had a nightmare close to this.

Frustrated the young girl cried silently until fatigue restrained her body and swayed her into darkness whilst her head found his broad chest to be its new pillow. The king put a firm arm around her waist while the other one guided the horse towards their destination.

"She doesn't smell like a human to me." Spoke the vampire Duke while leading his horse next to the King's.

"Neither to me, but what she truly is is faint." Nodded the King.

He looked down at how small she seemed to be, he could crash her in a second if he didn’t take good care while handling her. This little mate would never handle his nature or anything he was planning to do to her, and a new challenge was unlocked, he had to be extra careful.

The sky turned pitch black when they decided to lay the royal tents in a landscape near the forest as the castle gates were a day away.

The main tent was getting ready while his mate continued her deep slumber between his arms. A soft whimper was heard before she stirred opening her eyes to the sight of the handsome King who claimed to be her mate, her gaze immediately darted away once she saw the darkness of his soul through his eyes, she was indeed terrified and that showed on her features.

"C-can you please put me down? I’m not feeling well.” She asked earning herself a nod before he proceeded to put her down on the ground all while still supporting her with an arm around her waist for which she was thankful as her body ached due to the long trip.

“Stay close,” he ordered.

Wren nodded in response, frightened of the handsome hulk in front of her. The tent didn’t take long to be set for the King and his lady. There was a fire in the middle of the group of tents and Wren decided to sit closer to it since the Alpha king was focused on talking with one of the soldiers about what she figured was an important matter.

The young lady hugged her knees to her chest turning into a little ball in hopes of protecting herself from everything that happened to her within hours. She was so lost thinking about her grandparents when his voice shook her to the core. Wren abruptly turned around meeting the gaze of her now fuming mate, her knees automatically met the ground underneath her in an attempt to stand up before he made his way towards her; however, as he got closer and closer she couldn’t move an inch under his gaze.

“Did you ask for my permission to leave my side?” He roared causing her to cringe in fear as tears started rolling down her face and fright didn’t let her utter a word.

Her grandfather wasn’t here to protect her and this here was not her grandmother scolding her, she understood at once that nobody could save her from the beast towering over her.

“SPEAK, young lady,” He ordered.

Wren sat there terrorised to do anything, not even to shelter herself from the danger she was facing. The Alpha took her by the forearm making a whimper escape her lips.

“Go in and stay put, I’ll come back shortly, we need to go through some rules,” He commanded sternly, not minding that this was his mate he was addressing and not a random soldier on the training field.

The human lass hurried into what she defined as a luxurious tent, her legs didn’t support her much longer before she fell to the ground sighing in distress, Wren felt vulnerable and unsafe, these men were strangers, and she didn’t know what was awaiting her nor what should she expect, and her brain conceived the worst scenarios possible.

“What’s going to happen to me? God, what did I do so wrong for me to be put in this situation?” She whispered crying to herself.

Meanwhile inside the Beta’s tent, “Your majesty, I know it’s none of my business, but our Luna seems oblivious to the Royal pack's traditions and rituals, I respectfully suggest you go easy on her, she looked terrified during the whole journey.” spoke a worried Sam, his Beta and right hand.

“She will eventually get used, she has to learn.” spoke the Alpha king dismissing the topic.

They sat around a table full of war papers and strategies discussing their options and news from the villages around them, The Lycan King ruled the north and he had to stay on top of what was happening around him.

Once he finished work, the Alpha entered his tent to the sound of soft sobs coming from none other than his mate who sat on the floor hugging her knees to her chest in worry, the second she noticed his arrival she stood up and looked down to the floor to hide her tears, dreading what was going to happen.

“Have I done anything for you to be this frightened?” He questioned.

Wren looked at him in shock, “Y-you raided my village! Not to mention taking me away from my people, Your Majesty.” She responded looking down to the floor.

“Your village had a rebel who almost brought war upon the kingdom, it needed to be raided.” He answered taking off his cloak.

“My village is mostly resided by humans, just like myself.” She spoke.

“I see you’re oblivious to many things. I’m the Alpha King Zanthus Zayetzev, I don’t start invasions for fun.”