The Ruthless Lycan King's Virgin Mate

#Chapter 14 Drawing Of The Scary Lycan King

Harper’s POV

The numerous eyes on me remain haunting, and I do my best to ignore and act as confident as I can externally muster. But no one knows that I’m actually so, so nervous!!!

My back aches from trying to keep it straight, and my arms are sore from forcing them to remain stiff at my sides. All I want to do is cower inwards, but no, I wouldn’t lose momentum now, because I promised Dylan!

After providing my registration sheet, I stand on the side of the stage alongside the other registered participants. Watching as father gives his final speech of the day. And as he does so, my mind flickers back to what feels like hours ago.

5 minutes ago…

“The registration ceremony will be over in 5 minutes.” The statement from Dylan has me jolting in alarm. I’ve been gasping for air on the side of the pool, drenched and wet. I blink myself awake, “Oh yeah… oh my god, yes! Yes! The registration ceremony!” I echo his words but with a considerable amount of embarrassment attached.

I find myself brimming with anxiety and lacking direction as I fumble and slip whilst trying to stand. Continuously mulling over why someone had tried to drug me. Just when I think I’m about to faceplant the flooring, strong hands suddenly grasp my shoulder, balancing me, and pulling me to a stable stand.

My eyes finally flicker up to his handsome face, finding comfort in his calm expression that contrasts roughly against my pounding heart. I’m building the courage to rush off to the banquet, but before I can do so, I watch in awe as Dylan undoes his jacket, before going to sharply drape the fabric over my shoulders, subduing my shivers with his touch.

He frowns at me. “Now, I will only lend you my shoulder for 30 seconds at most.”

My forehead wrinkles in confusion, “Lend me your shoulder? Why?”

“Because I think you’re about to-”

As if on command, before he even utters the word, tears begin to frolic down my face with reckless intensity. I bear hug Dylan, as I finally can’t hold back my emotions anymore and wail with a “waaaaaah!”, blubbering thickly and sniffling my sorrow into the shoulder he’s so kindly lent to me.

“Get it out. Come on. Just get it all out.” although he seems to hurry me along in a cool tone, I notice he actually pats my shoulder in a soothing manner. “I need you to get it all out of your system, so you can pretend to be confident in less than…” he casually checks his watch, “fifteen seconds… fourteen… ada girl. That's it.”

By the time the thirty seconds is up, I’ve soaked my way through Dylan’s expensive shirt. And I soberly and uselessly try to wipe and pat it dry. But he sees the futility of my attempts, and gently holds me by my shoulders before creating space between us again. “Ready?”

Despite the formality of his voice, I can’t help but find myself growing calmer by the second. His sharp gaze penetrating me with his confidence.

I can do this…

I hope…

Present time…

Alpha James finally finishes his speech, and the surrounding guests erupt in applause, for him and for the registered participants. Upon searching the crowd, my eyes fall on Dylan as he steps into the room. Although he bares no smile, something tells me he’s proud. He claps slowly, eyeing me and offering a sharp nod of approval.

Which has me smiling like an i***t.

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Erin’s POV

The audacity!

How dare she…

How the hell did this b***h weasel her way out of my trap?

I feel my arched, perfectly shaped brows narrow with growing animosity. My skin feels hot with rage as I shoot her a dangerous glare. I will not be defeated so easily.

When the ceremony ends, I don’t follow the rest of the girls off stage, instead I pull up to stand beside father. Close enough to hear him and his Beta conversate about the competition. And that's when an idea slithers its way into my mind, igniting my fiery spirit once more.

I have a plan…

Silently listening in, my father and the Beta speak about the selection competition being split into two rounds. The first round of the competition is meant to test the girls’ abilities in cleaning and conventional maids’ work.

And this is when I see it as my moment to intervene and set my plan in motion. “Father, if I may suggest something?” I flutter my lids innocently at him. He nods his head, and I proceed to say, “Since in the end the maids are being tested in order to eventually work at the royal palace, I would think that individual ability is also very important.”

I watch father grow fond of my idea, nodding his head slowly, “Excellent thought Erin. We can add a strength element to the first round.”

Perfect…

Harper has no strength. She will fail. She will fail miserably.

As she should.

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Dean’s POV

The smoke invades my nose, burns my lungs, and chokes my senses with its overpowering presence. While my eyes remain stunned by the flames. They are different from the ordinary white and orange fiery stripes that fight to reach the sky. No, these flicker and dance with a dark blue light, sparkling like the night.

How strange…

If someone stood from a distance, they’d never believe that this house is on fire. It doesn’t look like it’s on fire. But if you reach out to stroke them, the heat will hit you. They’re more ferocious than ordinary flames, even with the ability to burn Lycans.

This house… is on fire… And my family are all in there…

Tyler and Leonardo appear by my side, trying to hold me back, but I fight off my advisors, kicking dirt as I sprint towards the house and plunge into the blackening void.

Only able to use my memory as a guide, I search the rooms of the house, desperate to find my family. But I fear they don’t hear me over the crackle of the fire as appliances combust and wooden beams plunder from the heat.

Eventually I reach what I believe to be the living room. In the distance, I can make out the bodies of my parents, stiff and lifeless. I step towards them, but am halted by a body at my feet.

Daniel… my eldest brother…

Someone I always looked up to, my anchor, my voice of reason. He was meant to be king…

I drop to my knees, hoovering an ear above his mouth. Desperate to feel a puff of warm air against my skin. Needing to hear the rise and fall of his chest. Needing anything, just anything to prove he’s alive.

He has to be alive…

He has to be…

Alive…

Daniel…

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I jolt upright. My heart pounds in my ears as my eyes frantically search the room for flames.

But I’m not home. As my gaze flickers around, they eventually land upon the woman sitting by my bedside. And uncontrollably, my heart settles, my body eases out of its desire to fight this imaginary fire. And I realize that I was having another nightmare.

Harper sits there, soft, doe eyes looking both innocent and concerned. Her hand lays on mine, clearly how she attempted to awaken me from my deep sleep. “What's wrong Dylan?”

“You're covered in sweat. Are you okay?”

I blink myself awake from my daze, swiping off the water droplets on my forehead and trying to appear normal. “It’s fine. I’m fine. It was just a nightmare. Nothing to worry about.” I sense that my voice sounds robotic, which may not ease her concerns, but I’m still silently flustered. Keeping my answers short and sharp helps hide the turmoil.

Till something skittles across the corner of the bed. “What the…” My head jerks in time to see a cockroach scuttling over the sheets. Never in my life would there be a creepy crawly anywhere in my palace. Let alone my bed!

In a knee jerk reaction I jump off the furniture, instantly moving in shock. “How the f**k did it get in?” I question roughly, glaring at the uninvited guest as if it was a dangerous enemy.

Harper on the other hand doesn't follow my movements, she remains on the bed, further confused. “Huh?” but because I don’t answer, she eventually follows my gaze, finally understanding the root of my discomfort.

But she fails to panic. Instead, she instinctively picks up her slipper and begins to ruthlessly slap the cockroach to death. Damn… even with my strength, I wouldn't want to be on the other end of Harper’s slipper. For the first time, I glance at Harper with respect in my eyes.

Is it too late to pretend that I jumped only because I was still a bit dazed from my nightmare?

I mean… cockroaches are harmless, sure. But they’re annoying buggers that don’t belong inside! Surely it makes sense for me to not want to be near it. Plus, being thrust awake by a horrible nightmare hadn’t helped cool my reaction.

Understandably!

When the critter finally looks dead enough to Harper, she picks it up. With her fingers! And swings towards me with such quickens that I shuffle back. Her mischievous smile tells me enough of what she intends.

“You're usually so confident and strong. How can you be afraid of a little cockroach?”

She laughs and teases while stepping towards me. “Oi! Get that thing away from me. It needs to be burned!” I’m quite firm in my voice, although I can’t help but scoff lightheartedly as Harper yields and tosses the insect out the window.

When she turns back to me, I see that she’s holding onto a couple of pictures. Recognizing that I have noticed them, she mumbles, “If you have nightmares, I think these might be useful!”

She starts sticking the pictures on the wall adjacent to where I'm sleeping. My eyes focus on one. It’s clearly a drawing, a figure with three eyes, whose half-purple, and has octopus tentacles for a face. A bad premonition stirs in my heart…

I turn back to her, frowning, “What’s that one?”

Harper beams with excitement. “It’s my drawing of the Lycan King’s face! I believe that if I put up the drawings of the scary Lycan King where you sleep, then they will drive away the evil spirits! So you won’t have nightmares anymore!”

Unable to fully comprehend what I’m hearing, my gaze snaps back to my depiction, glaring at it with a scorching rage. I’m too angry to even speak.