Chapter 16
Lila
I could feel every gaze in the ballroom pressing down on me as Damon extended his hand. Every woman in the room was watching, some with barely concealed envy, others with outright hostility. It was a silent chorus of judgment, expectation, and resentment.
Swallowing hard, I slid my hand into his. Damon’s grip was firm, his skin warm against mine. The contact sent a pulse of electricity up my arm.
I resisted the urge to pull away, to sever the connection before it could deepen, but the pull was already there, deep and insistent, weaving its way into my senses like a slow–acting poison.
Damon walked us to the center of the dance floor, his other hand settling against my waist.
The heat of his touch burned through the thin fabric of my gown, and I could feel the tension coiled in his body. Even when standing still, he radiated power, his very presence an unspoken challenge to anyone who dared to defy him.
With effortless grace, he guided my hand onto his shoulder. My breath hitched at the sudden closeness, my hands instinctively gripping his broad frame to steady myself. My wolf stirred, as if responding to the nearness of her mate, but I quickly shoved the feeling down.
This was nothing more than a dance. A moment in time that I refused to let mean anything more. And yet… the way his fingers pressed against my waist sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine.
No. I wouldn’t fall for this.
As the music swelled, I forced myself to meet Damon’s gaze. His eyes gleamed under the chandelier’s light, drinking me in.
“Why did you choose me?” I asked, keeping my voice low and even despite the rapid beat of my heart. “There are plenty of women here who are far more charming.”
His expression remained impassive. “More charming?” His lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “You mean the ones who flaunt themselves like peacocks?”
I glanced at the woman nearby, at their elegant gowns and carefully practiced flirtations on full display. I’d seen the way they laughed, the way they angled their bodies toward him, each move designed to seduce.
I looked nothing like them, and the real me certainly didn’t belong in their world.
“They’d know how to please you.” Once again, I spoke without thinking.
Damon’s fingers flexed slightly against my waist, the only sign of reaction. “I prefer women who give me their true hearts.”
A sharp laugh almost escaped me, but I bit it back. I found it ironic, The Lycan King, surrounded by women desperate to please him, claiming he wanted something genuine? How absurd. Lesson two: the Lycan King craved power and control above all else.
+15 Bonus
He likely had a harem with nothing more than a collection of beautiful playthings, carefully curated for his pleasure. Did he truly expect me to believe he cared about authenticity?
I didn’t bother to hide the skepticism in my voice. “Is that so?”
Damon’s gaze darkened. “You don’t believe me.”
“You treat them like objects,” I said bluntly. “Are you saying I’m different?”
He studied me for a long moment before speaking. “I can tell your smile is fake.”
I stiffened.
“Your eyes,” he continued, his voice low, “they’re guarded. Just like when you pretended to be sick tonight.”
A chill ran down my spine.
“You’re a woman with secrets,” he murmured, his tone on edge. “Maybe I should see your true side.”
My breath caught in my throat. He was too perceptive. Too close. I willed my expression to remain neutral, but the intensity of his stare made it impossible to mask my unease.
“No one would dare have secrets in front of the Lycan King,” I said, forcing a lightness into my tone that I didn’t feel.
Damon’s grip on me was steady, but I could feel the unspoken challenge lingering between us. I hated how my body reacted to him; how I struggled between wanting to pull away and wanting to lean closer.
The song ended and I let my hands slip from him immediately, stepping back and rubbing at my flushed face, hoping he wouldn’t
notice.
“I’m not feeling well,” I said, my voice softer than I intended. “I’d like to leave.”
His hands flexed against his sides, but he made no move to stop me. “Rest, then.” Hi voice almost sounded concerned.
Relief flooded through me, but it was short–lived. As I turned to leave, the jealous stares of the other women bore into me like daggers. I could feel their resentment, their silent accusations. If I had stayed in Damon’s arms for even a second longer, they’d likely have torn me apart
1 was halfway through the door when a sudden, dramatic gasp cut through the air.
“Your Highness, I don’t feel well.‘
I stopped in my tracks, my body going rigid. Slowly, I turned my head to see Vanessa crumpling to the floor, clutching her chest as if she were moments from death.
I couldn’t stop the scoff from escaping my lips. Talk about crying wolf. How convenient. If only she had been this frail when she was tormenting me as a child. It would have saved me a lot of trouble.
Damon didn’t even blink. With a flick of his hand, he gestured to one of the guards who stepped forward, gripping Vanessa’s arm
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roughly.
To my utter lack of surprise, she ‘miraculously‘ regained consciousness, yanking her arm free.
“Are you well?” Damon’s voice was laced with impatience.
Vanessa fluttered her eyes, placing a delicate hand against her collarbone. “Thank you, my King. I don’t want the guards touching me,” she said, her voice sweetly venomous. “I’m not the kind of slut who lets men other than the Lycan King touch me.”
A wave of simmering irritation rose in me. Just what kind of slut are you then, Vanessa? My jaw clenched at the thought. She wasn’t even trying to be subtle in her mockery towards me.
Damon’s gaze flickered briefly to me before turning back to Vanessa. “Any weak female wolf is unfit to be Luna,” he said coldly. “Since you’re all so fragile, I’ll be increasing the importance of the training segment.”
A murmur of unease swept through the room. Damon continued, his voice gaining volume. “And the combat phase will be moved forward.”
My stomach dropped.
Beta Ronan hesitated before stepping forward, “Your Majesty, the battle segment requires two–on–two confrontations. With an odd number of candidates, there will be one extra.”
Damon’s gaze swept across the room, landing squarely on me.
“The remaining candidate will fight against me.”
A shiver ran down my spine. The room fell into stunned silence, but I barely heard the collective intake of breath around me.
I was clearly the odd one out. And I would have to fight the Lycan King?
My mind whirled, panic clawing at my insides.
I had been hoping to get eliminated, hoping to slip through the cracks and disappear before anyone took real notice of me. And now, instead, I was being forced into the one thing guaranteed make me the stand–out candidate.
Assuming I survived
Damon’s lips curved into something almost predatory. “Try not to disappoint me,” he said.
I swallowed hard, but my throat was dry as a desert.
I was so screwed.
