The Lycan King's Secret Mate

chapter 4

Lucy POV

I agreed to Maddox’s terms before turning and running straight back to the packhouse. As soon as I got to my room I let myself cry for two minutes. Two minutes and that’s it, and in the safety of my room because I will never let that man see me cry. He doesn’t deserve my tears, no he doesn’t, I hear Diana whisper in the back of my mind.

“I’m sorry about our mate Diana,” I tell her.

“It’s not your fault, don’t apologize for him. Plus, I don’t think his Lycan wants to give us up.”

“I don’t think his Lycan has much sway over Maddox.”

“Maybe not, I guess we’ll see.”

Once Diana has retreated again, I start to pack my stuff up. I have a feeling if I’m not ready I’ll still have to leave and I don’t want to leave with just the clothes on my back. I might not have much but what I do have is mine and I don’t want to be without it. I’m just finishing up when I hear a knock at my door. I’m curious who that could be because no one ever actually knocks they just barge in. “Come in,” I call out, and am surprised with Kara opens the door and walks in.

“Hello there, I’m assuming Maddox came to talk to you,” she motions at the bag on my bed.

“Yes, he asked that I come back with you all to cook for you leading up to, and on the day of your ceremony,” saying that out loud creates a fissure in my chest. My mate is going to be with his chosen and I have to be there to watch it. Not just that, but I will have to be a part of the ceremony. That’s so messed up on so many levels I don’t even know how to work through this.

“Yes, I’m so excited, I tried some of your breakfast this morning and I swear to the Goddess I’ve never tasted anything that good in my whole life. I just had to have you there to cook for us, I want my day to be perfect.”

“I can understand that.”

“That’s why I told Maddox to ask you instead of just demand it of you, can’t have a pissed off cook in the kitchen’s now can we?” She chuckles at that, but there’s something in her eyes that tells me she’s not just saying that to be funny. She’s trying to feel me out.

“No definitely not, thank you for being considerate.”

“Of course, well I guess I’ll leave you to it okay? We’re leaving in like an hour so I’ll meet you out front then.”

“See you in a bit.” I’m relieved when she finally leaves, but that relief is short lived when my door slams open five minutes later as Maddox bursts in on me. Will my luck never change? “Can I help you with something?” I ask him, probably a little snarkier than I should but whatever.

“I hope you’re packed, we’re leaving now.”

“I thought we were leaving in an hour?”

“Have I given you the impression that you can talk back to me?”

“No I’m sorry it’s just that-“

“Just that what?” He interrupts me, “I can see there’s nothing left in this s.hithole of a room for you to pack and you have no one you need to say goodbye to, you’re utterly alone here are you not?” My eyes prick with tears as I think about just how true his words are.

“Fine, I’m ready let’s go.” I follow him out and see that Kara along with my Alpha and Luna are already waiting outside.

“Thank you again for lending me your Omega. My mate is quite taken with her cooking, it’s a very high compliment to your pack that she would rather have this Omega be our cook for the week than one who has been professionally trained.”

“Of course, we take it as the deepest compliment,” my Alpha says before turning his head towards me and nodding. I’m about to continue following Maddox when my Luna speaks up.

“Do behave yourself Omega,” she says in a stern voice, “you are representing our entire pack and it would be a disservice to you as well as all of us if you were to embarrass us in any way.” The threat in her voice is clear, behave or face the consequences when I return. Like I’m not even a person just some commodity to be traded back and forth. Too bad I can’t tell her what I really think as I bow to her.

“Of course, Luna,” we finally get in the car and I’m sitting up front with the driver while Maddox and Kara get in the back and immediately put up the privacy partition. I don’t even know how to feel right now. On the one had Maddox was right, I don’t really have much going for me here. On the other hand, Maddox, Kara, and my Alpha decided I could be put out on loan. I was being ripped away from the only home I know to wait on my fated mate and his chosen mate the week of their ceremony. I would much rather be back at my own packhouse than going there with them. I end up falling asleep as these thoughts swirl around my head only to be awoken by the driver once we reach the palace, it must have taken us a while to get here since it’s dark out now. As soon as I get out of the car I start to walk up the steps before my brain catches up with my actions and I realize I don’t know where to go.

“Belinda will show you to your room,” Kara says as she walks up behind me, “and for future reference you should always walk behind the royal couple.”

“Oh shoot, okay, I’m sorry.” I wasn’t here to make any trouble I just wanted to do what they wanted me to do and get back to my pack, hopefully with my heart and mind intact. I move to the side and Kara and Maddox walk in without a backwards glance at me. I stand there for another minute before a woman who looks to be in her 30’s approaches me.

“Hey, I’m Belinda. Kara sent me a message when you guys left and told me to get a room ready for you, she wanted something near the kitchen so you wouldn’t have to wander through the whole palace to get to where you need to be to cook.”

“Okay, that sounds good I’ll just follow you then.”

She gives me a look of sympathy and guilt, I think, “the rooms near the kitchen aren’t our best, I’m sorry but it’s probably not what you think it will be.”

I chuckle, “I’m sure it can’t be worse than my old room, lead the way.” I follow her away from the front steps and to a side door. We enter and make our way through a few different hallways before we come to a stop in front of a room, she opens the door and motions for me to enter.

“Here we are, it’s not anything huge but you do have your own bathroom down here. We couldn’t have Omega bath and shower rooms near the kitchen so the rooms down here all get their own ensuite.”

“Wow,” I say walking in. This room is easily twice the size of my other room. It’s simple with a bed, dresser, rug, and wardrobe but it’s more than I have ever had.

“Right, I’ll leave you to it. It’s the middle of the night so I’ll have someone bring you some food and I’ll show you around in the morning.”

“Okay thank you,” as soon as she leaves I put my bag on the bed and start to unpack. It’s funny I have a whole dresser and closet and my clothes barely take up one full drawer. I’m just finishing putting my toothbrush in the bathroom when the door opens. I run out expecting it to be the food, unfortunately it’s my mate.

“Settling in I see.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“I came to remind you not to forget yourself while you’re here. You have agreed to a verbal contract and I won’t have you breaking it. You will also leave me and my mate alone. You will have as little contact with us as possible, and if I were you, I would get rid of any ridiculous notions you might have about the two of us. I do not want you as my mate, and I will not fall under your spell.”

“Perfect,” I tell him with a confidence I don’t feel at all, “because I want nothing to do with you as my mate. In fact, maybe we should just reject each other now. End this charade before we get caught.”

“No,” he growls out as his eyes flicker, not darker like I assumed they would, no they actually seem to get brighter. His eyes look like pools of molten gold as his wolf surges forward and reaches out to grab me. “He will not reject you I won’t let him,” he says as he smashes his mouth against mine before he pulls back, shakes his head and storms out of my room.

This is going to be a lot harder than I thought it would.

Author's Note - Thank you all for joining me on Maddox and Lucy's journey. I'd love to hear what you're thinking of this book so far, how do you feel about Maddox keeping his mate a secret and forcing her to be a part of his ceremony to his chosen?!