"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.

Completely lost now, pleasure erupting in my head like fireworks, leaving my underwear so drenched.

I could feel the tension crackling in the air, the undeniable chemistry that has been there since we've met.

With a deep breath, he leaned closer, his warm breath caressing my ear as he murmured, "I can smell the enchanting scent of your femininity."

With that seductive voice and the turmoil in my body, I couldn't hold it back anymore.

I tried to squeeze my legs together, but he stopped me and then began to rub his thigh against my core.

"Oh God," I moaned, teetering on the edge of release and longing to let go.

But suddenly, he pulled back his leg. No! My body screamed. He released my hands, and as I looked up, I saw a mischievous glint in his eyes.

At that moment, I was struck by the sudden awareness of my wanton behavior.

We both glanced at his pants and noticed the damp spot on his thigh; I couldn't help but gasp in mortification.

With a scoff, he remarked, "How utterly shameless, you are quite a little wh*re," delivering the words with a sardonic tone.

"I am nothing of the sort," I replied hesitantly because of what just happened. Trying to steady my breath now and adjusting my clothes.

"Well, this is a clear indication," he pointed to the damp spot. "And don't forget that I have the ability to make your body tremble," he said triumphantly.

I find myself pondering how he can be so indifferent to what just happened; it's as if it doesn't faze him at all.

"Get ready for dinner," he said suddenly, his voice low and commanding. "We're gonna have guests and i want to introduce you to them."

I blinked, the moment shattered like glass. "Dinner? Guests?" I echoed, confusion swirling in my mind. "You can't just-"

But he was already striding out of the room, leaving me breathless and frustrated.

"You're walking away? What dinner are you talking about?" I asked for clarification.

He turned folding his arms and replied, "You might call it a family dinner, this evening. So make sure to dress appropriately. I'll introduce you as my fiancée."

"Is that all?" I inquired.

"What more is there?" he asked with exasperation.

"Aren't you going to fill me in on your background, or do I have to hear it from someone else? Like I found out your name was Ashton from your ex," I said with disdain.

He turned his red glowing eyes sharply at me; immediately, I cowered.

"Your attitude needs to be worked on; I'm the king here, and respect is non-negotiable! Do I make myself clear?" he stated, in a low growl.

I only nodded.

"You don't have to answer anything; I will give them the story."

"What if they don't believe us?" I asked.

"Then, that's their problem," he said with a shrug.

But did he really know me before all this happened? I couldn't help but wonder.

"Did you consider my background before making this decision?" I voiced.

"Humans are irrelevant subjects; I don't waste my time on them." He talks as if I'm not human, what a jerk!

"So what happens to me at the end of all this?" I dared to pose the question.

"If the plan is successful, I might grant you your freedom," he answered.

"And if I fail?"

"You won't!"

"How can you be so sure?"

"That's because you will make it work, even if it kills you," he said with a fierce growl, which made me flinch and pull back. With a quick turn, he marched away.

As he left, I quickly composed myself, going to the wardrobe and throwing on a dress that hugged my curves just right, hoping to regain some semblance of control.

I can't afford for Linda to see me in such disarray; this might all be pretend, but I'm not letting any b*tch ride me.

When it was time, i went to the mirror. Making sure I looked good, I made my way downstairs.

When I arrived at the dining room, the atmosphere was charged. Ashton sat at the head of the table, his presence dominating the space.

He wore a meticulously tailored suit that accentuated his masculinity; his hair was impeccably styled, and, in truth, every aspect of his appearance tonight left me utterly captivated.

As he raised his gaze and our eyes met, my heart somersaulted in my chest.

What is happening to me? I asked myself. Stay strong, Reena; you just have to get through tonight.

As I walked in, all eyes turned to me, and I felt a rush of heat creep up my neck. They are all werewolves; I pray they don't figure out I'm human.

Linda was positioned to the king's left after Cauldron, and he gestured for me to take a seat on his right.

I noticed the unpleasant alteration in Linda's expression.

"Everyone," he announced without wasting a moment, his voice booming, "This is Reena, my chosen mate."

The room fell silent, and I felt the weight of their gazes.

My heart sank as I caught sight of Linda, her expression a mix of disbelief and anger.

She shot me a glare that could have burned a hole through steel.

"What... what are you saying, Ashton?" Linda asked, her voice dripping with venom. "She? You can't be serious!"

But the Lycan king didn't flinch. "I am very serious," he replied to her, his tone leaving no room for argument. "She is mine."

Linda's expression contorted with rage as she rose, her chair scraping against the floor.

"This is ridiculous!" she exclaimed, "She hasn't even been tested to see if she's strong enough to be a lunar or to be able to bear children."

I gasped in surprise, they test for that as well?

"No one is testing her; I have chosen her, and so shall it be," he said with finality.

Furious at his persistence, Linda picked up her things and stormed out of the room, leaving a trail of tension in her wake.

I sat there, caught between disbelief and a strange sense of triumph.

The king turned to me, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. 'There, done right, now we proceed.' Okay, he was definitely using a mind link.

I opened my mouth to protest, but the words caught in my throat. Maybe I didn't want to admit it, but there was a part of me that felt a thrill at being claimed so publicly.

The lycan had a way of turning everything upside down, and despite my best efforts to resist, I found myself drawn deeper into his world.

As the dinner continued, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.

The Lycan had made his claim, and now I was tangled in a web of desire, jealousy, and something that felt like a threat. I braced myself; to gain my freedom, I had to be brave.

"I heard that the king has chosen a bride," a voice spoke from the doorway, and I immediately turned.