The Lycan King and his Dark Temptation novel Chapter 44

VALERIA

She turns her back and finally leaves, abandoning me completely alone, staring into nothingness and lost in thought over her words.

I got up before nightfall; I didn’t want to be left alone so close to that eerie forest.

I was hanging large white sheets on the clotheslines, needing to climb onto a small stool to reach the rope and secure them with wooden pegs.

The cold breeze blew, making the sheets billow while also clearing my mind.

I lowered my head to search for more pegs in the apron I wore, and when I lifted it again—I saw him.

On the other side of the sheet, the massive shadow of a lycan stood silently, and I knew very well it was him.

The wind howled through the trees, like a sorrowful wail echoing from the forest.

I stayed still for a few seconds, staring at that terrifying and powerful presence, knowing that the King was watching me too from the other side.

He had every reason to be angry, as he had made perfectly clear. I had no right to touch the precious belongings of his loved ones.

I was nothing but an intruding maid.

I turned my back on him without speaking, pretending not to know he was there, and walked back into the castle, into that dark place that I no longer knew if it was my home… or my prison.

*****

The next day, I went back to being nothing more than furniture in the King's chambers—no speaking, no eye contact, no listening.

I focused mechanically on my tasks, the tension in the air so thick it was impossible to ignore. Truthfully, I just wanted to leave, to find another way to survive.

But then I remembered—I was cursed, and my best chance of finding a cure was staying close to King Aldric's power.

I remembered all too well that overwhelming sensation, that unbearable need burning me from the inside, and I didn't want to become the prey of some bastard during one of those fits.

Better the devil you know than the one you don't.

"Valeria, I received an invitation to visit the Silver Lake pack, and we’ll use the opportunity to look for clues about the next Altar. Prepare everything for the trip," he ordered while I finished clearing the breakfast table, and I nodded silently in response.

I picked up the tray and was about to leave when I felt his hand grabbing my arm, pulling me close to his chest.

"Wait, Valeria. We need to talk," his warm breath brushed my ear, but I tried to take a step back, to escape his hold—except he tightened his grip, not letting me go.

A spark of hope lit inside me, and I felt strangely glad to visit the Silver Lake pack.

I’d been here for a while now, working in the castle—maybe they wouldn’t reject me as much as a foreigner anymore.

Could it be possible to find another job in the Golden Moon pack?

*****

"Mrs. Sasha, we’ve been expecting you," a cheerful, slender woman with chestnut hair greeted us warmly.

"Hello, Mrs. Betty. We’ve come for His Majesty’s order," the housekeeper replied while I stepped down from the carriage and glanced up at the sign above the shop: Elegant Stitches Tailor Shop.

Displayed in the windows were beautiful gowns for women and tailored formal suits for men, perfectly crafted.

Despite the gloomy atmosphere from the fog and the dark forest surrounding this pack, Golden Moon seemed very prosperous.

The few times I’d had the chance to glimpse its streets, I had noticed it was the most advanced pack I had ever seen.

We entered the workshop, which was spacious, with a cozy waiting area and a long counter where a friendly young woman attended customers.