03 Losing Control

Maren

"Strip!" The gray-haired woman's voice rang out across the room. "You all need baths and a change of clothes before presenting yourselves to the King."

The others quickly moved to obey, shedding their dirty clothes. I hesitated, but the woman's gaze locked on me, and she stalked over, grabbing my arm.

"Did I not make myself clear?" she growled.

I swallowed, wincing at her grip. "I don't want to be a breeder," I pleaded. "I'm not supposed to be here. Please, can't I just leave?"

The woman snorted, shaking her head. "You're not going anywhere, girl. Not until you're chosen or rejected by the Alpha King. And that's not my call to make."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she cut me off. "You need to bathe and change into your dress. Now."

Reluctantly, I nodded, letting her shove me towards the long line of shower stalls at the far end of the room. I stumbled, nearly falling as the shackles around my wrists restricted my movement. But I made it there, fumbling at the fastenings on my clothes with my bound hands.

My cheeks burned as I finally managed to pull off the last of my garments, exposing my naked body to the room. I knew I looked different from the other women, who had toned, slender figures. My body was softer, curvier, with hips that flared and a rounded belly. I'd always been ashamed of my size, trying to hide it under looser clothes.

But there was nowhere to hide now. The others glanced at me as I stepped under the warm spray of water, their eyes raking over my figure with a mix of pity and disdain.

"She looks so disgusting…"

"No way the King would even touch her. Look at her!"

By now I was already used to people having their opinions about me and my body.

I washed as quickly as I could, trying not to think about the fate that awaited me. But it was hard to push the thoughts out of my head as I came out from the stall and was handed a clean white dress.

It was identical to the ones the other women were wearing, but as I pulled it over my head, I could feel the tight fabric clinging to my body. The dress was meant for women with slimmer figures, and it stretched across my hips and chest, outlining every inch of my body.

"Look at that!" one of the women snickered, pointing at me. "That dress is practically bursting at the seams!"

"Ugh, how disgusting," another woman said. "The Alpha won't choose her. She'll be lucky if he doesn't kill her on sight."

I clutched at the hem of my dress, trying to pull it lower. But there was nothing I could do - my thighs and hips were just too big to conceal. I knew I looked ridiculous.

"Line up!" the woman barked, and I hastened to obey, falling into place beside the others. They were all staring straight ahead, their chins lifted proudly. I did my best to mimic them, trying to ignore the heat burning my cheeks.

But my mind was racing. This was my chance. The Alpha King would reject me, and then I could go. I just had to make it through this evening without being killed.

I could do that.

"All right, girls," the grey-haired said, running a critical eye over us. "Remember: heads down, no eye contact with the King. You are there to serve him, and if you fail in that duty, you die. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," we chorused obediently.

She nodded, her face a grim mask. "Good. Then let's get this over with."

I had no idea what was happening, but I didn't ask questions. I just followed the others to a large bedchamber, the massive bed dominating the center of the room. It was covered in silken sheets and velvet pillows, and a canopy of dark curtains hung above it. I felt my throat constricting at the sight of it. This was where it happened.

"Get in line," Ilsa ordered, gesturing to a row of chairs lining the wall opposite the bed. I did as I was told, perching nervously on the edge of my seat. My heart was racing, my palms clammy with fear. I glanced around at the others, wondering what they were thinking, but their faces were set in determined lines.

Ilsa walked down the row of chairs, her gaze lingering on each of us before moving to the next. I felt her eyes on me for a long moment before she finally turned away.

A commotion outside the room had us all stiffening in our seats. The door swung open, and a man strode in, flanked by guards on either side. I wanted to look up, to see what he looked like, but I forced my gaze down to the floor.

"The King has arrived," the woman announced, dropping to one knee. The rest of us followed suit, sinking down gracefully beside her.

"Rise."

I obeyed, lifting my head slowly to look at the man beside the mature woman. And I forgot how to breathe.

He was devastatingly handsome, with a strong jaw and piercing green eyes. His hair was dark and tousled, framing his sharp cheekbones. He was wearing a tailored suit, the crisp black fabric clinging to his muscular physique.

I could see the outline of his broad shoulders, his narrow waist, his powerful legs. He moved like a predator stalking its prey, his steps graceful and fluid.

My gaze reached his face again, and I blinked in surprise. His eyes glowed red for a moment, and I felt a jolt of fear.

The Lycan King. It made sense.

* * *

Ronan

I gripped the base of my thick cock and thrust it between the woman's lips, feeling her gag as I filled her mouth completely. I could feel her teeth scraping against my shaft, but the sensation was just shy of being enough to tip me over the edge. With an annoyed grunt, I yanked her off my cock and watched as she gasped for air.

"What a hassle," I muttered, stroking myself idly. "You're supposed to suck me off, not choke on me. Now get out."

The woman stared up at me, her eyes wide and teary. "Please, your Majesty," she whimpered, reaching a trembling hand towards me. "I'll try harder, I swear!"

I rolled my eyes. "You're too fucking small for me. And your mouth is useless. Get out."

She scrambled to her feet, sniffling. "Please, I've never felt so full before. You're so big... I don't think I can... I don't think I can take you inside me..."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "What did you just say?"

She dropped to her knees again, pressing her forehead to the ground. "Forgive me, your Majesty, I didn't mean to offend—"

I grabbed her by the hair and hauled her up. "What do you mean you can't take me?" I snarled. "That's your fucking purpose! What are you good for if you can't even handle my cock?"

She wailed, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't know! Please don't kill me—"

I threw her aside in disgust, and she fell to the ground with a thud. I didn't care. She was useless to me anyway. Every fucking breeder I tried to mate with failed. I was getting tired of it.

And I was running out of time.

My wolf was always out of control, slowly taking my life. I could feel him clawing at the inside of my skull, desperate to break free. The werewolf kingdom was falling apart, and the only way to ensure our survival was if I produced an heir. But so far, no woman had been able to mate with me successfully.

I was going to die without ever siring a child. The thought filled me with rage and despair, and I slammed my fist against the wall, leaving a bloody dent behind.

I needed to find a woman who could take me. One who could handle my size, my strength, my loss of control during arousal and transformation. One who would survive long enough to breed a pup.

I just had to find her.

Rhett burst into the room, his eyes flicking to the crying woman on the floor. But he didn't spare her a second glance. "The new batch of breeders is here," he announced.

I nodded curtly. "Good. Let's get this over with."

* * *

I strode down the hallway towards the room where they were waiting, my guards flanking me on either side. I could feel my wolf pushing for release, and I fought to push him down. The last thing I needed was for him to break through now, in front of all those witnesses.

I walked into the breeders' room, and everything went red. The light from the windows blinded me, and the room suddenly felt stifling and hot. I could hear the breeders whispering to each other, their voices piercing my eardrums.

No. No, no, no. Not again. I couldn't let them see me like this.

"Rhett!" I yelled.

He immediately understood. "Lights off, now!"

"Everyone, leave this room—Now!"

* * *