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I moved my head away from his lips, stopping him from going further.

“What’s going on? Why….” The man said as he noticed my withdrawal from him. I gave him no response.

Realizing the reality of what I have gotten into, I shook my head in regret and stood up.

I put on my discarded clothes with shaky hands from the floor. The man was still speaking to me but I didn’t hear him at all, a thousand thoughts were buzzing in my head.

I walked to the door and opened it.

“Wait…” he said from behind me as he fumbled with his underwear but I didn’t look back.

I rushed back home, sneaking into my room as tears poured down my cheeks.

It was not enough that my sister had taken my fated mate, now i just had a one night stand with a stranger under the Influence of alcohol. I had kept myself for a long time so I could give my pride to the one I love, my mate.

I felt shattered as ran straight to my room with nothing but regret and shame as I sat down alone in the room.

The room was simple, with a small bed in one corner, nicely arranged with clean white sheets. A dresser held my things. I heard a sudden knock on the door. Fear rushed through me, and I quickly wiped away my tears, hoping nobody would see me crying.

“Your presence is needed” I heard through the door. “The Lycan king will be here by noon, and the presence of everyone is needed downstairs. The order insists we all welcome him in the next 20 minutes."

The person said and then I recognized the voice, it was the head maid. As luck would have it, she didn't come in, she only spoke from the door.

I cleared my throat, attempting to steady my voice.

"I'll be there shortly," I managed to reply, my voice strained. This was the first time I'll be meeting someone so powerful especially the Lycan king, so I would try my best to look presentable.

His reputation for being extremely cruel and vicious was well-known across the entire kingdom. People had heard many stories about his lack of mercy or kindness. This served as a scary warning to anyone who might challenge him.

There was a quiet pause as the noise of footsteps walking away could be heard in the hallway. The head maid was heading back to her quarters.

I immediately took my bath and put on my maid uniform, arranging my collar and making sure I looked perfectly okay. I made use of my body cream and a perfume, and also put up my hair into a neat ponytail. I was ready to welcome the king.

Stepping outside, I met with the rest of the maids, they were all dressed and also ready for the day. Despite what had happened last night, I needed to act cool and collected because it was essential that we look very presentable and present ourselves in the best possible manner.

Few minutes later my Stepsisters emerged from their luxurious chambers, they moved in a way that showed they thought they were better than others. The way they walked and moved their body showed they were very graceful and confident.

One of my stepsisters stood in front of I and the maids, staring straight at the entrance doorway as she gave us instructions. When she spoke, her voice cut through the quiet tension in the room. The words she said were full of anger and hostility.

"Remember your place, maids. My brother and the Alpha king will arrive soon. No mistakes, no missteps. You cannot afford to incur their wrath."

Her last words lingered, reminding us of the serious trouble we'd be in if we failed. I felt a wave of fear go through me, but I didn't want to let it control me.

I straightened my shoulders and prepared myself mentally, ready to deal with whatever happens next. But I was worried of how my step brother would treat me, he hated me more than my step sisters did. He had been away from the house for a while, gallivanting with his friends and I was worried that he would treat me even more cruelly than my stepsisters did.

Soon after, we could hear excited voices coming from outside. The cheers and chants praising the king grew louder and clearer as they got closer to us.

"Hail the king," they repeated over and over, their voices full of admiration and respect for him. I could feel the vibrations of their unified voices resonating through the castle walls. My heart was pounding with anticipation as we bowed our heads down, our eyes fixed on the cold stone floor beneath us.

We had been instructed to keep our faces down and not look up until we were told to do so. The loud cheering and chanting from the crowd outside signaled the king's arrival was imminent.

There was a sense of nervous tension and awe build-up as we awaited the king's appearance in humble submission.

We had been told to keep our faces down and not look up until allowed. As the gates creaked open and the sound of footsteps came closer, he was walking with confident, self-assured strides, surrounded by his loyal followers. His regal, kingly presence was impossible to ignore, and just him being there seemed to fill the huge hall.

The room was completely silent as I and the other maids stayed frozen in our bowed positions. A couple of minutes had passed since the Lycan King had entered.

I could feel my heart pounding hard in my chest, my palms getting sweaty. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the Lycan King's booming, deep commanding voice. "You may all rise now," he ordered.

Following his command, I and the other maids gradually raised our heads, then stood up to our full heights.

As I looked at the face of the two men standing in front of us my heart skipped as it came in contact with my step brother. He looked at me with absolute disgust and hatred and I couldn’t help but feel pain in my chest.

Just as I turned to take a proper look at the Lycan King, my heart skipped a million times again. For the very first time, I felt like I couldn't breathe. It didn't seem possible. A million thoughts raced through my mind, but none of them made any sense.

How could the stranger I had met and hooked up with for one night at the bar actually be the Lycan King, my stepbrother’s best friend?

As the king finally looked into my eyes, it felt like time froze. His intense blue eyes stared back at me, showing he recognized me as he likely realized he had let himself sleep with one of his servants.

The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife as the Lycan King and I stood there, sharing a silent moment of understanding what had happened between us.

Just then my step sisters moved to their brother and the Lycan king, welcoming them with an embrace.