08. Agreement

Something that will benefit me? Right now, all I wanted was to see Sabrina. 

"Interesting, right?" Beta Darius pressed, lifting his brows. "This offer is only for the second-chance mate of the Lycan King. You."

My eyes narrowed. Something felt wrong. This could be a trap. 

"What are you planning?" I asked, glancing back and forth, ensuring no one would hear us. "You are serving the Lycan King. Offering a proposal against his back is some kind of betrayal. Are you out of your mind?" 

"I'm only helping you and the Lycan King."

"Helping me? How? You don't even know me. I don't want any help from somebody. I can handle myself. No offense, Beta Darius."

He looked at me for a long time. "I know you can. That's why you are the perfect candidate for this simple task."

When it comes to the Mad King, there was nothing simple about it. 

"Spill the beans."

"You are his mate."

"He was not happy about it."

"That's your challenge. I need someone to save the Lycan King from the madness surrounding him."

"I'm not his savior." Besides, I came here to look for Sabrina. She will be the only one I will save. "Ask some women who loved him. I am certain there are a few of them in the corner."

"Don't you feel sorry for him?" Beta Darius asked. 

We turned left. 

The servants greeted him, and by the pleasant look on their faces, I could say that they liked Beta Darius more than the Lycan King.

I scoffed. 

"Sorry for him? Excuse me for saying this, but are you out of your mind? He is the reason why parents cried for their missing daughters. He is the reason why Father lost his two daughters. The Lycan King whom you are serving with all your life? He is not worth it." 

I tried so much not to be swayed by my anger, but I failed. I hate him so much that I want him to suffer for what he did to our pack.

"It wasn't King Elio's fault," Beta Darius said, defending him. As usual.

Looking at him with an angry expression, I said, "Of course, it is not his fault if you will be asked. You love him with all your life. You are blinded by him. You cannot see how evil he is."

"Believe me, but he is not the reason for the women's disappearance. I am still looking for the real culprit. If you listened earlier, you would know it may be because that person wanted to create another fuse between the Lycan King and his people. "

I already knew the people did not love their king, but it was their fear of him which made them follow him. 

I fisted on the cloak. "You make me sick for defending him."

"King Elio is a good king."

I rolled my eyes as I let him see. Then stopped. "Did you ask his people if you shared the same opinion?"

He did not answer. 

"He is not good. He is mad."

"I can punish you for saying that."

Did I look like it bothered me? No. "Do it. I dare you, Beta Darius."

"You're a feisty one. You will match the Lycan King. The fiery look in your eyes told me you are not someone who would easily give up. I will forget you said the Lycan King is mad. I still need you."

If I gave up, who would save my sister? I promised my father that I would bring Sabrina back to our pack. Safe and sound. I would never return empty-handed.

"If he is a good king, he would never punish our pack. He had already annihilated the group that killed Eva. Why would we continue to suffer for their sins? Why?"

Beta Darius's face hardened. "It's not my story to tell. Only the Lycan King could lift his punishments on your pack."

"Until when we suffer? I don't want my future pups to see how cruel their king is."

"If you succeed, the punishment will be lifted."

"I don't get you, Beta Darius."

"You will when I explain it further. We are here now."

We stopped in the farthest part of the wing and in front of the door, which was decorated with two swords intersecting. It looked sharp and cut easily.

The hallway was empty. It felt like this wing was treated as the forbidden wing. 

That would be a good thing for me. 

"Will I be sharing anyone's room?"

"You should be. After all, you are now the Lycan King's slave. But you are not his attendant. He did not have anyone. He is technically a loner and does not trust anyone except me."

I faced Beta Darius, my eyebrows meeting. "Why are you telling me about the Lycan King's private matters?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want you to have his heart. Make him fall in love with you. You are the only one capable of doing that because you two are mates. It would be easy for you. Both of your wolves recognized your connections. They would be the ones pulling you towards each other."

Making the Lycan King fall in love with me?

I didn't even know how to seduce men! I was focused on honing myself to become the best fighter to prepare for this day, and I forgot I had a lot of girl's stuff that I missed, such as having tea parties and talking to the other ladies in the pack. 

"Why would I do that?"

"In exchange for your freedom."

"I don't want it. I am okay with being a slave."

His face fell. 

Beta Darius folded his arms in front of his chest and leaned on the doorway. 

"That's a first. Slaves technically want their freedom before anything else."

"Not me. If you don't have to say anything, let me enter inside and see what I can do while the Lycan King will know what he wants to do with me."

"What do you want then?"

"Why do you care, Beta Darius?"

"I'm doing this for King Elio."

"The question is, will he be happy if he found out you are doing this?"

"He won't. But he will understand."

"He won't."

I opened the door, still securing the cloak around me. However, Beta Darius stopped me from doing so.

"We are not yet done."

"We are."

"Tell me what you want."

Sabrina. 

My jaws clenched. "I said none, so far.  I will tell you about it if I already think of something. Step aside, will you?"

"Tell me what you want. I insist. You may not fathom the power and authority I possess in this palace, but I can also move mountains, Flora. Just make the Lycan King fall in love so that he will return to his usual self."

"Beta Darius. You tend to forget that the usual self of the Lycan King was a bloodthirsty bastard who killed for pleasure."

"That won't ever happen. Again. This time, I will save him and all the people around him. I don't want him to commit the same mistake over and over again. I saved him once at Howling Pack. I will do it again."

I stared at him for a long time and clapped my hands. 

"Wow. Just wow. Such loyalty. I wish I could share the same sentiments, but my judgment of him will never change. The Lycan King is a bastard. A jerk. An asshole. And a lot more."

"He can still redeem himself. You will help him do that."

The Lycan King was beyond redemption. He was a lost cause.

"What made you think I will?"

"We all have one desire in life. And I, Beta Darius, vow to make it happen if you will help me. Do everything to make the Lycan King fall in love with you."

The vow caught my interest. "I have one desire."

Beta Darius's face lit. He stepped forward and leaned closer to me. 

"I am correct. Tell me what it is. I will make it happen if you succeed."

Leaning backward, I said, "I will tell you about it if I succeed in making the Lycan King fall for me."

Beta Darius's mouth lifted. "You made the right decision. Whatever that is, consider it done."

I hoped so.

He opened the door for me. "From now on, I will assist you in carrying out your plan. I am expecting a good result, woman. Just tell me about it."

"The first thing you can do for me is gather all the comfortable clothes for me to wear. And a pack doctor, please. Someone should see my wounds."

Beta Darius snapped his fingers. "Your wish is my command, woman. The future Queen of this kingdom."

Future Queen. If that was beside the Mad King, no thank you.

"Flora Hernandez. At least you should know the name of the person whom you are having a business with."