The 5-Time Rejected Gamma And The Lycan King Chapter 21

Lucianne hesitated before she said cautiously, “I don’t know if what I’m about to say is going to make you feel any better.”

“I don’t care. I want to know.” Xandar stubbornly insisted.

She took a deep breath, “You are doing better than your father.” She gauged his reaction before continuing, “King Lucas, he... he never thought about us when it came to legislation. Hunters could kill us as they pleased. Packs were not allowed to apply for financial relief after a rogue attack. We never had medical help beyond our ally packs during his reign.”

Lucianne was looking nervously at Xandar, whose eyes showed that she had his undivided attention as he waited for her to continue, “It almost felt like we didn’t exist. There was a time when I wondered why we even called him our King. Of course, I later learned that it was purely a fear of Lycans that forced wolves to obey without question. But when you ascended the throne, things started changing.”

She looked at him gratefully, “When we first received word that wolves were entitled to seek relief after an attack, we thought it was a joke or a scam. It took a lot of discussion among pack leaders before one Alpha was appointed to ask about the validity of the relief offered.” She chuckled at the memory, “We just didn’t think that it was possible for there to be a Lycan who would bother to take care of us wolves, let alone the King. For as long as my kind can remember, we were just happy to not get killed.”

She chuckled again before she continued, “Then the laws started to change, bit by bit. A few years later, Alphas were invited to meet and submit their concerns at conferences for the first time in history. Then three years ago, these meetings started to include Gammas. Gammas are even given the chance to share the stage with Lycans this year, which has never been done.”

Lucianne reached for Xandar’s face and started tracing his eyebrows, and his expression softened under her touch as he purred and leaned into her small hand. She uttered, “You don’t know how grateful we are to have an opportunity to be included in discussions, a chance to speak and a way to seek help. They systems aren't perfect yet but at least it was better than what we had during King Lucas’s reign.”

He reached for her hand on his face and placed it over his mouth as he planted a deep kiss on her palm. Xandar inched closer to Lucianne and pecked a second kiss on her forehead before muttering, “That did make me feel better. Thank you.” He was leaning into her neck but Lucianne held his face and said, “We should go in. We’ve been in here long enough.”

He pouted, “This won’t take very long.”

She smirked, “Well then, I guess I’ll meet you inside.” After saying that, she unbuckled her seatbelt and Xandar groaned playfully. She ignored him and got out of the car. He followed quickly after her. His arm went around her waist as soon as he caught up to her.

“Decided to come down so soon?” She teased.

Xandar complained, “Don’t even start.” And she giggled in response. His animal was wagging its tail in his head, unable to control how happy it was to hear Lucianne laugh.

They entered the hall and everyone present bowed in their presence. Lucy froze on the spot, feeling discomfort with the scene. Xandar’s voice rang through the hall, “Good evening, everyone. I hope this day has gone well for all of you so far. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve, be it the ceremony this morning or the food being served, do not hesitate to let me know. Please enjoy the rest of the day.”

When everyone stopped looking their way, Lucianne’s discomfort eased. As they were walking to the buffet table, Xandar asked casually, “Do you think you can get some pack leaders to open up to me about their problems? I’ve spoken to a few of them but they seem to be reluctant to tell me the full extent of what they need.”

There was a cheeky glint in Lucianne’s eyes, “That’s because you’re the big, scary Lycan King.”

He smirked and squeezed the flesh on her waist playfully. She giggled and asked, “So, who do you want to meet first? Those who need help in terms of finances, pack training, construction, or something else?”

He froze in his spot. He didn’t think the problems could be categorized so clearly. It was as if so many packs had these problems that the categories existed. Sensing that Xandar could not decide, she smiled and asked, “Which do you prioritize more, Xandar? Safety, or expansion and development?”

He smiled in return, appreciating that she understood his predicament, and said without hesitation, “Safety.”

“Alright.”

After taking their food and placing it on a random table, Lucianne said, “I’ll be back in a bit. Don’t wait for me to start.” She motioned to his plate.

It wasn’t like Xandar's animal would allow him to eat when their mate hadn’t started yet so he merely waited. In just a few moments, Lucianne returned with three people walking closely behind her. Xandar was already up on his feet, ready to greet his guests.

“Xandar, let me introduce you to Alpha Wainwright, Luna Willa and Gamma Sylvia of the Crimson Pack.” As soon as she said that, the three of them bowed and said in unison, “Your Highness.”