MARRIED TO THE HIDDEN LYCAN KING

CHAPTER 4: THE BROTHER

Sophia's breath caught.

"Your brother is the Lycan King?"

Damien's expression shuttered, the vulnerability she'd glimpsed disappearing behind an impenetrable mask.

"Technically, I am the Lycan King. By birthright, by blood, by every law that governs our kind." His voice was bitter. "But Alexander stole my throne when I was seventeen. He tried to kill me. Thought he'd succeeded."

The pieces began falling into place. The isolated estate. The guards. The way Lycans at the auction had whispered his name with fear.

"You've been hiding. All this time, you've been building an army in the shadows."

"I've been waiting." Damien moved to the window, staring out at the mountains. "Gathering strength. Forging alliances. And now, with you as my bride, I can finally step into the light."

"Because a wife makes you legitimate."

"Because a wife makes me seem stable. Civilized. Not the feral creature Alexander has painted me to be." He turned back to her, and there was something almost vulnerable in his expression. "The other Lycan families won't follow a rogue. But a mated Alpha with a human bride? That's tradition. That's power they can understand."

Sophia's mind raced. She'd known she was being used, but she hadn't understood the scale. This wasn't just a marriage of convenience. She was a chess piece in a war for the throne.

"What did Alexander do to take your kingdom?"

"He murdered our parents." The words were flat, emotionless. "Slaughtered them in their beds and blamed me for the crime. I was a boy. He was the golden child, the beloved crown prince. Everyone believed him."

"But you survived."

"I survived." A dark smile crossed his features. "I've spent fifteen years surviving. And now it's time to stop hiding."

She should have been afraid. She should have demanded to be released from this arrangement immediately. Instead, Sophia felt something unexpected stirring in her chest.

Anger.

Not at Damien—though she had plenty of that too—but at the injustice of it all. A boy, stripped of everything, hunted by his own brother, forced to become a monster just to stay alive.

She knew something about being used by family.

"So what happens now?" she asked.

"Now, we prepare for the Winter Court." Damien's tone turned businesslike. "In three weeks, the seven great Lycan families will gather to renew their allegiances. Alexander will be there, along with every Alpha who matters. It's the perfect opportunity to announce my return."

"And my role?"

"Stand beside me. Smile. Convince them that the fearsome Damien Vance has been tamed by a delicate human bride." His lips quirked. "Though 'delicate' may not be the right word for you."

"You want me to be a distraction."

"I want you to be a weapon. The families will be so busy scrutinizing you—where you came from, why I chose you, whether you're a threat—that they won't notice what I'm really doing."

"Which is?"

His smile turned predatory. "Building coalitions. Gathering evidence of Alexander's crimes. And preparing to take back everything that was stolen from me."

Sophia absorbed this, turning the information over in her mind. She was in far deeper than she'd realized. But she was also in a position of unexpected power.

Damien needed her. Not just as a prop, but as a genuine partner in his deception.

"If I'm going to convince anyone of anything, I need to understand what I'm dealing with," she said firmly. "I need to know everything—your history, your enemies, your allies. The customs of Lycan society, the political landscape, the threats."

"That's a lot of knowledge for a human."

"That's a lot of trust for a monster." She met his eyes without flinching. "You're asking me to stand at your side in front of creatures who could kill me without a thought. I won't do it blind."

For a long moment, Damien simply studied her. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"Lessons begin tomorrow. Elena will be your companion and guide. And Sophia?"

She paused at the door.

"Don't mistake my cooperation for weakness. You're useful to me, nothing more. The moment you become a liability, this arrangement ends."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

She left before he could respond, her heart pounding against her ribs.

Back in her rooms, she found Elena waiting with fresh clothes and nervous energy.

"The master seemed pleased," Elena ventured cautiously.

"The master doesn't do pleased." Sophia began pacing. "Elena, I need you to tell me everything you know about this place. About him. About the world I've just entered."

Elena's eyes widened. "Ma'am, I'm not sure—"

"I've arranged for you to be my personal attendant. That means you'll be at my side constantly. If I'm going to survive this, I need an ally." Sophia stopped, meeting the girl's gaze. "Will you help me?"

A beat of silence. Then Elena's expression firmed with unexpected resolve.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll tell you everything."

As the girl began to speak, revealing secrets about Thornwood Estate and its enigmatic master, Sophia felt the first spark of hope since her father's death.

She wasn't just a pawn anymore.

She was a player.

But somewhere in the depths of the mansion, a phone rang. Damien's face drained of color as he listened to the voice on the other end.

"Are you certain?" he demanded. "There's no mistake?"

The response made his blood run cold.

Alexander had found him. And he was coming.