Cursed Lycan's Scarred Mate
Chapter 116: A little minx

Chapter 116: A little minx

Recommended Listening: [Little do you know—Alex Sierra]

When Vivian came to, she found herself laying in one of the beds in the infirmary of Sabre Coven’s estate. She didn’t remember much of what happened since she was unconscious ever since Rowan was summoned to the ritual chambers.

Whatever occurred after that was a complete blank on her part.

Her eyes fluttered open, tense and pained, looking up to find she was curled up in Ronan’s arms.

The Lycan Alpha seemed fast asleep, undoubtedly weary since he didn’t enjoy much of a quiet slumber the previous night when he was entirely focused on ensuring his mate was comfortably asleep.

However, Ronan wasn’t as deeply asleep as she thought he was. The Lycan Alpha’s internal clock was on high alert, and his slumber broke a few seconds after she stirred in his arms.

He gazed down at her softly, amber eyes full of worry. There was silence between them but Vivian could see the myriad of questions in his eyes that he was holding back.

"How are you feeling, little wolf?" Ronan asked, his voice husky and deep after just waking up. "Any pain or discomfort?"

Vivian shook her head, murmuring back, "Just dull aches everywhere."

Ronan frowned.

He didn’t like seeing her in pain.

And he nearly lost his mind earlier when his third failure almost occurred.

What kind of Alpha kept failing his mate?

He was far too imperfect to be suitable for her protection.

"One of the healers here treated you earlier... you have residues of Lunar energy swirling within you and it’s incompatible with your body," Ronan explained, deciding not to withhold any information about her condition from her.

Vivian laughed bitterly and the pained sound made Ronan’s heart churn painfully in his chest.

He wasn’t strong enough to stop her pain.

And now she was here, breaking apart in his arms.

Was he strong enough to hold her together?

"What kind of wolf isn’t compatible with Lunar energy? I truly am forever changed," Vivian remarked with hurt, gritting her teeth because she was completely and utterly helpless against her own fate.

And Ronan, who never faltered before until he found his mate, found his hands shaking with blame for the first time. He clenched them into a fist to stop the shaking, tucking Vivian’s head under his chin so she wouldn’t see the vulnerability in his eyes.

"The kind who was wronged," Ronan said, closing his eyes as she clung to him. "What fate ordains for you isn’t always what you deserve. Just as... you are my fate but I don’t deserve you, Vivi, but I’ll always fight to keep you."

Ronan never passed up the opportunity to remind her how much she belonged to him.

"I am weak," Vivian answered back, burrowing her head into his chest where she could feel warmth and safety.

"Your spirit is strong where your physical strength is gone," Ronan replied, pulling back slightly to support his words with a sincere smile. "You were barely breathing when I first found you but you held on, Vivi. You always do and you do it all by yourself."

She was stronger than she knew.

She needed to believe that because it was the truth.

Vivian may have broken down many times but she kept herself from shattering.

She didn’t even need him.

"I don’t break because you’re always holding me." Vivian leaned her head back to look up at him and her intense emerald eyes told him that she was certain of her words. "Caleum was right about one thing... both you and him always pick up my pieces."

At least, Caelum hadn’t completely lost his mind to madness just yet

As her Alpha, it was their duty to ensure she never broke in the first place.

They shouldn’t have been picking up her pieces if he never allowed her to break.

There was still much Ronan and Caelum had to learn before they could be the perfect mate for Vivian.

’I must try harder,’ Ronan mentally berated himself. ’Promising her protection and never following through with it isn’t getting me anywhere. I need to take her away completely from all threats and danger rather than sitting around and waiting for them to happen.’

With a new goal clear in mind, Ronan knew that as soon as the investigation with Rowan was concluded and punishment was meted out, he would take Vivian away immediately to Frosthowl Frontier.

There were obstacles that kept delaying their journey.

Nothing else should come in the way.

"I will always be here, Vivi," Ronan said with promise. And that was a promise he was certain he would never break.

"I like that nickname," Vivian revealed, feeling a sense of warmth in her chest. "I like how it sounds when you call me that."

"Vivi? Is that your favourite one?" Ronan brushed his knuckles across her cheek, his fingers tangling in her hair.

"Mhm." Vivian nodded, flashing him a sweet smile. He loved whenever she smiled. It was the most precious thing he’d ever seen and he’d burn the world just to see it more often. "I also like your other nicknames but this one is..."

"Cute?" Ronan completed for her, as if reading her mind. "Sweeter?"

"Warm," Vivian clarified, her hand resting on his cheek. "Warm because whenever you call me Vivi, your tone softens and you say it... and it does sound cute because you’re a big scary Lycan Alpha twice my size." She chuckled, poking his cheek.

"A big scary Lycan Alpha, hmm?" Ronan hummed back, pinching her nose and making her squeal with a pout. "It’s true that I’m much bigger than you. You’re so tiny I can barely see you if I don’t look down."

He was teasing her.

And Vivian never thought Ronan would come to be so playful like Caelum was.

They were more alike than the two of them cared to admit.

"I’m not that short!" Vivian protested and Ronan brought a finger to her lips to hush her.

"Sshh, little wolf, Orion and Eldric are just down the hall from us; both are resting," Ronan advised and his eyes darkened when Vivian playfully bit his finger, keeping it wedged between her teeth.

"Little Minx," Ronan growled back and the sweet mischief in her pretty eyes was enough to tell him she enjoyed being a brat just to see how far she could push his buttons.

Vivian bit hard enough to leave a rounded toothmark, and Ronan, who didn’t so much as flinch or wince, watched her with an amused smirk.

"Are you enjoying yourself, princess?" Ronan questioned, trying to yank his finger gently from between her teeth but she didn’t let go.

And when she finally released it, she stuck out her tongue at him, knowing there would be no consequences for her bratty behaviour.

However, she didn’t expect that Ronan would lean down and bite her cheek. He didn’t bite hard enough to hurt her, but he certainly kept the small chunk of her cheek trapped between his teeth.

Vivian giggled since the sensation was ticklish and the light stubble that grew along his jawline since the previous day grazed against her skin.

"Ok! I’m sorry!" Vivian squealed again, pleading to be spared. Ronan chuckled, leaving a kiss on her cheek before he pulled back.

"Mean." Vivian pursed her lips and Ronan bopped her nose with his finger gently.

"Little wolves get eaten by Lycans; you should be careful," he teased again.

"That’s not fair," Vivian argued back playfully. "You’re bigger than me so you always win."

"Not always," Ronan disagreed, tucking a few strands of her hair behind her hair. "You win more often than you notice or think."

Perhaps that was true and Vivian couldn’t deny it.

Ronan always let her have her way.

And she wondered if she was taking advantage of that leniency and generosity.

Just because her previous Alpha partners never offered her the companionship of a mate and the comfort of an Alpha, that didn’t mean that Ronan should have to account for their mistakes.

It was wrong of her to expect him to correct their wrongs.

"Are you overthinking again?" Ronan noticed her eyes, which seemed lost deep in thought. "Whatever it is you’re thinking, Vivi, just know that whatever I do to and for you is because of my own will."

Still, she couldn’t help but feel that Ronan was burdened by having to be extra careful with her since she was so fragile.