Stolen by the Beastly Lycan King-Chapter 155: Are You Upset?

Alim shook his sword, sending thick drops of blood splattering onto the cold marble floor of the royal palace.

The severed head in his hand hung lifelessly by its long, blood-soaked white hair. Its face, frozen in terror, seemed almost to mock him. Disgust twisted his features as he flung the head into the corner with a grunt, then wiped the sweat and grime from his face with the back of his hand.

He had been fighting for so long that he had lost track of the days.

The war seemed endless, stretching into a haze of bloodshed and carnage. Yet, despite the grueling toll, his body refused to falter. Fatigue might have clawed at his bones, but he would not let it win.

His inner wolf stirred restlessly, clawing at the edges of his control, urging him to shift and fully unleash his violence. The raw temptation was nearly unbearable, but Alim clenched his jaw and suppressed the primal urge. He needed his hands for this fight—they were itching to finish the job.

"Was that the last one?"

The voice came from one of his warriors, who approached with slow, heavy steps. Blood and sweat matted the man’s face, his exhaustion mirroring Alim’s own.

Alim gave a short nod, exhaling a long breath of relief.

"Looks like they’ve been plotting this for quite a while... But in the end, all of them were just puppets. The queen’s influence runs deep—she’s managed to brainwash them thoroughly."

"Yeah..." the warrior muttered, his voice as worn as his body.

With a weary grunt, Alim turned and trudged out of the palace annex, his boots dragging slightly against the marble floor. Each step felt heavier than the last, and the distant promise of rest seemed almost within reach.

"Alim."

The low, familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. His muscles stiffened as his grip tightened instinctively around the hilt of his sword. He didn’t need to turn to know who had called his name.

From within the shadows, footsteps echoed faintly, growing closer with each deliberate stride. Alim’s heart quickened, though he didn’t move. He knew the man approaching, and he knew—without question—that if he were to attack, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

Still, the boiling urge to kill pushed him forward almost instinctively. Yet, when a pair of intense amber eyes locked onto his, his body instantly stilled. The tension melted away, and a slow exhale escaped his lungs.

"The last remnants of Erelith’s army have been eliminated," Alim said in a low and steady voice. "The war is over now."

Rhaegar’s eyes narrowed, unease flickering across his face despite the seemingly good news.

He tore a strip of cloth from his tunic, using it to wipe the sweat and blood from his face. His long fingers swept through his disheveled, curly hair, pushing it back as he processed Alim’s words.

The war had dragged on far longer than anticipated, not because of the human forces but because their enemies had not fought alone.

"Wash up," Rhaegar instructed, his tone calm but laced with exhaustion. He placed a heavy hand on Alim’s sore shoulder and added commandingly. "Get some rest, and meet me in my quarters tomorrow. It looks like we’ll need to revisit our plans."

***

Kai had declared himself the new King of Erelith during his father’s funeral, bypassing any formal ceremonies to signify his ascension to the throne.

The nobles of Erelith accepted his swift coronation without hesitation, and the rulers of neighboring kingdoms raised no objections as well. It was expected, after all—King Yanis was dead, and his son was the only legitimate heir to the throne. freёnovelkiss.com

What truly shook both Erelith and its neighbors, however, was the announcement of Kai’s impending wedding.

There was no law forbidding marriage between members of the same family, but historically, such unions—particularly within the royal family—were almost unheard of, if not entirely unprecedented.

Still, as Lorelai sifted through the official correspondence exchanged between kingdoms, it became clear that what bothered the rulers most wasn’t the union itself. It was the timing. The notion of the new King of Erelith rushing to marry his stepsister so soon after his father’s death had unsettled them deeply.

The king’s grave is still fresh, but his son shows no signs of mourning... That’s what they’re all thinking, Lorelai thought, letting out a weary sigh as she leaned back in her chair.

"I can’t do this anymore," she murmured to herself, rubbing her temples in an attempt to ease the persistent headache. "I need some rest."

Pushing herself to her feet, she smoothed the nonexistent wrinkles on the skirt of her dress, a habit born of years of strict etiquette. She had grown bored of being confined to her room for so long, and only recently had Kai granted her permission to resume her work.

Yet, as she pored over the towering piles of documents awaiting her attention, it became evident that she was far from her usual self. Her body still felt weak, her mind sluggish, and the effort to focus felt like dragging her thoughts through thick mud.

It didn’t help that Kai continued to neglect his duties even after ascending the throne. Lorelai had initially thought his reason was her poor health, but even after she had assured him she was feeling better, the king still refused to return to his office. Instead, he left the entirety of his workload to his numerous assistants.

As she wandered through the silent halls of the royal palace, Lorelai felt an unshakable restlessness. Though she was accustomed to the peace and quiet that enveloped these walls, the current oppressive stillness gnawed at her nerves.

Suddenly, a burst of loud, drunken laughter shattered the silence. Lorelai turned to see two ladies-in-waiting dash out of Kai’s bedroom, their appearances disheveled, their lips smeared with the crimson stain of wine.

The women froze when they saw her, their giggles stifled as they met her gaze. Lorelai stood still, observing them with an unreadable expression.

At first, a wave of disgust rippled through her, like a swarm of tiny ants crawling beneath her skin. But as quickly as it came, the feeling dissipated, leaving her hollow and detached, as if the disgust had never been there at all.

It’s normal, she told herself, her wide green eyes scanning the women’s rumpled forms. All men do this. We aren’t married yet, after all. He has his needs.

Still, she couldn’t help marveling at her own indifference.

And then the door to Kai’s bedroom swung open once more, and the king himself stepped out, his strides loud and confident.

"Lorelai?"

He sounded genuinely surprised, as though he hadn’t expected to see her there, despite their rooms being at opposite ends of the hall.

Lorelai offered him a slow bow, her voice quiet and devoid of emotion. "Your Majesty."

The ladies-in-waiting quickly stepped aside, bowing their heads low. The arrogance that had danced across their features earlier vanished in an instant.

Kai’s expression darkened at the sight of them. Frowning, he grabbed both women by their tangled hair and scowled, "Useless trash! Who said you could roam around here doing absolutely nothing? The queen is waiting for you! Go!"

He shoved them so forcefully that they stumbled over their long skirts, flailing their arms like ungainly birds in a desperate attempt to regain their balance.

The pair hurried off toward Queen Althea’s chambers without another word. Meanwhile, Kai forced his features to soften as he turned back to Lorelai. Striding confidently toward her, he noticed she had been watching him in silence the entire time.

He longed to embrace her, to feel her warmth against him. Yet, as he took in the blank expression on her face, the faint ember of hope in his chest was extinguished, replaced by a suffocating storm of icy emotions.

Stopping just in front of her, he raised a hand and traced her lips with his thumb. His voice, loud enough to carry an undertone of command, sent shivers through her. "Smile."

As if compelled by some unseen force, the corners of Lorelai’s lips twitched upward, forming a hollow, artificial smile on her pale, delicate face.

"Stop smiling," Kai ordered again, his voice sharp. Something inside him twisted painfully as her face returned to its blank, expressionless state.

"Are you upset because I had women in my room?"

There was no immediate response. The silence stretched, thick and tense. Kai’s face contorted with frustration as he raised his voice, his tone cutting through the stillness. "Are you upset because I had women pleasuring me in my room, Lorelai?"

Her eyes flickered, betraying a crack in her stoic demeanor. The coldness of his touch lingered on her skin as she nodded, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Yes, I am."

A strange sense of relief washed over Kai. For a fleeting moment, he felt almost light, unburdened. Smiling once more, he leaned closer. "In that case... let me make it up to you. How about we go on a picnic together?"