The Lycan King's Forbidden Mate

22

The cold night air was thick, there lingered the scent of blood and betrayal. I stood frozen, my breath ragged and my heart pounding with a storm of emotions I could no longer contain.

I gathered all the remaining courage left in me and glanced at Ronan, who is niw still on his knees down, bound.

His face was bruised, his clothes tattered, and iron chains bound his wrists.

'I was the one who killed Alpha Aric. By the orders of Alaric...'

THe words he last said once again rang in my ear, making my heart pound even harder against my chest, it was too rough its already getting hard to breath...

I should have felt relief seeing him like this.

I should have been grateful to Lucas and his men for capturing him, and I should have abeen grateful to King Marcus for wanting to punish him, for wsanting to brutally execute him, for seeing him the traitor he trully was.

But right now, all I could feel was the burning fury of a truth that seemed too cruel to bear.

"You... you were the one..."

I whispered, Before I could even notice, I already managed to pick up the dagger I found on the ground, my fingers trembled against the hilt.

"You killed him. You killed Alpha Aric."

Ronan lifted his head, his eyes shadowed with...

Regret?

"Foxy, I—"

"Don't say my name!"

I snarled, and stepped closer towards him.

"I trusted you! I saved your life from King Marcus who wanted your head because after everything that you are ready to do to follow a leader like Alaric, after you decide that it was okay for you to forget everything that we've been through together for him, I still trust you. And now, you're telling me... That you murdered the one wolf who took me in, gave me a family, made me who I am?"

Tears blurred my vision, but then I refused to let them fall. I felt my chest ache as if my heart had been clawed open.

I wanted to strike him down, to make him suffer as I had suffered in the cruel fact that Alpha Aric died.

But I couldn't...

My fingers tightened around the dagger. And I could hear Lucas and Ayane shifting impatiently behind me, they were as if waiting for me to make my choice.

Waitinng for me to either kill him, so I can avenge Alpha Aric's death or let him live, and betray the justice Aric Barlowe deserved.

"Say something..."

I demanded, my voice cracking.

"Tell me why. Tell me how you could do this to him. To me. How could you follow Alaric's orders knowing how cruel he was? He had no power to give anyone orders while Aric was still the Alpha!"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Then make me understand!"

I snapped.

"You were my friend, Ronan! My packmate! You knew what Alaric was! You knew how cruel he was!"

My voice cracked, and I hated myself for it.

"He was supposed to stand by Aric's side, he was his father, and he was your Alpha, and he was good how could you betray him?!"

Ronan flinched.

"I know..."

"Then why?"

My sharp nails bit into my palm.

"Tell me!"

Ronan exhaled slowly.

"The Alpha. Aric had to die."

My breath caught.

"You…you actually believe that? Our Alpha was a great leader! He protected us!"

"He was weak!"

Ronan's voice rose, frustration etched in every word.

"Alaric would have killed him with or without me! I only—"

"You only helped him!"

My eyes blazed with anger.

"You betrayed us! You betrayed me!"

"I tried to protect you!"

Ronan roared, yanking at his chains.

"Alaric wanted you dead too! The moment he rejected you, you were a threat! Do you think he would have let you live, knowing what you are? What you could become?"

I took a shaky step back.

"What are you talking about?"

Ronan's gaze softened.

"Alpha Aric knew. That's why he kept you close. You're stronger than any of us, Foxy. You are wolfless now but you are stronger than any of us Alaric found out he feared that. He knew that if you found your true strength, you could overthrow him. He wanted you gone. I made a deal to keep you alive."

I felt my world tilted as confusion began to gnawed at me.

Lies.

They had to be lies...

But why does the pain in Ronan's eyes felt too real.

"You expect me to believe that?"

I whispered.

"I expect you to see the truth."

Ronan's voice was almost a plea.

"Yes I know, Alaric is ruthless, but he's not a fool. He'll come for you. And when he does, you need to be ready."

"After all these, you've come here to take me back to him after he rejected me, you expect me to believe you? Whose side do you trully serve, Ronan?"

I asked and turned away, my heart pounding.

"I was serving Alaric, following his orders out of fear. You knew him and so I did, we know what he's capable of... I was here to follow what he wanted me to do, Spy on you and the King's guards and everyone in the kingdom. But I had no plans of letting him take you back. Unlike the others, I still value our friendship, Foxy."

"I don't know if I can forgive you, nor I don't know whether to belive you, Ronan."

I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

I shook my head and took a step back.

"How would I know you're not lying? How would I know you are only doing this, telling me all these lies because you just wanted power. Or telling me all these because you are only despertate to escape punishment?"

Ronan's lips twisted into a pained smile. "

If I wanted power, I wouldn't be in chains now, would I?"

My breathing grew shallow. The truth twisted inside me, an unbearable storm. Had Aric really knew who I was? What I was capable of? How strong I am when being wolfless is reason enough to believe that I am nothing but a liability to my own kind, an embarassment.

Had Ronan was only trying to save me? Following the wrong out of fear?

Or was this just another lie, another betrayal?

My heart clenched... All these are just too much to know, too impossible to believe...

And no matter what he tries to tell me, the thruth he admitted was reason enough for me to hate him.

No matter what Ronan say, he still killed Aric.

I raised the dagger, my hands shaking. If I kill him now, will this be enough to send a message to Alpha Aric that though I am weak and wolfless, he can't rule my life the way I was too close to letting him to?

Or killing Ronan means I will lose another wolf who one became my family? A trusted friend...

All these thoughs began to storm in my head, my tears slid down my cheeks as I let out a broken sob.

"I hate you..."

I whispered, as I dropped the dagger to the ground.

Ronan looked at me, his expression unreadable.

"No. You don't."

She turned away, not wanting to see him any longer. I would let Marcus decide his fate now.

As for me, I felt lost.

Lost in grief, in rage, and in a world that had shattered once more.

But the moment I took a step forward, the sound of breaking chains rang through the air.

And before I could react, Ronan already lunged.

The dagger I dropped, was now in his grip, slashed towards me, the wicked gleam in his eyes revealed the truth.

"You're a fool, Foxy."

Ronan hissed.

"You always were. Did you really think I regretted betraying you?"

I barely dodged the first strike, but I felt the pain began to lace through my shoulder as the blade nicked my flesh.

"You were nothing but a game to me, to Alpha Alaric."

He laughed, circling me like a predator savoring the kill.

"Watching you suffer was the real reward."

He added.

I tried to dodge the second time he swung the blade, Lucas and Ayane shifted into their wolf, ready to attack for me.

A sudden gust of wind roared through the canyon, carrying the scent of ancient power.

Seconds later, a deep, thunderous growl split the night.

Ronan barely had time to react before a blur of shadow and silver crashed into him, sending him sprawling. The air was thick with the scent of blood, my eyes widened as I watched the massive figure loomed over Ronan, one who made even the bravest wolves tremble.

The Lycan King, King Marcus.

His golden gaze burned with fury, his claws dripping as he stepped over Ronan's lifeless body.

Lucas and Ayane froze.

While I was panting and wounded.

I met King Marcus's gaze.

"Stand."

He commanded.

I clutched over my bleeding shoulders and forced myself to stand, I immidiately took a step back when I heard him growl, and before I knew it, he already shifted back into his human form. His face without expression as his gaze shifted to Ayane and Lucas, he did not say anything but the two only nodded as if understanding his silent command.

"King Marcus, I-"

I could no longer finish my sentence, my breath hitched as my heart began to pound eratically against my chest when without a word, King Marcus leaned forward and carried me gently in his strong arms.

I remained silent, instead I let him take me back inside the castle.