Chapter 2 The King’s Command

"You will report to my chambers, now." The words still echoed in Aria's ears as she stood frozen in the center of the ballroom, the weight of every gaze pressing down on her.

The Lycan King's deep, cutting voice had sliced through her like a blade, leaving her breathless. But it wasn't just the humiliation coursing through her veins. No, it was the bond. That impossible, suffocating tether snapping into place, crackling like lightning through her entire being.

Her legs refused to move, her tray still at her feet, its contents spilled across the pristine marble floor. Around her, the murmurs of the court grew louder, harsher.

"She's an Omega," someone sneered.

"What could the Moon Goddess have been thinking?" another whispered.

"He'll reject her. He has to."

Aria's heart thundered, her wolf whining softly inside her. Rejection.

She hadn't even begun to understand what this bond meant, and already the wolves around her seemed to know her fate.

Her breath hitched as a cold, sharp voice interrupted her spiraling thoughts.

"Well, little Omega?"

Lady Dena.

Aria didn't have to look up to see the amusement dripping from Dena's expression. The Alpha noblewoman had already made her opinion of Aria painfully clear.

"Did you think standing here like a statue would save you from the King's wrath?" Dena purred, her tone sickly sweet. "Oh, poor thing. I suppose you've already realized how fleeting this moment is."

Aria's fingers curled into fists at her sides. She wanted to disappear, to sink into the polished marble and never be seen again. But Dena's words hit like a lash, forcing her to swallow the lump in her throat.

"I—" Aria's voice cracked. She cleared her throat and tried again, softer this time. "I should go."

Dena stepped closer, her perfume cloying and suffocating. "Yes, you should," she said with a smile that didn't reach her cold, calculating eyes. "Though I imagine it won't save you. If you're lucky, the King will simply banish you. If not…" She trailed off, her smile widening.

Aria didn't stay to hear the rest. She turned on her heel, ignoring the whispers and stares, and slipped through the side door that led to the servants' hallways. The air grew colder the further she walked, her rapid footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

She reached the grand staircase leading to the King's private chambers far too quickly, her chest tightening with every step she climbed. By the time she stood outside the massive double doors, her pulse roared in her ears like a drum.

She hesitated, her hand hovering just above the ornately carved wood. What would he do to her? She had heard stories about King Kael's temper—how swift and merciless he could be with those who crossed him. And now, she'd done something no servant, no Omega, could ever dream of doing: she'd bound him to her.

Her fingers brushed the door, and it creaked open slightly, as if the room itself beckoned her forward.

"Enter."

The single word, deep and commanding, came from the other side of the door, sharp enough to make her flinch. She pushed the door open fully and stepped inside, her legs shaking beneath her.

The King stood by the tall windows at the far end of the room, his broad back to her, golden light from the moon outside spilling across his black jacket. He hadn't even changed out of the champagne-stained garment. The tension in his shoulders was palpable, and every muscle in Aria's body screamed at her to flee.

Kael turned, his onyx eyes locking onto her the moment she stepped into view.

"You took your time," he said, his voice low but dangerous.

"I'm sorry," Aria whispered. She kept her gaze fixed on the floor, her instincts warning her not to meet his eyes.

"Sorry," he repeated, the word dripping with disdain. "You've said that a lot tonight. Tell me, Aria, do you think apologizing will fix this?"

Her name on his lips was a blow she hadn't expected, spoken with a force that made her knees nearly buckle.

"I—" She swallowed hard, struggling to find words that wouldn't make the situation worse. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I didn't—"

Kael cut her off with a sharp wave of his hand. "You think I care about what you meant? The Moon Goddess chose an Omega to be my mate. Do you understand what that means for me? For this kingdom?"

His voice rose with each word, and Aria flinched, her wolf cowering beneath his dominance.

"I don't understand any of this," she said, her voice trembling. "I didn't ask for this bond. I didn't ask to be your mate."

The moment the words left her lips, Kael stilled, his onyx eyes narrowing.

"You didn't ask for it?" he said, his tone deceptively calm. "Do you think that changes anything? The bond exists whether we want it or not, and it cannot be undone."

Aria risked a glance at him, and the raw intensity in his gaze nearly stole the breath from her lungs.

"So what happens now?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Kael's jaw clenched, and he took a slow step toward her. Then another. And another, until the space between them was nearly gone.

"You'll stay here," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You will remain in the palace, under my watch, until I decide what to do with you."

Her heart thundered in her chest. "But I—"

"Do you think I care about what you want?" Kael snapped, his voice cutting through her protest. "You are my mate, whether you deserve that title or not. That alone makes you a liability."

A sharp pang shot through her chest, the weight of his words hitting harder than they should have.

"A liability?" she echoed.

Kael's expression didn't soften. If anything, it hardened, his gaze cold and unyielding.

"You are weak," he said simply. "An Omega. Do you think the nobles, the Alphas, will accept a Queen like you? Do you think they'll let you stand beside me without trying to destroy you?"

Aria's hands curled into fists at her sides, but she said nothing. What could she say? He was right.

"Do you know what happens to liabilities, little Omega?" Kael asked, his voice dropping to a low growl. "They're eliminated."

Her breath caught in her throat, her pulse hammering. But before she could respond, Kael turned away, his hands clasped behind his back.

"For now," he said, his tone flat, "you will stay here. You will keep your head down, and you will not speak of this bond to anyone. Do you understand me?"

Aria hesitated, her instincts warring with the defiance sparking in her chest. "And if I don't?"

Kael turned back to her, his dark eyes blazing with something dark, dangerous.

"Then you won't live to regret it."

The silence that followed was deafening, her heart pounding in her ears as she struggled to breathe. She wanted to argue, to scream, to tell him that none of this was her fault. But she couldn't.

Because she knew he wasn't bluffing.

Kael took a step closer, his gaze locked onto hers. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, Aria," he said, his voice quiet but laced with menace. "But if you defy me, I'll remind you exactly who I am."

And with that, he turned and strode past her, his footsteps echoing off the marble floor as he disappeared through a side door, leaving her alone in the vast, empty room.

Aria sank to her knees, her mind racing with everything that had just happened. The Lycan King had claimed her as his mate, but not as a partner. As a prisoner.

And then, as the silence settled around her, she felt it.

A whisper in her mind, soft and cruel.

You'll never survive this, little wolf.

Her wolf bristled, but the voice wasn't her own. It was a warning—one she couldn't ignore.

And it came from somewhere far too close.