Lycan King’s Nemesis

Gwen??

When I woke up this morning, it was Kora shaking me awake rudely to tell me that the former Queen had asked me to dress and come down with my husband to greet the guests.

I had looked to the side of the bed to meet it cold and empty, only the changed sheet evidence of what took place last night-my virginity had been mercilessly stolen from me by that cruel man.

Instead of crying, I had nod my head and told her I wanted to be alone. Fortunately, she was glad to oblige, leaving me to myself to feel pity for the life I had successfully plunged myself into.

I didn’t cry, not even tears budged to spill as I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom and looked at myself. It seemed after yesterday at the altar, something changed about me. I lost my courage. I became a new person. A scared person.

I should have fought him harder, kicked and cried until he let me go, but I couldn’t. Instead, there I lay and watched him desecrate me and then left without even a consolation.

When I later finished dressing in the blue ankle-length sophisticated gown provided by my maid, I gathered the wit to leave and look for him. I can’t possibly go down and tell the people that my husband had left me alone after taking away the one thing I hold dear to me. On my wedding night. I couldn’t.

That was what led me directly to the door where I met the butler and asked him about the King and he told me he left that morning. I decided to look for him outside only to be greeted by the horrible sight of him kissing another woman just outside the palace door, not caring if anyone saw him.

I cleared my throat, pushing down a lump hung on my windpipe. “Your mother asked me to look for you at the stables,” I lied smoothly. “She said we are to host the guest this morning at breakfast.”

His lips were on a straight grim line, his brows knitted together as he scowled, unfazed by me. Then he nodded once and gave the lady one look before he made his way to me. The lady was smiling in victory, then winked at me before walking away.

He grabbed my hands fiercely and dragged me inside. I yelped and tugged to free myself but he didn’t flinch, ignoring the alarmed look on the butler’s face as he pushed me into the hall at the corner of the foyer. “I am going to say this ones, and I won’t say it again. Don’t you ever, ever, look for me again. Or look at me like that.”

“H-how?”

“I know what you are doing,” he hedged, letting go of my hand to step away. “You think you can make me feel guilty, huh?” He chuckled in mockery. “I don’t care if you get everyone in my palace to feel bad for you, but I will still not notice you.”

“Yesterday was our wedding.” My face contorted in pain. “What did I do to you to make you mock me so? What if another person saw you with her?” I was striving so hard not to break down in tears.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

I thought I saw remorse on his face, then it was gone. His finger grasped my neck and slammed me on the wall, his mouth hovering on my ear. “I will not hesitate to kill you if you say that again. I will gladly fuck any woman where the entire pack will see us if only it will give you so much pain that you will beg me to reject you.”

“Why?!” I finally broke, my body shaking by now. I held his hand and closed my eyes, unable to bear looking at the extent of hatred in his eyes. “Why, Ashton? I just want to be a good mate to you. Please, give me a chance.”

“Urgh!” He ripped away, and because I wasn’t prepared for it, I staggered backwards and was about to fall when I encountered a wall of muscles. My entire being froze from the electricity that passed between us, the fear I felt from thinking I would fall releasing at once.

Then as fast as it happened, it was gone as Ashton pushed me away and took a step back, saying something in their language that I couldn’t understand. “Come to the room and wait for me. Tradition demands we come down together. Hand in hand.” He spat and walked away.

I stood watching him go, still striving to gather myself from what just happened. I think I’m going crazy. Yes, only that will explain why that man will treat me with so much contempt and the next thing I am a sweating pot of nerves when he touches me.

And him too. One minute he is threatening to kill and then…

“Are you okay, your highness?” I looked up at once to see the butler looking at me with deep concern.

I nodded and bent my head instantly to conceal my tear-stricken face from him. The former queen made it plain I should never let my people see me in my weakness. “I will go now,” I said as I walked off after my mate.

I entered the room and closed the door softly, leaning on the door to take a deep breathe. In that process, I caught a large whiff of the scent of my mate emanating from the bathroom as he took his bath. It was so intoxicating. So, enchanting that soonest, I was standing by the bathroom door, my nose plastered on the door taking deep breathes. This feels so good. “Mmm…”

Time passed, the sensation spreading through my body that I didn’t hear the shower stop running nor the doorknob turning until I fell in. Into him.

He caught me, his body going rigid at the contact with wide eyes. “What the…”

…