All Chapters of When My Mate Chose Another, the Lycan King Chose Me: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Elder Hadrek’s POVThe chamber had never felt so restless. The walls themselves seemed to hold the unease, the murmurs bouncing off the stone and coming back sharper than they had been spoken. We sat in our circle, twelve elders, twelve voices meant to guide the throne in the King’s absence, yet all I could hear was the slow unraveling of our patience. Two weeks. That was how long it had been since Lucien had taken to his bed. Two weeks since he had gone quiet, too quiet, with only rumors and whispers to fill the silence he left behind.The torches along the wall flickered as though even the fire was tired of waiting. Some elders leaned forward, restless, others leaned back with folded arms, but none of us could pretend we weren’t thinking the same thing—that something was wrong, and the longer we left it unsaid, the more it grew.Elder Rowan was the first to break. His voice was thin but sharp, like a blade pressed just enough to draw a bead of blood. “Two weeks,” he muttered, shakin

Lucien’s POVThe hours had grown long, stretching into a dull rhythm of silence that pressed into the room like a constant weight. Time seemed to crawl, each second dragging itself forward with no urgency, no mercy, until the walls themselves felt like they were closing in on me. The only interruptions came in the form of the occasional knock at my door or the fading echo of footsteps disappearing down the corridor outside. I could hear life carrying on in the distance—voices muffled, orders being given, the kingdom running—but within these walls it was only me, the heavy stillness, and the reminder that I was confined to this bed.The ache in my body had dulled compared to the first days, but it hadn’t gone completely. My muscles were stiff, refusing to obey as they once had, and each time I shifted, a reminder of my wounds crawled up my ribs, forcing me to pause and swallow the discomfort. I loathed it. I loathed the stillness, the helplessness, the way my body mocked me by holding

Lucien’s POVI felt better now, but not nearly as much as I wanted. Not as much as I should have been left to stand from that damn bed. The truth was, the pains were still very much unbearable, still crawling under my skin like fire gnawing at my bones, but I wasn’t going to let anyone know that. Not Gavril, not the guards stationed at my door, not the Elders waiting like vultures for me to falter. They would not see me bent. They would not see me weak.I forced myself to move, step after step, though every shift of muscle was a reminder of how far I had fallen from the man I once was. Once, I could cover the span of the hall in heartbeats, stride with command that demanded respect without a word. Now, dragging myself from the bed to the cabinet across the room felt like a crawl in the dust. My wolf snarled inside me, restless with the humiliation, but I pressed forward. Every wince, every bite of pain, I buried beneath a face that showed nothing. They would not see it.The cabinet st

Lucien’s POVThe evening hours came slower than I wanted. I had spent most of the afternoon in silence, collecting what remained of my strength, letting the balm on my shoulder settle into the aches that refused to leave me. My body still carried its heaviness, but my mind was restless, pacing long before I could ever put my feet to the floor.Natasha came in not long after, quiet as she always was in her movements. She did not need to announce herself anymore. I knew her steps, the rhythm of them, the way they softened when she approached me like she feared disturbing whatever thoughts I was in. She stood a little away from the bed at first, her eyes studying me carefully.“Dinner will be served soon,” she said softly, her voice careful but steady. “If you’re not feeling strong enough, I’ll bring your food here. You don’t have to trouble yourself, I can manage.”Her tone carried no pity, only concern, but it stirred something in me all the same. I straightened, letting my eyes hold h

Lucien’s POVThe morning was still gray when Gavril walked in without announcement. He never bothered with courtesies unless there was something worth my time. His boots were muffled by the thick rugs, but his presence carried enough weight to draw me from the scattered scrolls on my table.“Greetings your majesty. I just wanted to remind you that Shadow Rock Pack’s Alpha inauguration is coming up next week, and you’ve been invited, a long time ago.” he said in his calm, even voice, as though we were talking about a change in the weather.I leaned back in my chair, fingers drumming once against the armrest. The name stirred something vague in my head, half-forgotten. “Shadow Rock Pack,” I repeated slowly, tasting the syllables. My brow furrowed as I searched the corners of memory. “Where have I heard that before?”Gavril did not hesitate. “It’s Natasha’s original pack.”My lips parted with a quiet, almost indifferent sound. “Oh.” The word slipped out, flat and unbothered. A faint smirk