Lycan King's Regret: Punished The Wrong Daughter

Lucien Volkov:

My growl must have made her heart skip a beat. Thank Goddess, she didn’t drop the tray. Due to her frail frame, she looked tiny in comparison to me.

I took the tray from her hands and helped her to her feet, ”Weren’t you asked to stay in your room?” I asked her in a whisper.

To check her neck casually for injuries, I brushed my fingers along her neck, ”Are you taking your meds?” I asked, at last, looking into her large hazel green-blue eyes.

She seemed taken aback by the way I was touching her. Her bewildered gaze moved behind me to where my mother was standing.

”You don’t need to be scared of anyone, Arabella. Okay?” My arm automatically wrapped around her waist. She gave me a look that clearly said Are you fucking crazy?

Suddenly, all my anger and all that pent-up frustration drained away. Holding her, I almost forgot that we weren’t alone.

”Lucien...”

I closed my eyes when I heard my mother’s voice, ”What are you doing, love?” she asked softly as she approached us, but I didn’t miss the subtle fury in her voice.

Arabella tried to pull free from my grip, but I only tightened my arm around her. Zorro was now practically jumping in my head with excitement.

”Mother. She won’t work unless I allow her,” I told my mother, my eyes never leaving Arabella’s, and then I opened the mindlink.

”Damn! Bradley! Come and take Arabella to my room. Move all of her belongings there as well. I swear I tried but...” I wanted to punch someone’s face. Why couldn’t she stay in her fucking quarters?

”What? Are... are you sure?” Disbelief was evident in Bradley’s voice.

”Damn sure, Beta!”

”Right away, Alpha,” his response was instant.

A few moments later, he entered the living room and stopped when he saw my family standing there in confusion. Little Zara had already fallen asleep in Aliya’s arms. Amy was seated at the edge of the couch, trying to understand the situation.

”My queen!” He bowed respectfully to my mother before turning to Arabella, ”Please come with me.”

I could practically see the panic building in her hazel eyes.

”N...no...” she whispered, shaking her head, ”I ... I need to go to the kitchen, sir.”

”You’ll do no such thing,” I said through clenched teeth. The room fell silent. They were staring at me like I had lost my mind.

”Lucien...”

”Mother, she is going to my quarters, and I’ve made my decision,” My tone left no room for arguments.

Arabella was looking at me with those pleading eyes, but right now I wanted to ignore that request.

”The girl will still be happy even if I throw her in dungeons,” I muttered to Bradley. He hid the smile and held Arabella’s elbow gently, ”Let’s go.”

As my Beta led her away, my gaze followed her small figure until she disappeared through the doorway.

Only then did I look around the room, ”Mother,” I at last looked at her face. She was trying her best to act normal, but I knew she was anything but normal.

”After dinner, I’ll come to your quarters. There is something you need to know, and I don’t think I can hide it anymore.”

Of course, I needed to come up with a solid excuse, or my mother would never spare Arabella. She would never allow a slave to reside in royal quarters when all Arabella deserved was a leash around her neck and a place at someone’s feet.

For everyone, she was nothing but a slave. Weak, wolfless, and defenseless.

Yet my beast had nearly torn itself apart trying to reach her.

”That’s because she’s our mate,” Zorro reminded me for what felt like the hundredth time.

”I know!” I snapped.

The Moon Goddess was getting bored, and just to bring some spice into her life, she decided to mate me with a woman who might be the murderer of my sister.

If by any chance my mother were to discover what Arabella was to me, her life would become even more difficult.

Until I uncovered what had really happened to Anika, I couldn’t afford to let anyone know where my loyalties stood.

***

”What are you saying?” My mother pulled her wrist free from my grip, ”She still doesn’t deserve to stay in your quarters, Lucien. She is nothing but a slave. Okay? Don’t forget that!”

We were sitting side by side on a couch in her room. She was still upset that I had sent Arabella to my room, but I had to come up with a solid excuse.

Telling the queen that Arabella was mated to the king would be like inviting a tornado into the palace. I needed time to look into the matter myself.

”Mother. Haven’t you heard the saying? Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. We need to know what they are thinking...”

My mother shook her head and rose from the couch, heading to the display-cabinet filled with photographs of her husband and kids.

Out of all of them, Anika’s smile was the brightest, ”You don’t understand, son,” her voice softened, ”Watching that girl walking through these halls... it makes my wolf go crazy. It wants to tear her apart on the spot.”

She was a hybrid chosen by my father as his mate. He had rejected his fated mate to be with her.

”Mother,” I leaned back and rested my head against the backrest, ”Right now, we all want Anika’s murderer behind bars. Victor will be leaving soon, and then we’ll be left with nothing.”

She remained silent.

”Give me some time, mother,” I continued, ”Let that slave lower her guard. I promise, we’ll get to the truth.”

My mother started shaking her head but didn’t turn around, ”She is a cunning bitch,” she gritted her teeth, ”And she knows how to act, Lucien. Trust me. You’ll regret it. Mark my words, son. You’ll regret it.”

I said nothing.

If there was one thing I had started believing was that Arabella Toussaint wasn’t the person my mother believed her to be.

Little did I know, I would spend the coming days questioning everything I thought I knew about that girl.