The Wolf King by Wykes Atley

Author:Wykes, Atley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alder Circle Press
Published: 2022-09-06T00:00:00+00:00

19

Chrystalyn

Chrystalyn woke to Mellie’s feet kicking her in the stomach, sharp little toenails poking through her pajamas. She groaned, shifting an arm over her eyes to block the sun. She’d forgotten to pull the drapes the night before in the shuffle of giving Mellie a snack, brushing her hair, giving her a shirt to wear, and telling her stories until she fell asleep.

The cub had woken in the middle of the night, crying for her mother and Lowan, and Chrystalyn’s heart had broken when the sweet girl had burrowed into her arms, soothed by her presence. How could she still trust adults after what she’d been through? Chrystalyn thought again of how Lowan revealed his past to her. These wolves were braver than she, willing to trust after being so hurt. She only hoped that one day she might be as brave.

She rolled out of the bed, tucking Mellie back in before she went into her washroom to relieve herself and get dressed for the day. Was Halana still in the keep?

She fretted with her hair, worried about what the fae might have revealed about her.

Halana hated her.

Chrystalyn hadn’t interacted with her until they were adults, since Halana was almost two decades younger. But once the red-headed fae had walked in on her and Cianán kissing, she’d made no secret of what she thought about Chrystalyn.

Normally, it didn’t bother her what people said about her. But she didn’t want Lowan to think poorly of her after last night.

Mellie stirred as she finished her hair, yawning before searching the blankets for her doll and holding it to her chest.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Chrystalyn smiled, walking over and sitting on the bed next to Mellie. “Did you get enough sleep?”

The cub nodded. “When are we going to the creek?” She asked, throwing herself out of bed. Chrystalyn chuckled. Kids really were more resilient than adults. A servant knocked, bringing in a dress for Mellie and news that Lowan was hoping to see them for breakfast with their guests.

“Looks like Lowan wants to meet him in the dining hall, pup.”

Chrystalyn swallowed her nerves, forcing a smile to her face. It would be fine. What was the worst that she could say, that Chrystalyn slept around? A lot. If Lowan was the kind of man to let that bother him, then maybe she shouldn’t be as interested in him as she was. She repeated a similar litany of responses as she styled Mellie’s hair, the little girl asking for a complicated braid like her own. Chrystalyn finished showing Mellie how to plait her doll’s hair in the same style and couldn’t think of anything else to do to stall. She just had to face it.

She took a deep breath, drawing back her shoulders and smiling when Mellie copied her, before heading to the dining hall. Mellie was her normal exuberant self by the time they made it there, skipping through the doors and running into Lowan’s arms when she saw him. Halana sat at the

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