The Lycan King's Fated Mate

Prologue

Have You Ever Fallen For Someone The Moment You Laid Eyes On Them? The Moment Your Eyes Locked, You Just Said ‘Yes’ In Your Head. Like, Whatever He Wanted You To Be, You Were Game. This Is What Happened To Me When I Locked Eyes With Valerio Drakos.

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Clio

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“Champagne?” Amara snaps me out of my thoughts, handing me a glass, and I take it. In celebration of my first evening out in town, she proposes a toast, to which we both raise our glasses. I’ve been here for three months, and this is my first time going out. She wanted to take me out a few times when she and Christos would go out, but I always felt like a third wheel, and I would always decline.

Plus, I haven’t been interested in anything, but this is a staff function, and I am staff, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself, so I can feel better about being here because I'm crushing on my boss’s brother.

I have never had a crush on anyone before; I’ve always felt relationships were not my thing, which is why I’m single. But there was something about Valerio when we locked eyes. I felt something lift and for a moment, my thoughts and body were not my own. I had a strange, warm feeling that I couldn’t put into words, and it felt like I was breathing for the first time.

“Maybe coming to this party isn’t a good idea,” I think to myself, or at least that’s what I think until Amara asks why, bringing me back to reality and making me realize I said it aloud.

“I know you’re not a social person, but you’re going to be fine. I’ve got you,” she says, reaching for my hand before I can reply, and I believe her. I always feel safe with her around, and she’s always been the fiercest of the two of us. The car eventually slows down, and I look outside the window to see a huge mansion and my eyes widen in awe.

“Is this Christos’s place?” I ask Amara, placing the empty glass down as the driver opens the door for us, and she says no.

“It’s a relative’s place,” she adds, stepping out of the car after me while I continue looking in awe. Just then, a voice speaks on our right, and we look to find Christos walking up to us. He and Amara hug and kiss before he looks at me and asks how I’m doing. I tell him I’m good, and he compliments us before inviting us inside.

We follow him and my eyes widen upon finding the place packed. Some faces I haven’t met yet, and Amara tells me they are from other companies our boss also owns. Christos escorts us to where he is seated before making a speech as if he had been waiting for us. I look around as he does, my eyes desperately searching for a familiar face, but I don’t see him.

Where is he?

I turn to Amara to ask, but the mention of his name snaps my attention back to Christos. He says he has urgent business to attend to and won’t be joining us this evening, and my slutty heart hits rock bottom.

I feel Amara’s hand on mine, and I look at her to find a sad look in her eyes as she gives my hand a gentle squeeze. And that does it. I’m snapping out of this madness. He’s not my boyfriend. I don’t even know him. Why in the hell am I acting like this? I return Amara’s smile and assure her I’m fine. Her smile widens, but the sad look doesn’t leave her eyes, causing me to repeat to myself that I have to get a grip.

Amara was looking forward to tonight, and I will not kill my best friend’s vibe over some random guy. I’m not like this. Why was Christos even mentioning him here? It’s not like this party has anything to do with him. I also didn’t miss the hundreds of disappointed eyes in the room at the mention of his absence. It’s probably best he’s not coming because it’s clear I’m not the only one who came to see him.

Christos comes back to our table, but my eyes widen when he explains why Valerio isn’t coming like he can read my disappointment. What the hell?” I cut him off, narrowing my eyes at Amara. Did she tell him? Now I feel even more embarrassed.

She gives me a guilty look just as the server brings drinks to our table and I narrow my eyes at her again, the music starting in the background. I grab a glass and throw it down having no words to express my embarrassment. I can’t believe Amara just did that. Now Christos probably thinks I’m some thirsty psycho. Two guys walk over to our table and introduce themselves, but I’m not interested. I want to drink until I don’t remember why I came here.

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Hours later

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“Do you want to dance?” Amara asks, getting to her feet and giving me her hand and I nod, taking it as I let her lead me to the dance floor. It’s just after midnight, and I have almost successfully drowned my sorrows in alcohol.

No matter how much I tried to get the hot stranger out of my mind, I couldn’t. It’s like he cast a spell on me when we locked eyes. I’m a mess. “You know we can go home anytime you want, right?” Amara says over the music and I almost choke on my drink.

“Why? Don’t I look happy?”

“No, you do. I’m just letting you know,” she says with a knowing smile, and I give her the best reassuring smile I can muster. However, it doesn’t last long because a woman who appears to come straight out of a catalog enters with the help of two men, diverting my attention away from Amara.

“Who’s that?” I ask, looking at the glowing young woman in a shimmering gold dress, and I watch how she smiles looking at Christos, who gets up and hugs her.

“Athena,” Amara replies with a tone that gives me the feeling she isn’t too fond of her, looking at them as the girl takes a seat next to Christos.

“Wow, even her name sounds like some royal,” I whisper before saying she’s beautiful, noticing how everyone has quickly gathered around her like she truly is some type of princess; even her presence feels intense. I open my mouth to ask if she’s also part of the staff but the words die in my throat as the green eyes I’ve longed for all night enter, causing an instant warm, swoony feeling in my stomach.

“He’s here,” I whisper, letting go of Amara as my heart goes crazy, and just then, as though he can hear it, our eyes lock. He stops and holds my gaze, and I cease to breathe as everything fades to the background, my knees turning to jelly.

However, I’m snapped out of the trance by a hand on his chest that takes his gaze away from me. Athena lovingly gazes at him like they are familiar, and they hug before she laces their fingers and leads him to the table, leaving me standing there, feeling unjustifiable emotions.

A lump rises in my throat while tears pool in my eyes and I realize I have to get out of here before I make an even bigger fool of myself.

“I need to step outside,” I softly mutter, failing to hold back my tears even though I’m desperately trying to since I wouldn’t be able to explain why I’m crying if someone asked me, and I run the moment I’m out of the hall.

I slide inside the elevator, and I don’t even know what number I press before sinking to the floor and letting my tears flow, feeling like I can’t breathe.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I so bothered? Why am I such a mess?

The elevator opens, and I get out and see stairs going up, and I take them even though I do not know where they lead. They turn out to lead to the roof, and I stagger, suddenly drunker than a few minutes ago, as I desperately wipe away my tears that won’t stop falling, scolding myself for acting so crazy.

But just then, a voice speaks behind me, and I freeze. I slowly turn around, still a crying mess, but my traitorous heart skips a beat, looking at the cause of my misery.

“Hi.”

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⚠️ Before you start with the story, please be aware of a few things:

• The werewolves and Lycans in this book might not behave exactly like others in other books.

• This is not a fluff romance but a romantic suspense book. It will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, so if you know your heart can't take it, be warned.

• The story has multiple POVs (Interwoven Storyline Narrative) So they don't repeat the same thing, but if you don't like this type of storytelling, this story is not for you.

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