34 The Long Night of Valor [1]

[TAMIKO]

"Kosta—" Tamiko said as he tried to make sense of what had happened.

Everything was so fast, and he was reeling from the aftereffects of a near-murder he had just witnessed. The night may have been a little dark but Tamiko knew that this would never be forgotten.

But would he even be alive while Gabe and his friends came back for retribution for what Igor had done to them?

Igor Konstantin looked hot as hell, even though he was covered in blood.

As Tamiko looked at Igor and the bodies he was sitting on, Tamiko knew that Igor had deliberately left them alive. If he had wanted to kill Gabe and his friends, he would have done that without so much effort.

"Come on, baby, I got an alpha to talk to," Igor said as he wiped his hands, and extended it for Tamiko to take. He could see the sheer fear and worry on Tamiko's face. He could see the endless concerns and the wheels of shock spinning in Tamiko's head.

Clearly, Tamiko had meant it when he had talked about not liking blood on him. But then he was still a young lycan, one who had only ever endured pain his whole life and approval from the man he thought was his father.

And yet as the years went by, Tamiko had grown cold to the point that it scared him. And that in itself, made Tamiko the scariest man in the Grealor pack.

They just didn't know it, not yet.

"But Kosta—" Tamiko tried, as he looked at the hand that was extended to him. He had just met Igor today and the man had defended him, when his mate wanted to sell him out.

"I won't cause trouble, I promise. I just hated the way they talked about sending you away. It's like you're expendable, but that is not what you are, dusha. I would give everything in the world to see you happy," Igor said earnestly as he looked at Tamiko.

"What will you even tell the alpha? He'll think I hurt his son, and I'll be trapped in a possible dungeon and tortured. I don't mind the torture, but that will keep me away from them and will leave me without any information on what is going on in Grealor and the—"

"Breathe, baby, breathe. No one will keep you in the dungeons, I will make sure of it. I can see you don't want me to interfere with whatever it is they do to you here but if I ever smell your fear and hurt, you will have to forgive me, my soul.

"Because I can't stand anyone hurting you," Igor said and Tamiko chuckled. 'All of this was insane. It was quite interesting all that had happened in the span of just one day.

He wasn't sure if this was another phase for him, but with someone looking after him like Igor, Tamiko knew he could live a few more years, without having to give up the fact that he knew he was a lycan.

"Then how will you convince the alpha? Or wait," Tamiko said as his eyes brightened up, a sight that Igor wanted to keep forever. He wanted Tamiko beside him and for him, no matter what obstacles were headed his way.

"Your bright eyes tell me you have an idea on how to do this, my soul," Igor said, patiently staring at Tamiko like he was earning every inch of the young Lycan's face.

Sure, they may have been in the dark woods, but with their lycan sights, they could see beyond what could be seen by wolves, and that worked for them, because right now, Igor looked like a puppy in love as he stared at the young lycan.

"Yes!" Tamiko said excitedly before adding, "It's going to be easier to convince the alpha that I trespassed on your lands, which is true. But you need to punch me and tear my skin a little.

"The blood will dry fast, but I can stop my lycan from healing me, so it would be easier to make it believable. That way, none of us will be in trouble and you won't have to worry about Grealor coming after you."

"Really now, dusha?" Igor asked, his tone so cold and chill that Tamiko instantly shut up. He wasn't sure what he said had offended the man, but he could see the anger and fury in Igor's eyes and this time, he was the target.

He was the target of the mad lycan warrior's anger.

Oh, Tamiko.

"I'm the outcast, so that sh—"

"I swear to the fucking goddess if I hear someone call you an outcast or orphan again, I will burn down these woods and I'll take you with me, to teach you a very long, interesting lesson about loving yourself.

"And by the time I'll be done with you, you will only be thinking of me, and just me. So don't tempt me, my soul," Igor said and once again, Tamiko stared at him confused, making Igor sigh.

Either Tamiko had to be emotionally dumb, or he was ignoring Igor's advances, though Igor Konstantin was willing to bet on the former. Tamiko had no emotional links and clearly, he didn't know how to embrace them.

"It's the only way, Kosta. Besides, if the trio wake up, they will be angrier with me and want revenge for what you have done to them. Telling the alpha that you caught me trespassing would be easier to explain," Tamiko explained and Igor was done listening to Tamiko.

He couldn't handle seeing his Tamiko in pain and maybe that was also why instead of going to the alpha's office, Igor Konstantin turned to the three elite warriors he had knocked out and kicked them in the face, instantly waking them up.

"What the hell was that?" Gabe spoke as he woke up, before he realized what was happening.

"You fucking hurt us, you insane warrior," Judd whined and Igor let out a laugh.

"I see you're awake, fantastic. So you have two options. Listen and comply with whatever I say, or Alpha Ashton will lose his only son, and his best warriors here and now.

"And before you say anything about Tamiko, please keep in mind that the only reason you guys are not dead yet, is because he doesn't want me to hurt you. And yes, I have a crush on him, so I listen to him, since it's the easiest way to get him to see me.

"Maybe if I am kind to you, he will let me love him, but that is of no consequence right now. I'd listen to me if I were you, and I'd thank my Tamiko for your lives," Igor said so casually as the trio sat up on the ground.

They could feel their bones broken, and their ribs were fractured. They were in so much pain it was agonizing to watch, but that wasn't Igor's business. All he wanted was for Tamiko to be happy.

"We'll listen," Gabe said after a long silence as he added, "What is it you want from us?"

"The night is still young, Gabriel. And frankly, I want a lot from you tonight, but first, shut down the mind links you three share with your pack. Oh, and I'll know if you don't, and I'll break more than just bones."