Once A Luna, Now His Queen

Chapter 3: An Offer From A Gentleman

JADE

Sebastian raises his sword and tips my head up with it despite what the Lycan King, commander of all Alphas and their packs, just said.

The necklace in Lukas Kamari’s hand still glows brightly. I never imagined I would see the Crescent pendant in my entire existence. It’s something only the Lycan King can possess. A tool that makes the finding of one’s mate much easier than having to wait until our wolves are ready.

My body is shaking again, goosebumps all over my skin when I glimpse the rage still in my husband’s eyes.

“This woman murdered my newborn babies so cruelly. She does not deserve to live!” Sebastian growls, forgetting whose presence he’s before.

“If a hair on her head is harmed, you’ll be the one not deserving of life, Sebastian.”

The Lycan King’s cool warning causes Sebastian to unconsciously take a step back, his blade easing a bit from my skin, but still remaining there.

“We are talking about my heirs—“ Lukas grabs the blade suddenly, skin digging into it as he fights off my husband’s hold on it.

A few seconds later, the blade is flung across the room, clattering against a wall and debris falls from the ceiling.

Blood drips from his injured hand, but it quickly dries up and heals. “Get up,” Lukas says.

I try to stand up from the tiled ground, but it’s impossible. I twisted my ankle and Janel had given me a good beating, which is yet to heal. A cough tumbles out of me, and I sniffle, miserable on the inside.

Lukas bends down and picks me up from the ground. He carries me bridal style while I’m still in my maternity gown. If he’s disgusted like Sebastian was, he doesn’t show it.

My hands unconsciously hook around his neck as his guards make a pathway in between them on the aisle.

This feels too good to be true. What are the odds that at the moment I’m supposed to die the Lycan King himself will come and save me? And not just that, him discovering me as his second chance mate, too?

A probability of near zero. I have no words as fear bubbles inside me.

But coupled with his sweet, distracting scent and the comfort that suddenly wraps around me like a warm blanket, there’s no world where my eyes can stay open now.

I fall asleep in the arms of the Lycan King as he carries me away from all my problems. When I open them again, I’m in a dimly lit bedroom, and the air is thick with fragrant smoke.

A healer dabs something on Janel’s claw wounds on my chest and wraps my torso with gauze, flattening my breasts.

I mope around the room, noticing how different my home is from the Veiled Moon pack.

“How much longer will you take?” a deep voice snaps and my gaze darts to the entrance, the healer wears me a white shirt dress and quickly bows to the Lycan King before leaving.

He draws closer to the edge of the bed, strands of dark hair framing the edges of his forehead. I suck in a rush of air, his scent already muddling my thinking cells because he’s near.

Let’s just say matebonds have their pros and cons.

“How do you feel?”

“I’m an Omega, King Lukas, of course the pain is terrible.” I shrug as tears prick at my eyes.

He spares me a look void of amusement, because it’s clear I’m running from my grief. “You were framed for killing your newborn twins, and Sebastian would have also cut your head off in the name of justice if I hadn’t shown up.”

“How are you so sure I was framed?” I sniffle again, wiping as many tears off to stop myself from falling apart in front of him. “It’s not like you watched it happen.”

“No mother will stab her children in the heart just after giving birth to them. Bad ones will opt for simpler alternatives.” He c***s his head slightly on the last sentence.

When I hear that, tears rush down my face. I bend my head when it becomes uncontrollable. Sorrow eats me up inside out. I want my babies back. Please, Moon goddess. Let me wake up from this terrible nightmare…please.

Lukas picks my chin up, tears wetting his finger on me. “How can I make it stop?”

I know it’s probably the matebond talking, so I try to shake off his hold, averting my gaze, but he just forces my face back in place.

“People who ignore me end up six feet under, Jade. I strongly advise you to reconsider.”

“There’s no end to the pain of loss, King Lukas. What else do you want me to say?”

He frowns, as if there’s a bitter taste suddenly in his mouth, and his voice is rough when he speaks again.

“Get up. I want to show you something.”

“Can’t it wait? My ankle isn’t healed—“ I yelp when he grabs me and holds me in his strong, veiny arms again.

I’m more awake now to notice how my heartbeat spikes at his touch. The alarming truth is, there’s nothing I know about this man, and so much he knows about me.

Lukas lets me down in a moonlit garden at the bank of a small, crystal lake a while later. I gasp into my palm at how beautiful it is.

“Wow.”

“The Starfall lake appears once every hundred years and lasts a few hours until it dries up.”

“Why is something so beautiful not permanent?”

He smiles. “Because it’s believed to have magical properties and will grant your every wish. What do you want most right now, Jade?”

I swallow the hard lump in my throat, watching the crystal shine on the water, and my reflection. My fists clench.

“I want to make everyone who hurt me pay dearly. Whoever killed my Kyson and my Avalee must die by my hands.” Snot leaks into my mouth and I wipe it off quickly.

Lukas surprisingly steps between me and the lake, blocking my view. “Good. Your wish is my command,” he says, grey eyes darkening with menace, shocking me.

“What game are you playing, King Lukas?”

“You see,” he moves even closer, and I’m frozen to a spot, hexed by his eyes on me, “I have a baby sister, whose destiny is to mate with the Lord of Faes and unite our races, but she needs grooming from someone experienced and…womanly guidance. I’ve hired experts all around the world, but Cleo won’t crack if it’s not a woman, who’s supposedly my love interest, helping her.”

Realisation sets in. The Lycan King came all the way to find me for his sister’s sake, not because he’s interested in a happy-ever-after with his second chance mate.

“So, I have to act as her nanny until she’s successfully mated if I want your help getting my revenge?”

“Not really, Jade.” Lukas fights a smirk. “I’m offering you revenge and protection only if you marry me.”