Claimed by the Mad Lycan King

Zade’s lack of explanation made Seara anxious. ”I am not trying to get attention. I am not lying.” She tapped her foot nervously. ”I think I am not imagining things. This is not my hallucination.”

”I know.” Zade cupped her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb to calm her down. ”I know you are not lying, Love.”

”But...”

”Come with me.” Zade took her hand, and then they went toward the watchtower where the devil had been locked away before.

There was nothing wrong with this place, but Seara stopped in her tracks when they were getting closer. She gripped Zade’s arm tightly and looked very reluctant to get closer.

This reaction was enough of a confirmation for Zade.

”Do you feel even more uncomfortable?” He studied Seara’s expression and noticed how her face contorted. Seara was trying to hide behind Zade’s body without her realizing it.

”I don’t like this.” She clutched her chest. ”Can we leave?”

”Okay, we can leave.” Zade kissed the top of Seara’s head and then walked away from the watchtower.

***

Just as Zade instructed, Leia invited Oliver and Jude for dinner. At first, they tried to turn it down politely, but after some time, they agreed to have dinner with the family.

There was nothing wrong with it or anything worth being suspicious of because it was not the first time Oliver and Jude had dined with Jeremy’s family.

They had been best friends since they were in middle school, and after years of friendship, Leia saw Oliver and Jude as her own too.

However, one thing that was out of the ordinary was that Zade would join the dinner. Leia found this unusual, but she didn’t say anything, since she didn’t know what Zade’s plan was.

Still, she asked the question.

”Are you being suspicious of those children? On what basis?” Leia was walking in the corridor with Zade, while the other people had gathered in the dining hall.

”Let’s see,” Zade replied vaguely, which made Leia even more confused; yet, she didn’t ask any further as they entered the room.

Soon enough, the lively sound around the table echoed in the corridor once the door opened and Zade and Leia entered the room.

Jeremy and Oliver were the loudest, throwing jokes, while Jude would chime in now and then. Aside from the three of them, Ace and Caspian were also there.

There was nothing out of the ordinary; it was like the other dinner.

But Oliver’s and Jude’s eyes flickered when they saw Zade joining them.

”Good evening, Mr. Blaze,” Oliver said, smiling at Zade, while Jude followed with a light nod. Zade simply nodded back at them, acknowledging the greetings.

”Let’s start the dinner,” Leia said enthusiastically, while Zade closed the door behind him.

***

”I can’t believe this,” Chloe whined again. ”Why should I be here? Why can’t I join their dinner?” She put down her cutlery, crossing her arms like a petulant child.

”Can you stop? You’re giving me a headache,” Zephyr said. He wanted to stuff Chloe’s mouth for complaining with every breath.

”Tell me, why are we having dinner here while they’re having dinner inside? Why can’t we just join them?” Chloe turned her body fully toward Zephyr.

Currently, the three of them were in the bungalow, where they had their dinner. Chloe had been in a foul mood since they informed her that she couldn’t join the dinner with the Sol family.

”Because the king said so,” Zephyr replied impatiently. He knew what Zade was going to do; that was why he was here to make sure Seara was alright.

But then, Chloe couldn’t be at the dining table, because if things went south, then she would be a liability.

Meanwhile, Altair, Asher, and their gammas stayed in Zephyr’s house. They were not on board with Zade’s view.

They still didn’t believe that Seara could feel the devil’s presence like what Zade claimed, yet they would be nearby if things went entirely wrong.

Of course, only a handful of people knew all of this matter. Leia and Jeremy were clueless, but Caspian and Ace would be there.

”Ugh, whatever he is doing or saying, he always annoys the hell out of me.” Chloe then turned her head to Seara, who had been very quiet. It was not unusual for her. ”You don’t have a wolf spirit, so I assume your bond with him is not that strong. How can you stand him?”

Zephyr stuffed a piece of bread into Chloe’s mouth to shut her up; if he could, he would cleanse her mouth as well.

”What? I am only asking a question.” Chloe spat the bread out and glared at Zephyr. ”I can understand if she has her wolf spirit and she feels a deep bond like Leia and Caspian, but she has none of it, right?”

On the other hand, Seara looked at Chloe for a moment; her expression didn’t change in the slightest when she finally spoke.

”Zade treats me well. He treats everyone that he likes well,” Seara said. She was not going to explain the feelings that she had to Chloe, and she didn’t need to know.

”Are you implying that he doesn’t like me?” Chloe narrowed her eyes dangerously.

”Come on, you know that already.” Zephyr rolled his eyes; he leaned against the sofa lazily. After having dinner, they gathered in the living room, watching a movie, but it seemed none of them were watching. ”You two don’t even like each other.”

With Zephyr’s statement, Chloe’s expression changed almost instantly. She looked nonchalant. ”Well, that’s not wrong.”

Seara stared at Chloe, who was gossiping with Zephyr about how Zade could be unbearable. From the sound of it, this was not the first time they had gossiped behind Zade’s back, and then she realized something.

Chloe’s suggestions before were not really to make her look bad in front of Zade, but she wanted to inconvenience him as much as she could.