Semua Bab His human slave: Owned by the Lycan king: Bab 31 - Bab 40

“But the others will be there. Surely they will not do something bad… would they?” Lyra asked, her brow furrowed as she adjusted the clasp of my cloak.I tried to answer with more certainty than I felt, but the words tangled in my throat. “I don’t know. Just—just inform the king whenever you see him, okay?”Lyra nodded firmly, then forced a smile. Her hands smoothing the fabric over my shoulders as if that small act could calm the storm inside me. “Rest assured, Your Highness. You’re the Lycan’s bride; they would never dare to upset the king.”“Not if they make it look like an accident,” I murmured, too softly, almost wishing the words had stayed locked behind my teeth.Her smile faltered, a brief shadow crossing her face, but she said nothing. And though she kept her tone light, her reassurance did nothing to soothe me. If anything, it only deepened the unease curling in my gut, a cold, coiled thing I couldn’t shake.Together, we stepped into the corridor, the soft scuff of our foot

“You could’ve used your acting skills to get out of this,” Ashton snapped, his voice low but sharp enough to cut.The words hit harder than he probably meant them to. His tone was controlled, but beneath it throbbed a current of anger he rarely let slip.I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, but only for a heartbeat. The trees ahead were easier to focus on than the storm on his face. “They wouldn’t have believed it,” I said quietly. “They already saw me healthy tonight.”“You could have come up with something else.” His words were clipped, like he was trying not to shout.“Yeah, I could have. Next time, I’ll tell them I’m human.” My voice dripped with sarcasm, a weapon I wielded when I had nothing else. “I’m sure that would get me out of it.”His jaw tightened. “Don’t you dare,” he said between clenched teeth, the warning in his tone heavier than any shout.I folded my arms and stared into the trees. He didn’t scare me, not exactly—but the way he said things sometimes made my ch

I reached her chamber door in a flash, my pulse still hammering from what I’d just learned. “Cauldron,” I called sharply over my shoulder. He caught up just as I pushed the door open without knocking.Elara lay reclined on the bed, her face pale and her body trembling. Gunnar sat beside her, arms around her shoulders as shielding her.“She’s frightened,” Gunnar said softly, meeting my gaze before saying to her. “It’s okay, Elara. Just talk to him, all right?”I stepped closer. The air in the room felt heavy, thick with fear and guilt. Elara eyes darted toward me, wide and shimmering.“You know why I’m here,” I said quietly.She nodded hesitantly. “Ye... yes.”“Then tell me,” I continued, my voice low but hard, “Why would you hurt my mate?”Her breath caught. “I didn’t mean to. I thought…”“You didn’t mean to?” I cut her off, disbelief sharpening every word. “Well, I do believe you knew exactly what you were doing.”Gunnar straightened, his tone steady but pleading. “She acted out of

Reena's POVThe first thing I felt as I awoke was warmth, sunlight spilling across my face, its brightness forcing my eyes open. I groaned softly and lifted a hand to block the rays.“Too bright?” came a familiar voice beside me.I turned my head and found Ashton sitting nearby, a faint smile tugging at his lips. I nodded, and with a flick of his hand, the curtains drew shut, dimming the room instantly.“How are you feeling?” he asked.“I’m okay,” I murmured, my voice still rough with sleep. Exhaling, I asked, “What time is it?”“Just a few minutes past eleven.”My eyes widened. “That late?”He chuckled. “You needed the rest.”Just then, the door opened and Lyra stepped in, carrying a tray of food that smelled warm and comforting.“Come on, get up and eat,” Ashton said gently, slipping an arm behind my back to help me sit.He took the tray from Lyra and began feeding me himself, spoon by careful spoon. The gesture caught me off guard but I didn’t protest. I managed a few spoons of so

“Does it really matter?” I muttered.“Of course it does.”“I don’t buy it,” I snapped. “This was your plan all along.”He tilted his head, a faint smirk ghosting his lips. “You’d be surprised how much has changed.”“Since the moment you've entered my life, everything has become chaotic, a storm I couldn’t seem to escape.”“Nothing good comes easily as they said, You should see it as a blessing,” he said, his voice low but steady. “There are a lot of benefits to being my bride. I know there are, if I was truly his mate which I'm not. But Come to think of it, I've actually come a long way, from being a slave to becoming the Lycan’s bride. That’s quite the leap, I mused.But instead, a bitter laugh escaped me. “A blessing? That privilege doesn’t seem to apply to me,” I added, my tone sharp. “I’ve been treated less like a person and more like a target. A convenient punching bag for everyone’s frustrations and jealousy.”He stepped closer, eyes dark and unreadable. “That’s because the mar