Lysander’s POV

“What do you mean she might not come out alive?” I asked as my feet trembled beneath me.

“If she’s rejected by the Alpha king, she’d die,” the woman replied. My heart raced with fear and disbelief; I couldn’t understand why these people treated other wolves like this.

I watched helplessly as they put the scented oils on her while another tended to her hair, undoing the knots. I knew I needed to save my mom and escape this turmoil.

I just couldn’t watch that Lupercus beast of an alpha kill my mother. No way.

“Well, well, well, Lysander, erase that thought from your mind.” A familiar voice sounded behind me. I turned around to see the man that stabbed my mother standing tall with Madam Alina by his side.

His blue eyes fixed on me.

“Greetings, Lord Thane,” the women bowed. “I can read your thoughts, Lysander, so you better not do it, else,” he paused, staring at my mum.

“You can’t escape the walls of the Lupercus pack because it is protected.” Lord Thane smirked.

My heart raced as I stared at Lord Thane, confusion swirling in my mind. “How come she didn’t die from the stab?” I blurted out, my voice shaking. Lord Thane leaned closer, his eyes glinting like cold steel.

“Well, we, the ancient Lupercus wolves, have the ability to bring one back to life just once. Your mom wanted to act stupid, so I helped her,” he replied, a smirk creeping onto his lips.

Many questions swirled in my mind, each one sharper than the last. I felt a heavy weight in my chest, a feeling I had never known before, utter helplessness.

“I guess she’s ready to serve the Lycan King now?” Lord Thane muttered. I glanced at my mother, who sat there almost half-naked, tears streaming down her cheeks nonstop.

Lord Thane straightened, his posture imposing. “You’ll accompany your mother down there with me and the royal guards,” he commanded, his tone dripping with authority.

“Maybe this would be the last time you’d see her,” Thane added, his smirk widening as he turned away like he was up to something. My anger boiled over, and I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Heart thundering, I chased after Thane, rage drowning out fear. I didn’t care if the room I entered was off-limits. I burst through the door just as Thane entered.

“Why is she being offered to that beast?” I asked, desperation creeping into my voice. Silence filled the air, thick and suffocating, as if the shadows were listening.

Lord Thane finally broke the stillness. “Do you really want to know?” he asked, and then I nodded.

“Okay, I’ll tell you.” Lord Thane took a long breath before starting. “Rafah, the Lycan king, fell in love when he was younger with a girl from another pack, which was forbidden because of a past feud between our packs.”

My eyes widened with interest.

Lord Thane continued, "Rafah and Delilah would meet in secret, unknown to him, that she just wanted to use him.”

“The Lupercus pack couldn't be infiltrated by just anyone, but Rafah told his lover everything about our pack, and her pack attacked unknown to us.”

“And the first thing they did was kill Rafah’s father, who was the current Alpha. Rafah was furious and heartbroken. He had a powerful ability that he couldn't control yet."

I gasped. "What happened to him after that?"

“He turned into a beast, killing his lover and everyone in her pack.” My breath caught. No wonder they feared him. He wasn’t just a king. He was wrath incarnate.

“And since then he has been stuck in his beast mode with no remedy. But it can only be tamed by blood and sex.”

“He mates with special wolves, not just anyone, to keep him from running berserk. If the person who is being offered is rejected by him, he'll drain you of your blood,” Lord Thane said, turning to face me.

“So I don’t care about your godforsaken mother. If he doesn’t accept her, she'll surely die, and we’ll look for someone else.” I couldn’t believe the venom in his voice, as if my mother’s life was worth less than dust.

“Why would you say that?” I yelled, my voice echoing off the cold stone walls. “Is that what you all wolves do? Look for other pack members just to offer to your beast you call an alpha, draining people of their life?”

“This pack is so despicable! I wish the evil girl and her pack had killed every single one of you, dominating your pack and leaving you all with nothing but trauma that would haunt you forever!”

My words sliced through the air, fueled by rage. I didn’t care about the consequences anymore. And in an instant, Lord Thane’s hand shot out, gripping my throat with a fierce strength.

My back hit the wall, my feet dangling above the ground. Panic surged through me as I struggled to breathe, my hands clawing at Thane’s arm, but it was like hitting stone.

Each breath felt like a battle, and I could see the cold satisfaction in Lord Thane’s eyes as he held me there, powerless.

“You have a very sharp mouth, but look at you, unable to release yourself from my grip,” Lord Thane whispered, his gaze locked onto me. He released his hold, allowing my feet to touch the ground, but he didn’t let go entirely.

Lord Thane yanked my head to the side, sweat trickling down his face. His eyes bore into me, a mix of power and something darker. A growl rumbled from his chest, and my heart raced as I realized the truth in Thane's gaze—lust.

Thane’s grip tightened again, pulling my face nearer to his. “You’re one pretty male, Lysander, and from today onwards, you belong to me and me alone!” he declared, his voice booming.

With a final squeeze, he let go. “Now get the fuck out. I’ll let you know when I need you.” I bolted, as Thane’s possessive words echoed in my mind. Getting to the door where my mom was, I fell to the ground, frustrated.

After a while, I heard the door creak open, and Madam Alina walked out. The moment I spotted her, I felt a shift in the air—it was time. I stood up from the ground, ready to accompany my mom.

As we walked toward the same dungeon we had cleaned earlier, I followed closely behind my mother. When we got to the deepest part of the dungeon, the growls echoed again. I caught the flicker of fear in my mother’s eyes.

“Remember all that you were taught. Lock the gates behind you once you enter,” Lord Thane instructed, his voice firm. My mum nodded, but I could sense that we weren’t meant to go any further.

As my mother stepped into the darkness of the dungeon, my heart raced. My mother was about to face the Lycan King Rafah, and I knew I had to act. But what could I do?

I hesitated, doubts and fears swirling in my mind. What if I wasn't enough? What if he rejected me too? But then, looking at my mother, I knew I had to act. For her. For us.

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself and pushed my mother aside, stepping into the dungeon. "I'm sorry, Mum," I whispered, locking the gates behind me.

“No! Lysander!” my mother cried, but her voice faded as I faced the unknown. My hands trembled as the iron lock clicked shut. The cold metal bit into my skin like the last tether to my old life breaking.

The dungeon was swallowed by pitch-black darkness. Suddenly, the growl echoed again, chilling me to the bone. This was it. I felt it deep inside. Slowly, I began to undress, aware that the beast was likely watching me closely.

Naked now, I sank to my knees. “Take me. Drain me. Use me however you want. I’m yours, Lycan King Rafah!”

Then, in the darkness, I saw it—a glowing eye moving toward me. That eye was familiar, a haunting reminder. It was the same Lupercus wolf from my dreams.