The Substitute Bride of Lycan King

I woke up early in the morning and got up. My heart flutters in excitement because today is a special day. It's my eighteenth birthday and I will be meeting my wolf! I couldn't wait to shift for the first time!

Rumors had it that it was painful for them, but I couldn't care less about that part. Probably, it will just be for a second and it gets easier later.

A little bit of pain is nothing compared to the physical abuse I get from my foster family. I just wish my parents were here to see me shift for the first time, but they died in a rogue attack a long time ago.

"Happy birthday, Margareth!" My one and only best friend, Zen, pops out of nowhere in my room and proceeds to give me a birthday cake. I laughed and hugged her tight.

She even placed eighteen candles on the cake! What a lovely girl!

The corner of my lips formed into a smile as I hugged her.

"Thank you, Zen," I whispered and patted her back. "But you don't have to do this, though," said I while blowing out the candles on my cake.

She giggled and said, "Why not? It's a special day! You're gonna meet your wolf for the first time! And..."

Both of us stared at each other, thinking about the same thing, and we both ended up giggling and blushing like teenagers.

Once the sun sets, we go to the woods and do the ritual.

"You see that groundwater well over there, Marga?" Zen pointed to a deep well near where we are.

I nodded and asked, "What am I going to do?"

She summoned me to just walk past that well and feel the emotions building up. After that, I'm going to shift my wolf. It was a simple task.

My heart feels like exploding. I was smiling ear to ear while walking slowly in my white, silky dress, to feel this moment special. While walking, I saw a silhouette of someone, but I didn't mind who that was because I concentrated on my feelings.

I closed my eyes and felt the electrifying sensation running through my veins.

This is it! I'm going to shift! However, the sensation died instantly and I could feel my world crumbling into pieces.

Opening my eyes, my vision blurry for a second and I fell to my knees. Someone was calling me, but I had no energy left to respond.

I didn't shift.

Does that mean I belong to a shameful category called wolfless she-wolf?

"What happened?" I asked Zen while massaging my forehead.

"You just fell on the ground! Are you okay?" Her eyes looked so worried, but I was distracted by Megan's irritating presence. She was the one who laughed at me.

I remember that voice!

"Gosh, you didn't shift? That was so embarrassing!" Megan said while pointing at me.

I was lying on the ground. She was holding her stomach because she couldn't seem to stop herself from laughing.

No, no, no. This can't happen!

I was so excited to meet my wolf, but I just became a wolfless she-wolf! That's a nightmare! It's like a part of me is killed!

The next morning, my father was so agitated because of the news. I was right. Megan did the evil's work already. Everyone in our pack already knows I'm a wolfless she-wolf. My mother was disappointed, but she couldn't do anything to console me.

After all, I'm not her biological daughter.

My step-sister, on the other hand, tried communicating with me, but I didn't let her in my room.

"Tanya! You're just wasting food! Don't feed that brat if she doesn't want to eat!" I heard my mother's shout one time when my step-sister brought me food again inside my room.

She heaved a deep sigh and brushed my hair using her fingers while I pretended to be asleep. "Do you want to talk about it, Margs?"

I shook my head. Shoot! I'm pretending to be asleep, yet I just moved my head! I heard her chuckle and said, "If you want anything, just call me, okay?"

She went out after that immediately. Tanya may not be my biological sister but she was kind and good to me. I'm blessed to have her and Zen in my life. They were the only ones who kept me living my life.

That night, Zen knocked on my window and told me to doll up because there are royalties coming in our Red Blood Pack.

"If it's a party, I'm not going," I told her.

"What? You've gotta be kidding me!"

"You know from all people in my life, Zen, that I particularly hate parties!"

"But these are royalties, Margareth! Who knows we could marry one of the Princes!" She giggled at the thought and I rolled my eyes at her. She has this fetish of daydreaming to marry a rich, noble husband one day.

I know that no one wants me. I'm alright with anyone as long as it's my mate and he could give me a happy family. I didn't wish to marry royalty because they wouldn't even glance at a weakling like me. I just want a man who's going to love me purely. One who will shower me with kisses every night and the morning I wake up.

***

Zen told me that a big event is happening tonight. It's called Treaty Peace Celebration where all packs gather around in one place.

Basically, it's a party for the lower and higher ranks to interact with each other and make connections. It was created by the Chancellor to maintain peace in the neighboring packs and to avoid wars and conflicts. Now is the time to negotiate and seal business deals.

And my father is clearly participating in this, together with his family.

I should not be seen!

"Laying low, huh? I told you. That angelic face could get every man to fall on their knees-"

"Shut up," I hissed at Zen and grabbed her wrist because I spotted my sister in the far left corner of the room.

She was alone and drinking wine. I followed her gaze and saw her eye-fucking her boyfriend, Daniel Cullens, on the adjacent table.

Daniel is my sister's long-term boyfriend and they love each other so much. My father doesn't approve of them because as the oldest daughter in the family, she is bound to be arranged marriage to a stranger my father likes.

Zen and I sighed in relief after we found an empty table. It's dimmer in this area compared to the front, so this must be okay.

"Are you really sure about this?"I asked Zen because I get scared of doing things like this. It feels so illegal to wear a red dress, sneak out of my room, and go to an uninvited party.

"What? Are you chickening out right now after all I've done to your hair, makeup, and dress-"

"Fine,"I stopped her before she could name all the few good things she had done for my life.

Zen grinned and pointed to someone behind me. "Hey, you see that man over there?"

Oh my Gosh, she's embarrassing me! I pushed her finger down before anyone could catch us.

Slowly, I turned my head to the other side and saw what she was talking about.

I nodded, a sign of approval because she really has good taste.

The man is so handsome! He looks old, though, compared to our age, but that didn't stop me from drooling over him.

His long and pointy nose, dark and deep eyes, pouty and reddish lips... Is he even for real?!

"That's the gentleman I was talking to you! His name is Lycan King Thomas. If you want good genes for your kids, he is the best candidate for you. Well, I heard bad rumors about him though."

I ignore her nonsense remarks. My eyes couldn't stop looking at his stoic face.

"I heard he's the youngest Lycan King in town!"

A Lycan King? He must have royal blood in his veins, then. Royalties like him marry a princess, or duchess - just anyone as long as they have royal blood. They wouldn't marry a peasant like us.

"What did you hear about him?" I asked Zen while gaping at the young king. His broad shoulders looked stiff as he sipped on the glass of his wine. He licked his lower lip and turned to me.

My body froze for a moment. I wanted to look away, but something about his gaze made me not.

I could feel my skin burning.

"Uhm, he is known to be a ruthless man who takes advantage of the businessmen in town as long as he gets what he wants. He was cursed to not bear a child by the Moon Goddess because of his cold and disgusting personality."

Zen continued talking but I wasn't listening to her anymore.

His heated gaze sends millions of voltage to my body.

Swallowing, I looked away and returned my gaze to him after a couple of seconds. My cheeks blushed because he was still looking at me. His eyes squinted at me.

I couldn't move in my seat while hearing Zen's blabbering. Really, I didn't understand what she was saying because I was too immersed in making eye contact with the stranger.

The night came to an end and I wanted to go home because my family would kill me once they found out I wasn't. However, Zen was being stubborn again and decided to follow the Lycans. We arrived in a small garden of the venue and hid behind the bush.

"Is this him?" Lycan King Thomas asked, his voice as deep as the ocean, and it literally gives me chills. Zen looked at me, and she was grinning, but I couldn't. I could feel the heavy atmosphere around the men in front of us. I could feel my heart thumping so fast... as if something bad will happen right now...

"Yes," his beta replied to his boss. He grabbed the gun from his back pocket and gave it to Lycan King Thomas.

"Sir! Please! No! I still have a family to feed! Please don't kill me!" The man whimpers and begs on his knees in front of Lycan King Thomas. Zen wasn't grinning now. Both of us were shocked at that moment because we knew we were about to witness a murder scene.

"Damn it. We gotta go before they spot us, Margareth!" Zen hissed and moved from where we were hiding. I immediately grabbed her hand to stop her when someone noticed us.

"Who is it?" One of the men in suit shouted.

We gasped.

I clamped my hand at Zen's mouth. We stared at each other and prayed that we were not going to get caught. For sure we will be shot, too, if they caught us. I squeezed Zen's hands and weakly smiled at her to assure her that we were just going to be fine.

She nodded and closed her eyes. We heard footsteps approaching us not until Lycan King Thomas commanded.

"I'm already wasting a lot of time. Kill him."

A gunshot was heard right after that.

"Lycan King Thomas," I whispered, shaking and still shocked at what happened.

I hope I will not cross paths with him ever again.

"What's that scent?" a low growl nearby us was heard. Zen and I were hiding our tiny figures in the garden, but I think we're doomed now.

"What do you mean, Thomas?" his beta asked and Thomas shushed him up. The moment I tried to stand up, the Lycan King had already pinned me on the ground.

"Mate," he hissed and looked at me in the eyes. I was shocked to hear him say that, but I was more shocked by the fact that my mate is royalty.

The Lycan King is my mate?

No, it can't be!

He has royal blood in his veins while I don't have!

His fangs were ready to bite me, but I screamed at the top of my lungs to stop him. The smell of lavender musk and the aftershave of my mate enthralled my nose and system. I crave for his touch, his smell, his voice. I want all of him.

With all my remaining energy, I pushed his chest and managed to get up. His beta helped me and asked if I was okay. I just nodded at him, my eyes still on the Lycan King in front of me.

His eyes glow in red while looking at me. His head shaking while looking at me up and down. "You can't be my mate. There must be something wrong."

"But you just told me-"

"It doesn't matter," he cuts me off. "I already have a wife. I'm going to meet her tomorrow."

It felt like someone stabbed me in the heart a million times. Does that mean he rejects me?

Without further ado, I was left there in shock and his men vanished in seconds.

Zen and I swore to the Moon Goddess that we wouldn't talk about what happened. I cried in her arms because I was excited to meet my mate, only to find out it was the Lycan King Thomas. No wonder I can't keep my eyes away from him at the party! After one hour session of crying, we return to our respective houses.

As soon as I arrived, I saw how the pieces of furniture in our living room were broken.

"You imbecile and cruel father-"

I shut my eyes closed, afraid of what might happen. However, I saw my sister stop my mother who was about to slap my father. She whispered in a shaking voice, "T-That's enough, m-mom. I'm going to marry and meet him tomorrow."

"Tanya..." I whispered unknowingly, and the three of them looked at where I was standing.

Despite all of this, my sister still smiled at me. "Go back to your room and have your rest, Margareth."

I didn't. I was still watching them. Tanya turned to my mother.

"Dad is right. I couldn't do anything about it. Sooner or later, I will marry for business. I expected this already, mom."

"Tanya, you're still too young - "

"Mom, don't be funny. I'm already twenty years old. Now's the time to get serious in life and marry."

My mother hugged her. That night, I couldn't sleep comfortably knowing that my father just sold my sister and that she will be meeting her husband tomorrow morning.

I went to my sister's room to see how she was holding up, but when I opened the door of her room, I didn't any trance of her.

"Tanya?" I asked, slowly walking towards her neat and clean bed where I saw a white envelope. I froze while looking at it. My heart thumps loudly on my chest while I grab it on the bed. Looking at the white envelope in my hands, I already have my hunch on what it is.

"Tanya!" I screamed and one of our maids must have heard me because she appeared in the room.

"What's the matter, Margareth? she asked me, worriedly looking at the envelope in my hand.

"My sister... I think s-she's gone!" I stutter and immediately walk toward her cabinet. To my horror, it's already empty.

"Her clothes are not here anymore!" I told the maid.

"What?!" She said, horrified because we knew what that meant. My father barged in the door, together with my mother, who I think just woke up.

"What's happening here?!" My father asked in a deep and dangerous voice.

My legs started shaking when he saw me. I pinch my fingers and look down, not wanting to meet his eyes because he looks so scary right now. My mother's voice bombarded my ears.

"Margareth," she heaved a deep sigh while looking at me, "where is your sister?"

"I... I d-don't know..."

My father asked me. "What's that stupid envelope you were holding?"

I gasped when he marched at me and snatched the envelope in my hands.

"It's from Tanya..." I whispered. Different ideas were running inside my head, thinking about my sister who I think just fled from home, and the answer lies in the white envelope my father was holding.

My stepfather had no time to read the white envelope when the engine of a car pulled up on our lawn. I could see familiar men in a black suit entering our house, each one of them had a gun in their pocket.

Immediately, my mother snatched it and tore the white envelope; reading the letter in front of us.

The letter was from my sister who ran away together with her boyfriend.

Pregnant.

I can't believe this is happening!

My heart shattered as I looked at the man entering our house. I was in hysteria because of the commotion and didn't notice him, not until I could feel the intensity of his gaze.

Dark and brooding eyes. Wide shoulders. Stoic face. Tall and dangerous aura. He was sitting in an angled-four position in our cushion like he owned the whole house.

Why is he so familiar?

He tilted his head while staring at me. An evil smirk plastered on his face, clearly enjoying the shocked reaction on my face.

He's the man at the party! I gasped, his name registering in my mind now.

Lycan King Thomas.

It was my mate who rejected me that night!

Why is he here inside our house? And why are his men, together with his beta, guarding the door as if someone will run off anytime?

"So my supposed-to-be bride ran away?" Lycan King Thomas's voice thundered in the room after a long and eerie silence. My father fell to his knees and bowed his head in front of Lycan King Thomas.

"My apologies, Your Highness. I will immediately find her - "

Thomas raised his arms, signaling to stop my father from talking. While he did that, he didn't break our eye contact.

"Mr. Cullens, you know what will happen if you break the contract, right?"

My father started shaking.

I have never seen him this terrified in my life. He's the one who's scary in our household, yet this man in front of me made him flip in one second.

"I won't break the contract, Your Highness! I made a promise to you!"

Lycan King Thomas grins and looked at my father. He crosses his hands and slouches on the sofa to meet my father's eyes.

"I want a pure woman who can produce the heir for me. If words get out that I'm going to marry a slut and undignified woman, what do you think will happen to me?"

I hate his tongue. How dare he call my sister a slut!

My father whimpers and kisses his toes.

I gasped because I couldn't bear the sight anymore.

He said, "It was not my intention to damage your reputation, Your Highness! I will find my daughter right now and give her back to you - "

Lycan King Thomas heaved a deep sigh like he was sick of the conversation already.

"I didn't know you were stupid, Mr. Cullens. What I meant to say is, I won't have your daughter anymore."

"W-What... W-What? S-So, w-what about o-our deal?"

"There's no deal anymore. I will kill you."

"Your Highness! We're businessmen here, I'm sure we can negotiate this out."

My father keeps on bowing his head up and down, begging Lycan King Thomas for our lives. I saw my mother's terrified face, and she collapsed on the floor, mimicking my father's moves.

"Sir! Please forgive us! We will find a way to repay you. Please forgive us!" My mother keeps on repeating the last phrase. I fell on my knees, too. If we won't please the Lycan King, I will be killed, and the rest of us in our house.

"Lycan King Thomas, please... forgive us," I whispered those words and silently pray that my sister will appear in front of us. But that didn't happen.

Lycan King Thomas was in front of me while I'm on the floor. He kneels his one knee on the carpeted floor and put his finger on my chin, making me look up at him.

My breathing stopped for a moment when our eyes met. It was like a sunny and stormy day colliding. His jaw locked while looking at me, and I couldn't explain the burning feeling in my skin. His brooding stare makes me weak. Still, I couldn't stop looking at his dreamy eyes.

"S-She's my d-daughter, Lycan King Thomas!"

My father blurted out.

Quickly, I bow down my head and pinch my fingers.

Please, please, just don't look at me. I hope my father fixes this problem. I hope my sister's okay right now. I hope we can get out of here alive and breathing.

"I didn't know you had two daughters," Thomas muttered as he looked at my father. My father nodded twice. "Yes, I have two daughters. She just turned eighteen. Untouched. Virgin. She's obedient, too. Beautiful and has a voluptuous body, isn't she?"

My eyes squinted because never in my life my father has complimented me.

The moment I realized what he was planning, my eyes bulged out and my hands started shaking.

No fucking way...

"She will be a good substitute bride to produce your offspring."

He sold me to my mate?!

I will make sure my stepfather pays for what he has done for me, together with my mother. They didn't even look at me when I was dragged away from my house that night. I was screaming and crying for help.

"Please... please, please, I don't want to do this!"

"You don't have a choice, sweetheart," his beta named Caleb said and smiled at me sweetly. In return, I shook my head violently and tried to get away from his grip, but he just tightened my hold.

"Margareth!" I heard a familiar voice of a girl was heard before I got inside Lycan King Thomas's fancy and shining black car. Beta Caleb halted for a moment and turned his head to my best friend, Zen, who was crying and running towards me.

"Z-Zen..." I whispered, shocked because she got here at the right time. Terrified, because she would be in trouble because of me.

"What's happening!" Zen screamed my name, like she was petrified of losing me once she didn't. I saw fear in her eyes when she looked at someone behind me – Lycan King Thomas. He must be watching this.

I wonder if he likes it when he senses fear in his surroundings.

Caleb summoned the other two men in black suit to stop my best friend from holding me. "No!" I screamed when I saw the two of them pulling out their guns while they were holding my best friend.

"Don't hurt her! Don't hurt her!" I swear after this night, I'm going to lose my own voice.

"Margareth! I will come and get you out of that cruel Lycan King!" My jaw felt open when she said that her finger pointing at the man behind me.

I nodded, laughing without humor, because I know it's not going to happen. There is no way Zen could get me out in this shitty situation. But still, she tried to soothe my soul for tonight, and so, I nodded and looked at her with a small, reassuring smile that I believed her.

"Of course, of course you're going to," I whispered.

It's only a matter of seconds before Caleb opened the door for me. I didn't notice Lycan King Thomas was already inside the car. He didn't wait for anyone – for me. He just doesn't care. That's the last thing I should think of right now. I was lucky enough they didn't hurt my friend.

I sat at the backseat of the car, beside Lycan King Thomas, who was busy looking at his phone. My face damp with tears, and my heart beats like crazy because of Thomas's presence. He just makes me feel weak and powerless and useless.

He scares me.

Caleb, on the other hand, was smiling at me while he maneuvered the car away from our mansion. I glared at him. He nodded at me and looked away. Maybe he finds Zen funny. I could sense it. I couldn't care less of what he thinks.

The drive was too long, and I felt like I've got a taste on what hell is like. Lycan King Thomas was busy on his phone the whole drive, and when I glanced at it, he was zooming in and out of someone's tits. Big breast. I figured that's just his type.

He is desperate. He wants a virgin to produce his offspring, but he's busy gawking at someone's lude image of a woman. Why don't he marry that woman on the screen?

I don't know what I've got into. Am I jealous? Yes, it's because of the mate bond.

What would happen to me when he finally gets what he wants? Maybe he will toss me aside when I'm useless. My heart breaks into pieces of thought. Different ideas ran through my head about what he's going to do to me.

Right now, he's acting like a complete dick. I should already figure this out. A tear escaped again in my eyes, and I brushed it off with my forefinger. What a pity. I guess I will never have a loyal husband. Back when I was still naïve, I dreamed of marrying someone I would love eternally. I will give him every piece of my heart, every part of my soul, every inch of my skin and body. That was when I was still naïve, not knowing what reality is, and I got slapped by it until now.

It will never happen.

I just knew it when Caleb starts telling me the contract my stepfather signed earlier. Lycan King Thomas acted like I didn't exist inside the car. Caleb told me that his boss, Lycan King Thomas, wanted an offspring of his kingdom. He wants to have a son – an heir. Just to be prepared – according to Caleb. I found out Lycan King Thomas doesn't have a family. He cut off ties with them.

The reason why the Lycan King wanted to have a son is that he was cursed by the Moon Goddess to not bear a child, so he wanted someone who could fix that for him.

How foolish!

Is he defying the Moon Goddess's order?

He thinks he can break the curse by having me.

Once I give birth to his son, I will get out of the contract to do whatever I want in my life. The King really doesn't have an interest in having a Luna because he doesn't need it. They are useless – according to Caleb, again.

"Yup, I think I'm done telling her the basics, boss," Caleb said and stopped the car. That was the only time Lycan King Thomas stopped looking at his phone and glanced at the rearview mirror. I never looked at him. I just looked at the huge and luxurious looking mansion in front of us. It's ten times wider and bigger than Cullen's mansion.

Rumors about Lycan King Thomas was right. He's not only drop-dead gorgeous looking like a Greek God, but he's also filthy rich. He got wealthy. He's powerful. I get it why women thirst for him in the party even though he looks like someone who would thrash your life. I get where his confidence is coming from.

A minute of silence wrapped around us. Lycan King Thomas's baritone voice breaks that when he says, "The contract is confidential. Don't tell anyone about the contract. If you do, you know what happens to them." Right after he said that he got out of the car and left me behind.

Of course, I get what he meant to say.

They will be killed.

***

I fancied the interiors and the ceilings of Lycan King Thomas's house. This is not a house, actually. It is like a castle from the 1700's with a touch of modern design. This is nothing compared to our mansion. Now that I think about it, we're not really rich.

We are nothing compared to Lycan King Thomas's wealth. I understand why my father behaves like that around him. With money, you can have power and everything.

Lycan King Thomas and Caleb went straight to a room with a wide and wooden door. Someone blocked my way, and I almost jumped when I saw a middle-aged woman smiling at me widely. "Hello dear, you must be Margareth."

"Y-Yes..." I said, scared because of the ambience of this hallway. It's dark. The light illuminates the woman's face. She looks kind, but I don't trust anyone inside this house. Not Lycan King Thomas's underlings.

"Let me accompany you in your room."

Her name is Cina. She's the oldest maiden of Garcia's mansion and she rules all the household chores. Everyone respected her. She told me she was happy about Thomas and me. My eyes squinted at that.

Shocked because they didn't know about Thomas and I's situation. This is just a forced marriage for his own interest, and I was ostracized to play my part. I didn't have a choice. My stepfather chose a path for me that I didn't want.

I took a deep breath and sighed. I guess I have to play along with my role as Lycan King Thomas's future wife, huh?

"Thomas may look cold and brutal, but he's actually sweet! I remember back when he was a child..." She starts telling me a narrative about how she nursed Thomas all her life. I know what she was doing. She was trying to convince me that my husband isn't that cruel. I wasn't listening to her entirely. My head was swaying will all the details I had to memorize when I started living inside this big and eerie castle-like house – the restricted places, the rules in this household.

Everyone in this household felt warm. Mostly, the ladies were smiling at me, but I figured they were told to or else they would be dead. The men in black guarding the mansion acted invisible. They were just doing their job.

Thomas, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. We have separate rooms. Every night, it's so cold. My room is bigger, nicer, and comfier than my attic room. However, why do I still feel so lonely? It's still the same.

Someone knocked on the door. I thought it was just Cina bringing my dinner, but when I opened it, my heart dropped its beat. My knees started wobbling, and I was lucky I was holding the doorknob for full support.

Lycan King Thomas entered the place as if he owned them. It's actually true. He owns the room I am staying in.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. It has been three days since we first met. I've never seen him walking in his own house. He's probably out to manage his business.

"Are you comfortable in this room?" As if you care, I wanted to tell him but didn't have the courage to do so. I nodded submissively and closed the door.

He heaved a deep sigh and nodded, acknowledging my response and took something out from his pocket. "Give me your hand."

Confused, I still followed his order and showed him my hand. I gasped when he grabbed my hand and put a ring on my finger forcefully.

The ring looks expensive, and I just found out it's from an expensive brand. There is an infinity symbol on it. If someone who loves me dearly, and someone whom I also love the most, gives me this ring, I would cry and blush in glee.

But it's Lycan King Thomas who gave me this ring.

He doesn't love me.

We're just doing this for his own benefit. And I have to oblige or else I'm going to get the rest of my family killed.

"Don't lose it," he whispered while looking at my eyes intensely.

My hands started shaking. He noticed it because he was still holding my hand. I couldn't read what's on his mind.

I wonder if he could read mine.

We are mates, but maybe because I didn't have my wolf was the reason that I couldn't read his mind. His expression is cold, yet he was staring at me intensely. Was he waiting for an answer? Because I'll give it to him.

"I won't," I said before pulling my hand from him. He tore his eyes from me and shut the door closed, leaving me breathless for an unknown reason, and shaking in fear.