CHAPTER 002

MATURE_SCENCE_AHEAD

One moment, her life was perfect: a loving father, a respected pack, a devoted sister, and a mate who cherished her.

But in the blink of an eye, everything shattered.

The man she loved betrayed her, rejected her, and ordered her death.

Fate twisted, and she was sold, branded a traitor. Now, her life was no longer her own.

Sienna nervously fidgeted with her dress. The car was silent, thick with tension, as they drove to an unknown destination.

She could feel the guard's gaze on her, making her skin prickle with unease.

Time dragged as the man asked the guards questions, none of which made sense to her. Her eyelids grew heavy, but fear kept her awake.

Eventually, exhaustion won, and she drifted into sleep.

The car stopped abruptly, jolting her awake. Realizing she had doze off, she inwardly scolded herself.

"Are you hungry?" The man's voice pulled her attention. His expression was unreadable.

"No," Sienna lied, but her stomach growled, betraying her. Their eyes met, and she knew he saw through her lie.

The man glanced at his watch. "Stop at the nearest restaurant," he instructed the driver. The car halted, and the guard stepped out to get food. .

He returned with a plastic bag and handed it to her.

Sienna stared in confusion.

"Eat. You'll need it," the man said. Hesitant, she took the bag, unsure whether to feel grateful or wary.

What were they planning? Feed her, then kill her? No they wouldn't have feed her if that was the case.

As the car moved again, Sienna couldn't help but ask, "What are you going to do with me?" Her voice trembled despite her attempt to sound calm.

"You'll find out soon."

She looked down at the sandwich, her stomach growling again.

If she needed her strength, she might as well eat. If there was any chance to escape, she'd need her energy.

Just as she finished eating, the guard beside her swiftly covered her nose and mouth with a cloth.

Sienna struggled, but the strange scent overwhelmed her, and darkness consumed her.

-

Sienna awoke to the scent of lavender and chamomile. Warm water enveloped her, soothing her tense muscles.

Fingers gently massaged her scalp, and she let out a soft moan of comfort. Where was she?

Her vision cleared, revealing a lavish bathtub. Maids surrounded her, one checking the water temperature, another scrubbing her arm, and a third washing her hair. Their faces were expressionless.

Memories flooded back, and confusion set in. Where was the man who bought her? Had the betrayal and recent cruel experiences, all been a nightmare?

"What is this place?" she asked one of the maids, but received no response. "I asked you a question!" Her voice was sharp.

The maid glanced at her briefly before continuing her task.

Frustrated, Sienna yanked her arm away. "I demand an answer!"

To her surprise, the maid pulled her arm sharply, and retorted.

"You're a slave like us. Just because we're bathing you doesn't mean you can talk down to us. This isn't your domain, princess. You're in the Lunaris Citadel, not your small pack—the one you betrayed."

'Lunaris Citadel?'

Sienna's heart raced. The Lunaris Citadel—the seat of the Lycan King, ruler of all packs. How had she ended up here?

"Brigid, enough," the head maid, Selene, scolded, but Sienna barely registered it. Her mind raced as she processed her situation.

The Lycan King—ruthless, powerful, and feared by all. His word was law, and who had met him, mentioned he was like a devil-- his eyes could burn, and he was blessed with insane power. And now, she was in his domain.

Fear twisted in her gut. Why was she here?

The maids finished bathing her and dressed her in a revealing white transparent gown that barely reached her thighs and clung to her curves. She felt exposed.

"Why am I wearing this?" she asked Selene, her voice trembling.

Selene met her gaze in the mirror, a flicker of pity in her eyes.

"You are to present yourself to the king tonight. A word of advice, little princess—do not run from him."

Present herself to the king? Her heart sank to her feet.

"W..what do you mean?"

Before Selene could respond, the door swung open and a guard clad in armor, stepped in. His face weathered and menacing aura demanding attention.

"The king is waiting," his thick voice pierced through the air, his eyes settling on Sienna. "Follow me."

Sienna's legs trembled as she followed the guard down the dimly lit hallway.

The air grew heavier with each step, an icy chill emanating from the room at the end. She didn't need to be told—she knew the Lycan King was in there.

She was about to spend the night with the most dangerous man in the werewolf world.

"Get in," the guard's word sounded like a harsh command, punching her guts. Forcing her feet to move, she pushed the large imposing door open, and stepped into the dark chamber.

The door cracked shut behind her, its thud echoed through the room like a death knell.

The air was thick, oppressive, his presence unmistakable. The king was in his rut. She could smell the sharp, intense scent-- Rich, earthly, and laced with a hint of wildness.

Sienna froze, her eyes glued to the floor. She knew he was watching her, making it hard for her to breath.

'I can do this. I can survive this,' she tried to reassure herself, slowly looking up, but her courage crumbled the moment she met his gaze—those golden-red eyes that seemed to pierce through her soul.

Panic surged through her, tensing every nerve in her body. Ignoring the maid's warning, Sienna spun around, reaching for the door in desperation.

"Let me out!" she cried, but the low growl behind her made her freeze.

She felt the heat radiating from him, a clear sign of how close he was.

His towering frame loomed over her, her back pressing against his solid chest. His hot breath brushed against her neck, sending a shiver down her spine—yet igniting something deep within her.

In a husky voice dripping with menace, he whispered, "Where do you think you're going, little prey?"

_

Sir

Sienna's heart raced even more as she stood paralyzed, the King's warm breath on her neck, and his words stirred something deep inside her.

She didn't like this, didn't like the heat starting to spread through her body.

Was he going to hurt her? She had heard of ruts and the uncontrollable desire that came with them—the periods of intense, primal urgency that not even the most civilized of her kind could resist.

His nose pressed into the crook of her neck, sniffing deeply, as if her scent were some addictive elixir. He then let out a satisfied, guttural groan.

"Take your clothes off and present yourself to me on the bed." His voice rough and thick, making her nerves tense.

Sienna gritted her teeth, her eyes shut. "P...please," her voice came out like broken waves.

Another guttural groan followed, an angry one that made her shiver.

Left with no choice, she turned and took a few steps away from him, her legs weak with fear. His pair of golden-red eyes still lingered in her mind, the memory making her stumble.

She reached for the strap that held her dress and loosened it, letting it slip down to the floor, revealing her nákedness.

She climbed onto the bed, parted her legs, and arched her back. A bitter sigh left her lips as she awaited her fate.

The bed sank beneath her, a clear sign that he had joined her. She whimpered, beads of sweat cascading down her face.

She tried to prepare herself mentally for what was about to happen but kept failing.

Today was supposed to be her first day as the Luna of the Blackwood Pack, but instead, she was here, at the mercy of the ruthless Lycan King, who was in the throes of his rut.

She felt his large hands press against her thighs, parting her legs further and lifting them slightly. Sienna caught a glimpse of his figure and her breath caught in her throat.

His muscles rippled, his raw power on full display. He was magnificent, terrifying—and completely lost to his rut.

His hands left her thighs and reached for her hands, which were clutching the sheets tightly.

He folded them behind her back and pressed her chest onto the bed. Her back ached, easy for his p3netration.

She could feel his m3mber against her thigh, firm, hard, and ready. Its tip pressed against her folds, promoting, Sienna's eyes snapped open wide.

He was huge. Far too huge for her to take.

It plunged into her, and she let out a loud scream, trying to pull away, but his hand that pinned her hands behind her held her down firmly.

A warning growl tore from his throat as he pulled out and slammed back in, more brutal than the first thrust.

Sienna's scream pierced the air, her face buried in the sheet. She couldn't move, paralyzed by the fear that the Lycan might kill her.

"Stop, it hurts!!"

His grip on her bûtt cheek tightened as he pulled out again, then slammed back in, deeper this time. His pace was unforgiving.

Her head spun as pain shot through her entire body. He kept thrûsting, each thrust making her scream in agony. Tears cascaded down her face.

Her hatred for Del, and those who betrayed her, grew stronger. They had caused all of this.

She wouldn't die. Not here. Not now. Not until she destroyed every single one of them who had caused her pain.

He pulled out completely, only to thrust back in hard, hitting the depths of her.

She felt as if he might split her in two if he kept going, and yet this time it felt different. Her body reacted, heating up. Her wet core throbbed, tightening around his member.

Sienna didn't know what was happening, but she didn't like it. Her body was sending a fleeting message.

Her heat.

Was she mistaken? There was no way this was possible.

Her thoughts were shattered when the Lycan King buried his nose in her neck, his breath hot against her skin.

The hand that had pinned her to the bed now rested on her neck, his grip firm as he continued plunging into her from behind.

_

Selene stepped into the warm chamber, adorned with glittering candelabras and gold.

Her gaze settled on Lady Ashley, who was overlooking the kingdom through the large window.

Clad in a gown of rich velvet and adorned with unique embroidery, her features were the very definition of beauty. Her presence commanded power and authority.

Lady Ashley, a daughter of one of the strongest alphas, had been chosen as the future Luna of Lunaris Citadel.

"Your Highness," Selene greeted with a bow, her voice filled with respect.

Lady Ashley glanced over her shoulder, her expression unreadable. "Has my Darling's rut begun?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Selene responded, her head still lowered.

Even though Lady Ashley was the chosen Luna, she had not been able to handle King Duncan's rut. Tales had mentioned that King Duncan was falling into a feral state due to his lack of a mate.

After centuries of searching for his mate, King Duncan was beginning to lose himself, making his rut primal and deadly.

With the thought of choosing a Luna instead, he chose Lady Ashley as his betrothed, yet he didn't recognize her during his rut.

Every slave that had been with him had been found dead the next morning.

Lady Ashley hated that her Darling became a beast during his rut, and she hated even more that she wasn't the one to tame him.

The thought of each slave dying brought a satisfying smile to her face. At least they were paying for driving her mad with jealousy.

"And the other female slaves?" she asked. Sometimes it took two or three slaves to satisfy the King's rut.

"They are prepared as we speak, my lady," Selene replied. "But even the strongest among them won't last long. His Majesty's rut grows more uncontrollable with each passing month."

Lady Ashley sighed, her fingers brushing against the cold stone of the window.

She had been bound to King Duncan for months, yet there was no improvement as the King kept falling into his feral state.

"I should be with him, not them," she mumbled to herself. She was like this during every one of his ruts—impatient, anxious, and upset. There was only one way to calm her urge.

She spun around, leaving her room and heading toward King Duncan's chamber.

The painful screams of the slaves with her beloved always seemed to calm her.

She would smile while hearing their agonizing cries echo through the walls, each scream reminding her of her bond with him—it was the only thing that soothed her heart.

Watching the slaves who took her place broken and torn apart, their lives snuffed out by the King's uncontrollable desire, gave her solace.

However, as Lady Ashley approached the heavy, imposing doors of the King's chamber, her excitement quickly faded. She halted in her tracks, confusion flashing across her beautiful features.

The sounds coming from the chamber in front of her was unmistakable.

The slave with King Duncan—her Darling—was not screaming in pain, but screaming for more.