MasukSarah’s POV(A day earlier.)Immediately after Emily left the castle for the competition, I made my way straight to her room.I needed to confirm it.Whether she was truly pregnant.The thought had been circling my mind for days now, refusing to settle, refusing to be ignored.I couldn’t ask her to take a pregnancy test. That alone would raise suspicion.And there was no way I could involve the royal doctor, Robert. Even if I somehow convinced him to keep it quiet, it wouldn’t matter. If the result came out positive, he would tell Malric.They were loyal to him to a fault.Not that their loyalty was a bad thing… but in this case, it was inconvenient.Dangerous.Malric must not know. Not yet. Or he risks walking the same path as the fifth Lycan King in history—Darius.My steps slowed slightly at that thought.“Why am I already concluding she’s pregnant?” I muttered under my breath, frowning as I forced the thought away.I needed facts. Not assumptions.The only way to know without draw
Malric’s POV I knew Emily too well to try to stop her from issuing that challenge. Her mind was made up.And I had already given her my word that I would let her have her revenge.But not without preparing her properly. And certainly not without the duel happening on my terms.“For the fight to be fair,” I said, my gaze sweeping over them slowly, “no use of wolf strength… no shifting. Is that clear?”A wave of silence followed.Adrian stood there for a moment before he nodded, though the arrogance in him didn’t fade. The loud and undeserved arrogance clung to him.Even without his wolf, he knew he could end Emily in seconds.He wasn’t wrong… and not totally right.I had watched Emily train with me. I had seen what she could do when she stopped doubting herself.I only needed to sharpen what I'd already taught her and add a few tips.Everything else would fall into place during the fight.Adrian’s arrogance would be the bait.And if Emily stayed composed… she wouldn’t lose. She would
Emily’s POV She looked lean and pale, like something had been quietly draining her. Nothing like the last time I saw her at the pavilion after the Moon Ascendance celebration.Malric noticed it too.“Have you been ill, Luna Ruth?”“Yes, my king,” she said.Malric paused, watching her for a moment. Then his voice softened, just slightly. “Get up.”She obeyed, though her head remained lowered.“What kind of illness leaves you looking like this?” he asked, his tone calm but probing. “What symptoms?”“It’s nothing serious, my king. Just a lingering weakness. I’ve been under some strain lately.” She lifted her head a little. “The pack doctor has given me medication. He said I’ll recover soon.”Malric exhaled softly and gave a small nod. “Very well then. Make sure you recover properly.”“Yes, my king.Thank you for your concern, my lord.”Her head dipped again in respect.I almost sneered at the display. If I didn’t know her very well, I might have believed she was truly humble. But humilit
Emily’s POV Malric told Irene to return to the castle with the other car that brought us.“We’re heading to Moonfang,” he said, already turning away. “You don’t need to be involved.”I caught the flicker in Irene’s eyes before she lowered her gaze.I didn’t need her to say anything.Sharina and her mother wouldn’t make things easy for her. And whatever plan they had, had already been ruined because of Bonnie and that jerk, Adrian, who lied to her. Sharina and her mother wouldn’t make things easy for her. And whatever plan they had… Bonnie had already ruined it. They’d want to take that frustration out on Irene.“No,” I said quickly.Both of them looked at me.“Let her come with us.”Malric’s brows drew slightly. “Emily…”“Please.” I softened my voice, giving him a small, pleading look.He held my gaze for a moment, then exhaled.“Fine.”I turned to Irene and gave her a small nod.“You’re coming with us.”The three of us got into Malric’s jaguar.At this point, I was convinced it was
Emily’s POV Malric’s countdown felt like a clock ticking toward her end.And I knew, unlike Lucien, his patience didn’t stretch far.Bonnie’s earlier defiance had completely crumbled.She swallowed hard.Her lips parted… then pressed together again.Malric didn’t stop.“Four…”“Three...”“Nobody sent me,” she blurted. “I—I just acted out of jealousy.”What?My brows pulled together, the tears on my face already drying.Malric’s gaze didn’t soften.If anything, it grew colder.“How dare you lie to me.” Malric’s voice dropped—quiet, controlled, and far more dangerous than if he had even raised it.“Two…”Panic flashed across Bonnie’s face.“I’m not lying. I swear,” she rushed out. “I’m telling you the truth.”Malric didn’t respond immediately. He tilted his head slightly, studying her like he was deciding whether she was worth believing… or breaking.Then he stepped back. Just a fraction, but enough. Like he’d already made his judgment.And I knew Malric. If he thought she was telling
Malric’s POV Something was wrong. I felt it before I could explain why.At first, I told myself it was nothing, just missing her presence. But by late evening, that feeling had settled deeper in my chest, uneasy and persistent, like something I couldn’t quite shake off.And I never wanted her at that contest.I called Lucien immediately.He told me she was asleep and everything was fine.I didn’t believe him.So I FaceTimed him to confirm.She was truly there, sleeping peacefully on the bed.Only then did I feel relieved.I had stayed on the call for a moment longer than necessary, just watching her. Quiet and still. And it frustrated me how much I missed her even while looking at her like that.I wished I could disappear from here and reappear wherever she was within seconds.This morning, after my suspicion that the plague was magical in origin was finally confirmed, the cure became easier to formulate. Not simple, but clear enough to act on.By the time over seventy percent of t
Emily’s POV A strong hand gripped me, and my eyes fluttered open.Malric’s broad face filled my vision, his grey eyes fixed on me with worry.“Nightmare?” he asked softly, cupping my face.I shivered, curling slightly into his chest, still tasting the remnants of fear and panic. “I… I thought…you
Emily’s POVThe only man capable of drawing every emotion from me in a single breath was my shameless lycan king.But tonight… I was the shameless one.Just a few minutes ago, he had made me cry, and now, I wanted him to make me moan instead.My thigh tightened involuntarily, the soft heat between
Emily’s POV I stumbled out of the bathroom, my chest tight from how Malric had shouted at me.There was no difference between the way he had yelled just now and the way he had tried to tear my heart out in the woods.It hurt. More than I expected.All I wanted was to help… to be there for him. But
Malric’s POV I was still buried in work when a knock came at the door. Sharina stepped in.“Are you busy?” she asked, glancing at the papers on my desk. “Oh… you must be. I’ll come back.”I’d been brushing her off lately. Doing it again wouldn’t be right.I rubbed my temples. “No. Come in.”I set







