Fated To The Cursed Lycan King

Ten

Justin

It was clear that the Moon Goddess never created my mate. I wasn’t meant to have one. Maybe my curse had erased the very existence of the one person who could have freed me. And now my twin was feeling something for my assistant.

The irony stung.

I rubbed my temples. At least I hadn’t crossed the line with Marissa. That would have been a disaster. My sister would never forgive me for touching her.

Justine sat opposite me, propping her boot-clad feet onto the table like she owned the place, lifted a cigarette from the ashtray, twirled it between her fingers, then wrinkled her nose in distaste before flicking it back into the tray.

"So, tell me. Why have you been avoiding Wendy?"

I groaned, tilting my head back against the chair. "What does she want from me? Haven't I already agreed to marry her?"

Justine laughed dramatically. "You sound like you're being sold into slavery."

"Aren't I?" I shot her a dry look. "Tell your best friend to leave me the f**k alone."

"You do realize you're marrying her, right? You can't avoid her forever. It's a royal wedding and supposed to be a social affair."

"I hate that part."

She placed her legs down and shook her head. "You hate everything that involves other people, but it's what you signed up for. At least the wedding ensures stability, you know... in case you never—"

The silence stretched between us. She couldn't finish her sentence. Then, just as our twin telepathy synced, she covered up the awkwardness with a casual comment.

"What's even funnier is how Wendy shames women for being obsessed with you when she practically sings 'my fiancé' and 'my fiancé' every five seconds like a goddamn parrot."

Despite myself, the corner of my mouth twitched. "It's a little terrifying. I get secondhand embarrassment just listening to her."

She smiled and nudged my foot with hers. "I just wish you two could get along better for my sake. It's exhausting being caught between my brother, my only sibling and my favorite person in the world, and my best friend, who's about to become my sister-in-law. Just try, okay?"

I gave her a noncommittal shrug, reaching for the cigarette again.

Later that night, the castle ballroom was decorated, and orchestral music played in the background. Government officials and nobles attended the Queen's dinner party. Every opportunity for my mom was a party.

Although I wasn't feeling up to it, I dressed up in a black jacket. I was deliberately underwhelming compared to the grandeur expected. The necessity of this event was mildly irritating. I was aware of Wendy's arrival and already braced myself for her craziness.

She entered the ballroom with her dad and her mom, dramatic as usual, in her shimmery gold gown and expensive-looking jewelry. She reached me and smoothly slid her hand into mine. When my fingers grazed the engagement ring on her finger, I stiffened, knowing that I was about to play house with a woman who thought this wedding was her life's achievement.

The media guys were stationed around the room, capturing key figures upon arrival. I wore a forced smile that didn't reach my eyes as the cameras flashed, locking us in a moment for the public eye.

While the ballet dancers entertained us and we were having dinner, Wendy used the opportunity to express all her dramatic agitations.

"I don't understand why Justin is so indifferent. He never makes time for me. It's like I don't even exist. I'm always doing the chasing.”

"Uh-oh," Justine whispered.

I barely glanced from my plate. "You do exist, Wendy. Very loudly, in fact."

She scoffed and turned to her parents for support. "See? Do you hear him? This is exactly what I mean. I'm his fiancée, and he treats me like some business contract he forgot to sign!"

"Wendy, darling," her mother, Queen Jennifer, said, pinching the bridge of her nose, always sounding tired like she never gets enough sleep. "Perhaps you're overreacting."

"She's not," her father, King Lance, chastised his wife. "Don't you ever invalidate my daughter's concerns. She deserves to feel cherished and respected. If Justin cannot give her the attention she needs now, what happens when they are married? Will he continue to neglect her?"

My family remained quiet, with my father deliberately taking a long sip of his wine and my mom remaining composed with an apologetic smile.

Wendy's father turned to face me, perhaps disappointed that my family was not condemning me.

"Work is important, dear boy, but my daughter is not some afterthought. She is my precious jewel, and I will not have her feeling unsupported."

My mom finally spoke, diplomatic as usual. "King Lance and Queen Jennifer, I assure you, my son has been incredibly occupied. The weight of leadership is not light, and he carries it with strength," she said and glanced at me, silently warning me to play along.

"I apologize if I made you uncomfortable, Wendy. That was not my intention. It's just that my dad plans to retire immediately after the wedding, and I've got lots of things keeping me occupied."

Wendy huffed, seeming unsatisfied with my forced acknowledgment. My mom changed the topic and stood, tapping her glass lightly and drawing attention from the entire table.

"As we sit here tonight, surrounded by family, we look forward to the future of our kingdom. This union between Justin and Wendy is not just the merging of two people but of two legacies."

She turned towards me, and her eyes spoke with open pride.

"From a young age, my son understood the responsibilities that came with his name, and rather than shying away from them, he faced them head-on. He's a leader, a strategist, and a protector."

Justine made an unladylike whistle that made my mom give her a silent warning. It was then I noticed that Sean was in the room, which must have been my mom's motivation for this speech.

"Justin, our future king, is a beacon of power and strength. His mind is sharp, his vision is clear. He has faced challenges that would break lesser men, and yet here he stands, commanding respect. And when the time comes, when his father steps down, I have no doubt that he will ascend the throne and lead with the wisdom and power that define a true king."

Everyone nodded in agreement, even my father. Wendy seemed pleased to be engaged to someone so highly spoken of. I merely lifted my glass slightly in acknowledgment.

"So let this be a celebration not just of a union but of the strength that binds us to the future," Wendy's mom, Queen Jennifer, said.

Everyone lifted their glasses in a toast, and I played along, lifting my glass and drinking, all while ignoring Wendy's flirtatious looks.

I forced myself to maintain the mask. My mom had always been good at this—polishing the cracks in my armor until they looked like they never existed. It had been this way since childhood. If I stumbled, she was there to convince the world I had merely taken a calculated step. If I failed, she painted it as a lesson in resilience.

And now, here she was again, standing before the most powerful families, crafting an image of a perfect son that almost made me believe it myself.

I felt like an actor in a play written for someone else. And yet, I couldn't stop the small smile from forming. She would never let anyone see my weakness—not even me.

Later that night, I was heading to my bedroom, exhausted from the day's activities, when a hushed voice caught my attention.

I stopped. The corridor was dimly lit. I followed the murmur coming from one of the adjoining rooms. It was my mom's voice.

Something about it made me pause. There was an urgency there. I peered through the opening of the slightly ajar door and caught sight of her. She stood dressed in her night robe, facing an elderly woman with a hunched back. I could make out her sunken features and her deep-set eyes.

A witch.

I gasped in shock, and my fingers curled into a fist at my side. Why would my mom, the Lycan queen, invite a witch to the castle?

"I will not entertain false hope," she said. "If I'm to pay you such an amount of money, I need certainty. You understand that, don't you?"

The old woman's chuckle was dry and unsettling. "Certainty is a luxury, Your Majesty. What I offer is possibility. That's why it's costing you. But I'll do anything to make sure that your son is well."

I felt something tighten in my chest. I turned away before I could hear more, retreating into the shadows and making my way to my bedroom.

She had always done everything in her power to protect me. But what scared me most was knowing that one day, even she might not be enough.