He led me to their vehicle, a very stylish and quite expensive one. Once inside, I found myself handcuffed to the back seat.

I attempted to reason with him, but it was futile, as he immediately taped my mouth shut and left.

After countless attempts to free myself, which I failed, I finally succumbed to despair and surrendered everything to fate.

A few hours passed before the alphas began to depart, causing my heart to race, wondering what could be the king's intention for taking me with him.

The lycan king emerged in the company of his beta and his guards.

But he did not get into the vehicle I occupied; instead, he hopped into a different one, and we all sped away.

I let out a sigh. Have you ever stopped to think about those moments when you just can't tell if you're going to make it through the next minute? That's precisely what I was experiencing.

However, without warning, the vehicle's tire ruptured, causing the car to skid uncontrollably.

As the driver desperately fought to regain control. Time seemed to slow as the vehicle flipped end over end, the world outside becoming a blur of asphalt and sky.

"Oh heavens!" I cried out, thank goodness for the cuffs which I clung on to.

The sound of metal groaning and glass shattering filled the air, a cacophony of chaos as the car landed on its roof with a deafening thud.

For a moment, everything was still.

Then the driver and the other wolves managed to unbuckle their seatbelt.

They pushed against the crumpled roof of the car, searching for a way to escape. With effort, they managed to crawl out through a shattered window

They began to walk away, leaving me behind. I made some muffled sound through the tape, but they either didn't hear it or chose to ignore it.

Aching all over, I peered through the broken window and noticed that the alpha's car had flipped over as well.

What could have caused this, I wondered. He emerged from the car, and stood still, as if trying to listen to something.

"Who's there?" he yelled authoritatively. "Show yourself and stop being such a coward!"

A chilling laugh echoed in my ears, making me shudder.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't our esteemed Lycan King!" the voice mocked from the shadows of the bushes.

As I glanced around, I finally spotted the source of that sarcastic voice hiding among the foliage. He stood up and stepped out.

"Anson," the beta spat out in a barely contained rage, his tone low and menacing.

"Miss me?" Anson asked with an exuberant grin.

"Yeah, right-like I'd ever miss a pesky mosquito," Cauldron retorted, stepping in front of the lycan to protect him against an attack.

Anson cackled wildly; he is definitely a lunatic-there's no way he is normal, I thought.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, dear lycan king. This is the end of the road for you," he declared, any sign of amusement vanished completely from his face.

A sense of unease washed over me as I peered into the thicket, where countless golden eyes glimmered back at me-werewolves lurking in the shadows.

"Attack!" Anson commanded.

And they did; they all swarmed toward the lycan king, but the beta and the guards intercepted them.

They transformed into their wolf forms and initiated an attack as well.

A brutal conflict ensued, but they emerged victorious over their foes. But Anson narrowly escaped. Then they all returned to their human form.

At the very last moment, a wolf attempted to strike the king from behind. With a swift, fluid motion, he caught the wolf mid-attack, his powerful grip around its throat.

The feral animal struggled, teeth bared in a last desperate attempt to escape. But the king was relentless, channeling his primal rage.

In a brutal display of strength, he tore the wolf to pieces, the sound of ripping flesh echoing through the stillness of the night.

Blood spilled everywhere. As I witnessed this, I felt myself freeze, a wave of fear washing over me once more.

This led to his face covering slipping away, unveiling a strikingly handsome face that took my breath away.

But then he turned his glowing red eyes on me and approached.

No, no, no, I screamed desperately in my head and tried to get away, but it was pointless.

He approached the car, yanked the door open, and snapped my cuffs off. Just how powerful is this guy?

He pulled me out, snarling, "Behave!" before ripping the tape off my mouth.

I complied without hesitation; that show of strength was far from child's play. And all those coverings on him, enhanced his menacing appearance.

"What is the status of the cars?" he was asking his beta.

"It's utterly damaged." Cauldron replied.

"Get in touch with the team and request that a car be sent over."

"No, your majesty, doing that will give away our location and also alert the enemy," his beta cautioned.

"So, we're moving on foot?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"That would be our wisest course of action."

And so, we set off on this wretched journey. I was so exhausted but kept on, so that they won't find out I'm human.

The elixir that Roxanne gave me to cover my human scent while spying on the alphas was still active, so let me not blow it.

After a few hours of walking, they chose to take a break for the night by the river, where they all washed the bloodstains off.

After returning from bathing, they retired for the night without lighting a fire, but they were protected from the cold since werewolves have the ability to generate heat from their bodies.

I waited till they fell asleep, though they are very alert but also good sleepers.

Carefully, I slipped out, and as soon as I was far enough away, I took off running.

Tonight was my chance. Tonight, I will reclaim my freedom.

As I ran towards the line of trees, shadows enveloped me like a cloak, granting me a fleeting sense of security.

Every step I took was a silent plea to the universe: let this be the moment I escaped.

But as I rounded a thick trunk, the sound of a low growl froze me in place.

I looked around; everything was still. As I continued to walk and scan my surroundings, I unexpectedly bumped my leg against a stone, causing me to trip and fall.

"Ouch!" I hissed in pain but attempted to rise and carry on, but the ground literally gave way beneath me. What the heck?

I searched my surroundings, but there was no one in sight. I attempted once more and ended up falling again.

"Okay, who's there?" I called out.

And an image appeared, I gasped in horror.

"Going somewhere?" the lycan king asked, emerging from the trees. His voice was smooth but laced with an underlying tension.

His gaze locked onto me, and a mix of fear and exhilaration sparked within me. His face was now covered but his glowing eyes were visible.

"How... how did you find me?" I stammered, attempting to compose myself.

He narrowed his gaze at me and stated, "I'm the lycan king."

That's it! As if that explains everything. Wait, well it kind of does; a lycan king is the most powerful werewolf.

Looking around he asked, "What are you doing out here?"

"Uh nothing, just needed to relieve myself," I said, endeavoring to maintain an appearance of indifference to his presence.

"Really, so far away from the camp?" he asked, his tone filled with doubt.

I chuckled awkwardly and said, "I felt shy with all the guys around."

"Really, a slave like you shouldn't care about that; you should be used to being unclothed in front of people."

I gasped, what audacity. What does he take me for? A stripper?

"I hate to break it to you, but I like my own privacy."

He studied me for a moment, "You are brave, I'll give you that," he said, his voice deep and rumbling.

He approached me, and yanked my hair back. I yelped due to the pain.

Indifferent to my distress, he leaned in towards my ear and spoke in a chilling whisper, "Know this carefully: no one, and I mean no one, gets away from me. So any thought of escaping should be erased completely from your mind."

I struggled to break free, yet he dragged me back. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," I answered, then he thrust me aside.

Regaining my composure, I turned to face him. Despite being covered, he still emanates a strong masculine allure which was messing with my equilibrium.

"Now, go and relieve yourself," he said to me.

I went to a secluded spot and thank goodness I was able to discharge something.

As I glanced over my shoulder, I noticed him facing away from me. I tried to sneak away, knowing I might not get this chance again.

As I tiptoed, I heard him clear his throat, turning around, I found him staring at me.

I flashed a smile and bolted forward; it's better to make a break from it.

But suddenly, he materialized out of nowhere right in front of me, causing me to stumble back.

As he lunged to grab me, I kicked and clawed at him, yet he managed to overpower me.

"What a wildcat!" he remarked, tossing me over his shoulder and striding back to the camp.

Once the camp came into view, a fresh wave of panic hit me, and I struggled to break free again.

Then, to my astonishment,he suddenly delivered a swift smack to my backside, which left me stunned-nobody had ever done that.

It was a sensation that intertwined pleasure with agony, igniting a fire within me.

"You tyrant," I yelled, scared of what his action was igniting.

"You'll receive another one if you don't behave," he threatened. Taking caution, I behaved; that hand on my back was affecting my body.

"You should be grateful you're not dead, I'm not a very patient man."

"What do you want with me?" I asked dejectedly.

"Patience, you will know in due time."

Once we got to the campsite, the rest of the group awoke.

"Your Majesty, what happened?" they were asking.

"Got our little run away," he replied as he dropped me and bound my hands and feet; "this ought to keep you in place."

"Tyrant! You can't hold me captive like this. I will... " and he pulled the rope tighter, causing me to cry out.

"That's more like it," he remarked with a smile and went away. I'll get him back for this when I have the chance.

When I woke up the next morning, my whole body ached; being restrained for so long is quite an uncomfortable experience.

"Get up," one of the guards barked at me.

I attempted to, but was unsuccessful, so they freed my legs and hands. After the morning routine we carried on with our journey.

Fortunately, it wasn't long before we arrived at a human settlement.

Upon our arrival, an individual greeted us on our way.

"My king," he bowed.

"Jerome," the king acknowledged, "is everything ready?" he asked.

"A room has been reserved, and the cars will arrive later in the day."

"Alright, lead the way."

We reached an opulent hotel that likely costs a fortune. We were shown to an impressive suite, but when I attempted to step inside, I was stopped.

"What do you think you're doing?" Cauldron the Beta asked.

"Entering inside," I replied.

"Your room is downstairs. You are banned from entering this room and should be punished for daring to do so."

"Let's not make a scene; we are in human territory, remember?" the king cautioned.

So I was led downstairs to a room that was lacking and cramped.

The guard shoved me inside and warned, "You move out ..." then he made a sign with his thumb crossing his neck, then left.

I recoiled from that gesture. Once I had my shower and got dressed, I began to devise my escape plan.

I gently opened the door and peered outside. I saw two wolves guarding me. Oh, this is not going to be easy, I thought to myself.

I closed it, paced back and forth, racking my brain for an escape plan starting with those two outside.

It wasn't long before I heard a knock at the door. When I opened it, they brought in some food that smelled quite appetizing.

The sight of the food made my stomach grumble; the moment they were gone, I eagerly consumed it.

I felt as though I hadn't had a meal in forever; after eating, I was completely satisfied and lay down to relax.

I heard footsteps descending the stairs and decided to look through the keyhole.

I spotted the lycan and his beta making their way out, but suddenly he glanced in my direction. Our eyes locked in an intense gaze that made my heart skip a beat.

Behave! I literally heard that in my mind, was that a mind link. How possible is that.

Suddenly, I felt dizzy and sleepy. Oh no, they must have drugged my food, and I dozed off.

The sound of knocking and the thumping in my room roused me.

Thinking it was robbers, I let out a scream, but someone quickly clamped their hand over my mouth.

"Zip it, wench," Cauldron warned.

Oh, it's the wolves. Looking around, I could make out their faces now and calmed down.

"She's quiet, Your Majesty," he said before releasing me.

The king gave a nod and told everyone, "You can leave now.'

They obeyed and went out, leaving me alone with him.

He walked to a table and propped himself up on it. The heat radiating from him was intoxicating, and despite my protests, my body betrayed me.

I could feel the tension crackling in the air, the undeniable chemistry that pulled me to him.

"Reena, right?" he began.

Ignoring that, I narrowed my eyes on him and said, "You had your men drug my food."

"For you to sleep soundly," he said matter-of-factly.

"What? Why would you do that?" He didn't even refute it, what a despicable person he is!

"Knowing you, I'm pretty sure you're not going to get any sleep, plotting your escape, of course, and I need you to look good this morning," he replied.

"Look good? What for?"

"I have a proposition for you."

My curiosity was piqued, prompting me to ask, "What proposition?"

"I need you to pretend to be my wife."

My jaw dropped in disbelief.

Coming out of the shock of his proposition, "You don't mean that," I said in denial.

"Unfortunately, I do," he continued.

"I'm in need of a wife to keep the pressure of mating off my back, "he clarified.

"What about a mate, because I know every werewolf has one."

"I still haven't met her, and honestly, the whole mate thing doesn't interest me; it's just pointless," he said dismissively.

"You don't believe in love," I asked.

"Do you?" he shot back, and I was at a loss for words.

"I haven't experienced it personally, but I truly believe that having someone by your side forever is a beautiful thing."

"More like a cage," he scoffed.

"But I have no feelings for you whatsoever."

"I'm aware of that, you're only going to pretend," he remarked with an exaggerated eye roll.

"I'm not going to do it," I said finally. It's a deceitful act, I won't succumb, no matter how powerful or attractive he was, which he definitely was. I thought, almost drooling, Get your act together, Reena!

He scoffed and crossed his arms, saying, "It's not as if you have a choice."

"What do you mean?"

"It's either you agree to my proposition, or I will mete out the punishment given to spies, which you definitely are."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me," he dared me, as his eyes sparked with a fiery red.

Fear seized me and i distanced myself from him. The memory of his actions toward that wolf in the woods sent a chill down my spine.

"So, what's it going to be?" he asked, rising from the table.

In a moment of desperation, I asked, "What if I happen to meet my mate someday?"

With a chuckle, he confidently remarked, "Oh, you won't!"

"You can't predict that."

"Oh I can,"

Something in his eyes unsettles me. Suddenly, my eyes widened. Oh no, don't tell me...

"Yes, I am aware that you're human," he declared.

"Do you read minds?" I asked in astonishment.

He laughed, "What do you think?"

There's no escaping this monster. Is there a limit to his abilities? "When did you find out?"

"The moment I saw you, others may not pick up on your scent amidst the elixir, but you seem to overlook that I'm not merely an alpha; as a lycan, my senses are far more acute."

I questioned him, a hint of anger in my voice, "If you knew all of this back then, why did you make me walk such a long journey?" It frustrated me to think he had been toying with me all this while.

"I was curious to test how tenacious you could be in concealing your identity. Your efforts were impressive, which makes you a perfect candidate for this job," he finished.

He approached the window and peered outside. However, I persisted, "What if..."

The door opened and a woman walked in.

"My king," she greeted with a bow.

He acknowledged her with a nod, then turned to me and said, "Reena, this is Joy. She'll help you get dressed. Follow her instructions, and we will continue this conversation later." With that, he departed.

Immediately we kicked off; she was such a chatterbox, trying to know what was between the king and I.

She certainly worked her magic on me; I barely recognized myself before we set off in a stylish limousine.

Sitting beside the king in the back seat, I wondered how this would work. I didn't even know anything about him, including his name.

"How do you propose we could pull this off? Everyone will definitely know I'm human," I asked, starting the conversation.

No they won't, you'll continue using the xixa leave till then.

On another note, I viewed this as a significant chance to break free from servitude, even if he has his own ulterior motives. I really don't have any other options.

Oh, I'm so done. I can't help but wonder what's in store for me. I kept quiet during the entire trip while he focused on his computer.

We arrived at a grand mansion that was nothing short of magnificent. We were welcomed by everyone.

"Your majesty! My king!" They all greeted him, some expressing their reverence by kissing the ring he wore on his hand.

I saw the respect they show him and couldn't help but question how this is possible, given his ruthlessness.

All of them regarded me with curious eyes, but I brushed them off and followed the king inside.

Inside, a lot more came to greet him, and I stood aside, watching him interacte with his people. Suddenly, the moment was disrupted.

Ashton? Ashton! The piercing sound caused me to turn towards the exit

And the owner of this voice was a strikingly gorgeous and voluptuous brunette.

She ran to the king and wrapped her arms around him in a full embrace with all her packages.

Seeing this, I felt it was inappropriate, yet everyone else seemed fine with it.

"I missed you, my Lycan king," the brunette was saying.

"Really, I've only been gone for two days," he replied with a smile.

"But it felt like ages," she expressed affectionately to him. He untangled her hands from his neck while keeping her near.

Her gaze landed on me, and the intensity of her look was lethal; I mean, I don't even know her.

"BETA, please escort her upstairs so she can rest; it has been quite a hectic day," the king instructed his beta.

I don't want to back down; I need to understand her issue. I thought about saying no, but the king's intense gaze compelled me to comply.

As I ascended the stairs to my room, I was consumed by fury. Sitting on the bed, I seethed, convinced she must be his mistress; that's why he was down there while I remained up here.

Soon after, he came into the room and stood beside the door.

"That took a while," I said sarcastically.y

"What's that supposed to mean?" he questioned, frowning slightly.

"I assumed you had trouble finding someone willing to role-play as your mate, yet she appeared ready to go to any lengths for you."

He arched an eyebrow. "You mean Linda? She's definitely open to it, but I prefer to avoid any complications later," he said with a faint smile.

"What complications?"

She's the kind of person who becomes overly attached and doesn't let go easily.

How do you know that

Caused I've dated her, I gasped

"Also, she would probably claw my eyes out if I call it quits, whereas you can't," he remarked.

"How fortunate she is that you value her emotions more than you value mine," she said almost angrily.

"Are you jealous?" he asked suspiciously.

"Wha... what?" I faltered, caught off guard by the abrupt question.

"You heard me."

With a scoff, I replied, "I'm not. I have no feelings whatsoever for you, and you can't make me love you."

"Love doesn't matter to me; achieving pleasure is what truly counts." He paused and said boldly, "And I'm confident I can make your body sing."

Sing? I didn't get it at first, but oh... sing. "You can't," I said dismissively.

"Really?" Then he started advancing towards me like a predator after its prey.

"What are you doing?" I nervously asked, taking a step back.

"Oh, to prove you wrong, of course," his gaze fixed on me.

"No! stop right there!" I cried out wanting to get away, but he kept coming at me.

When my back hit the wall, I attempted to break free, but he held me in place, preventing my escape.

Clasping both of my hands with one of his, he pinned them above my head against the wall.

He leaned in close and whispered, "what were you saying again?"

The warmth of his breath against my cheek sent shivers down my spine, and his captivating eyes had me spellbound.

I felt helpless and exposed in this position. "Please let me go," I pleaded, because my body was about to betray me.

"Where did all that bravado go?" he teased, nudging his leg in between mine with a sly grin.

Oh my God! His hand grazed my nipple just a bit, and it felt like an electric jolt coursing through me.

For god's sake, I hope he doesn't do that again. "Please," I whispered breathlessly.

"Please, what exactly?" he asked teasingly, his eyes fixed on me. "Please stop or please more."

"You can't do this, you have no right," I accused, on the verge of losing myself to his sexual onslaught.

"Oh, but I truly do, you're my property and I can treat you however I please, he declared with a smirk." I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to suppress the emotions stirred by his words and his hand.

But with the slow ascent of his leg between mine, I felt my concentration slipping away like sand through my fingers, caught between bliss and panic.

Oh dear God! Would I survive this? My thoughts ran wildly until the warm pressure of his thigh finally pressed against my core.