The Lycan King Faceless Mate

09

Dorian's Pov

I woke up with a pounding headache that felt like a physical weight pressing behind my eyes.

A heavy, warm pressure anchored my right arm to the mattress. For a few seconds, I couldn't even piece together where I was. My ears rang with a dull, low-frequency buzz, and my thoughts felt thick, clouded by a sluggish heaviness.

I reached down with my free hand, and my entire body went rigid.

I wasn't wearing a single stitch of clothing.

My breath caught, my lungs tightening as the fog in my brain instantly cleared. What the hell happened last night?

I tried to pull my arm back, but the weight remained solid, pinning me down. Someone was draped completely over my side. I slowly turned my head, my eyes straining against the dark to make out the silhouette of the figure lying beside me in the bed.

Before I even reached for the lamp, a cold, sharp dread settled in my stomach. Please don't let this be someone from the packs. I extended my left hand, finding the cold metal switch of the bedside lamp, and clicked it on.

Bright, yellow light flooded the bedroom, cutting through the shadows.

Then, I finally saw the girl's face.

It had started the day before.

I had driven into Ashmere for a wedding celebration. One of the local Alphas under my rule was marrying some human woman, and the formal invitation had been sitting on my desk for months. Since I already had some territory business to settle in the area, I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. Once the meetings were wrapped up, I decided to show my face at the reception to catch up with the Black Hood delegation, the Gray family, and a few other key players from the surrounding territories.

By the time I made my appearance, the formal reception had already degenerated into a loud, chaotic after-party.

The bass from the speakers vibrated straight through the floorboards, rattling the ice in the glasses. The crowd was a blur of sweat, flashing jewelry, and expensive cologne.

That was when she approached me.

Elena.

She stopped right in front of me, her lips curved into a smug, entirely confident smile. She had no clue who she was actually standing in front of. As far as she and the rest of this room were concerned, I was just another nameless Alpha visiting from a neighboring territory.

"What's an Alpha like you doing here without a mate?" she asked, her voice easily cutting through the noise.

I looked down at her, keeping my face completely blank. "How do you know I don't have a mate?"

She smirked, leaning in just close enough for me to catch the heavy scent of her perfume. "I can smell it." Her eyes slowly dragged down my chest and back up. "Even if you do have a mate, I don't mind taking her place tonight."

I rolled my eyes, turning my shoulder to dismiss her as I took a slow breath, letting the heavy bass of the music fill the silence between us.

"Excuse me," she said, stepping back into my line of sight, her expression tightening. "I'm talking to you."

I didn't bother responding, staring right past her.

"If you marry me, your pack will become powerful," she pushed, her voice rising with a touch of desperation. "Do you even know who I am?"

I finally looked her dead in the eyes. "Who are you?"

She lifted her chin, her shoulders squaring. "The Black Hood."

My expression didn't change. I just stared.

"Have you heard of the Black Hood delegation?" she demanded, clearly annoyed by my lack of reaction. "My father is the Alpha. If you marry me, you'll gain the trust of many Alphas across different territories." She took another step closer, lowering her voice. "And if you're lucky, you might even earn the Lycan King's trust."

A small, quiet smile touched the corner of my lips. "Wow. You have real power."

"I do," she replied, her eyes sparking as she took my response as a win. "But I don't have a mate. And I'd like you to be mine. You're exactly what I want. You're taller than me, which is rare. It's hard to find a wolf taller than I am."

I let out a heavy sigh, my patience completely shot. "Listen, she-wolf. I don't care who you are. Stay away from me."

Instead of backing off, her grin only grew wider. "I'm sticking with you tonight." Then, she tilted her head, her gaze shifting. "But first, can I ask you for a favor?"

"What favor?"

Just then, a server walked past our table, carrying a silver tray loaded with fresh drinks.

I reached out and grabbed one of the tall glasses from the tray. Elena quickly snatched one up as well. But as her fingers wrapped around her glass, her eyes darted to my drink, and a strange, knowing smile crept onto her face.

The look was subtle, but I caught it instantly. My muscles tensed.

"Why are you smiling?" I asked, my voice dropping.

"Nothing," she replied smoothly, her expression instantly flattening into something innocent. She raised her glass toward mine. "I'm just happy to be talking to an Alpha."