I woke up with a pounding headache and a dry, scratchy throat.

As I finally opened my eyes, I was startled to find a pair of icy eyes fixed on me, causing me to gasp in shock.

“I thought you’d never wake up. Pleasure to meet you, mate,” he said, a smirk creeping across his face that sent a shiver down my spine, as if he were hinting at my impending doom.

“I know you want me dead, King Charles, but before that happens, I have a request—three requests, actually,” I replied, counting them off on my fingers.

He paused, shaking his head, then turned to me and handed over a glass filled with a foul-smelling concoction.

“It’s my special brew; you’ll feel better in no time,” he assured me, but I wrinkled my nose in disgust. Yet, when he raised his voice, I had no choice but to gulp down the contents.

“So, what were you saying?” he asked, legs crossed, his gaze piercing into me, making me squirm in discomfort.

“I mentioned I have three requests before I meet my end…” The moment the words left my lips, he erupted into laughter. I stared at him, puzzled, unsure what was so amusing.

“You wolves never fail to surprise me. You hear a few whispers and take them as gospel. If I truly wanted you dead, Astrid, I would have done it long before you chose to betray me for someone else!” he shouted, and I swallowed hard, nervously toying with my fingers as his glare bore into me.

On my twenty-first birthday, I had a one night stand with King Charles.

Just as he was about to claim me, I panicked and plunged my dagger into him before fleeing into the night.

I was young and terrified, and the whispers surrounding him only heightened my fears.

The thought of becoming his wife was unimaginable, and I had no idea he was my destined mate

My friends, emboldened by his notorious reputation in bed, dared me to seduce him, pushing me into a situation I wasn't ready for.

“I’m so sorry…I didn’t realize you were my mate. I just ran because I was scared of you,” I confessed, tears streaming down my face as I watched him unleash his fury on the wall.

“You turned me into the monster I am today, Astrid! I searched for you endlessly, only to learn you had run off with someone else! What did I ever do to deserve this, Astrid?”

“I didn’t mean to…”

“Did you just say you’re sorry? We shared a night of passion, and just as I was about to mark you, you stabbed me and left me for dead! I lay in a coma for months, yet you were always on my mind! When I woke up, I searched for you, but finding you was impossible! My anger and frustration turned into a rage I took out on other women!”

"Please forgive me; I was young and foolish. You can take my life, but spare my people and my pack! Don’t let them suffer because of my mistakes. All I ask is for your help to take down my ex-mate—he betrayed me, and I crave revenge!" I spat, fury lacing my words.

"You really think I’ll just let you die!” You belong to me, Astrid!"

He shouted, lunging at me and marking me right then and there.

A scream of pleasure escaped my lips as we shared that moment, lingering together until he finally let me go.

Breathless, I was at a loss for words. I was about to question his motives for marking me when he cut me off, his voice harsh.

"Astrid, where is my son?" he bellowed, and panic surged through me as I frantically searched for a way out.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about!" I replied, my gaze racing around the room as he advanced, gripping my neck in a fit of rage, cutting off my air as he lifted me off the ground.

“Your best friend Miranda was once my mate before her tragic death. In my quest to find you, I uncovered the truth from her. That night we shared resulted in a son—where is he?” He shouted, his eyes shifting in color as I felt my strength fading.

“I don’t know,” I replied, and he let go of me, causing me to collapse, gasping for air.

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“You murdered my best friend! What could she have possibly done to deserve such a fate at your hands?” I cried, tears streaming down my face.

“She was aware she was marrying a monster, yet she still chose to do it. Now, answer me! Where is my son?”

“I gave him to a couple I met years ago in the woods. They were rogues, and I have no idea if he’s still alive. I’m so sorry!”

It has been four days since I found myself imprisoned by King Charles, four long days since I admitted I had no idea where my son had gone.

He had stormed out that night, not uttering a single word, and locked the door behind him.

I have come to terms with my fate.

If this is the consequence of my own foolishness and a necessary sacrifice to protect my people from his fury, then I will accept it.

In the dim confines of my room, my gaze had been restless, scanning the walls for the past four days, when suddenly the door creaked open.

I jumped to my feet, eager to see who had come to visit, as I had been utterly alone during this time.

To my astonishment, it was the Lycan king.

He strode in with an air of authority, his expression twisted in disdain as he took in my appearance.

In that moment, I felt utterly diminished, and I was unaware of the tears that began to stream down my cheeks.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, he raised a finger to silence me, and I swallowed hard, anxiety gripping me.

“You are not permitted to speak unless I ask you to. You do not deserve my mercy, for your heart is tainted and cruel. You harbored hatred for me and for your own child?”

“Please, King Charles, forgive me… I was desperate and terrified. My father would have killed me if he found out I was pregnant out of wedlock as an Alpha, so I…”

“Choose to abandon your son to rogues and flee with another man? You brought this suffering upon yourself! I have watched your life unfold while you were with him, and I have long awaited this moment!”

He shouted, his eyes glowing with a fierce red light. I gasped, clutching my chest as a heavy breath escaped my lips.

“It wasn’t my fault!..” I was still trying to explain when he cut me off sharply.

“I don’t want to hear your pathetic excuses anymore! I’m here to present you with a proposition…”

His words made my heart race, and my thoughts spiraled as I tried to grasp what he was about to propose.

There was no room for refusal; the decision was now his to make, and I had to brace myself for whatever he would demand.

“You will become my mate, and you must bear me a son within a year. Additionally, you must agree to merge our packs. If you refuse, your people will be taken captive, and I will end your life. Do you…”

I couldn’t let him finish. “Yes, I agree, I’ll be your mate,” I blurted out.

“Excellent. A driver will be waiting outside to take you back to your pack. Discuss this with your members; our mating ceremony is set for next week.”

A few hours later, I returned home to a warm welcome party organized by my pack.

My father was especially thrilled to see me, having regained his health.

“Father… I’m so sorry. I know I’ve let you down and caused pain to our pack. I promise to make things right.”

“I’m not angry with you, my daughter. I was disappointed, yes, but you are still my child, and I’m just glad you’re back. Now is the time for us to unite and fight against the devil Lycan king.”

His words made my heart sink. If my parents knew the terrible things I had done, they would surely despise me and cast me out once more.

“The devil Lycan king is my mate, Father,” I confessed, lowering my gaze in shame. My father’s eyes widened in disbelief as I continued.

“I accepted his claim.” The words hung heavy in the air, and my mother collapsed, crying out in despair.

“You did what? Do you understand the implications? He will kill you! He has married five women in five years, and he sacrificed them all to the god, Dracula!”

“I regret to inform you, Father, but I have made my decision. I’ve already signed the papers for the pack merger, and our mating ceremony is set for two weeks from now. If this is the price I must pay for my pack, then I will accept it.”

“Astrid, you can’t do this! You’re putting your life at risk! I’ve waited so long to be with you again! You don’t have to go through with this; I would gladly sacrifice my pack for you!”

“I won’t let that happen! I can’t bear the thought of living with that guilt. We’ll merge our pack with his and ensure equal rights. My mind is made up, Father, and there’s nothing you can say to change it. Besides, I have a debt to the king that I must settle.”

“What do you mean?” My father’s face twisted in fear.

“You don’t understand, Father. Just forget it,” I replied, brushing away a solitary tear as I turned to leave, feeling their intense stares bore into my back.

Just as I was about to exit, I heard my mother gasp sharply, her body convulsing. By the time I reached her, her eyes had rolled back, and she lay motionless.

“Father! What’s happening? What’s wrong?” I cried, shaking my mother, desperate for her to awaken, but her body was cold and rigid.

“Your mother couldn’t bear the thought of you falling into the hands of that devilish Lycan. The shock was too much for her!”

“No! She can’t die! I have to do something!” I shouted, summoning my healing energy, but it was futile. I wiped my tears and raced toward his kingdom.

As I approached the turn leading to his realm, I lost control of the brakes and crashed into a tree, surrendering to the darkness as blood trickled down my face.

I awoke to a jarring pain coursing through my entire body, struggling to pry my eyes open as I squinted against the harsh brightness surrounding me.

A sharp throb pulsed in my head, and when I touched it, I realized it was wrapped in a bandage.

Faint voices buzzed in my ears, and confusion washed over me as I tried to piece together my surroundings.

Finally managing to open my eyes, I was met with the tear-streaked face of my mother, and I gasped in disbelief. I attempted to rise, but the pain held me firmly in place.

“M…mother, are you okay?” I stammered, my voice shaky as I felt her warm hand grasp mine.

“Yes, the Lycan king saved me,” she replied, and just then, he entered the room, causing my breath to catch in my throat. He was clad in a sharp suit.

“How…did you bring her back? I thought she was gone,” I asked, locking eyes with his cold golden gaze, which was slowly shifting to crimson.

“And you thought it was wise to put yourself in danger? I’m a vampire, so I performed a soul exchange to revive your mother. But that’s beside the point; it’s good to see you awake. I’ll notify the nurses to discharge you.”

“What? You can’t do that! She just woke up; she needs time to heal!” my mother exclaimed in distress.

“One more word from you, and I swear I’ll send you back to the afterlife from which I rescued you!” he shouted, his anger evident as the veins in his neck bulged.

I fought to sit up, tearing the IV from my hand. The last thing I wanted was for my mother to bear the brunt of his fury because of me.

“Don’t worry, mother. I’ll go with him; he’s my mate now,” I said, my voice wavering as tears continued to fall.

“Good, aside from accompanying me, today marks our mating ceremony, and you’ll be joining me at the mating court.”

“Seriously? How can I possibly marry you with a bandage on my head? That’s just cruel!” I exclaimed, tears streaming down my cheeks as he smirked wickedly.

“Just a reminder, I’m the Lycan king, and cruelty is part of my nature. This isn’t a fashion show; you just need to sign a few papers, and then we’re done. I won’t take any chances. Meet me in the car,” he said, glaring at my mother before storming out.

Once he left, I wrapped my arms around my mom, comforting her and promising that everything would turn out alright.

A few hours later, we found ourselves at the Lycans' wedding court.

To my surprise, King Charles had arranged a stunning wedding dress for me. While this wasn’t the wedding I had dreamed of, it would suffice; I was doing this for my pack.

We exchanged our mating vows and rings, and just like that, we were declared king and queen, receiving our marriage certificate.

When we finally returned to the kingdom, it was late, and I braced myself for King Charles to pounce on me, given the rumors I had heard.

Instead, he grabbed a blanket and settled down on the couch, leaving me in disbelief.

“Astrid, in case you haven’t realized, we’re officially mated, and I can hear your thoughts. I’m not a monster; I would never force a woman into bed without her consent,” he said.

I wiped my eyes as I listened to him speak. This had to be a prank. The fierce demeanor I was accustomed to had vanished, replaced by a surprising calmness.

“I’ve been celibate for the last five years since you left. Those other women… I’ve been waiting for you, Astrid,” he confessed.

My breath caught in my throat, and just as I was about to ask him what he meant, my phone rang.

The caller ID showed an unknown number. I answered, and it was Kaid. The moment I heard his voice, I struggled to catch my breath.

“Astrid, it’s Kaid. You’ve hurt me, but I’ll only forgive you if you attend my wedding tomorrow. Lylah wants you there too, so don’t say no.”

He spoke with a hint of arrogance, and I clenched my fists, biting my lip to suppress my furious breaths.

“I won’t be at your wedding, Kaid. You chose my maid over me; it’s done.”

His reply was sharp and filled with irritation.

“It’s not done until I decide it is! I have no feelings for Lylah! I’m merely using her for my pack. In two years, I’ll cast her aside, and you’ll be mine again. I’m the one who gets to end this.”

Just as I was about to respond, Charles snatched the phone from my hand in a fit of anger.

I had completely forgotten the call was on speaker.

“This is King Charles Spaniel speaking, and I’m sure that name sounds familiar. Why are you calling my wife at this hour? Do you have a death wish?”