The Lycan King and his Dark Temptation novel Chapter 91

VALERIA

"It's not necessary; I can clean myself," I said, grabbing her hand tightly when she tried to touch me.

"I insist, Your Majesty. I believe it’s best if you let me help you," she said through clenched teeth, pulling her hand away sharply.

"Is something wrong?" Celine approached us, probably sensing the tension.

"No, don’t worry. I’ll just go wash off this stain. I’ll be right back," I replied, trying to force a smile.

"Valeria, don’t wander off or go anywhere without us," Quinn warned, and I assured them I was only heading to the bathroom.

I followed Anaís’s back. I wasn’t sure what she was planning, but I was certain she wouldn’t just stand idly by.

The bathroom was close, and there was no danger in a house surrounded by guards.

"Go in," she said brusquely, opening the door to the small bathroom and motioning me inside.

"This doesn’t seem right, Anaís. We’re alone here. Just tell me what you want; I’m not going into a bathroom with you," I said, standing in the hallway with the same defiance she was showing.

"Ha! I see you’ve truly embraced the role of Queen. I’ve heard His Majesty has promised that title to several women before, only to tire of them soon after," she sneered, looking me up and down, venom dripping from every word.

"If you brought me here to talk nonsense, you’re wasting your time." I turned to leave, but she grabbed my arm tightly, digging her claws into my skin, and shoved me into the bathroom.

"Let go of me, you damn bitch!" I snarled, pulling to free myself as I pressed against the sink, spinning around to face her.

"Listen to me, Valeria. Don’t think I’ve forgiven you for killing my son," she hissed, closing the door behind her.

Her venomous gaze was filled with hatred.

"For a long time, I didn’t believe what Sofía told me. I thought she was hallucinating, that maybe some creature from the Dark Realm had slipped in. And of course, one did—it was you. How could you deceive us all?"

She pointed at me, and I stayed silent, wanting to see where this was going.

"You know, it’s amazing what sorcerers can do—like extracting memories from a corpse and storing them. Isn’t that incredible?"

My heart raced as I imagined what she had done.

"Ah, there it is—the expression of the old, pathetic Valeria. I like those fearful eyes much better."

"Stop playing games and tell me what you want from me!"

"Now that you’re the King’s new pet, I want you to convince him to recognize me as the Alpha of these packs and appoint Dorian's son as a Guardian at the palace. I want you to adopt, perhaps, the King’s adopted son as your own."

Dorian collapsed to his knees, his last breaths escaping as blood poured from his mouth and his mutilated body.

I looked at him with ruby-red eyes filled with hatred and severed his head with my enormous, razor-sharp claws.

Step by step, I approached, trembling with terror, my hand covering my mouth in horror and disbelief. I stood before the memory of my first transformation, and then the woman I had become suddenly lifted her head.

She seemed to be looking at me, but in reality, she stared at nothing. From her tormented eyes, tears of blood streamed, brimming with pain.

She fell to the ground amidst the remnants of that man, and that was when I regained consciousness shortly after.

A voice spoke beside me.

"You ended my son’s life. I was the one who brought the calamity into his bed, so you owe me, Valeria," Anaís’s voice declared. Then, the memory vanished, bringing me back to the bathroom.

"Either you meet my demands, or I’ll show all of this to the King. There are more copies, and don’t threaten me by calling it witchcraft. I assure you, once he sees this, he’ll thank me for lifting the blindfold from his eyes."

I lunged at her suddenly, grabbing Anaís by the neck and slamming her against the door.

She was startled, thinking she had the upper hand, but she couldn’t have been more wrong.