Slave to the Ruthless Lycan King

THE WEDDING

AUDREY

"You are such a beauty," my mother said as she tied the lace of my dress behind me. Penny's mother was dressing my hair, and she was smiling down at me.

I smiled back at her, a smile that wasn't from my heart. It was my marriage day when I would finally meet the prince. I stared at my reflection in the mirror as the older women dressed me; all I saw was a sad girl who would remain sad all her life.

"Do you think I will like the prince?" I asked my mother once Penny's mom was away.

"Why not, my dear?" She leaned down to my level, placing her face beside mine and smiling at my image in the mirror. "The most important thing is the affection of the prince. If he likes you, it would be easy for you to like him too. Besides, Prince Anthony is a very fine man, the most handsome man on earth."

I scoffed and restrained myself from rolling my eyes. She has not seen Malik yet. "I am not concerned about his looks, mama; I am worried about the kind of man he is. I don't just want to get married to the wrong man," I said tentatively.

My mother stared at me for a while, took a deep breath, and started to speak. "Prince Anthony is not the wrong man and can never be the wrong man for any woman. You go there, be a good little wife to your husband, and everything will be fine."

I sighed. They don't understand me. To my parents, it was only about the money and the influence they would get from this marriage. I was going to lose my freedom soon, and everyone seemed okay. My mother straightened up and squeezed my shoulders, still smiling at me.

"We have heard great things about Ashdown and even greater things about the prince. Think of it, my dear, you would become the next queen of Ashdown, isn't that great?" I saw a twinkle in her eyes as she said that. "Any woman would be thrilled to trade places with you, including me."

I knew this was the breakthrough my people needed, but I couldn't help feeling like a sacrificial lamb. What if the prince was not as great as they say? I wouldn't say I liked it all, but I had no say because I was a lady. Men made decisions.

There was a sudden commotion outside my room. My mother and I exchanged horrified looks. I heard the voices of people and the feet of people, running and shrieking, the cries of children, and the neighing of horses. There was chaos.

"What is going on?" I asked, trembling. In answer to my question, my father rushed in, looking charged.

"The werewolves have surrounded the city! Now, take Audrey and run from the backyard. Unleash the horse and ride with her until you get to Ashdown, do not look back!" He instructed my mother and made for his sword. "We will hold the beasts back until you are far enough."

I was confused. What was going on? I thought werewolves only appeared during full moons. How come werewolves were invading our little city in broad daylight?

"The Lord be with you," My mother said in a fear-filled voice, clutching my father's hand, worry blanketing her face.

"I will teach those beasts a lesson," My father snared and dashed out of the house.

My mother turned to me and grabbed my veil. "Now, let's go!"

XAVI

They were small people, and for the past two weeks, Malik had spied on them. He knew every route in the village, every plan for their princess' marriage, and vital information we needed. We had already surrounded the city, and my warriors alone could have gone to the wedding and gotten the little human female, but I wanted to drag her away myself. I wanted to meet Orlando myself, and I wanted to make him watch me taking away his daughter. They would all pay for what they did to Zina and my unborn pup.

I charged into the marriage ground with Malik and Dwayne. Malik would show me the girl once we were there. But as we set towards Orlando's land, news reached them that we were there already, and they all fled for their lives while the wolf hunters started to get ready to fight us. They were not going to win this time.

I finally saw Orlando charging toward me, and my anger grew. I snarled my fangs at him, and my eyes glowered red with rage. I could rip him to shreds, but that would be a lesser punishment to him. I wanted his soul to bleed just like mine was bleeding. As he charged toward me, with his sword raised, gleaming silver under the ray of the sun, I charged toward him too. I have mastered all the strategies of evading a sliver weapon. Once we were close, he swung his sword to hit me, but I was faster. I jumped above him and landed behind him, before he could turn, I sank my fangs into his shoulder, picked him off the floor, and hauled him away, he hit a tree trunk, and I heard the cracking of bones before he landed on the ground.

Then it hit me. The scent was so strong and wafted into my nostrils so suddenly that I felt my whole lungs filled with it. The smell of cinnamon and peaches was so strong. I snapped my head toward the scent. There was a house standing there, Orlando's house, and I was confused about the smell.

'I will go in and search for the girl,' I said to Malik and Dwyane through the mind link.

Other wolf hunters had joined in the fight, and more wolves were pouring into the compound. We were more robust, faster, and advanced, so those hunters couldn't kill us in packs. This will also be their first time fighting angry wolves.

From where the scent came, I dashed into the house and was confronted by a large room. I shifted into my human form immediately and climbed the stairs naked, following the scent. I was so eager to find out who that scent belonged to that I forgot why I was among the humans in the first place. I wondered who it could be. Were they holding a werewolf hostage? But it was human; I could smell it, but why did the scent intoxicate me? I went up to another room, and the scent was stronger there. I picked up a robe lying on the bed and took it closer to my nose. The scent hit me, but the room was empty, with no sign of life.

I heard a noise and turned sharply towards the window. Two women were riding away from the house and covered themselves in black cloaks. I shifted back to my wolf and jumped out of the window.

'Now! the woman and her daughter are getting away from the town, don't let them leave the broader!' I yelled out my instruction to all the wolves surrounding the city.