Plus Sized Ruthless Lycan

Lord Valerius

The Alpha had been talking for several minutes, and I had not heard a word of it. Looking at my watch, then back to him, it’s been this way for ten minutes, yet it felt like an hour had gone by.

"Lord Valerius, my son is young," he said, wringing his hands in front of his stomach. "He has been under great strain since his illness. If you would allow me to explain what you saw..."

"You may explain once I decide I want to hear it," I said, barely interested in anything he had to say.

"Of course. Of course. The western border agreement does not have to be affected by this misunderstanding. The pack is grateful for your presence, and I assure you that..."

Suddenly, I felt my wolf rumble from panic.

“Something is wrong,” I muttered beneath my breath. It felt so sudden, and I could tell that it wasn’t from me. It was a cry for help from Calista.

"Valerius?" the Alpha asked, watching my face change.

"We will finish this later."

"My lord, please, I have not finished. The council will want to..."

I did not hear the rest. I was already walking, and the guards at the steps moved out of my way before I reached them.

Inside the packhouse, the corridors were cool and nearly empty. Her scent hung in the air, vanilla layered over something sour with panic, and I followed it past the main hall and down a side passage. At the end of it, a parlor door stood open by a few inches.

I pushed it open.

Eric had Calista pinned against the wall with his hand wrapped around her throat. Her fingers were clawing at his wrist, and her heels were barely touching the floor.

"You aren't going anywhere," he was saying, his voice low and shaking. "I will lock you in the cells myself if I have to."

I crossed the room before he finished the sentence.

I caught him by the collar and tore him away from her. He hit the opposite wall hard enough to crack the plaster, and I pinned him there with my forearm across his throat.

"Uncle," Eric wheezed, his hands scrabbling at my arm. "This is between me and her."

"She is my mate," I said. "That makes it between you and me."

"She was mine first. She was always meant for me."

"You rejected her in front of your entire pack." I pressed harder, and his eyes bulged. "You do not get to want her now."

"Valerius," Calista rasped behind me.

I did not look away from my nephew. "Listen to me carefully, because I will not say this twice. If you touch her again, I will remove your hands. After that, I will remove the rest of you, and there is no one in this territory who will stop me. Do you understand?"

Eric's lips pulled back from his teeth, but he nodded.

I released him. He slid down the wall, coughing and clutching his throat, and I turned around.

Calista had sunk to the edge of a velvet chair with one hand pressed to her neck. Her breathing was ragged, and her eyes were wide and wet. I knelt in front of her and took her wrist gently, drawing her hand away.

Dark marks were already rising on her skin in the shape of his fingers.

My Lycan howled inside my head, demanding that I turn around and finish what I had started. My hands began to shake, and I closed them around hers to hide it.

"Look at me," I said quietly.

She lifted her eyes to mine.

"Breathe slowly. In, and then out. That is all you need to do."

"I'm okay," she whispered, her voice scratched and thin.

"You are not okay, and you do not have to pretend that you are."

A tear slid down her cheek, and I caught it with my thumb. "He said he would put me in the cells."

"He will never get the chance," I told her. "I promise you that."

Behind me, Eric pushed himself up the wall. "You can't take her from this pack. She belongs to this territory."

I stood and faced him. I let a little of my aura loose, only enough to make the room feel smaller, and he went silent.

"Guards," I called, without raising my voice.

Two of the pack's warriors appeared in the doorway almost at once. They had clearly been waiting close by, and neither of them would meet my eyes.

"Take him out," I said. "Keep him away from this wing until we have left the territory."

"Yes, my lord," one of them said. They took Eric by the arms.

“You cannot touch me. I am Alpha!” He yelled like a whiny kid. It was obvious the title had gotten to his head and had filled up the space left where he could no longer reason.

Watching the guard bow to me before hauling him out.

“I will behead you! I promise, I will behead both of you!!” He fought as he was dragged out of the room.

When the door closed, I turned back to her.

"Can you stand?"

"Yes."

"Then we will go to your room together."

I offered my arm, and after a moment she took it. Her fingers were cold against my sleeve. We stepped into the corridor, and I settled my hand at the small of her back.

“What next?”

“Well, we need to get you out of here before some demented folk walk up to you. Apparently, you are a magnet for bullies.” She lowered her head.

“It’s easier,” she muttered.

“Well, not anymore. Before someone points a finger at you, they will have to rethink if they are willing to lose the finger.”

She smirked.

It was nice seeing her smile. She had a wholesome smile, and I wanted to see it more often.

We finally reached outside, and apparently more people were standing outside than there were when I walked in.

They must have heard their ‘Alpha’ yelling as he was being pulled away.

Calista had her head bowed, but I couldn’t have that. I raised her chin up so she could see the crowd.

“Look at them,” I commanded. “I want them to know you were the reason that brat was being hauled away.”