The King

LUCIAN

My bare skin stretched the untitled floor, bruises forming almost immediately.

I glanced up to yell at whoever it was and froze. It was Andrew.

Alice was cradled against his chest as she sobbed.

I watched as every emotion disappeared from his face when he spotted the blood and saw the one on my hands.

"What have you done?" He growled, the fury in his eyes unmatched.

"He pushed me." Alice cried, "But I'm sure it wasn't on purpose."

"I didn'-" I tried arguing but was cut off.

"I'm sure that's exactly what he had in mind—to make you lose your pup... and your future heir," Harry said, out of the blue.

Has he been here the whole time?

"That's the only reason Lucian agreed to meet Alice in the first place. He was angry about the pregnancy and thought that if Alice miscarried the baby, he would save his relationship."

I gasped out in horror as I stared at my best friend lying to my face .

"I'm so sorry I couldn't stop him, Alpha." Harry added.

My body trembled in anger and pain.

Andrew glared at me in anger, his accusing stare pinning me down. I couldn't even defend myself even if I wanted to.

The man staring daggers at me isn't the same man I fell in love with three years ago. The hate in his eyes has me scooting back away from him.

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Alice and Harry share a subtle smile when he pretended to inspect her stomach.

I could only stare at the scene unfolding in front of me in shock. It was plain as the daylight, Alice and Harry knew each other before now but what was his gain from all these? From betraying me?

The tears gathered in my eyes again.

"I don't want to set my eyes on you ever," Andrew spat out and carried Alice to his car, driving away.

"Come on," Harry said softly, offering a hand, “Let me explain….”

“Fuck off!!” I slapped his hands away, picking myself up with what's left of my dignity and left for the pack house since I can't go back home.

I picked one of the guest rooms to stay, still feeling sad and devastated.

The instant I was alone, I burst down in tears, my body rocking with each sob that passed through me.

Feeling so lost and heartbroken, I curled myself on the floor. What should I do next? How do I fix this pain coursing through my body?

Abruptly, the door barged open. Two aggressive looking guards came in without permission.

I sat up, wearing a frown instantly, "What are you doing here?"

"You've been asked to vacate the guest quarters."

I sighed in relief. This is it! Andrew has come to his senses.

"Andrew sent you to escort me?"

"The Alpha has asked you to be sent to the level one servant room."

My jaw dropped.

Level one? That's the lowest of the servants rank.

Being a level one servant meant you had to scrub the floors, toilets, and basically every belittling chore. It also meant the whole pack looked down on you.

I shook my head negatively, "Andrew can never say that. Did Alice put you up to this? Or was it Harry?"

As if enjoying the mortified look on my face, one of the guards snickered, "the Alpha has announced Miss Alice as the future Luna, and since you hurt the future, Luna and the Alpha’s heir, don't you think your punishment is too easy?"

"Yes," the second guard agreed, "If I was the Alpha, I would have you whipped tirelessly for seven days, then leave you to rot in the sewers."

"I need to talk to the Alpha. Where is he?"

They both grabbed me by an arm, roughly and dragged me on the floor, all the way to servant quarters, and kicked me into a room.

A few days later, bruised and battered, I was scrubbing toilets. It was either this or the whipping.

The floor was cold beneath my knees, and the smell of dried feces filled the air. I was tasked with washing the servants' toilets. I scrubbed harder and angrily.

The bristles of the brush tore into my palms and fingers as I scrubbed, but the stains didn’t give a damn. Neither did the people. Least of all, Andrew.

I hurt the future, Luna? I hurt his heir? And now, I'm the pack’s nothing.

The lowest servant there is - a body to mock, to shove, to command. Running away wasn't an option, I'd tried and got severe beatings instead

I'd barely finished when I was asked to clean Luna's room.

I flinched when the door opened behind me. I thought it was the guards coming to beat me again or other servants instructing me to work. I flicked my eyes over my shoulder.

It was Harry.

Of course, it was Harry. Always him, appearing like salvation when he is, in fact, the poison.

"What now?" I asked, my voice surprisingly calm, compared to the turmoil I felt.

“I heard you tried to run away.” He said grimly, “It's a good thing the guards caught you on time.”

“And brutally beating me? Sure.”

“I got you the Luna’s room to clean. The Lycan King is on his way here. Everything must be perfect.” Harry shut the door behind him, gesturing for me to follow him.

I stopped washing and followed him. His boots clicked across the floor as he led the way, “Do you know how hard I had to pull strings so you won't be subjected to this? Toilets and bathrooms."

I kept silent in response.

We arrived at the room and I set to work instantly.

“Aren't you going to say something?” He asked.

I paused and turned to fix him a glare. “I didn’t ask you to.”

Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been doing all these for us, Lucian. So we can be together. Just say the word, and I'll get you out of here,” His voice softened. “You don’t have to live like this.”

I stood, eyes flat. “There is no ‘us’. Never has, never would be. I'd rather be exiled than be with someone like you."

"Wrong words." Harry snarled, "You are not giving me much of a choice!" he spun, grabbed a porcelain vase from the nearby shelf - painted with gold moons - and smashed it on the floor.

Time stood still.

I stared in shock, heart beating fast in my chest.

Harry suddenly screamed. “How could you? That was Luna’s collection! Are you insane? Is this supposed to be revenge?”

No, no, no, goddess, please no.

I dropped to the floor to gather the pieces, but it was too late.

The guards burst in with speed, like they’d been listening. Like they knew.

I didn’t fight nor say anything. Words didn’t matter when it's another setup.

Bruised from their grips and dragged into the lower hall, I was thrown at her feet.

Andrew's first love.

Alice.

“Fvcking disgusting,” she sneered, eyeing me like I was filth she’d stepped in. “Touching what isn’t yours again, huh? Still desperate for attention?”

I didn’t answer. My eyes were on the floor.

She struck me at the side with her foot.

I keeled over in pain, and an involuntary scream escaped my lips.

"I warned you, didn't I?"

I pressed my lips together, somewhere deep down, I hoped Andrew would come back for me, uncover the truth, see that I'm the victim here and clear my name.

Another kick. This one from another person.

Laughter followed, then more kicks from the guards and her minions.

Alice knelt, brushing my blood-matted hair back like she was petting a wounded dog. “Let’s see how disgusting you are to someone with real power.”

I glared at her coldly, ignoring the pain on my body.

She smiled. “Strip him naked and take him to the Lycan King’s chamber.”

My entire body went cold.

“Guess what happens when a naked man is sent to the bed of a violent, bloodthirsty, homophobic Alpha?” Alice purred, her eyes gleaming with excitement, “Let’s see how long you last.”

“No—!” I protested, "You can't do that!"

My protest was ignored as they stripped me naked and dragged me to what I think is the Lycan King's room.

The Lycan King is infamous for his ruthlessness. There's no telling if I'd survive the night.

One of the guards snorted. “Hope the King likes his toys to be noisy.”

Then the door clicked shut.

Tied to the bedpost.

Naked.

I struggled to free myself.

The rope burned, my skin prickled with dread, panic clawed up my throat like acid. I am done for!

Trying to free myself was futile, so I stayed still, thinking about what I should say to the king to explain my situation.

The room was silent, then water.

I was on high alert immediately,

The shower.

My heart dropped to my stomach. The Lycan King was already here.

My breath came short, and my heart beat wildly in my chest.

I remembered the King from years ago at an event. He'd been tall, grim, with an aura that silenced the room. A beast in man’s form. Wrinkled face, grey in his beard, eyes like sharpened steel.

Now that monster was going to find me tied naked in his bedpost.

I squirmed, desperate, my mind spiraling. I’m going to die, no doubt. Worse. I’m going to be tortured and humiliated to death.

The bathroom door creaked open.

And then—barefoot, toweling his hair, abs slick with water, stood,

Not an old man.

No beard. No wrinkles.

Young. Broad-shouldered. Golden-tanned and muscled like a demi-god who fought battles bare-chested.

Wait.

That jawline.

That scar just under his collarbone....

Holy shit.

The Lycan King froze in the doorway, a towel half-draped around his neck.

Our eyes locked.

My mouth dropped.

Then the King blinked, brows furrowing. “Lucian?”

That voice.

No fucking way.

Silence, even my heartbeat, was deadly calm.

My voice cracked. “Brother-in-law?"

Elias, my sister Reine’s husband, the suspected newly crowned Lycan King, visibly stiffened all over.

For a fleeting moment, his eyes seemed to blaze crimson, and I thought I heard a man’s low murmur by my ear—“Mine.”

But it all vanished in an instant, as if it had been nothing more than my imagination.