Rejected by the Lycan king

CHAPTER 5 :OPHELIA

“That’s the Lycan King?”

Dahlia’s face is pressed against my window pane, looking out towards the procession and gathering being held for the King. He’d been in our pack for two days now, and it’s easy to say that I’ve been avoiding him.

I keep waiting for him to make a big scene and accuse my parents of their deceit. I keep waiting for him to reject me and order for Dahlia to be made his, shaming me once more in my pack. My head hangs between my legs as the thought threatens to weaken me.

“Are you alright?” Dahlia is patting my back, rubbing slow circles around the skin as she listens to me breathe harshly. When I still haven’t said a thing, she continues. “Mother told me that you and the Lycan King were locked in Father’s study for hours.”

“It wasn’t hours, Dal. And we weren’t ‘locked in’ or anything of the sort. Goddess.” She draws back, guilty eyes watching me warily.

“I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now, and I’m sorry that you’re being shoved into my duty,” I laugh as she says this. "But I’m truly sorry. I couldn’t stand with my family and marry this man and now, you’re being made to.”

“Honestly, Dal, he’s not that bad. And I think the rumors are just that, rumors.”

“You’re only saying that because your husband is a hottie.” She’s gone back to staring out of the window. “I don’t know why my mother was so against him. She normally disregards the tall tales that people circulate.”

My lips are pinched as I watch her, her gaze riveted outside the window. Apparently, she’s now taken a liking to the Lycan King. I sigh and she turns to me.

“Would you like to get married to him instead?”

Her eyes bulge out of her face, and she waves her arms in front of her. “There’s now way, Fee. That mine is like, ten times bigger than me.”

Her eyes rake down my figure, and she realizes that I’m smaller than her as well. She smiles tightly and stands,

“I think mother would be searching for me. She doesn’t want me wandering around now that the Lycan King’s people are free to roam the house.”

She’s gone the next second, leaving me alone with my riotous thoughts. I think back on Rafael’s confrontation days ago. It doesn’t make any sense that he'd be aware of father’s trickery and decide to cover it up. In return for my unyielding devotion to him.

I shiver and stand from my bed, pulling on a sweater over my cotton gown. The festivities are still ongoing, letting me know that my father is still preoccupied. I put on my slippers and head downstairs, making sure no one sees me as I slip into his library.

Father sometimes uses this space as his office, although no one really knows that. Because of that, Lucretia had banned Dahlia and I from entering the space, even though I’m the only one in the family who actively reads.

I’m so used to the dark space – years of sneaking in unseen – that I head freely in the dark towards the light source. I switch it on and turn, about to head to my favorite section.

“f**k – “

I jump back at the shocked sound, my eyes widening as I take in Rafael and a pale man standing beside him. I realize that I’ve seen the new man, although now I can see the striking resemblance he bears with Rafael. Are they brothers?

“What are you doing here?” I try to invoke as much force in my voice, not going to back down as they’ve been caught snooping in our library.

“I was interested in your botanical...” Rafael grips his brother’s arm, an unspoken conversation happening between the two of them. His brother seems to get what Rafael isn’t saying and drops a binder on the large center desk.

“If you’ll excuse me.” He tilts his head and rushes out. While I want to run out with him, to get away from whatever Rafael has planned for me, I force myself to remain still. Waiting.

“I’m glad that it’s you. It’ll have been awkward to explain why Xander and I are away from the festivities being held in my honour.” He picks up the binder that his brother, Xander, placed on the desk and hands it to me.

Confused, I look down at the folder, spying the numbers written on it. My brows furrow the more. “Why are you looking through my father’s ledgers?”

“Because your father is being naughty. I got news that he’s aiding a particular pack, one that has an unruly Alpha who’s always ready to butt heads with me.” He scoffs as he says this.

“You’re referring to Alpha Camden.” I’ve heard about Father’s friend and how brave he was in front of the cruel Lycan King.

“So you know him. The information must be true then, if Kieran’s children know of this man.”

I frown at his insinuation. “You don’t know your parents' friends?”

He laughs at this, plucking the binder from my arms and slamming it shut. “That’ll mean that my parents had any friends. And seeing as they were betrayed by those closest to them, that'd be a no.”

He pushes the binder back into its spot on the shelf and looks around. “I couldn’t find what I was looking for anyway and I’m due to head back to my territory tomorrow. But it’s no issue.”

The way he’s smiling has my hackles rising, and I know what he’s going to hear before he even says it.

“You’re going to help me get proof of your father’s treachery. You’re mine now, remember.”