The Lycan King and his Dark Temptation novel Chapter 164

NARRATOR

Clutching her chest, Laila forced her tired, wounded legs to keep moving. A trail of blood marked her path, but she didn’t stop—not even to heal herself.

She’d rather face a Lycan and die quickly than stay here in this cursed place.

The mist began to rise between the graves as if it had a life of its own, swirling around her legs like ghostly hands trying to grab hold of her.

Laila ran, terrified—she had never felt such fear in her life. As she passed under the weeping willow, its branches suddenly thrashed in the strong wind.

"Ahhh! Let me go! Let me go!" she screamed frantically as the green vines coiled around her neck, arms, and legs, strangling and restraining her.

She fought like a madwoman, yanking at the branches and clawing at the ones choking her neck, trying desperately to break free.

Her feet stumbled backward, wet hair clinging to her eyes, and she swore she saw shadows and red eyes in her blurred vision.

She pulled back with all her strength, thinking she had escaped—only to realize she hadn’t.

"AAAHHH!" A piercing scream shattered the thunder-filled night as rain poured from the sky like a deluge, washing away the battlefield's blood.

Laila’s body fell backward, vertigo rushing through her head before she crashed against a hard surface.

Her half-lidded eyes, blurred by the rain soaking her battered body, stared in disbelief at the sky. It seemed so far away, framed within a triangle—everything else was darkness and dirt.

She had fallen into an open grave.

Laila’s heart pounded like a war drum. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

"I have to get out of here... I have to get up and get out of this nightmare!"

Her strong spirit urged her to fight, and she tried to stand.

She would climb the meters-high dirt wall even if she had to leave her nails behind in the process.

But her determination was short-lived.

The scream of terror lodged in her throat when, from beneath her, through the wet earth, filthy, mud-covered arms shot up, covering her mouth and grabbing her throat.

Unable to defend herself, Laila could only watch in silent horror as more hands emerged from the bottom of the grave, dragging her into the earth’s depths.

She choked on her screams, thrashing and kicking wildly, staring at the sky with wide, red eyes—eyes that were soon covered by dirt, stones, roots, and dead leaves, vanishing into the cemetery's depths.

She wouldn’t die just yet, but she would soon wish she had.

She had made the mistake of messing with his woman, and she would pay dearly for it.

*****

Beof heard the witch’s scream from inside the cemetery as he retreated.

“No, Quinn, you don’t understand. That contract has clauses, fine print. That idiot sorcerer is walking right into his own death. And honestly, I want to break my damn bond with Zarek. After all, I’ve come to terms with the fact that my daughter will never be the next Selenia Queen. The laws of this world will change soon, and I believe the Dark Realm’s monarch will be someone else.”

They fell into silence, moving swiftly under the torrential rain, crossing the moat at full speed and entering the castle's open gates.

There was no need to mention names—Quinn knew very well Gabrielle was talking about Celine.

But it didn’t bring him relief; it only made him more anxious.

He had always been there to protect his little sister, and now she had such a powerful mate.

Was that good or bad for Celine?

If he mistreated her, humiliated her for being a hybrid and not a pureblood vampire, it wouldn’t matter if he had to die—Quinn would defend his little sister, the one he had raised like a father.

No idiot would make her suffer.

*****

While chaos and battle raged outside the castle grounds, inside, everything was eerily silent.

Not a single sound echoed, not even a breath; the air was thick with tension, where even the faintest whisper could be heard clearly.

Celine finally reached the fog guarding the door and stood before it for a few seconds.