Found by the Lycan King

I paced through the room, thinking about how to get out of the mansion. Callahan would freak out if he learned I tried running away again.

Plus I also thought he would come to check on me if I did not show up in a few hours. Yesterday night was rather….eventful.

If I suddenly vanished from my room after learning all about his past, he would think I shunned him or was second guessing my decision to be his anchor.

I had to act smart.

After thinking about it for a while, I decided to go meet him. Thus, I quickly dried my hair, put on casual clothes, simple jeans, and a cream colored top, and headed outside my room.

The day had already begun, and it was almost time for breakfast. I climbed down the stairs and looked around to spot him. But he was nowhere to be found.

My feet automatically turned to the dining area as I saw the servants and Martha starting to set up the table.

Martha was holding a stash of dishes in her hand, and I almost bumped into her.

“Watch your step,” she said, not in an unkindly voice. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Sorry,” I replied, earning a smile from her.

“Just in time for breakfast. I was wondering if you are not feeling well lately.” She said, placing the dishes on the table.

“Why would you think so?” I asked, plucking an apple from the bowl of fruits.

“You just look pale and tired. There are bags under your eyes, see” She pointed to my face, but I shrugged it off.

“Nothing a long day of blissful sleep can’t fix”

After a bit of a chitchat, I asked the question I really wanted to.

“Where is the Lycan King?”

She had gone in the kitchen to get some more stuff, so she answered me while continuing her work.

“Oh, he has been holed up in his office since last night. Only left to shower and was back to work, I think.”

I blushed at the memories the mention of his office desk brought up. “Do we have any guests?”

“None that I know of.”

That was a relief. She was busy preparing the breakfast dish for Callahan that I saw she was setting up with great care.

An idea popped up in my head.

“I will take the breakfast to his office”

She smiled at that. “I thought you must be tired after the ordeal. It must have been exhausting.”

I blinked.

“Eh…”

“Becoming an anchor of the Lycan King is no easy feat. You should be resting for at least a few days.”

Oh, that.

I did a twirl in front of her, “Look at me. I am fine. Just add my small dish to the tray as well. I will have breakfast with him in his office.”

Martha chuckled but did as I asked.

Twenty minutes later, I was balancing the tray in my hands while carrying it up the stairs, careful to not accidentally trip, and reached the outside of his office.

Balancing the tray on just one hand, I knocked on the door once. But there was no reply.

I knocked again, a bit louder this time yet there was no answer. Getting

slightly annoyed, I did not bother to knock but just pushed the door away with my elbow and walked inside.

And I saw a sight that shocked me.

Callahan had his head bent down on the table, his messy hair falling all over and he was….snoring.

I tried not to chuckle or make any noise as I gently placed the tray on one of the side tables and tiptoed my way through the office.

There was nobody around except him and the window was left slightly open, a soft breeze flowing in.

A strand of his hair fluttered, and I only stood by the side, staring at him.

He was sleeping like a baby with his face resting on the back of his hand. My heart went out to him.

When was the last time he properly rested? He was battling on a lot of fronts and the inner conflict was definitely taking a toll on him.

I slowly raised my hand to push away the strands of hair that were tickling his cheek and could not help but run a hand through his hair.

Callahan moved, the hand that was not beneath his face reached for my waist and curled up behind me, pulling me closer to him.

I smiled and whispered, “Did I wake you up?”

He did not bother opening his eyes but pulled me closer and I continued caressing his head.

“Your touch is lovely. I don’t mind being woken up if it is you who does

that.”

My heart fluttered at that line as I played with his hair. His hand brushed my bare skin when his thumb skimmed over the waistband of my jeans and for a moment, I forgot everything

“You are all ready to go somewhere,” He said though it sounded more like a question. I hesitated and when I did not immediately answer, he opened his eyes to look at me.

The golden orbs of his eyes were shining brightly and in the warm morning sun, his eyes looked even pretty. Every inch of him was worth gawking at.

“I got us breakfast. Though if you are sleepy, maybe, you should go to your room to get some sleep.”

“With you?” He asked, and I tried to hide the blush creeping up my face.

He grinned as I hastily stepped away and turned around, too nervous to look him in the eye.

That only made him straighten his back and stretch his body as he stifled

a yawn.

“Relax, I will go wash my face first, then we eat”

I nodded and set up the dishes on the small round table on the side where he usually had quick bites in between pack meetings.

Today thankfully, he wouldn’t have to gobble food in a rush.

By the time I was done, he returned from the washroom, wiping his face. with a towel.

“I am not sure when I dozed off but I have plenty of work to do.”

I pointed at the plate in front of me. “The breakfast is going cold, eat first”

He rolled his sleeves up and muttered, “So bossy”

I tried to keep a straight face as he started to eat and after ensuring he was not just shoving it down his throat, I touched my food as well.

He finished his plate in under five minutes as my eyes drifted toward the wall clock. I had promised to meet Sid in two hours and thirty minutes were already up.

While drinking the juice, he looked at me and asked again. “You did not tell me where you are going.”

That was a relief. He did not object to me leaving but was just curious about where it was that I wished to go.

“Oh, I have not really stepped out of the mansion much so I figured I had to roam through the town a little and get myself acquainted with the place. Better than sitting in my room and doing nothing.”

He only kept looking at me and I hastily added, “I also needed some stuff.”

“What stuff? The servants can get it for you. You don’t need to go by yourself.”

I shook my head. “I have never had servants in my life. I was the one who used to get groceries and other stuff from the market. I used to know what is the price of lemons and where to get the juiciest ones.”

Callahan raised an eyebrow. “You want to find lemons?”

I let out a sigh. “That is not what I mean, and you know that. I just…don’t want to feel like this mansion is a golden cage. I want it to feel like home.”

At that, he took a pause and gave me a tight smile.

I reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I am not going to run away, Cal. You know it. But I have to have the freedom to come and go as I wish. Or this place…it will never feel like home to me.”

He reached for my hand with his other and gently stroked his thumb over the back of my hand.

“Do you think of this as a cage? You know about the dangers out there…”

He began, but I cut him off. “The dangers are always going to stay. But I am your anchor, Cal. And I also have my wolf. I am not weak, plus you have trained me. You have to believe in me.”

I saw the conflicted look on his face and I pressed on.

“Plus, I also don’t know how far I can be from you to sense your emotions through the anchor bond. I have to try to figure that out as well, but how can I do that if I am always around you?”

He gave me a disgruntled look.

“You say that as if staying around me is an inconvenience.”

“You know what? I will take a car from your garage. Any that you wish.

Plus, I have my phone too. Stop worrying so much about myself.”

He sighed and squeezed my hand. “Just be careful and return home