All Chapters of When My Mate Chose Another, the Lycan King Chose Me: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Lucien’s POVThe morning came too fast, dragging me out of the restless haze of sleep full of nightmares I barely survived.Standing in front of the mirror, I buttoned up a clean shirt, the fabric crisp and cold against my skin, but it didn’t make me feel fresh. The heaviness from last night clung to me, like smoke that refused to clear. My reflection stared back, hollow-eyed, jaw tight. I ran a hand through my hair, forcing it into place, fixing my face into something that resembled control. A King didn’t get the luxury of showing cracks. A King didn’t get to look like he spent the night wrestling shadows.The halls were silent as I walked, but it wasn’t peace. It was the kind of quiet that watched you, waiting for you to slip. My boots echoed against the polished stone, each step deliberate, measured. The guards along the way didn’t move, didn’t speak, but their eyes followed. I kept my back straight, my expression unreadable, even as my mind wasn’t. Natasha. Her fever. The way her

Natasha’s POVMy phone had been lying quiet all morning, like it was in on some kind of silent protest, but now it buzzed sharply against the wooden nightstand, dragging me out of my thoughts. I reached over lazily, half-expecting it to be another stiff reminder about a list of things I needed to “uphold as the Queen.” But when I saw the name on the screen—Lani—I didn’t even think twice. My lips twitched into a smile before I could stop it. I hit the answer button and flopped back onto the bed, sinking into the thick pillows that felt more like thrones than anything else in this palace.“Lani? Girl, what’s good?”The other end was quiet for a beat. Long enough to make me prop myself up on my elbow, frowning slightly. She wasn’t usually this quiet. Not her. Not my Lani.“Natasha?” she said, and the way my name sounded in her voice… it was soft, unsure, like she was poking her head into a room she wasn’t sure she was allowed in. “I wasn’t sure you’d pick up. I’ve been stopping myself fr

Natasha's POVToday was quiet, a little too quiet than usual. I had been pacing around my room for what felt like hours, my fingers curling and uncurling, my mind tangled in Ashley's words. Her voice still lingered, smooth and sharp, like a whisper that refused to leave my ear. "You’re a placeholder... a temporary fix..."I hated how much those words clung to me.My phone was sitting by the edge of the vanity, screen dark, as if it too was waiting for me to break this silence. I reached for it, my thumb hovering for a moment before I finally pressed the call button. My mother’s number was still at the top of my recent calls, though it had been days since we spoke.I was strategic to wait till it was her break so as not to get her in trouble.It didn’t even ring twice before she answered."Natasha?"Her voice. God, that voice. Warm and soft, like home. Like everything I had been missing. The tightness in my chest eased a little."Mom," I breathed out, slumping down into the chair, the

Natasha’s POVThe morning sun didn’t feel warm. It was just light, sharp and unnecessary, spilling through the curtains like it was mocking me. I had woken up hours before, the nightmare still fresh, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor like it had answers. I hadn’t slept after that. How could I? My body was tired, but my mind refused to stop spinning.What kind of couple only meets at dinner? The question had been sitting in my head since I started walking down the long, cold hallway. The palace was too quiet in the mornings, like it was holding its breath, waiting for something. I kept my hands to myself, fingers curled tight, trying not to think about how this was becoming a routine. Wake up. Eat alone. Spend the day being invisible. Wait for dinner to pretend everything was fine.I turned the corner, my footsteps echoing against the marble floors. The dining hall wasn’t far now. My stomach wasn’t even hungry, but I needed to do something. Sitting in that room, paci

Natasha’s POVThe garden had never been this quiet. The breeze was soft, curling through the leaves, carrying the fresh scent of morning dew and crushed grass. I was standing near the orchard, my fingers brushing against the smooth skin of a ripe plum I had just plucked. The water from the old tap nearby still clung to it, dripping down my wrist as I lifted it closer, breathing in its sweetness before taking a bite. The taste exploded on my tongue, soft and tangy, but it did nothing to calm the restless energy swimming under my skin.I had come here to clear my head, to escape the walls of the palace that felt too heavy, too silent. But peace was a strange thing these days. It came and went like a passing breeze, never staying long enough.Sometimes I miss my days as a maid. I seemed to feel more alive then.Shortly after, King Lucien came into view.He was moving fast, his Beta matching his strides, both of them cutting through the garden like they didn’t even see the flowers bending