Chapter 5

Lucas Morretti wasn't just a name that carried the mantle of fear and authority. And it certainly was not just a name belonging to an incredibly handsome face, a face i had sat on, and ridden. It was a name that resprented the error of a blood line that was never triffled with. The morretti Lycans had terrorised the lands for as long as time stretched. And they were feared.

"You've got to believe me!'' I pleaded, panic rising inside me. There is no way, there has to be some kind of joke here.

"And why should he?'' The high priestess asked in a rather cunning voice. "For all we know, you could be trying to baby trap our Alpha. They Lycan King does not take likely to such betrayals little one.''

The hall fell silent, Lucas, for once, avoided my eyes. Those same eyes that when casted on me brought shivers down my spine.

"Lycan King Lucas Morretti is the last of his blood line!''

The words hung in the air, making the big fancy hall feel strange. My heart raced inside me as I stood there, feeling really surprised and scared. Could it be true? The powerful Lycan King, who ruled this place and gorvened fear over all other packs, couldn't have kids? It seemed too strange to be true.

I looked at him, my eyes begging him to understand. "Please, Alpha, you gotta trust me. I haven't been with anyone else but you. This baby is yours, I promise."

He looked at me with a cold, thinking look. His bright blue eyes stared into mine, and he seemed really unsure about everything. He clenched his teeth, and his fists were still tight.

It was obvious that thinking about it made him mad. Was I to blame? Why was it so hard for him to give me a chance?

The high priestess let go of my cheeks and moved back, giving us some space. She watched us, like she had the answers we needed.

"Why should I believe you, Elara?" His voice was low and a little angry. "You ran before I could catch you. You’re a silly little girl who thinks everything is a game!’’ His words tore into me, unlike what I had expected.

“What?’’

“Do you have any idea how much I put into trying to find you? What do you think would happen when one of my enemies caught you? You. The mate of the lycan King. They would use you, little one. They would u…”

“That’s all you care about?’’ I cut him off. I step back, feeling the stabbing pain in my chest.

I bit my lip, trying not to cry. I couldn't blame him for doubting me because we were still strangers. But this was different. This was about our baby, our child.

"I know I messed up by running in the past, but you’ve got to understand. What I wanted when I walked into that bar that night, was not a long term entanglement. I was running, and i was being chased.’’

“By who?” His eyes flashed a quirky red, sending a wave of fear across the vicinity. “Is it the man who touched you? Did he…Did he hurt you? Was this forced?’’

He grunted, closing his eyes as if trying to calm the beast inside him. The anger evident on his features was unlike anything I have ever seen.

“ELARA! Tell me!’’ He roared, drawing attention to himself. I noticed the people in the hall slowly begin moving back. I stared back at my mate, feeling scared for my life.

“Please stop this!” I begged in between sobs. “This child is yours.’’

"Stop!" His voice was really loud, and I felt scared. "Tell me who the father of that baby is and i can make this all quicker.’’

“NO!’’ i met his eyes in defiance, folding my fist, ready to fight him if need be.

“For fuck’s sake dont be stubborn, love. I only want to help you.’’ His fingers ruffled his hair in a way that left his finely chiseled face looking like a hot mess.

“How? How could you possibly help me?’’

“By killing him!’’ His words were quick and simple, yet, inside them, they carried a weight that held paralyzing horror.

“Why are you so angry about this? Why is it that you’re so convinced the ba…”

“LEAVE US!’’ His command was swift. The warriors standing behind him, and the high priestess, who was still watching us, began to exit as if they were chased by demons.

What had I done to myself? Why did life have to be so difficult for me?

As the high priestess and the palace guards left, the grand hall grew quieter, leaving just the Lycan King and me standing there, facing each other. He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mix of anger, frustration, and something else I couldn't quite place.

“This is your child, I don’t care wheth…”

“Did you want to go again?’’ His words caught me off guard, leaving me looking at him confusedly. “Did you want to go again? That night. When i fucked you. Did you want to go again?’’

“I..Uh…i u…” I was at a loss of words, staring at him like I'd seen a ghost. Slowly, he began to close the distance between us. I looked around, realizing that I'm in a big hall. I was not about to be cornered by a man who spikes my heart rate for no reason. I ran to the other end of the hall as fast as I could, and he did not say anything. My feeble legs definitely did not do me any justice.

I was tired, probably from living inside the forest and having to look for food in the trash for three weeks now.

“You can’t run from me, kitten.”

Great, now I'm a kitten.

Taking my chances, I decided to find the exit, seeing as there was a door at the far end of the hall where the lycan king was still standing.

I ran. Fist folded, as I bolted past him and towards the door only to find it locked.

“Hello! Anyone there…” I banged my fists against the large wooden mahogany door.

“No one is going to come, little one.” His voice sounded out as an echo through the empty large room. Finally, tired of banging against the doors, I slowly turned to face him. He was still standing in the middle of the hall, having not moved an inch. However, in the nick of a second, he was in front of me.

“How did you…”

“Lycan King remember.’’ He whispers as he places his fists against the door, blocking me in.

“I dont care if you’re the Lycan King, I will knee you in the balls Lucas!’’ I mastered a voice I thought was intimidating, but it only earned a chuckle.

“You’re adorable. I’d see you coming a mile away.’’ He laughed. “Tell me, Elara. Do you want it again? You know if you ask for it nicely, i’ll give it to you.’’

Fuck i hated his guts. And how he made me feel. And how he did not need to touch me in order to make me a whimpering mess.

“Over my dead body.” I gritted, meeting those dark piercing eyes.

“That’s not gonna happen. You’re not going to die! Never!’’

“What!?’’ I stammered.

“You heard me! I have lived four hundred and seventy one lives waiting for you. Nothing, not even death, can take you from me!’’

His large fingers wrapped around my throat, before I knew what was happening, he kissed me. Not the soft peppermint kisses he’d given me the night we met, but a demanding domineering kiss. A kiss that told me I belonged to him. A kiss that had me both gasping for air and not needing any, as long as his mouth was on mine.

My mind, significantly shut when he touched my thigh, his hand, ever so big, made me feel so delicate in his arms. My hands wrapped around his shoulder as he hoisted me up, causing my legs to wrap around his torso.

There was a burning sensation between my legs that caused the imbalance of my own actions, almost tipping me over.

“Woah, easy kitten.’’ He whispered against my mouth with a smoldering smirk, as he held me steady against the door.

“Don’t call me that.’’ I let out.

“What? You’re a feisty, adorable little thing that belongs to me.’’ He whispered against my lips, and before I had a chance to get any words out, he replaced my open mouth with his, kissing me with so much need that I whimpered and moaned.

I felt him smiling against my lips as he pulled away.

“Are you still not going to tell me who the father of that child is?’’

I rolled my eyes as I pushed him off me, almost falling on the floor before he held me. I pushed his hands away from mine as I turned to the door.

“Hello, anyone, please!’’ I banged against the door severally, and all he did was stand dangerously close to me.

“I made my decision. You'll stay here until the baby is born, and we'll see if it's really a Lycan. If it is, I'll say it's mine. If not..."

“What?’’ I let out, breath catching in my lungs.

“Well since you’re so convinced that’s my baby, i’ll give you the chance to prove it.’’ He spoke without a care in the world. Like his words did not hurt me.

“NO!’’

“What?’’ He questioned.

“I said no. I refuse to be chained up like a slave here.’’

“Honey, no one is chaining you down. You’ll stay in my bedroom…”

“I want nothing to do with this place. You will not keep me as a slave just to test this foolishness. And you certainly don’t have to accept this baby. I can take care of it myself.”

He banged against the door, and it was opened immediately, making me feel like my efforts there had been minimal.

He turned away, looking really serious. "Take her to a room and make sure she has everything she needs. But she can't leave the pack house. Put a guard on the door, and assign one of the maids to her. She doesn’t leave. She is mine."

His scary words made me feel like judgment had just been passed down on me. And once again, I had found myself in a similar situation. Except this time, it wasn’t so similar, because unlike Alpha Gale, who had given me a choice, Lycan King Lucas Morretti, had made the decision for me.