*Based on a true story adaptation, aiming to bring healing to all. *THIS IS BOOK TWO OF THE SERIES. BOOK ONE, WHICH I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING FIRST IS My Mate's A What?*
Lukas (Year 1)
He stretched as he got out of the black Charger. He eyed Dominion Middle School. The shifter school was perfectly nestled on the border of three different shifter territories. The Lotus Clan, one of his dragon kingdoms, sat on the east and south. On the north border sat the Slimmer Coven, a group of timid cat shifters that always stayed neutral. The Switzerland of shifters, if one would. To the west sat the Wolfsbane Pack, the Alpha of which was currently at war with the Midnight Pack. That hostile environment surrounding the school was the very reason he was here. He would not allow his mate to be placed in any danger and at just 12 years old, he still had years before he could take her to his castle, and protect her from the world.
The last four months had passed so slowly and he hated every second that he was forced to be away from her. Oh, he knew being the king of kings, he could pick her up and take her home with him. He knew that her parents would not even bat an eyelash and even if they did, he would destroy them. She was his after all, but he was a gentleman. He would not allow himself to take her before she turned 18, and having her close to him, unsupervised, would spell disaster for him. She deserved more than a quick fuck from a horny man, who felt the mate bond fully, while she would only feel a mild case of attraction until he marked her.
Gideon, his dragon, let out a puff of smoke, calling his thought on how strongly she already felt the mate bond a lie. What in the world was he going to do to make it through the next 6 years, without her by his side? These monthly visits to her where all he did was follow her around, or watched her sit outside while she did her homework, made him feel like a stalker. Made him feel like a predator, and not the kind of predator that he truly was. It made him feel like the kind of predator that ruined little girl’s lives and left them mentally scarred, unable to see true love for what it was. Precious, honest and above all else, the greatest gift one person could give to another.
Gideon growled, snapping him immediately out of his thoughts. He stuck his hands in his pockets as he walked up to the door. The three guards that stood there instantly went on alert. He ignored the obvious furred shifters to raise his eyebrow at the scaled shifter. The young, burly man bowed to him as he approached.
“King Lukas, how may we help you?”
“I am looking for a girl. Lilianna Washington. You have thirty seconds to get me a teacher’s name and classroom number.”
Lukas tapped his foot as he silently counted to thirty in his head. Gideon was overly joyed at the thought of seeing her again. They had gone over what they were going to do, and they needed to stick to it. He had only come to renew his flame. It would protect her, and with the animosity raging around her on a daily basis, he was going to keep it as strong as he could. The guard cleared his throat nervously. Lukas eyed him.
“Room number?”
“342. Mrs. Romanas.”
Lukas strolled past him as he began to explain to the other guards who he was. Sometimes being king was great. Nobody questioned the king. They just did as he asked. He tried not to appear as eager as he felt, as he took the stairs two at a time. As he neared the open classroom, he heard the teacher talking.
“And who took over after King Sterling gave the throne up?” She paused, before sighing. “Ms. Washington?”
“Lukas did.”
The room fell silent.
“You dare to speak of him so casually? He would have your head, and your father’s,” the teacher snapped.
Gideon growled inside of his head.
“But Mrs. Romanas, he told me to call him Lukas. He said if anybody had a problem with it, to go take it up with him.”
He grinned at her sassiness. That’s right, baby girl. Put all of them in their places. Only she was allowed to call him by his name, and very soon he would make sure they all bowed to her as their queen. His grin was wiped off of his face when he heard the kids, along with the teacher, instantly begin to berate her.
“Like you know the king,” one student scoffed.
“You are foolish, Ms. Washington, if you think you can get away with telling lies like that. If you choose to continue to do so, I will have to report you and you will receive lashes.”
“I’m not lying! He even kissed me!,” she sobbed.
“Liar!”
Well, fuck. He had never kissed her. Well, he had, but it was only to share his flame with her so that she would be safe. If she wanted him to kiss her, he would be more than happy to oblige. The classroom was silent for a few seconds as her comment registered, leading to even more harsh words being spewed at her and her sobs grew louder, shredding his heart into a million pieces. He stepped into the doorway, his teeth bared, uttering a low growl. The entire room fell so silent that a pin being dropped could be heard clearly.
“Your Majesty.”
The teacher sank to her knees, as did all of the students, except his beautiful mate. He crooked his finger at her.
“Come here, Lily.”
She slowly approached him at the front of the room.
“Lukas?”
A growl from behind him had him spinning around to glare at the teacher. “Did I address you? No, I didn’t. I’m pretty sure I was speaking to her. Now, if I may continue!”
He turned back to her, his eyes drifting over her. He knew that since his sister, Sasha, had put healing energy into her body, her blind eye started showing signs of being corrected. It was more blue than white now. Her leg still dragged behind her, but she was getting stronger. He had never cared. She was, still is, and would always be, perfect to him. Even the fact that she was human didn’t bother him in the slightest.
“So, Lily, when you tell people I kissed you, you need to make sure you tell them why.”
She looked at the ground and nodded. She shifted nervously on her feet.
“Yes, sir, Lukas.”
“Do you want to tell them, or would you rather show them?”
Her head snapped up to stare at him, and her heart pounded harder.
“It’s whatever you would like.”
He opened his arms. “Come here, Lily.”
She hurried into his arms and he wrapped them around her, using them to hold her flush against his body. Electricity ran through his body and he struggled to hide his arousal. Goddess, why did she have to feel so good in his arms already? This was killing him. He looked down at her as she looked up at him. He pressed his lips against hers and Gideon breathed out. Flames circled her body before disappearing into her mouth. Her eyes closed as she sagged against him a little. A low vibration started coming from her throat, and his eyes widened. How in the world was she using a mating call? Even if she was a shifter, she was still too young to feel the bond that strongly to use one. He let her go and took a step back.
“Lily, do you want to go with me for the afternoon?”
Her eyes never left his face as she nodded.
“Sire, you can not just take a child without their parents’ consent,” her teacher weakly protested.
He picked her up as he glared at the terrified teacher.
“Do you really think I would harm her?”
“No, but-”
“I will take her home after. Do expect a visit from her father, after I tell him what went on here under your care.”
He carried her out of the room, down to the waiting car, and got her situated on his lap. He rubbed her back as she nuzzled against his side.
“What would you like to do? We have all afternoon.”
“Whatever you want to do is fine,” she said, shyly.
‘You. We want to do you,’ Gideon whispered.
‘Behave,’ Lukas snapped at him. ‘She’s only 12.’
“Want to get lunch and go see a movie?”
“Can we watch a shark movie?”
“We can see whatever you want to see.”
She smiled happily. “Okay, then that’s fine.”
She fell quiet and he continued to gently rock her. He could still feel the tension in her body, and he wanted to wipe out every single person who ever made her feel bad. Her soft snores filled the car as Jo, his female Beta, drove and he leaned back. He cursed his stupidity for suggesting a movie. Being alone with her in a dark room was not a good idea. Everything that could go wrong might and then he wouldn’t be able to have these moments with her. He would scare her and he never wanted to do that. He had to tread cautiously, or he would lose control. He sighed. What in the world had he gotten himself into? With what just happened in her classroom, he posed just as much, if not more of a threat to her than the people at her school. He tucked her hair behind her ear, sighing. Goddess grant him the strength to resist the beautiful female in his arms or everything would be lost. Him, her, and everything they could have.