Both men blink at me like I just slapped them with a dead fish.
“So yeah,” I finish, clapping my hands once, loud. “Congratulations. You’ve got yourself a weird-ass hybrid ancient lycan. A flying, fanged, scaled murder machine. Have fun figuring that out.”
They’re still staring at me, so I clap again — louder. “Now! I want to go to my room. A nice one. With a door that locks from the inside. And I expect full access to the palace library, as I was promised.” I narrow my eyes. “Including the restricted section.”
They both nod.
Good. Because I may be stuck here... but I’m going to dig into every scroll and spell this palace owns until I find my way out of this place.
Chapter 5
Draven
Ever since Amira and I agreed to the arranged mating, things ran smoothly between us. We worked well together. She adapted quickly — to palace life, to royal protocol, to the rhythm of power. She learned fast. Played the part even faster.
She’s from Mirenwulf — one of the six Prime Packs. Her bloodline is pure strength, top-tier shifter lineage. Her father’s the Alpha Prime there. Her uncle’s one of my most trusted advisors. And one of her brothers is on track to becoming Head Warrior if he keeps grinding the way he does.
After I secured my throne — no challengers left standing, no question about who the King was — my Council started pressing me to consider an arranged mating. I thought I had no mate. The High Priestess found no Mate Spark in me. So I listened.
Every pack needs a Luna. The Royal Pack is no exception. I needed someone strong. Mateless. Politically sound. Capable of earning the loyalty of alphas across the realm.
And over a year ago, I made my choice.
Amira.
Her true mate had died. Her family was loyal. Her presence — poised, strong, confident. She checked every box the Council put in front of me. When they presented her as an option, I just said yes. I wanted to be done with the search.
We agreed on a two-year courtship. Time to get to know each other. Appear united in the eyes of the public. Time for her to learn everything about what it means to be Queen.
I was supposed to mark her in just a few months.
The thought makes bile rise in my throat.
She didn’t want to wait the full two years. The Council didn’t either. They pushed. Pressed. Urged. But I insisted.
Now, looking back, I think it was the lycan. Pushing against the magic choking us both. Screaming that our mate was still out there. Fighting for her, even when I couldn’t hear him.
I’m only grateful he was strong enough to hold the line.
Amira’s father will lose his damn mind over this situation. Tough shit.
My mate is more important than anything.
“Amira,” I say, resting my forearms on the cracked desk between us, “things are very simple now. Our arrangement is over.”
Her brows knit together, but I press on before she can interrupt.
“I found my true mate. And the moment I did, our arranged mating was dissolved.”
I lean in slightly, meeting her gaze without flinching. “I’m sorry,” I add. “Not about finding my true mate, of course. But I know how much time you’ve invested preparing to take on the Luna role. Studying the royal bloodline. Memorizing history, protocol, causes. You worked hard.”
Her breath shudders. Her voice is small, shaky. “I… I don’t understand,” she says, eyes filling with tears. “I thought you didn’t have a mate. Like me. I thought we were building something real.”
She hesitates, then whispers, “I fell in love with you, Ven. Don’t you care about me? At all?”
Her eyes lock on mine, shining with hurt, and for a moment — a very brief moment — guilt stirs in my chest. Not because I wronged her. I didn’t. But because somewhere along the way, she clearly convinced herself I was something I never promised to be. But it slightly pisses me off, too.
I exhale through my nose. “Amira,” I say, keeping my voice calm, “you knew the terms from the beginning. This was a political alliance. I told you clearly I couldn’t offer love. I never misled you.”
