Chapter 18
NICHOLAS
Teouldn’t remember the last time I was genuinely amused–or at least, the last time that amusement continued to bloom instead of fading into irritation. That was, until I met Adeline. Currently, she was stabbing her fork into the steak in front of her, and I was one hundred percent certain she was imaghing it was my face
“Your Highness?”
I reluctantly tore my gaze from Adeline and turned to the Lycan seated beside me, directly opposite her.
“What is it, Dimitri?”
Dimitri’s unease was evident in the flicker of his eyes before he cleared his throat. “I was just asking if you’ve picked a venue for the wedding
I almost sighed in exasperation. Few Lycans earned the privilege of dining at my table. Most were selected with care, but others, like Dimitri, had their spots secured through their parents influence. Lycans like him were a nuisance, constantly vying to prove their worth with inane conversations, if that would convince me they deserved a seat by merit alone.
It was always the young ones, desperate to prove themselves, who annoyed me the most.
“Why? An
“Why? Are you volunteering to be the wedding planner?” I asked flatly.
A ripple of laughter spread around the table, deepening Dimitri’s embarrassment as his face turned a deep shade of red. He looked down at his plate, his pride momentarily shattered.
“I was actually looking at some venues. If you’d like, maybe I could show you later, Adeline interjected.
Her voice silenced the roo
room. Every head turned in her direction, their meals and conversations forgotten. She didn’t seem to notice–or care. Her eyes stayed fixed on Dimitri, a faint, teasing smile on her lips.
Dimitri, the fool, blushed even deeper, though this time for a very different reason. Worse, he had the audacity to smile back. “It would be an honor,
Luna”
“Great”
“Enough.” My voice sliced through the air, cold and unyielding. “That will not be happening now or at any time in the near future. Eat your food.”
Adeline’s gaze snapped to me. There was no fear in her eyes, only defiance. “I was having a conversation, and I am not a dog. I will eat when I want to.”
My body acted before my mind could process, I yanked her out of her chair with a force that sent her cutlery clattering to the floor. Her struggle was instant, her attempts to wrench herself free only making my grip tighten. I dragged her out of the dining hall, ignoring the stunned silence behind us.
When we were outside, I slammed her against the wall with a ferocity that made the stone groan. My hand wrapped around her throat, cutting off her protests as her hands clawed at mine.
“I can tolerate your insolence and attitude in private,” I snarled, my face inches from hers, “because, on occasion, it amuses me. disrespect me in front of my pack. Do you understand?”
But never, ever
She struggled against my grip, her nails biting into my wrist as her face turned a mottled shade of red. I squeezed harder for emphasis, until her movements slowed. Only then did I release her. She crumpled to the ground, gasping for air, her hand clutching her throat.
I didn’t spare her another glance. Turning on my heel, I strode away, my beast snarling in my mind, frustrated by her defiance yet undeniably drawn to it.
What was it about her that scraped against my nerves, igniting my temper in ways no one else could?
I reached my study and slammed the door behind me. The silence that greeted me was welcome. I needed the solitude to reign in the storm within.
1/3
Chapter 18
Dropping into the chair behind my desk, I forced myself to calm the restless fury clawing at my chest.
Then came the knock.
“Whoever it is, leave,” I backed “Tcannot promise things will end pleasantly for you.”
Silence. For a moment, I thought whoever it was had headed my warning, But then the door handle turned, and the door swung opth.
Michael Smith stepped into my study, his face calm but his eyes betraying a deep anger
“I’m afraid I cannot do that,” he said evenly, “Considering the fact that you’re holding my daughter captive, I’ve come to tell you that this… arrangement, or whatever it is you’ve forced her into, is over.”
If I had been imitated before, I was now a breath away from outright fury. My beast roared in my mind, demanding I rip his throat out for his insolence.
But I forced it back, plastering a neutral expression on my face. “You might as well come in,” I said, my voice cold as ice. “Since you’ve already let yourself
Michael hesitated, his eyes scanning the study before stepping further inside. He stopped just a few feet from my desk, his posture rigid with tension.
“I’m not here to start trouble,” he began, his tone measured: “I just want my daughter. I’ll be taking her with me, and then I’ll leave. No words, no fights.”
I let out a short, humorless laugh, leaning back in my
my chair. “Your daughter stopped belonging to you the moment she agreed to be my Luna”
Michael’s jaw tightened, his eyes blazing with determination. “I don’t know what it took for you to make her agree to this,” he said, his voice rising with barely contained anger. “She won’t tell me. All I know is that she’s scared of you. She wants out.” He stepped closer, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened.
“So I’ll give you one chance to let her go, amicably” His voice dropped lower, but his intensity only grew. His next words hung in the air like a guillotine poised to drop. “Drelse,”
Now I was amused. Slowly, deliberately, I rose from my seat.
“First, you come into my home uninvited,” I said, each word a blade, cutting through the air between us. “And now you dare to threaten ma? You seem to forget yourself, wolf. You are nothing but a common breed. Alpha or no alpha, you are nothing compared to me. My power is absolute, and you—“I gestured at him dismissively, “-are nothing.”
To his credit, he didn’t flinch. Instead, he squared his shoulders, meeting my gaze with a boldness that bordered on suicidal.
“I am well aware of how powerful Lycans are,” he said, his voice steady, “and I know that power is what separates your kind from mine. But that’s not all, is it? it’s your arrogance, your constant need to prove you’re better, stronger, superior to everyone else.” He took another step closer, undeterred by the low growl emanating from my chest. –
“Wolves may not be as strong as Lycans,” he continued, “but we are unified. We stand together. You touch me, and the wolves will see it as an act of war And trust me, they will come for you.”
His words were bold, but it was the finality in his tone that caught my attention. “Now,” he said, turning toward the door, “I’m done with this conversation. I’m taking Adeline, and we’re walking out of here.”
Flet the sib
silence stretch as he reached for the doorknob.
“Michael”
He froze. His hand hovered over the door, and watched as his shoulders tensed, the realization of what he’d just done dawning on him.
“You think you’re walking out of here with my Luna?” My voice was dangerously low, a quiet storm. “You’re not leaving, Michael. Not with her. Not alive.”
Before he could react, the door slammed shut on its own, the lock clicking ominously into place. My beast stirred, its fury bleeding into my tone as I took a slow step forward.
“You wanted to threaten me?” I asked, my lips curling into a cruel smile. “Let me show you what happens when you challenge a king.”
