Ivan's Queen

Chapter 6

Chapter Six - Lightning & Love

"Well...pick it up." I frown when he stares at me with incredulity.

"And risk your dad chopping me into pieces the next time I see him? No thanks!" He grumbles, throwing the phone on the couch beside me before running his hand through his hair.

I see my dad calling again and accept it but wince when I hear the interesting choice of words he uses to curse Ivan to the depths of hell. Ivan whirls around with wide eyes when he realizes that I've answered the call, the color draining from his face before he glares at me murderously.

"Hey dad..." I start, snickering when he freezes mid-curse. "I think you'd go to jail if you do that to him."

"It'd be worth it!" He mutters back before yelling into the phone again. "Where are you?! Ivan's missing too! Where did that boy take you?!"

"Uh...funny story." I laugh nervously before holding the phone out to Ivan who shakes his head vehemently and pushes the device back into my hand.

"How am I supposed to explain that we were teleported?!" I whisper-shout as I glare at him.

"You were what?!" My dad roars, making us both wince.

Ivan sighs and snatches the phone off me before speaking almost reluctantly. "Ayla has the gift of teleportation and she has brought us to the Lycan kingdom. She didn't see Amelia."

From then on, it's a series of low hums and a lot of yes and no-s. Ivan paces the length of the room and his features are scrunched in concentration as he listens to my dad. Meanwhile, I sit on the bed with curiosity brewing within me. In times like these, I really wish I had their heightened hearing.

Eventually, he ends the call and turns to me. I raise my brows expectantly which he ignores and chooses to take a seat on one of the armchairs instead. Sighing, I fiddle with the hem of my hoodie as I look out at the night sky through the balcony doors.

"You'll be staying here for a while." He finally speaks which makes me turn to him in confusion. "I have to take care of the situation here and I don't trust Ayla to teleport you back."

"Aren't there portals here to travel back though?" I wonder aloud.

"You sound eager to leave."

I still before looking up at him. His eyes don't give anything away and I desperately want to know what he's feeling. I shake my head in response and mumble that I'm okay with staying here. He nods before leaving, saying that he has work to do and that someone will bring up my dinner. Before I can reply, he has disappeared.

Huffing in frustration, I flop back on the bed. Are all our conversations going to be like this, short and clipped? He doesn't even want to spend any time with me. Why do I want to stay and work this out? I wonder to myself, feeling disappointed and angry. Calming myself down I decide not to ponder on it any further and thankfully, a knock on the door is enough to distract me from my thoughts.

I grab the tray of food from one of the maids, thanking her with a smile. Eating the generous serving of pasta, I watch TV for a while longer before someone collects the tray again. Seeing that it's eleven at night and my eyes are starting to droop, I change into a pair of pajamas the maid had brought with the dinner.

However, sleep doesn't come easily.

As soon as I'm about to slip into a deep slumber, I hear the first crackle of lightning. My eyes snap open and I look up to hear the thunder rolling in.