Lycan King's Regret: Punished The Wrong Daughter

Arabella Toussaint

That night, sleep refused to come. I had lost count of how many times I had turned from one side of the bed to the other. Every time I closed my eyes, Jasmine’s face appeared in my mind.

I would be a fool to think I could run away without anyone’s help. And who knew better than Jasmine, who had once been a head warrior?

Maybe when I was out of the picture, the king might see her. Like really see her and realize that she was the one for him.

That was why she was helping me, right? She wanted to be seen, and for that she needed me out of this palace and out of his life.

My chest tightened.

However, when the door opened, I froze. The king was back. I quickly shut my eyes and slowed my breathing, pretending I was asleep.

Please don’t notice.

I listened carefully as he walked across the room. A moment later, the bathroom door clicked shut. Water ran for a few minutes before everything went quiet again.

My heartbeat picked up when I heard his footsteps coming closer. The mattress dipped behind me, and I had to fight the urge to open my eyes.

He smelled delicious. Jasmine’s mate smelled delicious.

Urgh. Shut up!

For a few seconds, he didn’t do anything, then I felt his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

”My little troublemaker...” he whispered.

Troublemaker? That’s new.

”How was your day, sweetheart? Did you even miss me,” I felt his lips on my earlobe and struggled to keep my heartbeat normal. As a Lycan, he could easily detect it.

”I missed you so much...” His hand rested lightly against my cheek, ”I wish I could stay here longer with you,” He murmured near my ear, ”But these damn meetings are stealing all my time.”

I swallowed without moving. He was talking to me in my sleep.

Does he do that daily?

”Once I’m done with it... you’ll have me all to yourself. I’ll spend more time with you. I promise.”

He wasn’t talking to me like I was his subject and he was my king. He sounded more like a friend.

But it didn’t mean he loved me, right? I stayed still for a few more minutes and felt his breathing growing slower until it became steady.

He had finally fallen asleep. Swallowing hard, I opened my eyes and looked down. His arm was wrapped firmly around my waist, holding me against his chest even in his sleep.

Why are you doing this to me, My King?

I asked him silently, trying to control my tears.

Will he miss me once I’m gone?

***

I let out a sleepy yawn and stretched my arms above my head. The moment I opened my eyes, I nearly screamed.

Lucien’s face was inches away from mine, ”Morning!”

My eyes flew wide open, and he burst out laughing.

Man! He looked drop-dead gorgeous in that casual sky-blue t-shirt and blue jeans.

”What? You slept like a dead person,” he shook his head with a boyish grin that I’d never seen on his face, ”I’ve been waiting for you to wake up so we could have breakfast together.”

I just stared at him.

Wait! Has he been sitting here this whole time? Watching me sleep? No way!

Heat rushed to my face.

”What? Cat got your tongue, sweetheart?” he said with a teasing smile.

Right now, he didn’t look like King Lucien. This was someone else. More approachable. More boyish.

I quickly looked away. He stood up and held out his hand, ”Now move your ass, beautiful. Or I might decide to skip breakfast and have you instead.”

Before I could react, he grabbed me around the waist and lifted me into the air, throwing me over his shoulder like a sack.

I gasped in shock, ”Put me down, My King!” I kicked my legs. The only response I got was a slap on my ass.

”Behave yourself. You can’t kick your King,” he said sternly, but I didn’t miss the amusement in his voice.

”Where are you taking me?”

”To the bathroom, silly.”

He slowly lowered me until my feet touched the floor right outside the bathroom, but he didn’t let go. His one arm was around my waist as he stood there looking at me.

I felt nervous under that golden gaze.

”Has anyone ever told you that you have beautiful eyes?”

I blinked. What? No! No one ever told me that?

A slow, cocky grin spread across his face. He pinched my nose and nudged me, pushing me toward the bathroom, ”Go!”

After stepping into the bathroom, I looked back once and found him watching me, arms folded with that annoying smile.

With my racing heart, I shut the bathroom door and rested my back against it.

Lucien Volkov surely knew how to mess with someone’s heart. He seemed to have a terrible habit of making my heart act stupid.

***

While walking for breakfast, he intertwined our fingers.

”Yesterday’s meeting with the Northern pack finally ended,” He told me casually, ”They’ve agreed to open the trade route before winter. Bradley was worried they’d refuse, but they came around in the end.”

I nodded without any idea what he was talking about. Looked like he must have heard me because his next statement made my heart stumble, ”I like talking to you about my day, Arabella,” Without warning, he lifted my hand and brushed his lips across my knuckles.

I felt my heart beating in my throat, ”This way,” he pulled me along and pushed open the doors to the dining room.

My smile disappeared when I realized the entire royal family was already there.

Queen Theodora, Aliya, Amy, Noah, and little Zara.

For some stupid reason, I had imagined it would be just two of us. Instead, every pair of eyes turned toward us in surprise and in confusion.

Aliya was the first one who suddenly pushed back her chair, ”I’m leaving.” She mumbled, and I felt my heart sinking.

Another insult. I should’ve known better.