Fated To The Cursed Lycan King

My ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend chose my father’s hall to flaunt their marriage and rub it in my face. Earlier that evening, my father had warned me to smile, be polite, no grudges tonight. The yearly festival, it seemed, mattered more to him than his daughter's happiness. Alan and Genevieve cut through the crowd, heading straight for me. Genevieve's pregnant belly led the way, like a taunt. “Marissa! So glad to see you,” Alan said, wrapping his hand around his wife's waist. “We missed you at the wedding,” he added as if that made it better. Genevieve touched her belly. “Yes, dear. We hope you can forgive us. For the baby, you know.” I clenched my fists. “How sweet,” I said, my voice dangerously calm. “Two trash cans finally found their matching dumpster.” My stepmother's voice cut through the air. She stood behind me, giving me a disapproving look. “That’s enough, Rissa,” she said, loud enough for nearby guests to turn and stare. “You must apologize to Alan and Genevieve ri

JustinI stood beside my mother at the center of the hall, surrounded by the stink of desperate werewolves.She sipped her wine slowly with a detached gaze, as if everyone in the room fell beneath her notice.“What exactly are you doing?” I asked, already exhausted. “We have more than enough people in the workforce.”She laughed softly. “I’m doing these fools a favor.”“You’re evil.”“Evil builds empires, my darling,” she said, unbothered. “Kindness destroys them.”I sighed and tipped the last of the crushed herbs into my mouth. I barely noticed the bitterness anymore.She watched me closely. Pity surfaced in her eyes before she masked it.I hated that look.She knew I didn’t want to be here. This damn festival where I had to pretend to like werewolves.They didn’t mean shit to me.The only reason I had come was because of something the seer from the Eastern Cliffs had said.If the prince wishes to survive, I must bathe and anoint him.It sounded like the usual garbage, but my mother c

MarissaThe next morning, I barely stepped into the hallway before my father’s voice lashed through the air.“What now? Running again? Sulking because things aren't going your way? That’s what you’re best at, isn’t it?”Lilith appeared beside him, as inseparable from his shadow as her smug expression was from her mouth.“Your father’s right, dear,” she said, her voice sweet and useless. “You don’t need more ambition, dear. You need a husband.”I swallowed the burn that rose in my throat and locked my jaw to keep from saying what I really thought.If there was anyone I hated more than my father, it was Lilith.She lost the right to speak about my future the day I found her in his bed while my mother was still dying upstairs. Two weeks after the funeral, she moved in, smiling, as if she hadn’t ripped our family apart.And now she dared to act like she had a say in my life.I had two options—explode and burn the only bridge that led to my freedom, or play the game.I chose the game.“You

Marissa Knowing that my mate had a woman in his life caused an overwhelming sorrow in my heart. I almost collapsed in my seat and covered my face with both hands. Of what use was this bond that was causing me so much pain? It felt like my spine was curling forward, and I was at a loss for words.Why was the universe punishing me? Why did I keep imagining that seeing my mate after waiting for so long would be all bliss, where he would rush to hug me and ask where I had been all his life? I didn’t expect this cold silence and rejection.From how she glided into Justin’s office, it was clear she wasn’t the daughter of a pauper. She was effortlessly beautiful, wearing a statement dress and ridiculously high heels. One look at her, and it was obvious—this was a woman who had never struggled a day in her life.He chose her over me.A lump lodged itself in my throat as reality settled. Of course. This explained the absolute lack of acknowledgment. He wasn’t ignoring the bond because he was

Justin I leaned against my seat and took a drag of the cigarette between my fingers, inhaling deeply. The acrid taste of wolfsbane filled my lungs like numbing poison.The aftermath of the meeting still clung to my brain. My dad couldn't even bring himself to pretend—it was clear he didn't like me, all thanks to that bastard Sean's attempts to undermine me.The cigarette smoke curled around my face as I exhaled slowly, trying to quiet my thoughts.Despite how hard I worked to prove to my father that I wasn't a failure, it wasn’t working. My cousin wanted my throne. That smug fool.Meetings and public events always ended like this. He found a way to undermine me and act like he was the more competent one, like I was some trophy prince keeping the throne warm until someone more suitable—meaning him, of course—could take over.The fucking nerve.I could still hear his mocking voice from today's meeting, casually implying I was overburdened, that maybe it was too much for me to handle a