The 5-Time Rejected Gamma And The Lycan King Chapter 94

After taking a steady breath, Lucianne then suggested, “If you want to keep looking at me like that to keep me flustered, Xandar, can you at least talk about your family while you do it?”

He chuckled lightly before he asked while stroking the back of her hand, “What do you want to know?”

She shrugged and said, “Everything. Who’s your favorite? Who’s your least favorite? Why? Who did you look up to? Who do you miss? You know, everything. I don’t keep up with the gossip about celebrities or royals, so I can tell you that I know close to nothing about the royal family before I met you.”

Xandar smiled wider and he started, “If those questions are for the time before we met, then my favorite was definitely Aunt Reida, Christian’s mother. My least favorite has always been Greg. That should come as no surprise. Who do I miss? Hmm…Granpa Brock and Aunt Reida from my mother’s side, Uncle Conrad from my father’s side, and my own mother, of course. My father…he’s kind of a gray area. I miss the father-and-son outings we went on when I was younger but in the years he trained me to ascend the throne…I saw a different side of him.”

Lucianne held his gaze as Xandar continued, “It was only when I helped out with his duties did I realize not everyone had what we had, or lived the way we did. I knew we were the most powerful family but I didn’t know the disparity between us and everyone else was so large. Lycans were handling it well. But when I asked about the wolves, my father just gave me a thin folder with a list of pack names and their incomes. Nothing else. There was no record of welfare, financial support or even the general size and population of each pack.”

Lucianne suddenly muttered to herself, “So that explains the sudden annual headcount in packs since eighteen years ago.”

Xandar showed an embarrassed smile, “I didn’t want to remain as ignorant as how we always were, how I always was myself. I can’t claim to be King when I don’t even know these foundational aspects about my people.”

He averted his eyes and a look of discomfort graced his features before he uttered, “My father…didn’t see a need to give anything of value to the werewolves. The first time he told me that wolves should be grateful that we let them live, my whole perception of the man changed. He used to be this strong, reliable and caring father. When he was around the ministers and subjects, he exuded this air of leadership and confidence. I always tried to emulate him, to be him.”

He scoffed darkly. Lucianne’s own thumb started stroking his hand as Xandar continued his tale, “You’re probably going to judge me really harshly for this, sweetheart but…” his grip on her hands tightened as he muttered, “I have never understood the need for combat practice…because I’ve never even heard of a rogue attack until I was training to ascend the throne.”

He took in his mate’s unperturbed expression and asked, “Why is it that you don’t look surprised?”

Lucianne shrugged and said, “Because it’s not surprising. Rogue Lycans didn’t exist at that time. So how would you know about rogue wolves?”

He stroked her hand and smiled sadly, “We should’ve known.”

Lucianne’s grip tightened and their eyes locked, she said assuringly, “You do, now. You were young, Xandar. And you had no access to that information during King Lucas’s reign. But the fact is you chose to notice us as soon as you could. That’s more than enough. You and Christian have changed so much for all of us.”

Xandar scoffed before he said, “Wolves are still terrified of us though.” He recalled how the werewolves in the collaboration didn’t feel safe speaking to him and Christian unless Lucianne was there, bridging their species. He wondered if he could ever be half as good as her in terms of connecting with them.

Lucianne stroked his hand lovingly as she said with an encouraging smile, “Give it time, darling. They’ll come around. Besides, many of the wolves here are already warming up to you and Christian, and also to Weaver and Yarrington. Word will spread when they return to their packs, and our species will begin to see that not all Lycans are menacing.”

Xandar’s eyes widened with Lucianne’s choice of words as he said, “Menacing. Wow. My dear,” Xandar chuckled. “If I remember correctly, I’ve only ever killed hunters who breach our inter-species agreements and Lycan criminals who deserve the death penalty. And also a few rogue wolves who we found trying to trespass for illegal intentions. That’s probably around ten kills in the last eighteen years. You and your friends, on the other hand, my love, have probably lost count of the number of rogues you had to eliminate to save your packs. And we’re the menacing species?”