CLAIMED BY THE COLD HEARTED LYCAN

Chapter 2

Yimi ushered Ashina into their shared room, trying to ease her sister’s distress. “Don’t be so upset, Ashina. We’ll figure something out,” Yimi said with a forced smile, shutting the door behind them.

“How can you say that?” Ashina’s voice was laced with frustration as she paced back and forth. “They’re forcing me to marry those…those monsters. Haven’t we been taught our whole lives that Lycans are an abomination, a mistake? They shouldn’t even exist. They kill without remorse, and you know what they did to Amaya. Her body…”

Ashina trailed off, unable to finish her sentence as the memory of their friend’s gruesome fate flooded her mind. She clenched her fists, releasing a heavy sigh of defeat.

Yimi’s voice trembled with sadness as she agreed, “I know.” She couldn’t forget the atrocities committed by the Lycans, the ones who had taken away Amaya, Greta, and that poor human slave who made a wrong turn. All of them met the same gruesome fate at the hands of those beasts. “But what choice do we have?” Yimi asked, her eyes pleading with Ashina. “Father won’t listen to us, and going against him would only bring the wrath of Beta Dromon upon you.”

Ashina let out a sigh of frustration and collapsed onto the bed, burying her head in her hands. Yimi’s words hit too close to home. Beta Dromon was stubborn and unwavering in his loyalty to the Alpha. He had never shown interest in finding his mate or forming any personal connections, and he wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice one life for the greater good of the pack. Ashina knew that this forced marriage was probably his idea. The thought made her stomach churn with disgust and anger. How could they sacrifice her freedom and happiness for the sake of the pack?

“Ugh! What am I going to do, Yimi? Help me out here. I don’t know how to get out of this. Whom to talk—” but then something flashed in her mind, and her head lifted with a jolt.

An idea.

“How bad is it?” The look on Ashina’s face was hard to miss. Yimi instantly knew something awful was about to come out of her older sister’s mouth.

“Lucien!”

“Who?”

Ashina shot Yimi a glare and watched as realization slowly relaxed on her pretty face. “Oh!” the little sister gasped. “Right. So you’re saying is—”

“I’m gonna send him a message!” Ashina exclaimed with growing excitement.

Yimi’s face scrunched up in resistance. “Oh, yeah, that sounds reasonable—wait, WHAT?” Her eyes bulged out with horror written all over her face.

“And you’re going to take it to him for me,” Ashina added with determination.

Yimi’s face paled, and her voice trembled as she shook her head. “No, Ashina. I’m not doing that. No way! You know how dangerous that is. Lucien is a rogue, an outcast. What if he hurts me or worse?” She paused to take a deep breath, hoping to calm down her racing heart. “No. No way. No way at all.”

[Half an hour later]

Ashina handed Yimi a letter and adjusted her overcoat. “Make sure you give this to him personally. Do not trust anyone else.” Yimi was in shock, unable to fathom how, when, or why she had agreed to this dangerous task. If anyone in the pack caught wind of Ashina’s plan, they would be torn apart without a second thought.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Yimi muttered.

“I owe this to you, Yimi. One day, I promise to repay you,” Ashina said, on the verge of tears.

Yimi’s heart softened. “Okay, okay. No need to get emotional. But what if father asks for me?”

“I’ll just tell him you weren’t feeling great, so I didn’t bother to wake you up.”

“That sounds about right,” Yimi nodded, understanding the weight of her sister’s request. Everyone in the pack knew about Yimi’s illness and fragile stamina. Although her wolf was stronger than many others in the pack, Yimi’s body couldn’t handle that strength. In the past, when she tried to shift, exhaustion would take over, and she would be out for days.

“Be back before midnight,” Ashina reminded her, and Yimi could sense the desperation in her sister’s voice. “I know I’m being selfish, but you’re my last hope, Yimi.”