Marked by the Lycan King

24

"Hell no, if I was his mate I would have told you, and besides I'm not fit to be his mate." Myra replied immediately. “Girl, the way you doubt yourself is actually painful to watch.” She shook her head slowly, eyes wide with disbelief. “Just look at you, your face, your body, that quiet fire in your personality. You’re literally gorgeous. Any man would lose his mind over you.”

Myra rolled her eyes awkwardly, trying to brush off the compliment, but Bria kept going with passionate energy. “And trust me, I know people very well. I’m practically an expert at this.” She flipped her hair proudly. “Maybe you should actually try flirting with His Majesty. Who knows? Maybe he’ll finally fall in love for once in his cold, lonely life.”

Myra nearly choked on her own breath. Her mind instantly flashed back to the moment Matteo had pinned her against the wall, the undeniable spark between them. Her face burned hot.

Bria narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Wait… why are you blushing like that?”

“N-Nothing,” Myra said quickly, avoiding eye contact and fidgeting with the hem of the dress. “Can we leave now? I’m getting hungry.”

Bria stared at her for a few seconds, then slowly broke into a mischievous grin, like she had just uncovered a juicy secret. “Interesting,” she sang teasingly.

Before Myra could defend herself, Bria turned toward the shopkeeper with casual authority and pointed at the dresses. “We’ll take the one she’s wearing and the rest over there too.”

Myra’s eyes widened in panic. “What? No, no, no. That’s way too much.” The dresses alone probably cost more than she had ever seen in her lifetime.

Bria immediately pouted, looking genuinely hurt. “If you refuse, I’ll feel like you don’t see me as your real friend.”

Myra stared at her speechlessly. “What kind of manipulation is this?”

“The best kind,” Bria replied proudly, batting her lashes.

Myra sighed in defeat. “Fine.”

Bria squealed happily and pulled her into a tight hug, planting a quick kiss on her cheek. “You’re officially my favorite person now!”

Soon, they left the boutique laden with several elegant shopping bags. Outside, another sleek, expensive sports car was parked beside theirs. A man stood leaning against it, smoking quietly. His jet-black hair was brushed back neatly, though one rebellious strand fell over his forehead. He was undeniably handsome, but somehow, in Myra’s eyes, he still didn’t come close to Matteo.

Bria instantly froze like an excited fan spotting her celebrity crush. The man noticed them, quickly stubbed out his cigarette, and jogged over.

“Hey, Bria.”

Bria blinked in confusion. “I think Victoria already left. You missed her.”

The man awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “Actually… I came to see you.”

“Me?” Bria straightened her posture instantly, fixing her expression into something more composed. “I mean… how can I help you?”

Myra quietly stepped back, giving them space. It felt rude to eavesdrop.

“Well…” Carl cleared his throat. “His Majesty isn’t very happy about your recent posts involving his guest.”

Earlier, Matteo had returned to his office and buried himself in work, but while absentmindedly scrolling through social media, Bria’s posts featuring Myra had caught his eye. His mood had soured instantly since then. Carl honestly didn’t see the issue, the pictures were beautiful, but orders were orders.

“But she agreed to the pictures,” Bria argued weakly. “And I didn’t force her…”

Still, conflict flickered across her face. Those posts had already gained her significant likes and new followers. Carl sighed. “I’m sorry, but it’s His Majesty’s direct order. We can compensate you if needed.”

Bria suddenly grew thoughtful. Her gaze drifted toward Myra, who waited patiently nearby. Maybe Myra is far more important than I thought. A mischievous smile slowly spread across her face.

“Okay then,” she said casually. “For compensation, I want a date with you.”

Carl nearly coughed out his soul. “Me?” He looked genuinely shocked. He had expected money or gifts, not this.

“Yeah.” Bria casually brushed invisible dust off his shoulder with a flirty touch. “Relax. We’re both mateless. Nobody’s going to arrest us for it.”

Carl stared at her speechlessly while Myra bit her lip hard to stop herself from laughing. His stunned expression was priceless. She took a few steps back to give them even more privacy.

“I’ll send you the details later,” Bria added confidently. “Bye, Beta.”

She turned around and walked back toward Myra with the swagger of someone who had just conquered the world. As soon as they slid into the car, Myra gave her a knowing look.

“I saw that.”

“Saw what?” Bria replied innocently, starting the engine.

“You were flirting.”

Bria burst into laughter and leaned back comfortably in her seat. “Okay, fine. Maybe a little bit.” Then she sighed dramatically. “Honestly, the only problem is his sister. Too much stress.”

Myra chuckled softly. “I thought your standards were too high for families of servants.”

Bria winked shamelessly. “Oh, I’m sure the Beta can serve me very well.”

Myra’s face immediately turned red again. She genuinely didn’t understand how Bria could say such things so casually without a hint of embarrassment.

After quickly deleting the pictures from her page, Bria drove them away from the boutique, the engine purring smoothly beneath them.

Meanwhile, back at the Crimson Moon Pack, Lyka lay lazily on her bed, scrolling through her phone. Aiden had been too busy and exhausted lately to give her much attention, leaving her frustrated and restless. She absentmindedly browsed pictures of attractive men when a familiar face suddenly flashed across her screen.

Her entire body froze. The color drained from her face in an instant.

“No…” she whispered shakily. “That’s impossible.”

She refreshed the page frantically, but the post had already disappeared. Again. Nothing. No matter how many times she refreshed, it refused to reappear. Panic clawed its way into her chest. She quickly grabbed her phone and dialed a number with trembling fingers.

The moment the call connected, she spoke anxiously. “How are the investigations going?