Chapter 5

The voices welcoming the Lycan King echoed all over Shadowclaw as I stepped out of my room.

Servants hurried past with trays of food and wine and warriors lined on both sides of the path leading to the Sacred Grounds. The entire pack buzzed with excitement.

"Lucien!"

I quickly turned to see Mira hurrying towards me. "There you are," she said, slowing her pace. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I could say the same."

"I'm sorry…after they took you to the recovery room, the head cook gathered all the servants in the kitchen. None of us were allowed to leave."

"I figured." I nodded.

She looked me over carefully.

"How do you feel now?"

"Better."

She sighed but didn't argue. "Come on, we'll be in trouble if we arrive late."

Together, we joined the crowd gathering at the Sacred Grounds. By the time we arrived, almost the entire pack was already there.

A loud horn sounded and the massive gates creaked open. The Lycan King entered with his Royal Guards.

Every wolf lowered their head immediately.

"Welcome to Shadowclaw, Your Majesty," Alpha Leo greeted respectfully.

The King inclined his head.

"I trust my visit has not caused your pack too much inconvenience."

"It is an honor to receive you."

The King stepped forward, his sharp gaze sweeping across the gathered wolves.

Against my better judgment…I looked up, our eyes met, only for a heartbeat. Something unreadable crossed his face before he continued walking as though nothing had happened. Instantly, my palms became sweaty. 

Maybe I was imagining things.

After exchanging a few words with Alpha Leo, the King addressed the pack briefly. Every wolf listened in complete silence.

"I expect discipline during my stay. And lest you forget, your actions reflect not only upon yourselves, but upon your Alpha and your pack."

When he finished, the gathering slowly began to disperse.

"So that's the Lycan King," Mira whispered.

"I expected him to be... older."

"I expected him to smile at least once," I replied quietly.

She laughed.

Before we could leave, I noticed something strange.

People were staring, they either looked in my direction or whispered to each other, or both. 

A group of servant girls fell silent the moment I walked past. One of them looked at me with obvious mockery.

"What is going on?" Mira murmured.

"I don't know."

Across the grounds, I caught sight of Darius but he wasn't looking at me. He was talking to a group of warriors instead and they all turned to look at me, then another group, then another.

The whispers spread like wildfire and within moments, half the people still standing on the Sacred Grounds were glancing in my direction.

"What are they saying?" Mira asked.

"I don't..."

Before I could finish, a warrior approached Alpha Leo and whispered something into his ear.

Alpha Leo's expression darkened.

His gaze swept across the crowd until it landed on me.

"Lucien."

My heart skipped.

"Step forward."

The whispers grew louder as I obeyed.

Darius stepped forward as well without being asked.

"I assume," Alpha Leo said evenly, "that you are the source of whatever rumor has managed to spread through my pack in less than five minutes."

Darius bowed.

"I merely repeated what I witnessed, Alpha."

The Sacred Grounds fell silent once again.

Alpha Leo regarded him for a long moment.

Then his eyes shifted to Arthur.

"Beta Arthur."

Arthur stepped forward immediately.

"My office."

Arthur inclined his head.

"Yes, Alpha."

Then Alpha Leo looked at me.

"You will wait outside."

"Yes, Alpha."

As Arthur followed Alpha Leo away, I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever happened next was about to change everything.

I remained outside Alpha Leo's office with my hands clasped tightly behind my back. My palms were already sweaty. The corridor was unusually quiet.

Through the thick wooden doors, I couldn't make out every word, only fragments, then I heard Alpha Leo's voice.

"...tell me exactly..."

I let out a slow breath, maybe this would all be over soon, maybe Arthur would tell the truth.

Maybe…

Then I heard Arthur's voice.

"...he came to me."

I was shocked, too shocked to show any reaction. I took a step forward and I heard Arthur's voice clearer this time.

"He entered my chamber while I was dressing."

I frowned.

"He behaved... inappropriately."

My fingers slowly curled into fists.

"I rejected his advances before anything could happen."

I stared blankly at the closed door and the world around me seemed to disappear. 

He…Lied.

The kiss, his hand on my jaw, the way he'd looked at me, every bit of it…A lie.

Or perhaps...I was the fool all along.