The Lycan King

“Eh?” I stared at him blankly.

Did he just call himself Alaric Greyhound? As in THE Alaric Greyhound that I've heard of?! The Lycan King of this Kingdom?

I know I've gone through a lot from last night till now, but this couldn't be real. What would the infamous King of such a prosperous kingdom be doing in the dregs? Or was this how he greeted all the new intakes?

“Are you alright?” His bass voice snapped me out of my thoughts. 

I sniffled and nodded quickly, “Y-Yes, your Highness. Thanks to you.”

He smiled, making him more handsome than he already was, “Good to know. Now…” he turned toward the other three men, that were kneeling before the carriage driver, who was still writhing in pain.

“I've heard about you guys and the stunts you've been pulling for a long time now,” Alaric said, slipping his hands into his pockets.

The three men turned on their knees and looked up to him in fear.

“All of that ends today,” Alaric added.

“Please, your Highness. We were only punishing the offenders,” they sunk their faces to the ground and pleased shakily.

“And all the offenders only happen to be women?” Alaric creased his brows. Then he scoffed, “Please, spare me the act. What do you take me for?”

“Please, temper justice with mercy,” they pleased again, almost drilling the ground with their heads.

“Justice? Tch,” he clicked his tongue. “Raise your heads.”

“No, your Highness. We rather--”

Alaric cut in with an authoritative tone, “RAISE YOUR HEADS!”

Instantly, and with a whimper, the men raised their heads like robots.

I knitted my brows, unsure of what just happened. It seemed like magic, with the way they responded to his yell. Or maybe that was just how fearful they were? Who knows? I didn't care, I was enjoying the show.

“So how do you guys want to die?” Alaric asked coldly.

The men shuddered.

Then he stood beside me and smirked, “You might want to close your eyes for this.”

“Hm?” I was bit puzzled. What kind of torture was he going to inflict on them that I hadn't seen before?

One of the men abandoned his comrades and fled for his life. Heh, what a coward. I couldn't blame him though.

Just then, Alaric disappeared from my side and halted before the fleeing man.

“Going somewhere?” He said, before protracting his right hand claws and slashing the man’s neck, lopping off his head.

My face went grim. He was going to kill them!! And he already had one down.

He finished them off in the blink of an eye and stood before me, wiping his hands clean with a damp towel. I wonder where he got it from.

He looked into my eyes and sighed, “I told you to close your eyes.”

I took a step back, my heart palpitating. I felt no remorse towards the men. What I felt was fear. Was this how the Lycan King treated everyone that he didn't like? I didn't want to be on that list.

It seemed he could read my emotions, because he smiled and said, “Don't worry. Those men deseved it. A lot of women have died in their hands. And the policy in the kingdom doesn't allow that. Once you kill unjustly, your death is inevitable.”

“S-So you don't…?” I stuttered.

He shook his head, “No, I don't go about killing all the wrongdoers. I was just bored today and decided to check on the beautiful princess that had arrived.”

I didn't know why, but I blushed at his remark. I guess he was a kind person at heart, even though he looked like a monster when he killed those men.

“And I must apologise. You haven't even spent a day here and you had to go through this. Trust me, the rest of your stay here will be much better,” he assured me and took my left hand. Then he smoothened my roughened hair and cleaned the teardrops under my eyes.

His big hand was warm and strong. I wanted to rest my cheek on it forever.

“Shall we?” He gently pulled me away from the tree and led me out of the woods.

Everyone at the ‘slave area’? Gasped in shock as they saw the two of us walk out of the treeline. They must have been stunned as to why the Lycan King himself was holding my hand and escorting me like a gentleman. Well, I hope they don't ask me any questions, because I'm also as surprised as them.

“We call this place the rear court,” Alpha Alaric said as though he could read my perturbed mind.

He dropped me off with one of the women that oversaw the area, and I was immediately put to work.

The Lycan King would often visit me from time to time, almost everyday and we'd talk at length. What did we talk about? I have no idea. I was always so lost in his eyes, and thought of why he was stooping so low to my level. His voice always gave me chills; my heart throbbed at every word he spoke.

Then, all of a sudden, he stopped showing up. For about a month or so. I wasn't worried much; I enjoyed it while I lasted.

Who was I kidding? I silently longed for the day he'd return.

And then, as though a god of goddess listened and decided to answer my prayers, I received a letter from the palace.

I skimmed through the contents in a jiffy and my eyes dilated.

The parchment fell from my hand as I remained in a daze.

The Lycan King wants me to be his personal maid!