The Lycan King and his Dark Temptation novel Chapter 389

KATHERINE

The ground rumbled beneath his steps, the dark treetops looming close above us.

I looked up at his beastly features. He sniffed the air and changed direction.

His furry ears twitched, catching every whisper of the night. So powerful… It was unbelievable that Elliot was this creature.

A high-pitched scream tore through the forest, sending shivers down my spine.

"That’s Lavinia, it’s our daughter!" I screamed, my heart lodged in my throat, twisting desperately to see ahead. The trees cleared, revealing a sight that froze the blood in my veins.

A rickety suspension bridge, crudely built with vines and wood, stretched between two distant edges. Beneath it lay a deep gorge.

Below, the swamp’s murky green waters appeared still, but dark shadows slithered just beneath the surface.

It was infested with alligators. And now, on that unstable bridge, that damn witch held my daughter by the arm, forcing her forward toward this side.

A bone-chilling roar made the woman stop in her tracks, her gaze locking onto us in astonishment.

She didn’t even seem to see me.

Her eyes were fixed solely on the powerful beast advancing toward the edge, threatening her with each step.

"Aaahhh!" Lavinia screamed at the sight of him, sobbing, terrified beyond measure.

"It’s me, Lavinia! Don’t be afraid! I’m your mother! Put me down, let me go!" I started pushing against Elliot’s chest, my boots dangling in the air until he gently placed me on the ground.

I didn’t hesitate for a second before rushing to the bridge’s entrance.

Peering between the rotting planks, I saw a few loose bits of dirt crumble down, disturbing the water.

And then I saw them more clearly—predators, lurking, waiting for their next helpless victim to enter their domain.

"Where… where is my son, witch?! If… if you or that monster try anything, I’ll throw her off this bridge!"

"Don’t you dare! Let her go! Let Lavinia go! Without her, you have nothing! You’re already lost, but if you give her to me, we’ll let you go. I promise—we won’t hunt you down!" I played the only card I had left—or so I thought.

"I don’t believe a single word! I’m taking her, and you’ll return my children to me. Otherwise, you’ll never see yours again!"

She clutched Lavinia like a vulture with its prey.

My poor daughter didn’t even have the strength to scream anymore.

Her teary, desperate eyes met mine, and my soul clenched in my chest.

If that woman found out Francis was dead, she wouldn’t hesitate to throw Lavinia to the crocodiles.

"It’s… it’s fine. We’ll bring you Francis, but you have to wait safely on the shore, we—"

BAM!

A heavy sack dropped near me, making me jump and cut off my words. I could swear I heard a faint groan from inside it.

Now that the cold breeze swept through, a pungent stench of urine hit my nose. It reeked of terror and death.

For a brief moment, I even felt pity.

Her tongue had been crudely severed. Her parched lips were caked in dried blood.

I had no idea how she had endured so much pain for this long.

"What did you do to my daughter, you monsters?! You damn bastards, I’ll kill this brat!"

"NO!" I snapped out of my trance.

Any fleeting pity vanished in an instant when I saw the bruises on my child—saw her sobbing in despair.

That woman’s nails dug into Lavinia’s arm, leaving bloody marks.

My Lavinia was innocent. The only truly innocent one here.

"Give me my daughter, and we’ll give you yours! No tricks! But if you hurt her, I swear on everything that exists—I’ll slit her throat right in front of you!" I yelled, stepping closer to the hostage.

I didn’t care about being cruel.

Another monster.

If I was already insane, what did it matter?

I slapped Alexia’s face hard and grabbed her by the hair, too.

"NOW! WE TRADE NOW!" I roared with pure fury, though inside, my heart was gripped by terror—fear that she might actually throw Lavinia into the abyss.