I slumped back, feeling pretty down. Before I could dwell too much on it, Sasha playfully knocked on my head. "Didn't I just tell you that even the Lycan king's tied to our family? There's no way I could take on something that big all by myself. It's like you trying to run away from Michael on your own—it’s just not gonna happen."“I wasn’t trying to run away,” I mumbled, not wanting to admit the truth. “But... what happened next?”“Well,” Sasha started, leaning back as if she was telling some grand tale, “I got caught and locked up in my room. My dad said he was gonna keep me there until the day before the wedding. Then, he’d send me off to get married and marked like some kind of prisoner.”“Wait, so you actually got married?” I asked, my eyes practically popping out of my head.“Nope,” Sasha said, a sly smile spreading across her face. “I bribed one of the maids who brought me food to start spreading rumors. I told her to tell everyone she knew that I was sleeping with different me
"Alright, I might have something that could help you out," Sasha started, her voice carrying that familiar mischievous tone. "Do you remember how Michael looked the day you lunged at him?""Of course, I do," I replied, my mind instantly replaying that intense moment. "You warned me to stay away, but nothing bad happened."Sasha let out a dramatic sigh, placing a hand on her chest. "You have no idea how scared I was that day," she said, her eyes wide with exaggerated horror. "Michael’s wolf is nothing like ours. It’s sort of an open secret among the royal Lycan family. They say when Michael was born, his eyes were golden. You know that werewolves can only shift after they turn eighteen, right? It’s the same for Lycans."I nodded, signaling that I was following."But Michael was different. Even as a kid, he was transforming into that golden beast you saw, with wild mood swings that were hard to control. It would take several adults just to subdue him, and after every transformation, he’
I finally understood why Sasha had looked so terrified that day. She had genuinely believed that I might not survive my encounter with Michael."But that day…" I trailed off, recalling the intense scene that had unfolded between Michael and me. Sure, Michael had been frenzied, but he didn’t kill me or Robert. Despite everything, his human side won out over his beastly instincts.Sasha shrugged, a little mystified herself. "I don’t know. In theory, only the Moon Goddess' moonlight can calm the Golden Wolf’s ferocity, but you did it that day. So if there’s anyone who can keep Michael grounded, it’s got to be you. You’re his mate, after all.""Me?" I looked down at my hands, trying to process what she was saying. Just a month ago, I was an ordinary girl, stressing about Robert and my studies. Now Sasha was telling me that I, of all people, had the power to influence Michael, a Lycan prince. It seemed unreal."Yes, you," Sasha affirmed, her voice full of conviction. "Cecily, don’t underes
I couldn’t help but worry about Kate. I had left her behind with the Ancient Woods Pack, where their Alpha—her mate—held sway. My mind spun with anxiety over what might happen to her. It wasn’t just about her being with Alpha Alex; it was the implications of leaving him that troubled me. If a werewolf found their mate and then left them, their strength would be diminished. Kate wouldn’t be as powerful as she used to be, and with her ex-boyfriend still lurking around campus, that worried me even more.Michael’s voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts. "I sent her home," he said, though his tone was laced with irritation. "Now, are you going to eat or not?"Relief washed over me. Kate was safe, at least for now. I chose to ignore Michael’s impatience, focusing instead on the good news. But the relief was short-lived, quickly replaced by fresh concerns. What would happen to Kate if she stayed away from her mate? Would she be okay on her own?As I was lost in thought, I noticed Michael ho
"Why don't we start all over again and do something normal people would do?" Michael suggested, his tone uncharacteristically casual.I looked at him, confused by the sudden change in direction. "What do you mean?""How about we go on a date?" Michael asked, a hopeful expression crossing his face."A date?" I echoed, trying to understand where this was coming from.Michael nodded, his expression serious. "I'll decide the time and place, as well as how the date should go. But you must follow my arrangements during the date."I looked at him skeptically, unsure of why this would be part of our deal. Among werewolves, the concept of dating was different from that of humans. Our relationships were often intense and physical from the start due to the mate bond, without much time for the usual courting rituals. So why would Michael want to go on a date now, after everything we’d been through?But if this was all he wanted in exchange for letting me see Kate, it seemed like a small price to
I took a deep breath, trying to process the information. I hadn’t expected this outcome, but perhaps Michael's mercy was the best I could hope for. I couldn’t imagine him being kind enough to send Robert back after what had happened.Robert had come to me alone, without any connections in the Ancient Woods Pack. To them, he was just someone who had dared to offend the Lycan Prince. Michael's wrath had been intense, nearly consuming the entire forest. No one in their right mind would risk Michael's anger by trying to save Robert."And then?" I asked, eager to hear more.The corners of Kate's lips curled into a faint smile as she continued, "Robert hasn’t been seen on campus since the incident. Your escape has been the talk of the week. Everyone’s speculating about what happened. The most popular theory is that Robert offended the Lycan Prince because of you and was killed for it."I studied Kate’s expression, knowing there was more to the story. "What do you know? Don’t keep me in susp
I leaned in closer, not wanting to miss a single word of what Kate was saying.Kate began, "Aside from Robert’s absence, Alpha John has only been seen once or twice in recent days. He looks exhausted, much older than before. Without his mark, Robert will never be able to succeed as our pack’s Alpha. Alpha John was supposed to hand over all the power."I nodded in agreement. "If that’s the case, it’s understandable why Alpha John is in such a bad state."Kate shook her head. "It’s more than that. Alpha John wasn’t exactly thrilled about Robert becoming his heir. Remember what happened at the succession ceremony? Alpha John should’ve been prepared for the possibility that Robert might not be able to take over. But now, it seems like he’s taken an unexpectedly hard hit.""Is it because of Robert’s injury?" I asked slowly.Having a werewolf's mark forcibly removed was one of the worst things that could happen to a werewolf, second only to death. No matter how much Alpha John might have re
Since the Lycans joined forces with the werewolves, they’ve added a bunch of rules that mainly seem to protect their royal family. One rule says that if anyone harms a member of the Royal Lycan Family, they can be dragged straight to the werewolf court. Honestly, it feels a bit unfair, but it’s not like that rule gets used much. Most werewolves would never even think about messing with a Lycan. I mean, who’d be that reckless, right? Lycans are just too powerful.I sat there, thinking it over for a bit before turning to Kate. “I need to talk to Michael about this. Robert can’t go to the werewolf court.”Kate’s face scrunched up, and I could see the confusion and frustration in her eyes. “What’s gotten into you? You’re the last person who should feel sorry for that jerk. Don’t tell me you’re still hung up on Robert now that you’ve got the Lycan Prince in your life.”I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “I rejected him myself, Kate.”“Yeah, but who knows what he said to you that day to make