TWENTY-SIX

I looked at the closed door before covering my face with one hand that reverted to normal and sighed.

'I am stupid,' I thought, almost wanting to cry.

I didn't expect my mate would be the king himself, the person who hates werewolves more than himself.

If it were a noble or a warrior, the possibility of being together would be there. But now, with the king, it feels impossible.

'I don't know why the Lycan god gave me a mate, a mate that is a werewolf,' He said. When I looked at him, hatred flashed in his eyes with the word 'werewolves.'

I felt something on my cheek and removed my hand to see a teardrop.

'A tear,' I thought as I smiled in melancholic.

I didn't shed a tear when Derek rejected me, so why did I shed a tear for him?

'Why?' I thought.

'You had expectations for him, didn't you?' Artemis answered my thought.

''I did?'' I said aloud.

I wanted to deny what Artemis said, but I knew I couldn't.

I indeed had expectations for him to fall in love with me, have family, and feel loved regardless of anything.

'How Ironic,' I thought.

'To think I would have these thoughts and emotions,' I added to my thoughts.

'If he rejects us, don't forget we have Aiden, Hunter, and Scarlett with the goldmoon pack,' Artemis consoled me.

''Aren't you pained?'' I asked Artemis in my head. I should be the one consoling, not her consoling me.

Wolves were paired with each other as mates before being paired with their host.

Artemis must have been paired with the Lycan in the king before she bonded to me.

'Yes, I am pained, but we have each other, Carmen. If he does not accept us, we can reject him, and he will be mateless for life as his punishment.' Artemis said.

''What!'' I exclaimed in my head.

'Carmen, I am a god even If I am not a full one. I can punish him for not accepting me or curse him. Besides, Lycan's mate bond is a bit different from werewolves.' Artemis said.

"How?"

'Unlike the werewolves, they don't have the option of accepting a chosen mate. The lycan god created a mate bond for each of them and that it's for life.'

'If a person rejects the bond, The Lycan will be mateless for life,' Artemis added.

I widened my eyes at that discovery.

'Yes, the king will be mateless till his death if he does not accept us. You are lucky that you are a half-werewolf. At least you have the option to accept a chosen mate.' Artemis said

A knock broke my conversation with Artemis. I looked at the door and knew it was the maid from my floor.

I sat on the bed and said, "Come in.''

The maid opened and wheeled my suitcase into the room before bowing her head and leaving the room immediately.

'She must be scared because the room is his,' I thought as I got up to drag the suitcase and opened it on the floor.

I looked down at the white hospital gown and changed into my casual wear without taking a bath.

I am sure he won't appreciate my scent in his bathroom.

'Who changed me?' I asked Artemis.

'Mother was the one who changed you.' Artemis

The only one who Artemis calls mother but not every time is Scarlett.

I sighed in relief that it was not the king who changed me.

I wore my jacket, knelt to zip my suitcase, and brought it up to roll out of the room.

I opened the door to see Harrison waiting to knock and came out.

Harrison put some distance between us and smiled at me, "Good day, miss Carmen. You can leave your stuff here. The maid will come to pick it up later."

I nodded at him and left my box by the side of the door.

I looked at him, and he said, "Please follow me to his majesty.''

He led the way, and I followed him.

We passed many people and nobles. I could hear whispers and comment about what happened to me that day.

I ignored them all.

"Baron jones,'' I heard a familiar voice calling Harrison.

Harrison turned and smiled. I could see annoyance flash in his eyes, "Lady Macquoid.''

I turned to see the arrogant woman with her clique coming toward us. "I would like to see his majesty, If possible.'' She glanced at me with disdain and fear in her eyes while smiling.

Harrison's smile became brighter, "I am sorry about that, Lady Macquoid, but his majesty has a meeting with Miss carmen,''

''I see. Miss carmen. Sorry for noticing you,'' Her smile faltered but smiled again when greeting me.

I nodded at her without saying anything.

She furrowed her brows at my nonchalance and asked, "Miss carmen. What happened to you at the banquet? I mean with your shifting and his majesty carrying you. I am sorry to say. But it looked like you did it for attention.'' she looked at me with worried eyes, but I am sure it was fake.

I looked at the troubled seeking woman and sighed in annoyance, "It seems you like gossip. I don't know what happened to me, but you can ask your king.''

I pushed the question to the king and turned to Harrison, ''Let's go before I kill someone.''

I left them without looking at their reactions, and Harrison walked to my front and led the way.

As we walked in silence, I had a conversation with Harrison.

"Harrison?'' He turned back to look at me before walking forward.

''Yes, miss,'' He answered.

"What happened that day?"

I want to know what happened. Artemis doesn't know because of the pain, and I blacked out that day.

"Miss had symptoms of shifting to a Lycan. You almost killed anyone near you apart from his majesty who approached you," He answered.

'Which means I didn't kill anyone,' I thought.

"I see. But how were you sure that I was shifting to a lycan?" I asked in confusion.

I could have shifted to a werewolf that day, but how did they know?

"Miss, you are half-werewolf and half lycan, right? I don't know if this is right, but it seems the Lycan in you come alive within this environment, and Miss, your presence only can make people fear you.

I could sense the lycan in you, a powerful one when I looked into your eyes the first time I saw you." Harrison explained.

Yes, that day, he flinched when he stared into my eyes.

Artemis said something about recognizing the lycan beast in me, but I didn't think it was noticeable.

"Can all Lycans sense my beast?" I asked.

"Yes, Miss, they can," He said.

''So, do people know about it?'' I asked.

"If it is about you being his majesty's mate, then yes. Because his majesty didn't allow anyone to touch you, even your family that day,'' Harrison said.

"I see," I said.

'Nobles must be talking about it given why Brittney asked about what happened from me.' I thought.

''We are here, miss,'' Harrison stopped at a steel door and knocked on it.

I could smell his scent around this door more than in his room.

'It seems he stays here more than in his room,' I thought.

''Your majesty, Miss carmen is here."

''Come in,'' His seductive voice sounded.

Harrison opened the door and entered while I took a deep breath to calm my fast-beating heart before entering.

My mate, his sexy and alluring figure, is seated on a chair in front of a sandalwood table.

My attention was not on my mate but the pretty man seated on a couch with black shades.

'I didn't smell him,' I thought.

For some reason, he looked familiar to me, and I said a name that came to my mind, "Nyctimus.''