The Lycan King's Puppet

He pulled away, breathless from the kiss. For a moment, their faces remained close, their noses almost touching. Then he reached forward and stroked the supple corner of her lip with his knuckle. Her lips parted slightly as he touched them, letting out a small sound.

Then he pulled away completely.

Her eyes were dark with desire, hunger. He saw it before she averted her gaze.

And he was certain that he had a similar look in his eyes.

"Forgive me, Miss Stenly." He adjusted the collar of his coat and assumed his seat as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

Claire said nothing, her eyes cast to the ground, cheeks aflame.

"Is that all, Your Grace."

Yeren couldn’t shake the feeling of restlessness bothering him.

Was that why he called her? To serve as a worthy distraction?

"We will see each other in court then."

Her brows lifted slightly as she processed his words, but she still remained silent.

After skirting a courtesy with her eyes still cast to the ground, she turned and left the room in a swish of heavy skirts.

That went... horrible.

His mind circled back to her reaction when he told her the news.

She had seemed surprised, shocked even, then almost... elated? Until he mentioned Andon, and her near-smile scattered to a thousand pieces.

She was concerned for Andon. He doubted there was a single soul who knew Andon that didn’t care for him.

But she wasn’t concerned about him. She hadn’t even asked what would happen to him - her whole concern was on the man at the center of the court’s conflict.

Well, he didn’t deserve her concern... he had been so close to making Lady Plumette his bride.

But fate seemed to have other plans.

Which included Garelle and Andon’s unfortunate incident.

True to his word, a court session was held in the early hours of the following morning.

Only council members, immediate family and a few courtiers were in attendance.

He hadn’t called the meeting - the meeting was neither about Andon.

The elders who had received news of the cancellation wanted to hear the reason from the horse’s mouth.

As he turned into the next hallway that led to the grand chamber, Garelle and her ladies-in-waiting were approaching from the opposite direction.

They were both headed for the same room, but he slowed down so she would enter before he did.

Yet, she slowed down as well. Her eyes were guarded, but a soft smile played across her lips. She dismissed her maids as she neared the door.

She looked perfectly fine, but he knew better than to be fooled. Women like her knew how to hide their pain from the world until it destroyed them.

And it made something in him soften towards her. Her resolve reminded him so much of himself.

Except... he would never have betrayed his family or sacrificed himself in such a way for a woman, or anyone else for that matter.

"Your Grace." She paused at the entrance and skirted a flawless curtsey.

"My Lady." He took her gloved hand in his and placed a feather kiss to it.

"I trust you slept well."

"I would be lying if I say I slept a wink."

She chuckled, a light sound that filled the silence.

"Neither did I. I’ve been wondering what you’re going to tell them. This is escalating faster than I thought."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

From the very beginning, she had given him the impression that she had planned this whole incident for a long time. But now, doubts began to creep in... if she had thought it through thoroughly, she would have expected a court proceeding to be held immediately on the grounds of addressing the issue before a scandal would break out.

But she hadn’t. And that was not in line with her character.

His gaze drifted to her constricted neck. The veins in her neck were bulging out as she drew each laborious breath.

Was she in distress? She looked like a woman whom a fainting spell was clouding upon.

"Lady Plumette?"

She met his gaze and gave him a small smile.

"I should expect that you would spare no detail on my behalf."

He blinked.

"I will only tell them what is necessary."

"And what, may I ask, is necessary?"

"That you were found in bed with a man."

"And if they ask of the man’s identity?"

Yeren ran a hand through his long locks of hair.

"I will tell them."

Her breath hitched slightly.

"This is real... more real than I thought." She muttered under her breath, bracing her hand against the wall to support herself.

"We can adjourn the meeting if you are not feeling well enough to see it through."

She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with gratitude and unshed tears.

The sight of her eyes filled with tears made him move closer and wrap his arms around her.

Something about her always urged him to protect her.

Something that felt like a... brotherly instinct. And funnily enough, he had no siblings. The closest thing to a sibling he had was Andon. And their relationship was ruined by the woman he now held in his arms.

He should hate her, he knew. He should despise her for dragging Andon’s stainless name through the mud, but he couldn’t see any malicious intent in her actions - only an honest attempt to help him.

And he was grateful.

"I don’t want to face my father," She whispered into the leather of his coat as she sobbed. "And I don’t want to face him either."

He knew who the ’him’ being referred to was.

But he remained silent.

"Then you don’t have to."

He glanced at his guards, issuing orders without uttering a single word. She clung to him as if she never wanted to let go.

With his arms still wrapped around her small and frail form, he began guiding her away from the room of fierce judgement.

She now felt so small, so fragile, when she had appeared untouchable and rebellious just the day before.

As they made a turn, Claire was walking towards them.

The expression in her eyes made them both freeze in their tracks.