Lycan King's Regret: Punished The Wrong Daughter

Arabella Toussaint:

I swallowed hard. I could feel my blood running cold as I stood outside the Alpha’s office.

An Omega opened the door and gestured for me to go inside. As instructed by Vanessa, I straightened my posture and kept my eyes down.

Please help me, Moon Goddess.

With a silent prayer, I stepped inside but then stopped. Ceramic pieces lay scattered across the floor, and I could feel tension in the air.

A man sat in the Alpha’s seat who seemed to go still at first. I slowly looked up and had to stop the sudden gasp that was about to slip past my lips.

If the man sitting behind Alpha Chris’ desk was the Lycan King, then the rumors hadn’t done him justice. He looked like a Greek god, and his molten golden eyes slowly scanned me from head to toe.

He looked extremely handsome in black, yet everything about him looked dangerous. A black tattoo trailed up his neck. His messy dark hair fell over his forehead, but nothing about him looked soft. His golden eyes, streaked with amber, held a dangerous glint. Everything about him spoke of power and authority, of a man who was used to everyone obeying his every command.

I couldn’t look at his face for too long.

I didn’t know if I was imagining it, but he seemed to sniff the air before his eyes darted back to my face.

I hurriedly looked down because I didn’t want to meet his cold gaze anymore.

Everything around me went still when I sensed him getting up from his seat. Alpha Chris, Luna Ava, and my parents seemed to go tense in their seats.

Taking slow steps, he reached me, and I wanted to sink more into the floor.

Wasn’t he here to sign the contract today and get it done with? Why was he getting closer?

I almost forgot how to breathe when I felt him leaning towards me. What was he doing?

Goddess! Was he sniffing me?

His black shirt stretched over his muscular chest as he moved.

I tried to look sideways to observe my father’s face to see if I was doing something wrong. But the man didn’t let me.

His forefinger touched my cheek, stopping me from moving.

"Look up!" He commanded in a cold voice, and fear nearly choked me. Mustering up all my courage, I followed his command... and then I felt like someone had punched me in my gut.

Because I was looking into the most intimidating eyes I had ever seen. I couldn’t maintain eye contact and had to look down.

"Interesting!" He whispered.

And then, without warning, his hand moved to the back of my neck as he pulled me closer, forcing my face to the side.

Before I could understand anything, I felt his canines sinking into the side of my neck.

"What the..."

I heard gasps in the room and felt like the world had started spinning before my eyes. It seemed like someone had slashed my skin, and I swear it hurt.

A sharp pain tore through me.

"Now she won’t be able to run away," He said with a smirk and wiped the small blood droplet from his lips using his thumb.

"Now go!" He shoved me and went back to the desk, where a file was placed, "I’ll send someone to collect her."

Collect her? What was I? A possession?

I tried to ignore the throbbing pain in my neck and tried to understand what hurt more. The place where he marked me without my consent, or the notion that all my ways to run away were closed.

He quickly signed the papers and then headed out without a backward glance.

I stood there in shock while the people around me were in chaos.

"He marked her!"

"Goddess. How’s it possible?"

"She was supposed to go there as their slave!"

I didn’t know what to do, so I walked out of that office in a daze.

"Goddess! Arabella! You alright?" Maya was there to hug me, but I stayed like a piece of wood. Straight and unfeeling.

Completely numb.

Someone behind me was screaming at the top of her lungs. Vanessa Toussaint.

"How is it possible, Mom? She was meant to be a slave. And now she’s our queen?" Maya moved back when she heard Vanessa and gave me a confused look.

That was when her gaze fell on the mark on my neck.

"Goddess!"

I started shaking my head, "Take me away, Maya," I whispered, "Take me to my room... please..." Maya nodded and then wrapped her arm around my shoulders.

***

It was almost midnight, and we were both sitting side by side on the edge of my bed.

"Tomorrow this room will be empty," Maya said in a whisper. She was holding my hand that was on my lap, "If I knew he would mark you...." Tears started rolling down her cheeks, "What a shitty friend I am," She muttered helplessly.

I wish I could console my friend. All this time, she had been my rock. While living in this hell, she was a breath of fresh air in my life.

We laughed together, we cried together, and now...

Now it was our last night together.

The mark would never allow me to run, unless I rejected him and he accepted my rejection.

How did he know that I was planning this?

I squeezed my friend’s hand lightly, "It’s okay, Maya," I tried to smile, "You get out of here. Make a life for yourself. No need to write me or contact me. You might get caught."

Maye turned toward me and hugged me tightly, "Arabella! I’ll miss you," she cried.

I pursed my lips but couldn’t stop the tears from running down my face, "I’ll miss you too, my friend."

We were so busy crying that when the door burst open, we both jerked up in surprise, "You!" Vanessa stood in the doorway with bloodshot eyes.

Seemed like she had been crying too.

"You knew..." She came inside as her eyes stayed on me, "You knew that’s why you never protested. He was here for me...but see... he marked you..."

Maya frowned deeply as if she thought Vanessa had gone crazy.

"Ma’am..." She kept her eyes down, "Arabella only did what you asked her to do. She..."

Slap!

Maya was in shock when Vanessa’s palm slammed against her cheek, "M... miss V...anessa."

"How dare you speak to me like that..." Vanessa’s eyes then darted towards me, "And you!" She gritted her teeth, and I thought it was my turn for the next slap.

Maya must also have sensed it because she hurriedly stood before me, "Please think carefully, Miss Vanessa," she threw her palms up, "If her face has a slap mark, Alpha King might... wipe this pack from the land."

Vanessa helplessly balled her hands into fists as she stomped her foot, "I’ll not let you live in peace, Arabella. You think you’ll be my queen? Fu*ck you, my queen!" Showing a middle finger, she stormed out of the room.

I slowly turned to look at Maya, who was already watching me. We both ended up laughing weakly and hugged each other.

Vanessa was a fool if she thought Alpha King marked me because he wanted me as his queen. I knew the power play among these packs better than anyone else.

I was the murderer’s sister, and I was sure I was expected to be a slave in their little sick game.

Maybe Vanessa was right.

Being a slave, I already knew what I was signing up for.

I was terribly wrong. I had no idea that the real nightmare was yet to begin.