Bound to the Ruthless Lycan king

Chapter two

Yara’S POV

I should have run the moment he said those words, you are mine.

I should have turned and disappeared into the night but I didn’t.

My body stood frozen in place, like something invisible had wrapped around my ankles and refused to let me move.

My heart was beating too fast and loud.

That was strange because it wasn’t just fear, it was something else, something I didn’t understand because it made my chest feel tight but also warm.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to step back. “You’re wrong,” I said, even though my voice shook. “I already have a mate.”

The words felt weak even to me.

His eyes didn’t leave mine, not for a second. “Do you?” he asked quietly.

That question hit me harder than anything he had said because I didn’t know how to answer it.

Did I?

Rowan was my mate and that was a fact but the way he treated me, the way he looked at Seraphine and the way he ignored me like I was nothing hurt me a lot.

I clenched my fists. “Yes,” I said again, firmer this time. “I do.”

The man in front of me took another step closer but instinctively, I stepped back but it didn’t help because he was still too close.

“You keep saying that,” he murmured. “But your eyes tell a different story,” my breath caught.

“No, they don’t.”

He tilted his head slightly like he was studying me and as if I was something he wanted to understand or claim.

“Then look at me,” he said but I hesitated because I didn’t want to and because something told me if I did, I wouldn’t be able to look away.

“Look at me, Yara.”

My name, my heart skipped.

“How do you”

“Look at me.”

Something in his voice made it impossible to refuse.

I lifted my gaze slowly and carefully and the moment our eyes met, everything inside me went still, the world disappeared.

The cold air coupled with the distant music from the hall and the pain in my chest.

all gone.

There was only him and dark, intense eyes that felt like they were pulling me in.

“You feel it,” he said softly.

I shook my head immediately.

“No,” but my voice betrayed me because it came out as a whisper.

A lie.

A very weak lie.

He took another step forward.

Now there was barely any space between us, I could feel his steady and warm breath.

“You feel it,” he repeated.

“I don’t,” I said quickly.

“Then why aren’t you running?”

My mouth opened then closed because I didn’t have an answer.

Again.

He leaned slightly closer but not touching, just close enough.

“You’re not afraid of me,” he said.

I let out a small, shaky laugh.

“I am.”

He didn’t smile, “Not enough.”

That was true, and it scared me because I should have been terrified by his powers.

Being a stranger and an enemy to my mate should have scared me, but instead of fear, I felt pulled toward him, like something inside me was reaching for him and I hated it.

“I need to go,” I said quickly, turning slightly, but his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist, not rough but firm and strong and my breath hitched.

“Let me go,” I whispered, but his grip didn’t tighten, and it didn’t loosen either.

“Why?” he asked. “Because I belong inside,” I said, nodding toward the direction of the house.

I didn't even believe my own words.

His eyes flickered toward the glowing hall, then back to me.

“That place?” he said coldly. “That’s where they pretend you don’t exist,” my chest tightened.

“You don’t know anything,” I snapped, finally pulling my hand free and he let me but he didn’t step back.

“Then tell me I’m wrong,” he said.

I froze and my throat closed.

Even when I tried to speak, nothing came out because he wasn’t wrong and we both knew it.

A heavy and painful silence stretched between us, but finally, I looked away.

“I should go,” I whispered. This time, he didn’t stop me.

But his voice followed me.

“If you walk back in there,” I paused.

“You’re choosing to stay invisible,” and my heart twisted, but I didn't turn around.

“Maybe that’s better,” I said softly.

“Better than what?” I hesitated, then whispered, “Better than being seen and still not chosen.”

The words hurt even as they left my lips.

For a moment there was no response or movement, just silence.

Then, “You won’t be invisible with me.”

My heart skipped again, and I slowly turned back, and he was watching me with that same intense look in his eyes.

“You say that like it’s a promise,” I said.

“It is.” I almost laughed because I had heard those before from Rowan and from people who never meant them.

“Everyone says that,” I murmured. “I’m not everyone.” That much was true.

There was nothing safe or normal about him.

“Who are you?” I asked finally.

His gaze darkened slightly like I had asked something important but something dangerous.

“Damian,” he said.

The name sent a strange chill down my spine.

“Damian” I repeated softly because it felt familiar but I didn’t know why.

“Damian Draven.”

The moment he said his full name, my blood ran cold.

“No” I whispered and my eyes widened.

“No, that’s not possible”, Damian Draven, the Lycan King, the most feared ruler in the entire realm, Rowan’s greatest enemy.

The man everyone warned about and no one dared to cross.

And he was standing right in front of me, my mate’s enemy and was claiming me.

I stumbled back, “You’re lying,” I said quickly.

“I’m not.”

“You’re the Lycan King.”

“Yes.” My head spun.

“This…this isn’t right,” I said, shaking my head. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“And you shouldn’t be there,” he replied immediately.

“That’s my home!”

“No,” he said coldly. “It’s your cage.”

The word hit me hard because it felt too true.

“I need to go,” I said again, more urgently now.

This was wrong, all of this was wrong.

Being here, talking to him and feeling this way.

“I’m warning you, Yara,” I froze again.

“If you go back in there,” he continued slowly, “things will only get worse for you,” and my heart pounded.

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

His voice was certain, too certain.

“And when it happens,” he added, his eyes locking onto mine, “you’ll remember this moment.”

A chill ran through me. “What does that mean?”

He didn’t answer, instead, he stepped back, giving me space and freedom.

“You can go,” he said with no force or command, just like that and a choice.

I stared at him, feeling confused.

Why wasn’t he stopping me?

Why wasn’t he forcing me?

“Why are you letting me go?” I asked and his gaze softened just a little.

“Because I want you to come back on your own.”

My heart skipped again.

“I won’t.”

“You will.”

I shook my head, “No.” but my voice didn’t sound convincing, not even to me.

He turned slightly, stepping back into the shadows.

“Run if you want,” he said.

“I’m not running”, and I paused a little.

Then,“We’ll see.”

And just like that, he disappeared into the darkness.

Gone like he was never there.

I stood there for a long time, not moving and not breathing properly, only trying to understand what just happened.

My heart was still racking and my skin was still tingling where he touched me.

My mind is completely confused.

Finally, I turned and walked back toward the house, toward the lights but to the life that was slowly breaking me.

But this time, something felt different because now, I knew there was another path, another world and another man who saw me.

And that scared me more than anything.

The moment I stepped back inside, everything hit me at once.

The noise, the laughter, the music and the pretending.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to move forward and act normal or disappear again.

But as I walked past the crowd, something shifted.

People were watching me and whispering and my stomach dropped.

What?

I looked ahead and froze at the center of the hall.

Rowan stood and his sharp eyes locked on me.

And beside him, Seraphine smiled.

But this time, it wasn’t sweet, it was dangerous.

Like she knew something had already ch

anged and I didn’t know it yet.

My heart started pounding again because suddenly, Damian’s words echoed in my head, things will only get worse for you.

And for the first time, I believed him.