Taming the Mad Lycan King

Valdermoor

Aria POV

The drive to the estate was farther than I expected. The driver said it would take two days before we finally arrived, so we took shelter at Hallowridge, at the home of one of my father's good friends, Alpha Ezra, whose son I had turned down a few years ago. I knew the story of what had happened to me had travelled wide and far, and I was sure Alpha Ezra, his son, and the entire pack had heard about it, evident from the pitiful glances and stares I received throughout my stay that night.

The next day, we continued the journey, bound to arrive at Valdermoor Estate by evening. The thought of the estate sent chills down my spine as the distance grew shorter. I didn't know what to expect. I had never been this far from home before, not to mention going to a Lycan's estate, a dethroned king's estate at that. That was why we were headed to Valdermoor and not the king's castle.

"My lady, are you alright? Would you like some water?" Ellana asked.

I shook my head, keeping my eyes on the window. I couldn't eat properly or even feel thirsty. The night before, I had forced food down only because of Ellana. I was too anxious to think of eating. Too scared.

"My lady, wake up. We have arrived." Ellana's hand shook me gently as my eyes carefully opened.

After ten long hours, we had finally arrived at Valdermoor Estate. The huge metal gate loomed before us; dark iron mixed with gold detailing and intricate carvings bigger than any pack gate I had ever come across. Even Bram's family pack didn't have walls so towering. Guards, none shorter than six feet, pulled the gates open. The drive to the main building was a journey of its own. The estate was larger than the whole of Thornfield combined.

The car finally parked in front of the main house. I stepped out and stopped. Valdermoor was not a home. It was a world.

The main building alone stretched wider than anything I had ever stood before; two of my father's entire estate, placed side by side, would still fall short of it. Dark stone walls rose so high they swallowed the last of the evening light, casting long shadows across the courtyard that made the air feel cooler than it actually was. Ivy crawled up the left wing like it had been growing there for centuries, thick and dark green, almost black in the fading light. The windows were tall and narrow, each one glowing faintly from within, like eyes that had been watching long before we arrived.

And the staff. They lined both sides of the entrance path in two long, perfect rows: maids in dark uniforms pressed without a single crease, manservants standing shoulder to shoulder, and guards posted at every visible corner, none of them under six feet, each one built like the walls they protected. I had never seen that many people assembled to receive one person. Back in Thornfield, a handful of servants and a guard or two were considered a proper welcome. Here, it felt like a ceremony. Or an inspection.

Ellana was already fixing my dress and hair, though I paid her little attention. The driver opened the car door, and I stepped out to face what appeared to be an elegant older woman with silver hair.

"You must be Aria," she said warmly. "We are so happy to have you. I'm Sable, Fenrir's mother."

I stretched my hand out for a handshake, but she pulled me closer and wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace. I smiled nervously against her shoulder.

Sable, still holding onto me, turned and pointed to her right. "That is Calla. She is like family to us."

I nodded to show I was paying attention and stepped toward Calla, hoping to receive a hug, but was left standing.

"Welcome," Calla said flatly. "I hope your stay is long enough."

The smile slipped from my face instantly. "Calla!" Sable's voice sharpened.

I understood what Calla meant without needing it explained. I was not Fenrir's first wife. And that frightened me. But anything was better than staying in that shattered place called Thornfield. "I'm sorry, your husband Fenrir could not come to welcome you. He had meetings to attend. It's getting late, so I will have the maid direct you to your room; it's just beside your new husband's. Get yourself ready for dinner," Sable said softly.

"Thank you," I replied. Her warm nature eased the tension somewhat, but I couldn't help glancing at Calla, who returned a look of open disdain. Before I could think much of it, Ellana and I followed the maid inside.

The hallways stretched longer than I expected, lit by iron sconces that threw warm light against cold stone. My footsteps sounded too loud in the quiet. Ellana stayed close behind me, and I was grateful for it for her steady breathing, for the soft rustle of her dress. The maid stopped at a door near the end of a long corridor and pushed it open without a word.

The room was larger than anything I had ever slept in. A wide bed draped in dark linen. Heavy curtains. A fireplace already burning low. And beyond the tall window, just visible in the last of the fading light, a single tree stood in the courtyard below, its branches still.

I stared at it longer than I meant to. "My lady," Ellana said softly behind me. "It looks just like yours."

I sat at the edge of the bed and pressed my hands flat against the linen. I was really here. This was really happening. Ellana was already moving quietly around the room, opening bags, shaking out clothes, doing what she always did when she wanted to give me space without leaving it. I watched her for a moment, then closed my eyes.

Astra had been silent since Thornfield. Just gone somewhere deep and unreachable. I had stopped calling for her. It felt cruel to keep reaching for something that wasn't ready to answer.

But as I sat there in the quiet of that unfamiliar room, I felt something. Faint. Like a breath drawn in a dark space. Just the barest shift, like something turning over in sleep. My eyes opened. Before I could follow the feeling, a knock came at the door.

"My lady." A maid's voice from the other side. "Madam Sable says dinner will be served shortly. She asks that you come down when you are ready."

I exhaled slowly. "Tell her I'll be down soon."

Ellana was already moving toward me with a brush and a fresh set of clothes draped over her arm. I stood and let her work, my eyes drifting once more toward the window and the tree outside it.

Fenrir POV

I glanced from my window and watched the car park in front of the estate. I never understood why, after two women, I still felt anxious whenever someone new arrived. I looked closer as she stepped out of the car. She looked young, the youngest of all the women my mother had brought. Very beautiful. Blonde. Petite. My mother had told me her name was Aria. She looked fragile. It would not work. I would keep my distance, just as I had with the others. It was only a matter of time before she left as well. As I turned from the window, a knock came at my door.

"My lord, your mother asked me to inform you that your bride has arrived. She requests your presence downstairs for dinner."

"Tell her I'm on my way," I said, and shut the door.

Avoiding dinner was one thing my mother made impossible; she was fully capable of dragging me down herself. I didn't need to do much. Go down. Stay as far away as possible. Greet. Eat. Leave. I stood still for a moment with my hand on the still-hesitating door. Then I pulled it open and walked out.