All Chapters of The Lycan Queen's Ruthless Beta: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

GarretI had always believed I was good at difficult things. Negotiations. Politics. Reading people. Finding the right words when two Alphas were ready to tear each other apart. Apparently none of that had prepared me for becoming a king."Again."I looked up from the document in front of me. The royal instructor pointed at the map spread across the table. "You've been given three territories, two disputed borders, and an Alpha refusing to pay his annual tribute. What do you do?""I negotiate.""With whom?""The Alpha.""And if he refuses?"I leaned back. "Then I negotiate with the people around him.""And if they refuse?"I rubbed my forehead. "Then I find out what they want."The instructor gave a small nod. "Better." I glanced at the stack of papers beside me. "How many more?""Six."I dropped my head onto the table, and he laughed. "You wanted to be King.""I wanted to be Evelyn's mate.""Unfortunately, fate gave you both."I lifted my head and stared at him, because that was exac

EvelynI woke up angry. Not frightened, not shaken — angry. Someone had attacked us inside my own territory, and that alone had been enough to keep me awake half the night.I dressed quickly and headed downstairs, expecting to find my father already buried in council reports. Instead I found half the palace talking about the attack. Guards had doubled around the eastern grounds, servants whispered whenever they thought no one was listening, and even the councilors seemed to have forgotten their usual arguments about my future long enough to discuss security.I hated it. I wanted answers. Who were those people? Who had sent them? And why had they come after me?I was halfway across the entrance hall when a familiar voice stopped me."You're walking like you're going to start a war."I turned. Austin stood near one of the pillars, dressed far too casually for someone who'd supposedly come here for political negotiations.I narrowed my eyes. "Maybe I am."He smiled. "Should I be worried?

EvelynMy father was waiting for me when I entered his study, and I knew immediately something was wrong."You wanted to see me?"He didn't answer right away — just kept looking through a stack of papers on his desk, the way he did when he was choosing his words before he chose to speak them. "The council is getting impatient."I sighed. "Of course they are.""Evelyn.""What?""They want the mating ceremony."I crossed my arms. "I figured.""They want it soon.""They always want something."He finally looked up at me. "This isn't a joke.""I know.""Then listen to me. They're not only questioning your relationship with Garret anymore. They're questioning the succession."I looked away."I know what they're saying.""Do you?" His voice wasn't angry this time — just tired, worn thin in a way I wasn't used to hearing from him. "They see a female heir. They see a mate who isn't from a royal family. They see uncertainty.""Garret didn't ask for any of this.""Neither did you."I looked at

EvelynI had faced warriors twice my size without feeling this nervous. Yet standing in front of the mirror, I couldn't stop touching the edge of my dress."You're going to ruin it."I looked at Angelina through the mirror."I barely touched it.""You've touched it six times."I dropped my hands. Angelina smiled and adjusted the silver flower in my hair."There."I looked at myself again. The dress was ivory, soft and light enough that it moved with every small shift of my body. The fitted bodice hugged my waist before falling into a long, flowing skirt, tiny silver flowers embroidered along the fabric so delicately they looked scattered there by hand rather than stitched. The sleeves were sheer, reaching my wrists, traced in silver at the edges. My hair fell mostly loose down my back, a few strands pinned away from my face by small silver blossoms.I looked like someone out of one of the old fairytales. Just not one I had ever imagined myself living.Angelina stepped back."You're be

I felt it first—the slow, inevitable rekindling of heat low in my belly. The bond hummed, restless. Satisfied, but nowhere near finished. Garret’s breathing changed against my skin. I felt the shift in him through the bond: the way his body was already responding again, the deep, instinctive need that came with a fresh mating. One time was never going to be enough. Not for us. Not tonight.His hand slid down my side, slow and possessive. When he lifted his head, his eyes were darker than before, the gold of his Lycan nature flickering at the edges.“We’re not done,” he said, voice rough with certainty.I didn’t answer with words. I pulled him back down and kissed him, open and hungry. A low, approving growl rumbled in his chest.Instead of rolling me on top of him right away, he kissed a path down my throat, over the still-sensitive mark, between my breasts, lower. His mouth trailed hot and open across my stomach. I felt the deliberate drag of his tongue just above the place where I w