Semua Bab THE LYCAN KING CLAIMED HER: She Becomes His Obsession: Bab 1 - Bab 10

ARIAThe bucket of ice water hit me before I even opened my eyes.I gasped and sat up fast on the cold stone floor. My thin nightgown stuck to my skin. My teeth chattered as I blinked water from my eyes.Selene stood over me with an empty bucket in her perfectly done hand. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders like spun gold. Her cruel smile made my stomach turn."Get up, little rat. Mother wants the breakfast hall ready in twenty minutes." She dropped the bucket. It crashed near my head. "And you smell. Wash yourself properly this time."I kept my eyes down. My wolf instincts screamed to submit even though I had no wolf. At least, that's what everyone believed."Yes, Selene."She kicked my shin hard enough to bruise. "That's 'Yes, Miss Selene' to you. Just because your father was stupid enough to die for this pack doesn't mean you've earned respect."My jaw tightened, but I kept my face blank. Twelve years of this. Twelve years since my mother supposedly died from grief, leaving me

ARIAThe morning of the Culling, I woke to chaos.Females everywhere were getting ready: curling hair, applying makeup, squeezing into dresses that barely qualified as clothing. The air reeked of perfume, desperation, and competing wolf scents.I braided my hair in the same tight plait I wore every day and pulled on the plain grey dress Bryson had approved. No makeup. No jewelry. Nothing that would draw attention.Maya appeared at my tent entrance, her eyes wide. "Have you seen what they're wearing? Some of these dresses are practically see-through!""They want to be noticed.""But by him?" She shuddered. "I heard he ripped someone's arm off last year for touching his throne."I didn't respond. The stories about Kael Devereaux ranged from brutal to impossible, and I had no idea which were true. Not that it mattered. I wouldn't get close enough to find out.The march to the arena took an hour. We were organized by rank: Alphas in front, Betas in the middle, Omegas in back. Thousands of

KAELMy beast wouldn't shut up.Mate. Mate. MATE."I know," I growled, pacing my chambers like a caged animal. "I was there."Go back. Claim properly. Make her understand."She's terrified. Rushing this will only make it worse."Don't care. I want mate. I NEED mate.I slammed my fist into the wall, leaving a crater in the stone. Fifteen years. Fifteen goddamn years of Cullings, of parading desperate females in front of me, of pretending I gave a shit about any of them.And then she walked into that arena, and my entire world changed.The scent hit me first, moonlight and wild roses, buried under layers of suppressant herbs. But I'd been waiting so long, searching so desperately, that I'd have recognized it through a mountain of interference.Silver wolf. True mate. Mine.My beast had gone absolutely feral. It had taken everything I had not to shift right there and claim her in front of everyone. The only thing that stopped me was the look in her eyes, pure terror.She thought I was go

ARIAKael's chambers at night were somehow more intimidating than during the day.The massive bed dominated the space, covered in black furs and soft sheets. Candles flickered on every surface, casting dancing shadows on the walls. The scent of pine and smoke filled the air, his scent, everywhere, surrounding me.I stood near the door in the nightgown Helena had provided, suddenly very aware that I'd agreed to share a bed with a Lycan King I'd known for less than forty-eight hours."You can still change your mind," Kael said from where he sat on the edge of the bed, removing his boots. "I won't force you."But I could feel his need through the bond, not sexual, though that was there too. This was something deeper. A desperate craving for closeness, for the comfort of his mate nearby.It made him seem almost... vulnerable."I said I would." I forced my feet to move, crossing to the opposite side of the bed. "Which side do you prefer?""I sleep in the middle usually. Take up the whole t

ARIA Lady Morgana's chambers smelled like death wrapped in roses, and the scent made my wolf recoil before I even crossed the threshold. Kael's hand tightened on my waist as we entered, his beast already on edge. I could feel his tension through the bond, a warning that screamed danger with every step we took deeper into her territory. The room was beautiful in the way poisonous flowers were lovely. Dark silks draped from the ceiling, candles flickered on every surface, and the air felt thick with power or the weight of secrets kept too long. Morgana rose from a chaise near the window, and I understood immediately why Kael had been with her once. She was breathtaking in a way that made my plain features feel childish by comparison. Dark hair cascaded down her back like midnight water, and her body moved with deliberate sensuality in a dress that left little to imagination. Her eyes, when they met mine, were cold despite her smile. "Your Majesty," she purred, curtsying to Kael wit