The Lycan King and his Dark Temptation novel Chapter 76

VALERIA

Waiting for me right in front of the open clearing of some old stone ruins, with a blue flag fluttering at the top.

“So, the team captain managed to make it to the end,” he said mockingly, standing up casually from the stone he had been sitting on.

The faint rays of sunlight illuminated his irises, alternating between reddish and gray tones.

His wolf was close to the surface, baring its canines, snarling at me. I didn’t need a wolf spirit to see it.

I moved forward slowly. This was an enemy I would never defeat by brute force, so I had to use the best strategy.

For now, I growled threateningly, testing if there was any chance I could slip past him between his legs.

“Keep growling, kitten. You have no idea how hot it makes me to see you acting tough,” he said, his voice husky and challenging as he adopted a combat stance, legs bent and arms ready for me.

“Come on, Captain, let’s finish this. The ‘valuable’ members of your team sacrificed themselves to get you here!” he spat, dripping venom into the words “valuable members,” filled with hatred and obvious jealousy.

I decided I’d rather burn than surrender, so I ran in a zigzag, distracting his attention from side to side.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a small hole at the base of the tall ruined wall, and I dashed toward it.

The hole was close. For a second, I dreamed I could reach it and slip through, but it was just an illusion.

I barely felt the gust of air before powerful arms caught me, and Aldric held my little wolf tightly against his chest.

As I struggled, the precious flag finally fell to the ground.

It didn’t matter. I would never win if he didn’t want me to, so I decided to implement “Plan Seduction.”

I whimpered pitifully, as if he were hurting me, and sure enough, his grip loosened slightly, relaxing the iron grip that pinned me to his body.

“Don’t pretend, traitorous wolf. You know damn well I wouldn’t hurt you,” he said, stroking the black fur on my back.

I lifted my head and gave him my most coquettish, helpless look, my blue wolf eyes meeting his intense gaze.

“If you had chosen me, you would have won. Why didn’t you include me on your team?” he asked, almost childishly, and truthfully, I wanted to laugh in his face.

I loved every facet of this fierce man, who showed me every day that he had a soft spot in his heart too.

The wind ruffled my fur, and I stood slightly to take in the view from above—the mist like clouds over the treetops.

My sight couldn’t reach the end of the forest. All of this belonged to Golden Moon.

Night would fall soon. Maybe staying here too late was a bit dangerous.

Aldric raised his hand and tore down the blue flag, replacing it with the red one.

We had won—or rather, he had let me win in exchange for “sacrificing” myself in his bed tonight.

“I’ll let your rebellion slide for now because I know you did it to piss me off. But in real life, Valeria, I’m the only one who can be on your team. Just you and me. Forever,” he suddenly whispered, catching me off guard.

I raised my wolf’s head and looked deep into his eyes, his red hair waving in the wind, half tied back.

His hand tenderly stroked my ear. My heart felt like it might burst out of my chest, and I could hear the strong thundering of his own.

Him and me... forever.