MARKED BY THE LYCAN KING

The night they sold me to the Lycan King, the sky refused to stay quiet. Thunder rolled endlessly above the estate, low and violent, as if the heavens themselves were protesting what was about to happen. Cold wind slipped beneath my dress, biting at my skin, but I didn’t move. I couldn’t. Not when my entire life was being traded away. “Stand still,” my stepmother snapped, her fingers digging into my arm. “Don’t embarrass the family.” Family. The word felt wrong. Bitter. If they truly saw me as one of them, they wouldn’t be doing this. The estate gates opened with a heavy creak. Black vehicles rolled in slowly, their presence commanding silence. Guards straightened immediately. Servants lowered their heads. Even the air seemed to freeze. Then the doors opened. Men stepped out. Tall. Broad. Dangerous. They didn’t need to speak. Power clung to them like a second skin. Men who served only one master. The Lycan King. Fear slid into my chest like ice. Stories about him had followed me my whole life. A ruthless ruler. A monster in human form. A king who never forgave. And tonight… I belonged to him. A silver-haired man stepped forward, his sharp eyes landing on me. “You must be the girl.” “Yes,” my stepmother answered quickly. “This is her.” He walked closer, his gaze moving over me slowly, like he was assessing something he intended to own. Humiliation burned in my chest. Was I really being judged like this? After a moment, he nodded. “She will do.” Three simple words. And just like that, my fate was sealed. My father stepped forward, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I trust the King will be satisfied with the arrangement.” Arrangement. That was what they called selling their own daughter. “The King always gets what he wants,” the man replied. Before I could react, a warrior grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward. “Wait—!” No one answered. My stepmother looked away. My father said nothing. And just like that… I was taken. The car door slammed shut behind me. As the vehicle began to move, I turned toward the window. The estate slowly disappeared into the distance. The only home I had ever known. Gone. I knew then… I would never return. The journey was silent. Heavy. No one spoke. The men around me sat like shadows, watching without emotion. After what felt like hours, the car finally stopped. “Get out.” I stepped out and froze. Massive iron gates towered ahead, cutting into the night sky. Beyond them stood a dark castle, its sharp towers rising like blades. It didn’t look like a home. It looked like a prison. “Move.” The gates opened slowly. As we passed through them, something inside me sank. There was no escape. Inside the grounds, wolves roamed freely. Massive creatures with glowing eyes that followed my every step. I could feel their power. Their dominance. This was their world. And I didn’t belong in it. The castle doors opened before we reached them. Servants stood waiting, heads bowed, but their eyes flickered toward me with curiosity… and pity. “Take her to the King.” My breath caught. Already? I was led inside. The halls were vast, lined with black marble and golden light. Every step echoed too loudly, reminding me just how alone I was. We stopped in front of massive doors. They opened. At the far end of the room stood a man. Tall. Still. Watching the storm through a towering window. Even from behind, his presence filled the entire space. “The King,” someone whispered. He turned. And everything inside me froze. Golden eyes locked onto mine. Sharp. Inhuman. Predatory. Kael. The Lycan King. He began walking toward me slowly, each step measured, controlled. My heart pounded louder with every second. Until he stopped right in front of me. “So,” he said, his voice deep and steady. “You are the girl they sold to me.” A shiver ran down my spine. He leaned closer, his presence overwhelming, his breath warm against my skin. “You smell…” he murmured softly. My pulse spiked. “…interesting.” And in that moment, something beneath my skin stirred. Like it had been waiting.