Claiming Our Runaway Lycan Queen

IRA'S POV

"You will serve at the coronation ceremony." Denmark fired his orders. "You are expected to do everything perfectly and don't cause a ruckus."

He flung a piece of paper towards me.

"That's the address. You go tonight, do as you're asked and come right back. Don't even think about running away, we both know you won't survive without me."

I picked the rough handled piece of paper and hid my pain. "Yes sir."

"The gig have been handsomely paid for. Do not put the name of this business to shame, Ira. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

Denmark stood up, more like wriggled his way out of the chair. He was an overweight. A slave trader who found me in the woods four years ago.

He gave me a roof over my head in exchange for my services. I gladly agreed and signed it in my blood.

I didn't know what I was getting myself into. And even if I did, I would have signed my soul anyway. I couldn't risk getting caught.

My head remained bowed and my knees planted to the tiled floor. I let Denmark perform his usual rites before letting me go.

Denmark abused and used me for his sick pleasures. He was sick in the head and he proved it by ripping me off my clothing down to my underwear.

"You look decent." He grunted in approval. "There will be a lot of high ranked wolves in that event. I expect you to put your looks to good use and bring back enough money to cover your living expenses."

That was his way of reminding me to prostitute myself to any willing wolf looking for a good lay.

"Don't come back empty handed." He warned with a sick smile.

"Yes sir."

"Good." Denmark left the living room, making a mess as he left to answer his ringing phone.

I got up from the floor, my knees were bruised and sore from kneeling and the menial tasks I was assigned.

"You should kill him..." I heard my wolf whisper into my mind. "You should let me rip him to shreds."

Khanos was my other half. My soulmate and the only one who understood me in the entire world. She was my fierce Lycan wolf.

The last of her kind. She was the reason I lived this life. To protect us from the death that lurked in the shadows of our true identity.

"It's been four years, Khanos." I chided. "We are getting settled in here. We can't ruin that now."

My wolf huffed at my words, knowing I was right but refusing to humour me with a response.

I've been on the run with my wolf ever since I could walk. The last words of my mother who was killed by some rogues while we camped in the woods never left me.

"Run, Ira! Do not let them get you!"

Every night I heard her voice. It spurred me to action. Kept me grounded and always on the run. When I entered the werewolf community and landed in the hands of Denmark, I decided to remain.

With that decision came a price. I had to live as a slave and reduced myself to be maltreated by peasants. Everytime my wolf ached to come out and show them who's boss, I restricted her.

These days, it was easier to live as a low ranking wolf in the community. I was used to the abuse and my wild wolf was easier to contain.

I just had to get through this night in one piece. Just like I have been for the past four years. My wolf didn't do well around high ranking wolves because of their tendencies to be bigger pricks.

I prayed that the night blows off beautifully and brings some good cash too. I had plans to get out of this shitstorm soon.

I just needed to save enough money first. A thing that proved hard with Denmark constantly stealing from me.

I got to the Alpha King's house at 2pm. The coronation was at 8 and we had to do a lot of preparations for the event.

"Follow her. Make sure that the hall is set and designed to perfection." The Royal Court lady said to a selected number of us.

I followed my peers to the duty post and worked alongside them. Due to my dependency on my physical strength, I got tired easily.

Nevertheless, I finished my allocation and was ready to call it a day when one of my colleagues called me out rudely.

"Hey! Where are you off to?"

She can't be referring to me. I thought and continued my journey out of the set hall. The next second, I felt a wet rag hit my neck.

I stiffened and stopped in my tracks.

"You don't walk when I am talking to you, dimwit!" One of the ladies yelled.

I turned around and came to contact with a tall brunette. "Who says you could leave?" she snickered,

I swallowed hard, trying to rein my anger. "I was done with my portion." I answered calmly.

One look at her and I could tell she was a middle class wolf. Stronger than us low class wolves and yet cleaning tables with us.

"You could kill her with a single punch..." my wolf breathed and I tried not to dance to her tune.

"No you aren't." The woman pointed to her portion, which was untouched. "Get to work, scum."

I looked at the others and as usual, their eyes were averted as they focused on their duties. No one wanted trouble.

I didn't want trouble too. Against everything I stood for, I decided cleaning another large portion of tables and chairs wouldn't hurt.

I was wrong. It hurt like a bitch.

The night came and I was dressed in the servers uniform. My body ached all over and I just wanted to curl up in bed and sleep.

But I couldn't have that. The coronation of the next Alpha king was on and in few seconds we would get to work all night long.

The court lady addressed us before we went in. "As you know, there are important personalities in this event. You must be in your best manners and serve with respect."

"The Alpha king will be handed a drink to toast his new reign as king. One of you will be expected to serve him and his brother before the toast."

"Who will it be?"

No one. No one moved. It seems like everyone shied away from the responsibility. After minutes of silence, the lady continued her speech.

"You." She pointed towards my direction. "You will handle it." Her tone left no room for arguments. "Anything else?"

When no one spoke, she dismissed us. "That will be it for now. We reconvene here at midnight."

IRA'S POV

The doors opened, and I stood in a tight dress that barely covered my bum.

Whoever made these uniforms deserved to be put in prison and the keys thrown away. My arms hurt as I balanced the tray which held two glasses of drinks made for the Alpha King and his brother.

I walked through the event with my head bowed, ignoring the catcalls that poured as we entered the coronation hall. My Lycan wolf didn't appreciate my head being bowed, or the rude and demeaning remarks from the high-ranking wolves.

She wanted me to raise my head, to be half the dominant and powerful female she was, and let her do the rest. However, I couldn't do that.

My mother's words rang in my mind, keeping me in check. I couldn't let us get found, no matter the costs. I had to live a quiet life.

Khanos grew restless, and in a bid to keep her in check, I put up some mental barriers between us.

I needed all the concentration and strength to get through this night in one piece, and hell would freeze before I let anyone catch a whiff of who I am. It was just until I saved enough to get out of here and live on my own terms.

I could handle one night.

Khanos pushed back at the mental barriers, much more than ever before. I could feel her power, and a mild part of her restlessness poured into me, but I ignored it.

I needed to get to the king with his drink. After the toast, I'd slip away and find some rich mogul to rip off. If I was lucky enough, I'd be able to gather something momentous and enough to launch my getaway from Denmark and his filthy jobs.

My wolf's patience was growing thin with him, and I knew it was only a matter of time before she defied her constraints and showed up just to teach that fart a lesson - and one I might not be strongly against.

I pushed past the crowd of people, legs sore from the heels and the stress of walking through the large coronation room. The more I approached the throne, the more I felt uneasy.

My heart was restless and my arms were shaky. I kept my eyes on the floor, like the perfect slave, and continued on my track. I stopped right in front of the throne, not daring to take a look at the Alpha King.

"King's toast," I said to the buff guard who looked like he was moments away from wiping the floor with my face. I could feel his piercing gaze, and one thing was certain - it wasn't a friendly one.

I expected him to take the tray off my hands, save me the agony of going further to yet another entitled prick who thought slaves were the dirt under his feet, but he didn't.

The guard stood for a few seconds, looking me over before stepping away and giving me room to approach the king. My feet shook as I stepped forward, and in that instant, I felt the Alpha King's gaze on me.

His aura was so strong, I felt an urge to raise my head, to meet his eyes, to look at him. But I fought it. Khanos's restlessness increased, and I could tell she was trying to say something, to reach me, but I blocked her out.

It was too dangerous.

I stopped in my tracks, a few metres away from him, got on one knee with my head bowed as I presented his drink. My hands shook, and I felt an intense pressure slice through my being, breaking the years of defence I'd built over the past few years.

"Erasthai..." a voice breathed in my mind, and I froze, caught off guard.

His voice was strong, full of authority, and dragged my attention. The pressure to raise my head became stronger, as did the king's gaze on me. The air suddenly became constrained, and I hoped and prayed it was not what I thought.

It couldn't be. It wasn't possible.

In my mild moment of crisis, Khanos broke through the mental barrier between us, and her words struck me like lightning, confirming my greatest nightmare.

"Mine," she breathed, her voice fiery and consuming.

Khanos fought to take over my body, to force me to look at the Alpha King, to acknowledge him, but I resisted her, all the while maintaining my poise.

"Rise," the Alpha King commanded from his throne, drawing attention to us.

The Alpha King's command was one no werewolf could withstand. It was an absolute order-one I was capable of defying. However, I chose to obey.

I couldn't blow off my cover.

I raised my head, swallowing hard as I met the fiery red eyes of the newly coronated king. I felt our soul tie immediately, and my wolf grew anxious.

A powerful feeling washed over me, and I suppressed my wolf with everything I had. It couldn't be true. It was simply not possible. I couldn't be his mate.

The new Alpha King stepped down from his throne. He looked magnificent, his skin shone, and his midnight black hair was a striking contrast to his glowing light skin.

The Alpha King was strong. His aura dominated the entire room, and I felt pressure in my chest. His broad shoulders were a sight for sore eyes and his face was painfully beautiful, even with a rock hard expression.

I unconsciously bowed my head, unable to hold his gaze, and was stunned when he held me by the jaw, forcing my face up. Bolts of electricity sizzled through me, and I lost hold of the tray.

The glass of wine fell off the tray and hit the floor with a deafening bang that rang through the now quiet courtroom. I swallowed, knees weak, as I thought of the best way to escape.

"Who are you?" he spat, jaws grinding as he stared into my eyes with an expression so intense, I almost buckled.

My mouth opened, but nothing came out. This was not the plan. I couldn't afford to let him know me. I couldn't be here. I needed to leave. Much more than ever, I felt the urge to run away, to disappear, never to be found again.

"Speak," he commanded, eyes narrowed, with a flick of irritation in his eyes. "Who are you?"

Just then, the court lady rushed forward, going on her knees. "I apologize for this grave mistake, my king," she said, head bowed. "I will see to it that she is duly punished."

The Alpha King remained silent, his gaze fixated on me. I felt his wolf reach out to me, feeling me out, but I remained a fort, suppressing my wolf as I gave my best impression of a human.

"Guards! Take her to the dungeons," the court lady ordered, still on her knees, gracefully showing off her power while currying favour.

The next second, I was accosted by some guards with menacing expressions. My knees ached as they forcefully dragged me off the floor at the court lady's orders.

A loud growl ripped the air as soon as their hands came in contact with me. The Alpha King's eyes turned dark, and the air strained with tension.

In a split second, a knife shot through the air, scraping through the skin of my cheek, headed for the Alpha King, who easily dodged the attack and responded with a powerful growl that shook the ground.

"Treason!" a voice said, and just like that, the windows broke and the doors caved in. An unbelievable amount of rogues poured in, and chaos ensued.

IRA'S POV

The sounds of bones cracking and men shifting filled the air as a war broke out in the King's court.

My fellow slaves who were assigned with the duty to serve the guests ran helter-skelter, looking for a way of escape. The newly elected King transformed immediately, becoming a fearsome black wolf with fiery red eyes.

In a moment, I was dropped to the floor by the guards, who were suddenly tasked with the duty of protecting the Alpha King. I got up from the floor and looked around; everyone seemed busy.

"Let me out!" my wolf demanded, wanting to defend her mate. I didn't care.

Khanos would never turn away from a fight. She strived for opportunities to show off her skills and wouldn't flick an eye about joining the fight if she could.

Thankfully, I took a generous amount of my herbs before coming here, which gave me an advantage. It made me weak, but it gave me the one thing I needed - control.

Unlike before, I wasn't controlled by my wolf or her insatiable needs,

Which meant I could get out of here and find somewhere else to lay low until the entire thing blew over - whether she liked it or not.

I shut my wolf out of my mind and skillfully navigated through the chaos in the courtroom.

In times like this, I was grateful for my five-foot height. Partially because it gave me an advantage and helped me go inconspicuous for the most part of the time, and also because it gave me a lot more advantage when it came down to defending myself.

Everyone easily looked over a small, wolfless, low-class-level slave.

I pushed through the fight, legs aching, but I pushed regardless until I got to a broken window. I jumped through the window and entered the hallways, rushing out of the palace.

"You there!" I heard a voice bellow from the other end of the hallway. It was a guard from earlier. "Come here!" he roared.

This was it, the moment of freedom. I turned around, against his orders, and ran like my life depended on it - because it actually did.

I ran through the hallway, making my way through the darned palace while my wolf did everything to make me go back to our mate. I shut her out, using every bit of strength and the knowledge gathered from years of running away.

Eventually, I broke into the servants' quarters, with guards hot on my trail. The area buzzed with young girls and boys dressed in the uniform as they all ran into the quarters for their lives.

I easily mixed with the people. However, no one was willing to take me into their rooms. I looked behind me, and the guard, who I perceived to be one of the head guards, directed people to search the entire place.

Why was he so persistent?

Just when I thought it was over, a hand dragged me into one of the rooms and placed me behind closed doors, placing a hand over my mouth. My first instinct was to fight back, but she immediately stepped away with her hands up.

"Relax," the brown-skinned girl whispered, taking a look through a small window.

She turned around and said with a hasty tone, "You need to hide. Elias will search this entire place to find you."

I blinked confusedly as she dragged me towards a small wardrobe. "Get in," she urged, but I was rooted in my spot.

"Elias?" I asked, and she looked over my head like she didn't have time.

"The Alpha King's guard," she said hastily. "I'll tell you all about him, but first, you need to hide."

The next second, hands pounded on the front door, and she pushed me into the wardrobe, shutting the door slowly. I sat in the dark and empty wardrobe, heart beating fast and wondering how I got into this situation.

I heard the door open and feet stomp into the room. "Where is she?!" a voice roared, and I heard the young lady wince.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I worked in the kitchen today," she said to the men, who seemed to have trouble believing or treating her well.

"Show me," one demanded, and for the next few seconds, we were shrouded in silence, until I heard the gruff voice of the intruder speak.

"Lock your doors and do not step out until you are told," he ordered, and the next second, I heard footsteps and the door slammed shut.

I remained in the dark until the wardrobe door squeaked open and she urged me to step out. I walked out of the wardrobe with my thoughts all over the place.

Why? Why did she help me? Who is she? My instincts shot up like an antenna as I tried to detect something wrong but couldn't find a thing - which unsettled me.

"That was Elias," she said to me. "He is the head of the King's guards."

"If he is out here looking for you, it means only one thing." I listened to her speak while trying to figure her out. "You are wanted by the King."

I tried to mask the shock on my face and failed terribly.

"My name is Tamara," she said, stretching her hand for a shake.

I didn't move. I didn't trust her.

"Why?" I asked off the bat, waiting for an answer, an explanation.

I wasn't foolish enough to think that people did good just for the sake of it. I'd thought that and paid the hard way. Never again.

"What?"

"Why did you lie?" I gritted, uncomfortable with her stare.

"You mean why did I help you?" she retorted, but I didn't say a word to her.

"Because I like you," she said when I maintained a blank stare. "And I'd hate to be in your situation," she added when I didn't move.

"And unless you intend to go out there and get caught by Elias and his troop of men, I think the word should be thank you," she said with a fire in her eyes.

I stared at her for a minute and decided I liked her.

"Ira," I muttered, and she smiled.

"That's a great start," Tamara said. "I don't know why the Alpha King is interested in you, but I know you need to get out of here, and I have just the perfect plan."