Chapter 96

Lily threw her pencil down onto the table and jumped up. She ran to the bathroom in his office and he groaned. He turned his attention back to the computer and finished typing the report he was currently working on. He had managed to get most of the reports done in the last 4 days while she diligently worked through her schoolwork. He pressed the save button and forwarded the updated document to the Lotus clan. He pulled up the last report and started to read through it. Lily came back into the room and his attention went to her as she crossed to his side. She peered at the screen.
“That looks as boring as my work.”
He fought to keep the grin off of his face and the laugh from coming out. This girl was insane and he absolutely loved every single minute of it. He moved back for her to sit on his lap if she wanted, which she wasted no time in doing. She leaned back against his chest and he put his chin on her shoulder as he continued to read. She touched the screen.
“What’s that? What’s a breeder allowance?”
His jaw clenched. “It’s an outdated thing that we had until very recently needed to survive as a species.”
“But what is it?,” she asked curiously.
“It’s a program where human females were brought to clans to have children.”
“Oh.” She looked up at him. “Do they take deformed women like me?”
He froze and Gideon growled. He exited out of the financial report and pushed his chair back. He picked her up and sat her on the desk in front of him.
“You will not be a breeder,” he told her. “We no longer need them. So, please, get that out of your mind.”
She flushed and looked away. “I’m sorry I just thought that maybe after I go home I could be a breeder and then it would be okay if I came back here with you and-”
He put his hands on either side of her hips and stood up. He glared down at her.
“I do not want a breeder, Lily. I want my mate. She is the most important person to me. I will wait for her until the day I die if I have to.”
“But you said-”
“My mate is human. She is the only one I want to be with,” he told her tersely, cutting her off.
She looked away and the look of sadness that passed over her face made him utter an audible curse. He took her hand and kissed it.
“Lily, listen to me. You shouldn’t aspire to be someone's breeder. That is not the life you should want for yourself.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “You are too good for that. A lot of breeders did not have a good life and I can’t imagine that for you.”
“I just.. I just thought… never mind. It doesn’t matter.” She tried to hop off his desk, but he refused to move. She looked up at him, nervously. “Lukas?”
He pulled her closer to the edge and wrapped his arm around her waist. He pressed his forehead against hers.
“Lily, I’m sorry I got so angry. I adore you and I just want the best for you. How about we get out of the office for a few hours? I think we could both use a break.”
“Can we go outside?”
He nodded. “Yes. I will take you. I just need to finish this last report and then we can go.”
“Okay.”
He pulled away from her and let her jump down. She hesitated at the door.
“Can I go change?”
He nodded. “I’ll come find you after I do this last report.”
She smiled and he wanted to go with her. He forced himself to stay at the computer. He reopened the file and quickly worked his way through it. His report took way too long for his liking and it irritated him that Lily hadn’t come back to the office. He sent the update to Aiden and got up. He stepped out into the hallway and was heading to the room that they now shared every night without the stupid start in separate rooms. That had failed after the second day. On the third, she had immediately walked into his room and climbed into his bed, refusing to leave. He hadn’t put up too much of a fight, though. He stopped beside the front door when he heard her laugh.
‘Why is she outside?,’ Gideon growled.
Lukas flung the door open and his heart stopped when Lily was out front playing tag with another girl that he didn’t recognize. He stepped outside cautiously, scenting the area. Only Lily’s and this girl’s scent were there, but he didn’t trust it. Neither did Gideon. He held out his hand.
“Lily, come here, please.”
She smiled up at him as she ran over to him. She took his hand and began to tug him over to the girl whose face had turned fearful.
“Lukas, this is Casey.”
He pulled her to a stop and she frowned at him as he eyed the girl. “Who are you?”
She sighed. “My dad-”
A man came out of the shadows with his hands up. Lukas shoved Lily behind him and his wings came out to block her from view.
“YOU!,” he hissed. “What the hell are you doing here?”
The man from the vision the Goddess showed him, Slonsky he believed his name was, slowly walked towards him with his hands up.
“I’ve come to surrender. I know your sisters are looking for me.”
Lily tried to walk around him, but Gideon wrapped her up in his wing, making her remain close by his side. The threat this man was, was too great for him to carelessly put her life at risk. Again. He cursed his stupidity again. He could have really hurt Lily if he had wanted to while Lukas was sitting behind his computer. He glared at the man.
“And what do you want in return?”
He pointed to the girl who was watching the scene unfold with terror on her face. She couldn’t be any older than Lily and Lukas hesitated to tear the man’s head off in front of either of them.
“I just want my daughter looked after. She is a dragon,” he said as he moved to kneel in front of Lukas.
Lukas sent up a roar followed by a blast of fire, calling his gamma. He could have very easily handled this, but he could not guarantee he wouldn’t tear the man to shreds for just being in Lily’s vicinity after everything he had already done to his family. He didn’t have to wait long for Lee to land next to him. He bowed his head.
“King Lukas, how can I be of service?”
He tilted his head to the man. “Take him to the dungeons.”
Lily whimpered from inside his wings and he silently cursed. He had hoped he wouldn’t have to show her this side of being royalty quite yet. Lee led the man away while Lukas eyed the girl who was watching with tears streaming down her face.
“Casey, right?” She nodded, sniffling. “It’s about dinner time. Are you hungry?”
She nodded. He retracted his wings and wrapped his arm firmly around Lily.
“Come on. I’ll have the chefs make you something to eat.”
He guided both girls into the kitchen where the chefs were already cooking. The girls placed their orders for dinner and he took them to the dining hall. He watched them play a hand game for a few minutes, before he reached for Sasha’s and Kalani’s links.
‘Mayday.’
‘Lukas? What’s going on?,’ came Sasha’s immediate worried response.
‘He’s here.’
Anger poured through both of their links before they were cut. His eyes moved slowly over Lily, checking her for any sign of injury. Sasha’s link opened back up.
‘Is Lily okay?’
‘Yes. She’s fine. That’s the only reason that fucker is still alive.’
‘Good. We’ll be there in 6 hours.’
His hand fisted on the table. He couldn’t believe he had been so fucking stupid. He didn’t know how long the asshole had been there watching Lily. He could have taken her or worse.
‘Don’t think like that,’ Gideon growled.
‘Face it. We failed her. He could have killed her while we were working.’
‘But he didn’t.’
‘Yes, but he could have.’
His eyes went over her again and her laughter soothed his anger.
‘Never again, Lils. I promise,’ he thought to himself as he watched her chatting with the girl. ‘I’ll make sure of it.’