The Lycan Emperor Dangerous Temptation

The Rogue Lands

Elaria’s POV

“RUN!”

My wolf screamed inside my head and I didn’t ask why.

I ran and branches hit my face as I pushed through the forest.

My breath came out in broken sounds, my legs hurt, but I kept moving.

Behind me, I heard growling and footsteps.

They were coming. The rogues.

I looked back, they were too many.

“Faster,” my wolf begged.

“I am trying!”

My foot caught a root and I fell hard, pain shot through my knee and before I could stand, a rogue jumped toward me and I threw my arms over my face.

Its claws tore through my shoulder and I screamed.

“Get away!”

I kicked it and it fell back.

I crawled away and I pressed my hand against my wound.

Blood covered my fingers and the rogue came again.

I picked up a broken branch and swung it.

It caught my arm and I screamed and struck again.

Then another rogue jumped from behind but I turned too late.

Its claws cut across my back and I fell to the ground.

I could not breathe and the rogues surrounded me.

One stepped closer and its lips pulled back and showed sharp teeth and then I closed my eyes.

“Kaelith…”

His name left my lips before I could stop it.

I hated myself for calling him.

After everything he had done, I still wanted him, I still wanted him to come for me but nobody came.

The rogue raised its claws and then a howl tore through the forest and the sound was so powerful that the ground seemed to shake.

Every rogue stopped and I opened my eyes.

A huge black wolf stood between the trees and its eyes glowed like fire.

The rogues began backing away, one growled and the black wolf answered.

The rogue ran and the others followed and within seconds, they disappeared.

I then stared at the stranger and my heart rang.

The wolf walked toward me and I tried to move back.

“Stay away.”

It kept coming and I reached for the branch.

The wolf stopped and then silver light surrounded its body, bones shifted and fur disappeared.

A man stood where the wolf was, tall and powerful.

His black hair fell across his forehead and his eyes remained fixed on me.

I knew that face, every pack knew it. Draveth Auren. The Lycan Emperor.

My breath caught.

He looked at my shoulder and then my face and his jaw tightened.

“Who did this to you?”

I tried to answer, but nothing came out and then he knelt before me.

“Who?”

My lips shook.

“My…”

I swallowed.

“Mate.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Your mate did this?”

I could not answer and my body gave up.

The last thing I felt was his arms catching me before I hit the ground.

….

I woke to voices.

“Her pulse is weak.”

“Give her more medicine.”

“Her wounds are closing too fast.”

I opened my eyes and a healer stood beside me, another woman was cleaning my shoulder and I tried to sit.

“Where am I?”

“Don’t move.”

A deep voice answered from across the room and turned.

Draveth stood near the window and I immediately remembered the forest.

“The rogues…”

“They won’t touch you here.”

I looked around, this was not a pack house, the room was huge, guards stood outside the door and I looked at Draveth.

“Where am I?”

“My palace.”

“Why?”

“You were dying.”

He walked closer.

“I brought you here.”

I looked down at my wounds.

“Thank you.”

He didn’t answer but instead, he looked at the healer.

“How is she?”

The healer opened her mouth and then stopped and her face changed.

“My Emperor…”

Draveth turned.

“What?”

She looked at me and then at him.

“There are two heartbeats.”

Silence filled the room.

I stared at her.

“What did you say?”

She slowly placed her hand against my stomach.

“There are two.”

My heart stopped.

“No.”

The healer looked at me.

“You are pregnant.”

I shook my head.

“That isn’t possible.”

My hand moved to my stomach, last night flashed through my mind.

Kaelith.

His hands, his lips and the way he held me.

My eyes were filled with tears.

“No.”

The healer looked confused.

“You didn’t know?”

I could not speak.

A sudden pain tore through my body as I screamed.

“Elaria!”

Silver light bursts from my skin as the windows shoo.

The lamps went out and everyone screamed.

The healer fell backward and Draveth grabbed the table to steady himself.

“What is happening?”

My wolf howled.

Something powerful rushed through my veins and silver marks appeared across my arms.

I stared at them.

“What is this?”

The healer looked terrified.

“My Emperor… her power.”

Draveth’s eyes narrowed.

“What power?”

“I don’t know.”

The palace shook again and a glass broke and then the healer whispered,

“This bloodline disappeared hundreds of years ago.”

Draveth looked at me.

“Who are you?”

I then shook my head.

“I don’t know.”

My wolf whispers one word.

Moonfire.

I gasped.

“Moonfire?”

Draveth stepped closer and his eyes remained on me.

“What did you say?”

“I don’t know.”

He studied me.

There was something strange in his eyes, as if he knew me, as if he had been waiting for me.

He then asked,

“Who is your mate?”

My heart hurt.

“Kaelith.”

Draveth’s face changed.

“The Alpha who rejected you?”

I nodded.

“I need to go back.”

He stared at me.

“I need to see him.”

“No.”

I pushed myself off the bed.

“I have to go.”

My legs almost fail but Draveth caught my arm.

“Let me go.”

“You are injured.”

“I don’t care.”

“You are carrying a child.”

“I still have to go.”

His grip tightened.

“He rejected you.”

“He was deceived.”

“He abandoned you.”

“He will realize the truth.”

Draveth stared at me and I pulled my arm away.

“You don’t understand.”

“I understand perfectly.”

“No, you don’t.”

My voice broke.

“He is my mate.”

Draveth looked at the scars covering my body.

“After everything he did?”

I looked away.

“I still love him.”

His jaw tightened.

“Why?”

I laughed through my tears.

“Because my heart didn’t receive his rejection.”

Draveth said nothing and I wiped my face.

“He will come for me when he learns the truth.”

“He believes you’re dead.”

My eyes widened.

“What?”

Draveth’s expression hardens.

“He abandoned you once. Don’t expect me to help you return to him.”

“I have to.”

“No.”

I tried to walk past him but he blocked the door.

“Move.”

“No.”

“Please.”

His eyes darkened.

“If he made you bleed, I’ll make his entire kingdom bleed.”

I stared at him.

The way he said it scared me but there was something else in his eyes, something I didn’t understand, not pity but something possessive, something dangerous.

He then turned and walked away and a man followed him.

“My Emperor.”

Draveth stopped.

“What?”

The man lowered his voice.

“The prophecy.”

Draveth turned slowly.

“What prophecy?”

“The ancient one.”

He looked toward me.

“The woman carrying the Moonfire blood will awaken only after her mate rejects her.”

Draveth’s face changed and the advisor continues.

“And when she awakens…”

He swallowed.

“She will become the most powerful Luna the world has ever known.”

My heart rang and Draveth looked at me again and his eyes darkened.

Before he could speak, the palace doors opened and a messenger rushed inside and he fell to one knee.

“My Emperor.”

Draveth turned.

“What happened?”

“I bring news from the Bloodmoon Pack.”

I sat up and my heart began racing.

The messenger lowered his head.

“Elaria Veyne has been reported dead.”

The room went silent.

Draveth looked at me and I stared back at him.

Then his lips curved into a smile without humor.

“Let them believe she died.”