All Chapters of The Alpha's Wife, The Lycan King's Obsession : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Gianna dressed quickly, pulling on a dark cloak that would help her blend into the night.She was halfway down the stairs when Cyrus appeared.He stood at the bottom, watching her descend with narrowed eyes."You're in a hurry," he said.Gianna kept walking."I asked you a question." He stepped into her path. "Where are you going?"She moved around him without responding."Gianna."She didn't stop. She walked straight out the door and into the night, leaving him standing there.The journey to the palace took an hour.By the time she reached the servant's entrance, her legs ached and her breath came in short bursts.She slipped through the narrow door Nolan had shown her weeks ago, the one hidden behind overgrown ivy that no one bothered to trim.Inside, the corridor was dimmer than she remembered.Something felt different.The air smelled wrong. Not that it was unpleasant, it was just unfamiliar. As if someone had brought flowers into a space that had always been bare stone and cold

The pack house was dark when Gianna returned.She slipped through the side entrance as quietly as she could, her footsteps soft on the stone floor.Inside, her mind was chaos.Nolan's question kept circling back. Is the loneliness finally getting to you?She'd walked away without answering but the question had followed her all the way home.Maybe that's what the pull was. Loneliness. Two people trapped in situations they didn't choose, finding comfort in the only person who understood.That made sense.She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice the figure in the shadows until he spoke."Where are you sneaking in from?"Gianna went still, not from fear but from the sudden need to think of a good excuse.Cyrus stepped into the dim light from the hallway sconces.He circled her slowly, deliberately, like a predator assessing prey.Gianna stayed perfectly still, tracking his movement.He stopped behind her.Then he leaned in and inhaled deeply near her hair.Gianna's stomach droppe

Gianna was in the garden when Evelyn found her.She'd transferred her plant to a larger pot and moved it outside where it could get more sunlight. The small shoot had grown into something stronger, with leaves unfurling toward the sky.She was pressing soil around the base when Evelyn approached."Luna, I heard something in the market today."Gianna didn't look up. "What did you hear?""There's a rumor about the King." Evelyn's voice dropped lower. "They're saying a woman was in his chambers last night."Gianna's hands kept working the soil. "People always gossip about the King.""But this is different. A maid saw her leaving through an old unused entrance. She said the woman was wearing a blue shawl."The garden tool slipped.Pain shot through Gianna's palm as the sharp edge pierced her skin.She pulled her hand back and stared at the blood welling up in her palm.Red and bright against her skin.The blood transfer. She still had to do the blood transfer in two weeks.Her stomach twi

Cyrus followed Gianna to her room."I'm coming with you," he said.Gianna opened her wardrobe and started pulling out dresses. "No, you're not.""It's improper for a married woman to have dinner alone with the King. I'm your husband. I should be there."She held up a dark green gown, examining it. "You're not invited.""I don't need an invitation. I'm your –""The invitation is for one person." The head guard's voice came from the doorway. He'd followed them upstairs. "Alpha Cyrus is not included."Cyrus's face darkened but he said nothing.Gianna selected the green dress and moved to the vanity.Cyrus paced behind her. "You're not going to that dinner. I forbid it."She started brushing her hair."Did you hear me? I said you're not going.""I heard you.""Then why are you still getting ready?"Gianna set down the brush and turned to face him."If it weren't mandated by pack law," she said, her voice calm and final, "I wouldn't be attending. I'm only doing this out of respect for the

Gianna stood perfectly still, studying his face.He was only agreeing because he needed her blood and he was desperate.The moment the transfer was done, he'd go back to making decisions without her but something in his eyes looked genuine.She decided to trust him one more time.Just once more.She moved to the bed slowly. Instead of pulling out her knife or offering her wrist, Gianna tilted her head to the side.Exposing her neck.Nolan's breath caught audibly."Gianna –""Just do it," she said."Do you understand what you're offering?"She hesitated.Neck marking was reserved for mates. The vein there was close to the scent glands. It made the act intimate in ways a wrist never could.But she didn't know why she was suddenly feeling this audacious. She didn't know why offering her neck felt right."Are you sure?" Nolan's voice was strained.Gianna's confidence wavered. "Just get it over with."Nolan moved.His hand came up to cup the back of her head, steadying her.Then his fangs