The Lycan King's Forsaken Mate

To save the Pack, my fated Alpha, Loren Vale, had sacrificed the wolf inside me with his own hands.

He had promised to make me Luna. But when the Council of Elders branded me a curse, he had only said one thing.

"Follow the rules," Loren said.

I, Elena Whitmore, was offered up as a trophy to the most brutal Lycan King of Northreach.

On the night of the full moon, he turned into a beast, his power spiraling out of control.

Everyone else ran. Only I walked against the tide, closing the distance between us step by step.

They were all waiting to see how I would die.

But the moment I touched him, silver light erupted.

The frenzy began to subside, and something ancient in the blood awakened.

......

The sound of chains had echoed through the dungeon for three days.

The cold stone wall pressed against my back as I lowered my gaze to my scarred arms.

Skin that once grew soft silver fur now lay bare and lifeless.

Three months ago, I had been the youngest high-ranking Omega of the Silverbrook Pack, pure-blooded and exceptionally gifted.

Until the shadow beasts broke through the Pack's defenses.

I remembered that rainy night when my fiancé Loren held my hand. "Elena, as the future Luna, you should do your part for the Pack. Only your bloodline can be offered to the Moon Goddess to earn her protection."

His eyes had been so sincere that I believed him.

I had stood on the altar, cutting open my wrist with a silver dagger, feeling the wolf inside me being torn away.

It felt like being ripped in half alive. My soul screamed. My wolf howled in agony.

The shadow beasts retreated. The Pack was saved. And I became nothing more than a cursed shell.

The Council of Elders convened overnight, declaring that without my wolf, I would bring misfortune upon the Pack.

I looked to Loren for help, but he wouldn't even meet my eyes. "Follow the rules," he said.

That very night, I became a war offering, sent to the most ruthless Lycan King of Northreach.

The iron door burst open, and blinding firelight flooded in.

"Is that her?"

The voice was low, heavy with authority.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the guard said respectfully. "A gift from the leader of the Silverbrook Pack as a gesture of peace."

I lifted my head.

In the torchlight stood a tall man. He wore black combat leather, broad-shouldered, with two flecks of gold glowing in his eyes-the mark of an Alpha.

No. A Lycan King.

"Lift your head," he said.

My head was already raised, but I knew what he meant. He wanted my neck bared-the posture of an Omega's submission.

I refused.

"I hear you just fine," I said, locking eyes with him. "But I'm not your pet."

The air went still. The guards sucked in a breath.

He fell silent for a few seconds before letting out a cold chuckle. "Interesting. Do you even know what you are? A worthless prisoner of war. And yet you still dare speak to me like that?"

"I've already lost everything." I held his gaze. "At least let me keep my dignity. Otherwise, what's the difference between me and a corpse?"

He stared at me for a long time before rising to his feet. "Good. I like prey with spirit. Makes breaking them more interesting. Untie her. Send her to the wolf slave camp. Since her former fiancé called her useless, let her do what useless things are meant for. Cleaning. Laundry. Scrubbing floors-"

He paused at the doorway, glancing back at me with a cruel smile.

"Remember this. You're nothing but a wolfless failure. Here, your only value is to remind my warriors what happens to those who betray me."

The iron door slammed shut.

I sat in the darkness, my palms slick with sweat.

I thought of the fleeting flash of crimson in his eyes just now-that wasn't something an ordinary werewolf had.

And in that same instant, something long dormant within me had stirred.

The wolf slave camp was thick with raw, living malice.

"Well, look at that, the new girl," the red-haired she-wolf said, leaning against the doorframe as she sized me up. "Not bad to look at, either. Shame you're a wolfless piece of trash."

"I heard her own fiancé sent her here. Pathetic," someone laughed.

Expressionless, I walked to a corner, picked up a broom, and got to work.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," the red-haired she-wolf snapped, striding over and kicking my bucket over. "Don't know the rules, newbie? Get over here and serve me."

I paused and looked up at her. "Serve you? I thought everyone here was a slave."

Her expression darkened, and she raised her hand to strike.

"Stop."

A cold female voice cut through the air, and the room fell silent at once.

A dark-haired woman stepped in, clad in tight combat leather, her tall frame lined with sleek muscle. Her eyes were a rare silver-gray, sharp enough to cut.

"Ms. Crowe," the red-haired she-wolf said at once, lowering her head.

Selena Crowe. Kael Draven's chief female warrior. The most formidable female Alpha in the Royal Court.

She stopped in front of me, looking down from above. "You're that useless Omega?"

"Elena," I said. "I have a name."

"Trash doesn't deserve one." She sneered. "Here, you're just Wolf Slave Number 108."

I said nothing, tightening my grip on the broom.

She suddenly snatched it from me and crushed it under her boot. "I heard you even dared to defy His Majesty's orders."

"I just told the truth."

"The truth?" she scoffed. "Then let me tell you something true. Trash like you doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as us."

She kicked over a nearby basin, filthy water splashing all over me.

"Lick it clean."

Laughter broke out again around us.

I looked at the dirty water, dust and scraps floating in it. "I refuse."

Selena's eyes sharpened. "What did you say?"

"I said I refuse." I lifted my head and met her gaze. "I lost my wolf. Not my dignity."

A sharp crack rang out as her slap struck my face. My lip split open, and I tasted blood.

"Here, dignity is worth less than dirt." Selena grabbed my hair, forcing my head down.

"She's my spoils."

A cold voice came from the doorway, and everyone froze.

Kael had appeared without anyone noticing. Leaning against the doorframe, his golden eyes gleamed dangerously in the dim light.

"Only I decide her punishment."

Selena let go immediately, lowering her head. "Your Majesty, I was only teaching her the rules-"

"I know." Kael cut her off as he walked in, each step heavy with pressure. "But you've forgotten something."

He stopped in front of me, his golden gaze fixed on the blood at the corner of my mouth.

"She may be useless, but she's mine. The full moon is tonight." Kael turned to Selena. "Go prepare the transformation rite. I don't want to see you wasting time here."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Selena bowed deeply, shooting me a vicious glare before leaving.

When everyone was gone, only Kael and I remained.

He crouched down to my level and suddenly reached out, wiping the blood from my lips. The gesture was rough, yet strangely careful.

"Stand guard outside my chambers tonight," he said.

"Why?"

"That's an order." He stood up. "Remember. Don't leave. Don't make a sound. No matter what you hear."

He turned to leave, but I couldn't stop myself. "What happens to you every full moon?"

He paused mid-step.

"You'll find out soon enough."

When the full moon rose, I was locked in the tower outside Kael's chambers.

Through the narrow window, I could see the massive silver-white moon hanging in the sky.

Howls echoed across the Royal Court, rising and falling-werewolves completing their transformation under the moonlight.

Instinctively, I touched my chest.

A silver wolf had once lived there-proud, powerful, stirring restlessly inside me on nights like this.

Now, it was empty.

I thought I had accepted that. But as the moonlight fell over me, and those familiar sounds filled the air, my tears slipped free before I could stop them.

Then a thunderous crash erupted from below.

The entire tower shook, dust raining down from the walls. I leaned out the window and saw the windows of Kael's chambers explode as a massive dark shape burst out.

It was a wolf.

But it was three times the size of a normal werewolf, its fur black as the abyss, its eyes a frenzied crimson. Saliva dripped from its jaws as it let out a deafening roar.

The guards raised their silver weapons at once, trembling.

"His Majesty's lost control!" someone screamed. "Get Ms. Crowe!"

Selena appeared quickly, leading over a dozen elite warriors, each carrying specially crafted silver nets.

"Your Majesty, it's me, Selena," she said carefully as she approached. "Please calm down."

The massive black wolf turned its head, those crimson eyes locking onto her.

The next second, it lunged.

"Scatter!" Selena shouted, but it was too late. The wolf's claws swept through them, sending three warriors flying into the walls, blood spilling from their mouths.

"Use the nets!"

Several of them cast the silver nets over it, but the beast tore them apart as if it felt no pain, even as the silver threads burned into its flesh.

The scent of blood filled the air.

Panicked voices echoed from the tower guards. "Watch out! His wolf's completely out of control! Even Ms. Crowe can't contain him!"

I stared at the chaos below, my heartbeat quickening.

For some reason, a strange sensation spread through me, like something was calling out.

My hand began to burn. When I looked down, a faint silver glow had appeared in my palm.

I stared at it as it grew brighter, hotter, my blood seeming to boil along with it.

Fragments flashed through my mind-moonlight, an altar, a woman in white robes...

The tower door was thrown open.

I ran.

"Hey! What are you doing? Get back here!" the guards shouted behind me.

I didn't know what I was doing. I only knew I had to go down.

I rushed down the spiral staircase, through the corridors, and shoved open the doors to the chambers.

The courtyard was in ruins, wounded bodies scattered everywhere. Even Selena bore cuts across her face.

"Everyone fall back!" she shouted. "Prepare the final silver bullets!"

"No!"

I didn't know where the courage came from, but I rushed in front of her, spreading my arms to block the wolf.

"Have you lost your mind?" Selena stared at me.

The black wolf stared at me, its crimson eyes filled with killing intent. It bared fangs longer than daggers, letting out a low growl.

My legs trembled, but I didn't move.

"Kael. I know you're still in there," I said softly.

The wolf hesitated.

Instinctively, I raised my glowing hand and slowly reached for him.

The moment my fingers touched his forehead, silver light spread outward.

The crimson in his eyes faded, returning to gold. His massive body shrank, black fur receding until he returned to human form.

Kael knelt naked on the ground, gasping for breath.

The entire Royal Court fell silent.

All eyes were fixed on the fading silver light in my palm.

"This is..." an elderly elder said, his voice trembling. "The power of a Moon Priestess!"

"Impossible!" Selena shouted. "The Moon Priestess bloodline went extinct long ago! She must have used some kind of trick!"

"Enough." Kael spoke weakly, lifting his head to look at me, his gaze unreadable. "Take her to the Council of Elders."

The guards stepped forward immediately, seizing my arms.

I looked back at Kael. He stood under the moonlight, those golden eyes locked on me.

In the darkness, the silver light in my palm flickered one last time-then vanished completely.