All Chapters of Fated to the Crowned Wolf: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Elara's POV I never do anything for my birthday, but Mary has the day off too, and she still wants to go shopping for a dress and shoes. I’m not discouraging her because I do need a dress if I have to attend the mating gathering. I already have a handicap; the last thing I need to do is add to it.I get to our meeting spot early, and after checking my watch, I decide I have time to stop by the pack library. I’ve always played off the superstitions about the lake, but now that Lucien has confirmed the story, I want to check it for myself.The pack library does not carry a lot of information about witches, but I do find some basics that all of us are aware of. There were once dark witches and white witches. Centuries ago, the white witches discovered that their dark counterparts had been planning something against the royal family.Nowhere does it say what the dark witches had in mind, but it was bad enough for the white witches to launch an all-out war. Like their names suggest, the d

Lucien’s POV A couple of hours later, as the sun begins to set, I pick up a box of cupcakes, along with some other snacks, and make my way to the lake. There’s no guarantee that she’s going to be there, but if I can track her scent from the lake and find her that way, I might be able to apologize—and get an apology in return. Maybe she’ll also overlook how stalkerish my behavior is.It’s not very likely that she’ll return to the lake today, but I’m willing to chance it. When I walk out of the trees, I see a figure slumped on the ground. For a moment, I don’t understand what I’m seeing. Then, recognizing the girl, I drop the bakery bag and rush over to her.Her clothes are dry, but she’s not wearing her shirt, just a bra. She looks fine, but she’s unconscious. I check her pulse, and it’s there.“Hey!” I give her a shake before reaching for my phone. I need to get a healer out here.I’ve barely managed to dial the number when she stirs. A soft groan leaves her lips, and when she opens

Touching her last night was like getting a hit of a potent drug, one that I haven’t been able to stop craving since. As I watch her beaming in excitement at this shower of sparks, such a simple thing, I realize how innocent she is. I want to be the one to corrupt that innocence, to claim it. I want her to be mine.My mouth turns dry at the dangerous thought.As the sparkler dies down, Elara looks at me in amazement.“That was incredible!”I can’t help but feel a little proud.“So, I guess I’m not a jerk anymore?”She flushes.“Right. Sorry about that.”“Let’s eat!” I hold out one of the cupcakes for her, and despite her attempt to look stoic, her ears are still red as she takes a bite out of it.Her eyes turn wide as saucers.“It’s really good!”We sit on the ground, eating the cupcakes and the snacks, and I ask,“You’ll be coming to the mating gathering this weekend, right? Did you get a dress?”“My friend gave me one as a birthday gift,” she tells me, munching on a puff pastry meat

Lucien told me to meet him at the restaurant, but when I exited my building, a car was waiting for me. At first, I ignored it, but a blond man got out of the driver’s seat when I walked past, and he called out to me.“Elara Ashwyn?”“Yes?” I ask cautiously. “Can I help you?”“Lucien sent me to pick you up.”I stop in my tracks. “Lucien sent you?”“Please, get in. I’ll drive you to the restaurant.”He opens the back door for me, and reluctantly, I slide into the seat.The driver glances at me in the rearview mirror throughout the drive but doesn’t say anything. He pulls up in front of a restaurant that looks far more expensive than anything I could have imagined.“A–Are you sure this is the right place?” I don’t think I can even afford to breathe the air in there.“Lucien has reserved a table. Don’t worry, the maître d’ will guide you.” The driver looks toward the entrance just as a man in a tuxedo walks out.My clothes are simple, a blue blouse with bell-flared sleeves that I though

I wet my lips, feeling on edge. “Everybody knows, Lucien. I don’t want to talk about this. Just leave it.” I can’t control the way my hands are shaking in fear. “You shouldn’t have spoken to him that way. He’s going to punish me for it. And Seraphine wasn’t all too pleased with your snubs. She’s—” I sigh. “Forget it. I knew I shouldn’t have stayed for the mating gathering. I’m going to leave tonight. I can’t risk Thorne coming after me again.”Lucien lets out a soft growl and gets to his feet, wrapping one hand around my wrist and picking up my belongings with his other hand. “Let’s go.”“What are you doing?” I ask as he pulls me behind him, walking out of the restaurant. “What about dinner?”“Forget that. I want to know what’s been going on with you.”The car that brought me here turns on its headlights. It’s parked across the road, but when Lucien motions with the hand that is holding my things, the driver gets out, comes over, and takes them from him.“Get the food packed, Jimm