MATED TO THE MONSTROUS CURSED LYCAN

pte

y's

parents killed. The next... I

old me

sed Lyc

terror that makes you scream, but the deep, visceral

g in freezing quarters designed for broken girls with no names. Me, once the pride o

slow, heavy footstep

ng wants to s

tightened. Fear fluttered through me,

h step yawning my stomach wider. Finally, I stood be

the King sat on a throne sculpted of obsidian and bone,

ing as he approached. Ea

ran down

s words cut cleanly. "Do you truly not

on't.... I don't see anything. Plea

is head, ey

test

e pressed steel to his palm. It cut through muscle. V

o a crystal gobl

ri

. I...this isn't some

rkened. "Yo

urned my nostrils. He didn't wait, I choked and spat

ng inside me

sa

rnum, dug into his wrists and shoulders. Thin threads of blood seeped

ng. They weren't illusions, t

tudi

them now?" h

if I admitted it, I'd be trapped with him forever and I can't let th

throat. He hoisted me up the air

eck if you lie ag

Course he could. He'

tbeat, the pulse in my thr

, a

g. I crashed to the stone floor, gr

, eyes w

ed. "Who

meone here. He says

Derek....my ex

"Oh? So your mate has come.

roze. How

ur banishment, the day your pack called you a fake,

y mind quivered. He

my arm, l

o near him. Don't go near to Derek. He

rayingly without po

Six massive columns. Flaming torches. A

ck. "Ivy... by the Moon Goddess... you're

i

. Who paraded another girl as savior. Who orchestrate

o tear hi

n my blood, savage and

to my shoulder, cold, heavy, fin

ing. "Will you return to your lying ex-mat

asps. My heart slammed against my

ek meant betrayal

... meant binding myself to darknes

ps tr

words I couldn't take bac

ropped li

at me, sti

en

lau

It was low, cruel, a

d with something close to

face. "Then she's mine," he said to Der

leaming, locked on mine. "

nt silent.

..those same eyes th

oice cold, hollow. "Make him fe

ed. "Ivy... no...

ll an alpha," he said softly. "But I'll do

"What do

pped c

p. Then

wall and he towered over m

ine. I could smell the wild scen

, voice dark and low. "If you t

real bride had to see and

caught in

mly...and raised my trembling hand t

uldn't. Not with Derek watching

s...and touch

grazed it, fire expl

Light.

cold stone wall with a crack that echoed through the dungeon, pain exploding thr

verything

the dim torchlight. My head pounded like war

cloaked and hooded, her face hidden in shadows. She approached me

ispered, her voice urgent but

was already gone. I didn't know who she was, but I could

he paper. A map. An escape route

ldn't

me, not after discovering I wasn't his true mate. His pride wouldn't allo

I r

luck, fate, or maybe the goddess herself guiding me. I slipped through the outer gat

orest was suffocating, each shadow stretchin

ppea

re

e who shattered it

ping out from behind a tree, silver fang glin

nside me. She clawed at my insi

here?" I stammered, backing

hissed, raising the silver fang

couldn't outrun him. I was still weak from the injection in the past.

, save me, I prayed in silen

d

dow e

Calm. Te

ycan

t, hiding his face, but not the rag

roze. "

t leaving Derek. He had heard my thoughts. Of cour

k the air, he roared, "HOW DAR

us. The sky darkened i

tended. His

'll bleed