Stolen by the Beastly Lycan King-Chapter 122: His Lorelai

"So she agreed?" Gian asked, stepping closer to the men. "And you are certain you are prepared to face the consequences of this decision?"

"Bringing the princess to our kingdom with her consent is one thing," Alim chimed in, his tone serious. "But she is engaged to the second most powerful man in Erelith. This is bound to lead to serious trouble for us."

Rhaegar strode toward his carriage, his steps firm, and gently placed Lorelai onto the seat. He draped his black cloak over her small, trembling form, ensuring she was covered and warm.

He was fully aware of the gravity of his actions, but there was nothing he could do to turn back now. He had wanted this, and Lorelai had said yes. As he had promised her, he would take care of everything. He would keep her safe, no matter the cost.

"The old duke is dead," Rhaegar finally said, his voice low as he turned back to face his men. "The princess killed him, driven by the queen’s spell."

His shocking revelation left both Alim and Gian momentarily speechless. The idea that the fragile, fearful princess they had seen trembling in Rhaegar’s presence was capable of murder—especially the murder of someone as powerful as Duke Kalder—was almost impossible to believe. Even if she had been influenced by witchcraft, it seemed unfathomable.

Yet, if their king spoke the truth, they had no choice but to accept it.

But the situation was far from improving for the beasts. Now, with their departure coinciding so closely with Duke Kalder’s death, it was certain that no one would blame the princess. The blame, without a doubt, would fall squarely on Rhaegar.

"I am aware of that as well," the king interrupted, as if he had read his aide’s thoughts. "We will start by taking the princess out of here. After that... perhaps we can figure something out."

He was about to climb into his carriage when Alim grabbed the sleeve of his robe, his gaze sharp and cold.

"While I fully support your decision," Alim said, "can you at least tell me what your plan is? The pursuit and ambush by the royal knights is inevitable, but what do we do once we have dealt with them?"

Rhaegar remained silent for a long moment, his amber eyes fixed on the unconscious princess. He seemed lost in thought. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke.

"They will believe it’s a crime of passion," he said, his voice calm and steady. "They will say I killed the duke out of jealousy, that I wanted the princess for myself, and that is why I kidnapped her too. I want them to think that. At least until we cross the border."

Alim frowned. "If the royal knights follow us across the border, this could escalate into a full-blown war."

"I know," Rhaegar replied with a nod. "And that is exactly why we need to move quickly and get back to our kingdom as soon as possible. Once we’re there, I will marry Lorelai, and she will officially become the Queen of the Beast Kingdom. After that... we go to war."

Alim sighed heavily, his concern palpable.

"I would like to focus on her safety once we are in our lands, but before that... The buffer zone between the two kingdoms is desolate and harsh. The princess is already in a fragile state. Are you sure she will survive the journey?"

"There is no other choice," the king sighed as well, adjusting the cloak around Lorelai’s body. "Tell Naveen to join me here. I will have her monitor the princess’ condition during our journey."

Alim nodded in acknowledgment before setting off to carry out the king’s orders, while Rhaegar climbed into the carriage, carefully cradling Lorelai in his strong embrace.

His heart was torn, caught between a growing sense of duty and the chaotic storm of emotions swirling inside him. He felt as though he were floating on cloud nine, overwhelmed with joy because she had asked him to take her with him. Yet, at the same time, her words had shattered him, leaving his soul in pieces.

I will forget you soon.

Lorelai’s words echoed in his mind, haunting and ominous. Was that truly the only reason she had agreed to come with him?

The weight of it was suffocating. He still remembered every detail of their first encounter, the pain of that moment fresh in his memory.

Trapped deep within that dreadful, cold pit, burdened by the weight of his friend’s death pressing heavily on his young shoulders, Rhaegar had only longed for one thing—death itself.

Hundreds of feet underground, with only a single circular opening above them, mocking them with the false hope of freedom, Rhaegar had been desperate to escape the torment. He had welcomed death, knowing it was better than the grim future that awaited him.

And yet, when the long-awaited glory of freedom finally came, it had come with a crushing blow to his spirit. And then, amidst that chaos, he had met her—his miracle. His light. His Lorelai.

Rhaegar’s thoughts were abruptly interrupted as the door to his carriage swung open. Naveen jumped inside and took a seat across from the king, disrupting his reverie.

As soon as the witch noticed Lorelai, her eyes narrowed, and her face grew pale. Slowly, she shifted her gaze back to Rhaegar, her voice trembling slightly as she finally spoke.

"What is she doing here?"

"I am taking her to my kingdom," Rhaegar replied nonchalantly, his tone casual.

Naveen frowned, her bright blue eyes scanning the princess’ face with intense scrutiny before she turned her gaze back to the king. "Why? Are you... kidnapping her?"

Rhaegar’s lips curled into a faint smile. "Yes and no. She asked me to take her with me, but..."

"But...?" The woman’s eyebrows arched in question. Rhaegar’s expression darkened. "She said she was about to forget me. What do you think that means?"

Naveen’s face hardened at his words. Slowly, she reached out and placed her hand on Lorelai’s cold forehead. The moment she did, her blue eyes almost turned white, and a visible shiver ran through her entire body.

"I am afraid it means exactly what she said," Naveen murmured, her voice grim. "The queen is rewriting her memories, erasing them one by one. It is true—soon, Lorelai will no longer remember anything. Instead, she will only know the things Althea is implanting in her mind. It is a powerful, dangerous spell."

"Can we do anything?" Rhaegar asked, a flicker of hope shining in his amber eyes. But Naveen crushed that hope with a slow shake of her head.

"It is a delicate and intricate spell, my king," she explained, her tone grave. "If I were to try meddling with it and make even the slightest mistake, the princess could lose her sanity, and her real memories might never return."

Then, she glanced back at the princess, letting out a long, disappointed sigh.

"It would be wiser to leave her here, after all. Once she loses her memories completely, she will only fall into a deeper state of shock. At least here, she will be surrounded by people she recognizes."

The witch’s words made Rhaegar’s face contort into a twisted expression of disgust. He knew Naveen meant well and truly cared for Lorelai, but the very thought of leaving her behind when she had explicitly asked to be saved was tearing him apart.

There had to be a way to help her. He had to find it, no matter what.

"I am still doing it," the king finally spoke again, his voice now icy with resolve. "I cannot simply give up on her. You helped me once, back when I decided to break the seal placed by another witch... So help me again. There must be something you can do."

Naveen chose to remain silent for a long moment.

She remembered the day Rhaegar had come to her—exhausted, nearly dying, and begging for her help to break the seal placed by a powerful witch. At the time, she had been hesitant to intervene, especially when she learned the reason why the young man so desperately needed her assistance.

But despite her doubts, she had helped him, and she never once regretted her decision.

Perhaps there was something she could do now. It wouldn’t be foolproof, but it was worth a try. She had to make a gamble.

"The mating ritual," she began, her voice steady but laced with a hint of caution. "Take her as your official wife and acknowledge her as your mate in front of official witnesses. After the first night, your minds will be bound together. Even if the queen’s spell still holds, and she forgets you... You will remain in her thoughts, always. In the end, if her heart is strong enough, she may still remember you and break the spell on her own. This is as far as either of you can go together."