Ch. 91..95: The Rogue is a Female Alpha chapter 91-95

Back Where 91Finished

I wake up to his palm on my breasts, my head resting on his arm, my back pressed against his solid chest. The chirping of birds fills the air, accompanied by the lively chatter of Lycans going about their day but then I feel a summons, different from all others. Powerful. Familiar.

I close my eyes to listen, and it comes through, steady, confident, respectful, calm, resonating deep into my soul.

“Zephyr.”

I flutter my eyelids open and ease off the bed gently. I reach for the Lycannar shirt and put it on, watch it fall over my knees, and walk toward the corridor to stare outside.

Past the people, beyond the massive gates of the Lycan Kingdom, I see him. Mounted on a powerful white warhorse, I recognize his energy before his face.

Jurrek Bane.

For him to come all the way from Ash Pack to here means one thing. It is important.

Perhaps… has he found something connected to my… brother?

I step away from the corridor and reach for my dress, fastening the back when Lycannar’s voice calls through.

“You are not staying for breakfast?”

I turn to him gently and walk up to sit on the bedside, my lips brushing his softly.

“I have to go.”

He searches my eyes and tenderly cups my neck with his palm, drawing me down for another kiss.

Then he sits up and reaches over the table beside the bed where a small black box sits. He takes it and extends it to me.

I stare at it briefly, then back at his face. His pale–gold eyes stare back, unwavering.

“I was supposed to give it to you yesterday morning, but you left before I could,” he whispers. I take the box gently from him.

Quietly, I open it, and my heart sinks. It’s a ring carved from the purest gold, like the crown I saw on the day of his coronation. Slowly, I look up at him.

Is he… proposing?

“Not yet,” he replies, as though reading my thoughts. He lowers his gaze and says softly, “It’s just a small present.”

I pull back, awed. Why does he belittle every gift he gives me?

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“If a ring made from the purest gold is little, then I wonder what is big,” I say softly, my heart tightening. Then I lower my gaze and take the ring from the box, extending it to him.

“Take it,” I say, and I see his expression falter.

“Why?” he asks quietly, a trace of sadness in every word. “You don’t like it?”

My heart nearly bursts at the intensity of his love, adoration, devotion. His obsession. He has never hidden it even once. He makes it so obvious. I am his everything, and he would be lost forever if I left.

“Take it… and put it on for me,” I tell him. For a long moment, he only stares at me.

At last, he obeys. He takes the ring, and I hold out my fingers. Watching him slide it onto my middle finger, I feel the weight of the claim. It’s public, undeniable. Lycannar leans in to kiss my palm with reverence afterward, and I reach to run my fingers through his long black hair.

He raises his head to kiss me again, then breaks off to hug me tightly.

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“I’m addicted to you, Zephyrine. I’m totally obsessed with you.

“I know. I know, my love.” I pull back to search his eyes, my heart swelling with joy and relief. “I hate to leave you.”

“You don’t have to go,” he says, and I swallow hard. But I do have to. I have a life, a pack, a responsibility, an

enormous one.

I kiss Lycannar’s lips once more, then slip off the bed and walk out.

I emerge into the Royal stable in no time. The stableman rushes over to hand me the horse reins, and I reach to caress her mane. As I head toward the exit, Lycannar’s raven flies over to perch on my shoulder. A chill runs down my spine, and I laugh.

“What’s the occasion?” I ask.

“To bid you goodbye.”

I stop and look up toward the corridor of the Black Tower. Lycannar stands there in his robe, sunlight bathing him in glory. Grace is too small a word to describe him, yet he dares believe he amounts to nothing? That’s not true.

I stare at him for several seconds and smile. He doesn’t respond, so I turn fully toward him.

“You smile back,” I say aloud, forgetting he can hear me even if I whisper.

The Lycans going about their daily tasks pause, glancing at me and then up to the King they bow to. Lycannar has never smiled in public, I can guess, but at that moment, his eyes fix on me and he smiles.

Murmurs fill the courtyard, but I am already on my way out, my heart tingling with joy. Ravana flies off my shoulder as I walk beside my white horse and head toward White Pack on foot.

Immediately I step out of the Lycan Kingdom, the thrill lingers, then fades, replaced by the summons again. I stop smiling. My joy twists into something else, urgent.

I continue walking until the Lycan Kingdom fades behind me, and only then does he appear before me.

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Jurrek Bane, the great loyal Beta of Ash Pack.

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He stands there, a sealed letter in hand. His stance today is different, and my heart skips a beat when he draws me into a hug.

My brother’s most loyal and steadfast friend. The Bane lineage has served Ashmere Alphas for generations, each willing to lay down life and honor for the pack.

Jurrek’s father did the same for my own father, both wiped out on the battlefield five years ago.

Now he stands with me, arms strong around me. He has watched me grow, loved me as a brother, a beta, a protector. His respect is paramount; he rarely calls me by name unless the weight of emotion demands it, and he touches me only when it truly matters.

“Word came from the border, My Lady,” he says as he pulls back to stare at me. “Words about your brother, my best friend, the Great War Strategist. A letter was delivered by a man claiming he knows Varyn’s whereabouts, but he said he will speak only to an Ashmere, an Alpha.”

Goosebumps crawl over my skin, and I stare at him, wide–eyed.

“That’s a trick. He’s a false liar,” I murmur, nearly crazed with emotion. “That’s not true.”

“I also have the same thought when we heard the words,” Jurrek says, handing me the letter. “But here it is, sealed. He claims it is the last written by your brother. No one will dare open it but you. Confirm the truth and return to Ash Pack with feedback, My Lady. Every order you make will be obeyed without hesitation.”

He kisses my forehead, then mounts his great warhorse and rides into the sunrise, back to Ash Pack.

Back Where 92

I walked all the way back to White Pack with my horse beside me, ignoring the stares and whispers that followed. I had told Lycannar the horse would stand out and it did. After all, it was mated to his own, only a different color, standing out just like he did.

The sun was high when I stepped into the pack, and Blue appeared from the house as if she had been expecting me.

“My lady,” she called, but I handed her the rein and walked into the house in silence, only to stop, shocked, in the living room. There she stood with all her belongings. Morwen.

Moon had returned from his training session and stood beside Dessyn. Nathan was seated at the dining area, chin resting on his palm, his gaze fixed on the priestess who looked like someone who had seen true darkness and could not recover.

“You are leaving, Mother?” I asked softly. She stared at me, disbelief in her eyes.

“He… had sex with you?” she asked, and my skin crawled.

Are we still on this issue?

“That is her private business with Apex, Mother,” Dessyn replied sharply, but Morwen ignored her and pressed on.

“You love him?”

Something troubled her. Something tied to Lycannar. She searched my eyes, taking a step forward.

“He is everything you stand against, Zephyr. Everything you have fought against. Do you still want him?”

I met her gaze, then lowered it and sighed. I was still raw from Jurrek’s letter and Lycannar’s love. Slowly, I looked back at Morwen and nodded.

“I love him, Mother. I made love with him. I can’t leave him. I won’t leave him.”

Her face went pale. She spoke cautiously.

“What if you find out he’s not what he seems to be? What then?”

“Lycannar has never hidden anything from me. What I don’t know about him is because I haven’t asked or do not need to. He’s cursed, I know. Unsteady, intense, obsessive, possessive, toxic… I accept him as he is.”

“So you will leave your mate for a cursed king?”

I studied her, curious, confused, and surprised at once.

“Wait. Have you met this so–called cursed king? Have you seen him? Powerful, gorgeous, confident, and faithful. I am sick of people comparing Lycannar to Nyroth. It’s an insult to what the Lycan King stands for. Have you ever stepped into that kingdom, felt the power he wields, dared to stand alone with him and not feel the thrill?”

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She lowered her gaze and blink as though lost in memories.

“That’s power, Mother, but I don’t want power. I have enough, even left some behind. All I want is a man who cherishes me and Lycannar does, to the point it aches. Nyroth was only rude, neglectful. I will reject him.”

Morwen’s gaze fell, realizing I had made up my mind. Quietly, she noticed the ring on my finger. Slowly, she looked back up at me and nodded.

“Since you are determined, I will let you be. When the truth is revealed, I will return with my shoulder for comfort and words of guidance. Until then, Zephyrine Ashmere, farewell.”

With that, she bypassed me with her small luggage and walked out, departing from White Pack without looking back.

I stood still, wondering why claiming Lycannar now felt harder. Or wait… am I also cursed to never be happy?

“She never once was a mother to us or a wife to my father. It’s good she’s gone for good,” Moon broke the silence and reached for me softly. “I heard what happened from my sister. Are you okay?”

I nodded, and Dessyn stepped forward.

“Kai was here early this morning, Zephyr. He said you’ve been summoned to Hue Pack concerning your mate bond with Nyroth.”

I nodded again and slowly walked into the bedchamber I shared with Dessyn. Quietly, I sat on the bed, heart heavy. The door opened softly, and Dessyn entered, her eyes full of concern.

“Zephyr, what’s wrong?”

I revealed the letter Jurrek had given me.

“Jurrek appeared before me today, Dessyn. He brought this letter and words.”

I looked up, and she didn’t speak, emotion brimming in her eyes. She dared not breathe. It was about Varyn, the man she loved.

“Words have come from the border, Dessyn. A man claims to know what has become of my brother on the battlefield, but he will only speak to an Ashmere Alpha.”

She swallowed hard. Tension thickened the air.

“This letter is evidence,” I continued, voice shaking. “It claims to be the last handwritten words by Varyn. Reading it will help me decide.”

I sighed shakily.

“You are Varyn’s love. You deserve to know.”

Again, she could not speak. I lowered my gaze and opened the letter, fingers undoing the seal. I did not notice my breathing until I saw the words. Written in haste or perhaps pain. Dried blood stained the parchment.

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It read,

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“To you, beloved sister, if you ever read this. Know that there is no one left trust neither among our kind at home nor on the battlefield. We are betrayed, cornered, and retreat is impossible. Lives of warriors have been lost and destroyed. Those of us who remain have been saved by an unthinkable beast, a world within a world, creatures living among us beyond imagining. To maintain sanity comes at a cost, and I fear I am. losing mine. You should stop searching for me, little sister. And if you can, deliver this to her. Tell Dessyn to never move on. I know it is selfish, but tell her to live forever as my widow, until her last breath.”

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It hung between us. The heaviest tension. For what seemed like an eternity, none of us moved. None at all. We could hardly breathe.

He had written the letter as a send-off, to keep me from chasing him, to find peace but he wasn’t dead. Not when the letter was written. Judging by the age of the parchment, it had been written years ago.

Goosebumps crawled over my skin, and I looked away to clear my throat. Slowly, I extended the letter to Dessyn, but she wouldn’t take it.

“Part of it addresses you. Go on,” I urged quietly. She took it, reading in silence.

Slowly, she looked away, exhaling shakily, but her legs could no longer support her. Dessyn sank to the floor, her sobs breaking the silence. I didn’t move to console her. I was already drowning in too many

emotions.

“I will get married to the next man I meet the moment I leave this house!” she vowed angrily. I looked at her, seeing only the rawness of her grief. “I failed to live as his widow. I don’t care about him anymore. Never.”

Her words came and went, and I knew the truth. She was emotional, acting on impulse. I looked away, sighing as silence descended again until her voice came through.

“Zephyr…” she called, walking to sit on the bed. “Zephyr… I have never learned combat, nor have I ever been on a battlefield or killed. Please… do you know a way we can… bring him back?”

I saw her fingers trembling and slowly looked up into her eyes. Seconds ago, she had vowed never to be bothered by him, and now she was shaking in fear and desperation.

I reached for her hand, sighing shakily.

“You will stay as my brother’s woman, Dessyn. Do you understand?”

“Zephyr…”

“And we will find him. Find those who betrayed the Ashmeres on the battlefield and make them pay.”

“But how…” she asked, searching my eyes. I swallowed hard.

“By being strong,” I said, rising to the window. “By being strategic. We can’t trust anyone but the very few. Dusk household and Jurrek, only.”

I walked back to her and took her hand tenderly, my love and respect for her swelling.

“Varyn acknowledged you in his letter. That alone makes you his betrothed. We will do everything to get him back.”

She searched my eyes, silence heavy. That gaze asked one powerful question that made my heart tighten.

“You will have to ascend the seat reserved for your brother before you can find him, Zephyr. Stand among

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the great, break a chain that has never been broken in history, take the vow as the female Alpha… can you?”

***

The water soothed my skin. I closed my eyes to the warmth and tender scrubs from Blue, who carefully cleaned my breasts. Instinctively, a soft sigh escaped me. Memories surged. Lycannar, his touch and ache came through in my inner thighs.

Blue looked at me innocently, continuing her task.

“Are you okay, My Lady?” she asked softly. “You haven’t spoken to me since morning… I began to wonder if… if you’re mad at me.”

I stayed silent, letting her finish. Afterwards, she dressed me in a fine gown and seated me before the mirror to braid my hair. I stopped her.

“Let it down,” I ordered quietly. “It’s how my man wants it.”

She obeyed, letting my hair flow around my waist.

“You look beautiful, my lady. So beautiful and…” Her gaze fell to the ring on my finger. “And even more beautiful.”

I smiled quietly at her reflection in the mirror, then turned to the bed and sat.

“Come here, Blue,” I said. She came closer, ready to sit on the floor, but I pulled her up beside me.

“My lady…”

“Sit. Be comfortable.”

Silence fell. I stared at her intensely. Then I began.

“I love your king, and I appreciate every gift he’s given me including a blessing like you.”

“My lady…”

“I am soft, Blue. If I want to be. And I can be very hard if I choose. I will kill as much as I will save.” I glanced at the ring on my finger and sighed. “Lycannar and I met at our lowest, fed one another with love. Now he has crossed a path in my heart with no way back. He is mine even if he doesn’t want to be and I will never spill the blood of anyone dear to him.”

I looked into her eyes, nodding.

“You mean a lot to Lycannar. For him to entrust you to me, it means too much. I will cherish you, Blue. Adore you. Protect you. But there is one condition.”

I could feel it. Her heart thudding, the fear of the unknown.

“You will be loyal to me.”

“My lady… I am loyal to you.”

“Prove it.” I pinned her with my gaze. She swallowed hard. Panic edged her voice.

RIN

“How…?”

“Jump off the window… and die.”

Her color drained. She recoiled.

“I am a Lycan. Height won’t kill me.”

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Finished Chapter 93

Zephyrine

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It hung between us. The heaviest tension. For what seemed like an eternity, none of us moved. None at all. We could hardly breathe.

He had written the letter as a send-off, to keep me from chasing him, to find peace but he wasn’t dead. Not when the letter was written. Judging by the age of the parchment, it had been written years ago.

Goosebumps crawled over my skin, and I looked away to clear my throat. Slowly, I extended the letter to Dessyn, but she wouldn’t take it.

“Part of it addresses you. Go on,” I urged quietly. She took it, reading in silence.

Slowly, she looked away, exhaling shakily, but her legs could no longer support her. Dessyn sank to the floor, her sobs breaking the silence. I didn’t move to console her. I was already drowning in too many Thɪs chapter is updated by fındnovel.net

emotions.

“I will get married to the next man I meet the moment I leave this house!” she vowed angrily. I looked at her, seeing only the rawness of her grief. “I failed to live as his widow. I don’t care about him anymore. Never.”

Her words came and went, and I knew the truth. She was emotional, acting on impulse. I looked away, sighing as silence descended again until her voice came through.

“Zephyr…” she called, walking to sit on the bed. “Zephyr… I have never learned combat, nor have I ever been on a battlefield or killed. Please… do you know a way we can… bring him back?”

I saw her fingers trembling and slowly looked up into her eyes. Seconds ago, she had vowed never to be bothered by him, and now she was shaking in fear and desperation.

I reached for her hand, sighing shakily.

“You will stay as my brother’s woman, Dessyn. Do you understand?”

“Zephyr…”

“And we will find him. Find those who betrayed the Ashmeres on the battlefield and make them pay.”

“But how…” she asked, searching my eyes. I swallowed hard.

“By being strong,” I said, rising to the window. “By being strategic. We can’t trust anyone but the very few. Dusk household and Jurrek, only.”

I walked back to her and took her hand tenderly, my love and respect for her swelling.

“Varyn acknowledged you in his letter. That alone makes you his betrothed. We will do everything to get him back.”

She searched my eyes, silence heavy. That gaze asked one powerful question that made my heart tighten.

“You will have to ascend the seat reserved for your brother before you can find him, Zephyr. Stand among

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the great, break a chain that has never been broken in history, take the vow as the female Alpha… can you?”

***

The water soothed my skin. I closed my eyes to the warmth and tender scrubs from Blue, who carefully cleaned my breasts. Instinctively, a soft sigh escaped me. Memories surged. Lycannar, his touch and ache came through in my inner thighs.

Blue looked at me innocently, continuing her task.

“Are you okay, My Lady?” she asked softly. “You haven’t spoken to me since morning… I began to wonder if… if you’re mad at me.”

I stayed silent, letting her finish. Afterwards, she dressed me in a fine gown and seated me before the mirror to braid my hair. I stopped her.

“Let it down,” I ordered quietly. “It’s how my man wants it.”

She obeyed, letting my hair flow around my waist.

“You look beautiful, my lady. So beautiful and…” Her gaze fell to the ring on my finger. “And even more beautiful.”

I smiled quietly at her reflection in the mirror, then turned to the bed and sat.

“Come here, Blue,” I said. She came closer, ready to sit on the floor, but I pulled her up beside me.

“My lady…”

“Sit. Be comfortable.”

Silence fell. I stared at her intensely. Then I began.

“I love your king, and I appreciate every gift he’s given me including a blessing like you.”

“My lady…”

“I am soft, Blue. If I want to be. And I can be very hard if I choose. I will kill as much as I will save.” I glanced at the ring on my finger and sighed. “Lycannar and I met at our lowest, fed one another with love. Now he has crossed a path in my heart with no way back. He is mine even if he doesn’t want to be and I will never spill the blood of anyone dear to him.”

I looked into her eyes, nodding.

“You mean a lot to Lycannar. For him to entrust you to me, it means too much. I will cherish you, Blue. Adore you. Protect you. But there is one condition.”

I could feel it. Her heart thudding, the fear of the unknown.

“You will be loyal to me.”

“My lady… I am loyal to you.”

“Prove it.” I pinned her with my gaze. She swallowed hard. Panic edged her voice.

RIN

“How…?”

“Jump off the window… and die.”

Her color drained. She recoiled.

“I am a Lycan. Height won’t kill me.”

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“That’s if you use your ability. Don’t. Jump right there and kill yourself,” I commanded, my patience thinning. “Now!”

She trembled, sinking to her knees, but I turned away. Then, in a heartbeat, she bolted toward the window. My wolf surged forward, muscles coiling with precision and speed. In a blur of motion, I caught her wrist mid-leap, yanking her back just as air left her lungs.

Tears clouded her eyes. Tears of fear, confusion, relief. I set my jaw and walk up to her, wiping them away.

“Get ready,” I said firmly. “We are going to Hue Pack, and tonight we leave for Ash Pack.”

Send Gifts

“That’s if you use your ability. Don’t. Jump right there and kill yourself,” I commanded, my patience thinning. “Now!”

She trembled, sinking to her knees, but I turned away. Then, in a heartbeat, she bolted toward the window. My wolf surged forward, muscles coiling with precision and speed. In a blur of motion, I caught her wrist mid-leap, yanking her back just as air left her lungs.

Tears clouded her eyes. Tears of fear, confusion, relief. I set my jaw and walk up to her, wiping them away.

“Get ready,” I said firmly. “We are going to Hue Pack, and tonight we leave for Ash Pack.”

Back Where 94

My carriage rolled into Hue Pack, stopping in the courtyard right beside a carriage I recognized all too well. The one belonging to Kaela Yadev. The crest of Blackbridge Pack gleamed boldly, a reminder of the pack she and her father stole.

I stepped out, Blue right behind me, fussing with a stubborn strand of hair that refused to stay in place. Adjusting my dress, she followed silently as we entered the hall.

The guards stood at attention. The maids, who had always ignored me, stared longer than necessary. Whispers swirled, but I ignored them, striding/into the Council meeting hall with purpose.

I paused briefly at the doorway. Nyroth, Alpha of Hue Pack, sat at the head of the table. Beside him, Kaela’s fingers were entwined with his, her head resting on his shoulder. They were trying to provoke me, to make me jealous but those days were gone. I no longer envied Nyroth’s affection for Kaela. Time had shifted, and so had I.

“The Lycan should stay out,” Kai’s voice cut through the tension, but I ignored him, along with Pamela, Nyroth’s mother, and Olivia, his sister.

I moved to the seat reserved for me, Blue pulling out the chair. I was here for business, not for emotions. I am done with the Hues.

Nyroth fixed his gaze on me. I felt it, though my eyes stayed on the table. Then came the sound that made my stomach twist. His lips on Kaela’s, even in front of the Hue elders. He didn’t hide his feelings anymore.

The mate bond still keep a connection between us and I hated it..

“Let’s get this over with,” I said curtly, tone sharp, eyes empty of emotion. “The date and time.”

Nyroth paused, fingers still on Kaela, trying to read the source of my audacity. Finally, he pulled away, sighing.

“Zeph, I’ll give you one last chance. I’ll forgive everything you’ve done. I’ll give you shelter. You’ll stop being a rogue, hopping from pack to pack. I’ll forgive…”

“The date and time,” I cut him off, my stare piercing. Even his mother hissed, sitting a few chairs away.

“She’s grown wings after sleeping around. I won’t blame you. If only you had a mother to teach you right from wrong.”

“And your precious son, who actually has a mother to school him? Look at him rotting away. Seems having a mother isn’t exactly a magic fix, is it? Useless, just like the woman who birthed him.”

Silence fell over the chamber. Olivia’s face turned red, her voice sharp.

“My goodness! How dare you call my brother and mother useless? You are the useless one! Who…”

Her words died on her lips as I looked at her. She trembled, memories of how I had bested a skilled rogue man in a duel flashing in her mind.

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“I’ve been mated to your brother for five years, lived here all the while. You’ve been trying to be a healer, but even now, you’re nothing but a brat with no mate and no future. Tell me, who’s useless?”

Olivia went pale, recoiling. Then Kaela stepped forward, voice laced with venom.

“You think because the Lycan King bedded you, you’re above everyone in the empire?” The source of thɪs content is find•novel.net

I let my eyes sweep over her, slow and dangerous, a smirk tugging at my lips.

“He is the King of all Lycans. Even being spared a glance from him is an honor most could never dream of. You? You’ve earned nothing but the what you stole. Being a second-hand to a man who is already mated… that’s exactly your place.”

Kaela’s eyes flashed with anger, her smirk returning.

“I guess you haven’t heard the rumors about you?”

I leaned back, letting my golden ring catch the light, drawing her gaze.

“A mistress, yet he would never look at another woman. Gifted me the most precious present with devotion in his eyes. The type of devotion you’ll never know.” I smiled, cold and measured. “I bet the Alpha who slept with you never claimed you publicly. Mine did.”

Kaela froze, but then delivered one last blow. Elegantly, she stepped forward, placing a scroll before me. One that held the date and time I would reject Nyroth. She leaned close, whispering wickedly.

“There’s something you need to know, Zeph. Today, I was approached by Lord Dareth, the Lycan King’s uncle. His son is ascending the Beta’s seat, and I was asked to host it. He mentioned one more thing. That I’ll host the King’s wedding ceremony too.”

A chill ran down my spine. She stepped back, smiling slyly.

“I was stunned, just like you. I thought, does this mean Zeph will be Queen? But he said the bride is another woman. The daughter of the richest man in the Lycan Kingdom. I bet your so-called lover didn’t tell you. Why would he? He’s only out to milk you and discard you.”

She turned toward Nyroth, pressing a kiss to his lips in front of me.

“My man isn’t a king, but at least he won’t betroth another woman without me being the bride.”

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“This is the pending decision since the former king died, My Lord,” one of the elders said, pointing to many scrolls before me. “Perhaps, since you are busy with your upcoming wedding ceremony, your Beta should take care of it?”

“It won’t be any problem,” my uncle Dareth added. “All you have to do is hand him the Royal Seal, and he will take care of it.”

Silence fell after their words, and I kept my gaze fixed where it had been since the beginning of this tedious boring meeting.

I had wondered why my father would suddenly order me to attend this type of meeting and order me to cut down some elders before everyone but now I understood. Some speak foolishly and annoyingly, testing the limits of patience.

I looked slowly toward the first elder who had spoken. He had just mentioned my upcoming wedding ceremony, and I felt the urge to order Chantel to cut him down on the spot.

I was about to respond when the sound of footsteps echoed through the silent hall. No one was supposed to pass this way aside from my two elder sisters or my brother Hades but she appeared, stopping just outside, waiting. My heart sank.

Zephyrine.

Something about her presence had changed. I dreaded what might come next.

“Come in,” I said gently, fully aware she would hear me. She obeyed immediately.

Zephyrine walked toward me, and I found myself holding my breath as she paused a few steps away, jaw set in restraint.

“I’ll wait outside until you finish your meeting,” she said but I moved quickly before she could turn away.

“It’s fine. What’s wrong?” I asked, rising to approach her. “Zephyrine?”

No response. Just her eyes locking on mine with a dagger’s intensity. If a stare could kill, I’d be dead. I couldn’t understand what had gone wrong. We had shared the night, slept in one another’s arms, kissed goodbye that morning. Why…

Punch!

I flinched. She hit me once, then again. Only anger would provoke such force.

“Zephyrine…” I reached for her hand, but she struck again.

The silence thickened. Then I saw it. Tears brimming in her eyes. A chill ran down my spine, goosebumps crawling across my skin.

“My gods… Zephyrine…”

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“I’ll ask you one question, Lycannar. Fail to answer, and I walk out,” she threatened. My heart lodged in my throat. “Are you betrothed?”

I went cold. How had she…

“Zephyrine…”

“Answer me!” she cut in with another push. “Do you have a woman in your life?”

I watched tears streak down her cheeks. Even without hearing me out, she had shattered and it broke me beyond words.

“It’s not what you think,” I whispered softly. She took a step back.

“So it’s true?”

“I can explain… it’s not…” I reached for her hand, but she shoved me, glaring.

“I hate you.”

She turned to leave, and in that instant, something ignited within me. My speed, never publicly used, surged. Before she could reach the door, I was there, blocking her path.

“Zephyrine, let me explain,” I begged, but she brushed the tears from her cheek angrily, moving to bypass

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“Zephyrine.”

I blocked her again, forcing her to look at me.

“Get out of my path, Lycan. I won’t say it twice,” she challenged, eyes flashing. I did not yield, earning her wrath.

Her strike was swift, claws aimed at my chest. Blood spattered, and Chantel surged forward but I held out a palm, stopping him, eyes fixed on the fierce woman before me.

“Let me explain. Stay.”

She ignored me, watching the wound close, her fingers stained with my blood. Tears streamed again, and she went down but I caught her, setting her gently on a chair, kneeling before her. My palm cupped her cheek.

“Zephyrine,” I called softly. “It’s a decree I never knew existed. Found in my father’s chamber just days ago.”

Her eyes searched mine, weeping bitterly.

“And you couldn’t tell me?” she asked shakily, voice thick with disappointment. My touch softened.

“I never deemed it important. It’s something that will never come to pass. You are mine, I am yours. I won’t let anyone come between us. Mere words from a dead, abusive father should never bother you.”

Hearing that broke something in her… and in me. Her eyes roamed my face, heart-stopping, before she leaned in to claim my lips tenderly. Tasting her tears stirred my heart. I gripped her waist, lifting her onto the table.

31%

Finished

Oblivious to everyone in the chamber, we became the only world that mattered. She kissed me hungrily, hands pulling at my shirt, and I responded in kind. Chantel stood silently at the door after closing it behind him, elders having retreated.

I tore at her gown, freed myself, and thrust into her. Zephyrine’s moans filled the sacred council chamber as my hips slammed against hers relentlessly. We lost ourselves completely. Titles, morals, and every barrier forgotten as we consumed each other in raw, unrestrained lust.