Stolen by the Beastly Lycan King-Chapter 185: You Must Help Me

Lorelai marched forward, her footsteps echoing confidently through the empty palace halls.

Though her tattered nightgown clung to her, barely shielding her from the cold, Rhaegar’s long black robe draped over her shoulders like a shadowy mantle, its edges trailing behind her like a pool of liquid darkness.

It carried his warmth, his strength, and that was enough to steady her trembling soul.

At her sides, Alim and Naveen matched her determined pace. Their hands gripped their weapons tightly, their sharp eyes scanning the empty corridors, ready to strike at the first sign of danger.

I knew he would leave this place untouched, Lorelai thought, her gaze darting subtly as she passed through the crown prince’s quarters. Compared to the chaos in the rest of the palace, this place feels lifeless... suffocatingly so. Just like it always has.

The royal grounds were in shambles, the air heavy with the scent of smoke and iron.

Outside, the nomads waged their relentless war, while inside, Rhaegar’s divided forces fought tooth and nail to eradicate Althea’s monstrous army.

The battle was a storm threatening to engulf everything, yet here, in this forsaken wing, an eerie stillness lingered, as though the shadows themselves refused to breathe.

Stopping before the doors to Kai’s Trophy Room, Lorelai drew in a slow, shuddering breath, willing her heart to stop its frantic hammering. Her fingers twitched at her sides, betraying her inner turmoil.

Even now, after everything, the thought of entering that cursed place by her own choice made her stomach knot with dread.

Her hands trembled, but she clenched them into tight fists, forcing the fear back. She couldn’t afford to falter. Not now. It would be a lie to claim she wasn’t afraid—her very bones seemed to resist—but there was something far greater at stake than her fear.

He has endured so much for me... He’s fighting a battle that was never his to fight. The least I can do is this. I can face this for him.

Rhaegar’s face appeared in her mind, calm and handsome. He was a man who seemed immune to fear, a fortress of strength.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, picturing his warm, amber eyes, the quiet reassurance they held even in the midst of chaos. The thought of him steadied her heart and gave her courage.

And so, with one final breath, she reached for the door, ready to face the darkness within.

Unable to wait any longer, Lorelai pushed the door open and strode inside, wincing as the pungent stench of rotten flesh assaulted her senses.

The first thing that caught her eye was Kai’s hair. It was no longer the fiery red she remembered; instead, lifeless white strands hung limply over his forehead, shrouding his sunken eyes like a torn and tattered curtain.

He was slumped against the large desk, panting heavily, each ragged breath filling the room with a haunting sound. The chaos surrounding him was unnerving.

The room was in complete disarray. Dozens of animal carcasses lay scattered across the floor, their broken and torn remains evidence of a violent outburst.

Kai’s hands were slick with blood—his own—marked by countless self-inflicted wounds. His blackened nails scraped at the desk’s surface, smearing crimson streaks across the wood in an almost mindless, repetitive motion.

He looked like a shattered, caged animal drowning in despair.

Then his blood-red eyes shifted, locking onto Lorelai. A bitter laugh bubbled from his throat as rage flickered behind his gaze.

His attention was drawn to what she held in her hands, and the sight of it seemed to amuse him. The gilded dagger, clutched tightly in her small, pale fingers, appeared almost ridiculous to him in the midst of this carnage.

Behind her, Alim and Naveen stood at attention, weapons ready, but Kai paid them no mind. All his focus was on his step-sister and the feeble weapon she dared to wield.

"Hahahahaha...! Are you planning to kill me with that?!"

His raspy voice tore through the room, thick with mockery and edged with a twisted, unhinged glee. Each word sounded like it cost him dearly, his voice cracking and strained, but the absurdity of the moment seemed to fuel his hysteria.

The more he watched her fingers tighten around the blade’s hilt, her determined expression unwavering, the harder it became for him to contain himself. His laughter spiraled into something almost otherworldly, echoing through the room like a broken melody.

"What a ridiculous display..."

Kai raked his blood-smeared fingers through his disheveled hair, his fury palpable. His chest rose and fell rapidly, each breath trembling with suppressed rage.

Unable to contain himself, he spun away, muttering curses under his breath before erupting in a violent outburst. With a guttural roar, he slammed his fists into one of the marble pillars supporting the room.

The crack was deafening. A large piece of the pillar shattered, crumbling to the floor with a thunderous crash that reverberated through the chamber.

"Go ahead! Kill me! Put an end to my misery! Kill me! Come on!" Kai bellowed, his voice ricocheting off the walls as he stormed toward them, his steps heavy and unhinged.

Alim and Naveen immediately stepped forward, their weapons drawn and ready, the steel gleaming in the dim light. Their movements only seemed to provoke Kai further. Another wave of hysterical laughter burst from him, shaking his body like a violent tremor.

"All of you... You can cut my body to shreds if that’s what you want!" he snarled, his eyes wild with desperation. "It’s over for you anyway! She will never let you go—never!"

"Why..." Lorelai’s voice broke through his tirade, soft but steady. She raised a hand, signaling Alim and Naveen to stand down. "Why didn’t you come for me?"

Kai froze, his eyebrows knitting together in bewilderment. The answer was so painfully obvious to him, yet the vulnerability in her tone caught him off guard.

"What?" he scoffed, his expression twisting with disbelief. But something in her gaze made him falter, the madness in his red eyes flickering. "You did it, didn’t you? You broke her spells!"

His voice cracked on the last word, and he raised his trembling hands to his face, covering it as if to shield himself from her. His bloodied fingers smeared streaks of dark red across his pale skin, leaving ghostly trails of anguish behind.

Lorelai’s gaze lingered on him, and in that moment, she couldn’t ignore the startling contrast his body had become—a canvas of stark white and deep crimson, devoid of any life or color beyond his torment.

Now, he truly looked like his "mother."

Lorelai didn’t respond, but her silence spoke louder than any words could. Twisting his lips into a wicked smile, Kai pressed on. "Then you know everything, Lorelai," he said, taking another step forward, completely ignoring Alim’s deep, warning growl. "You know there is no way out of this anymore."

His laughter returned, though it was different this time—hollow, heavy with sorrow.

"If only you had listened... You and I... we could have been together forever. You would never have to feel sadness again. You would always be loved and cherished—by me. With me by your side, everything could have been perfect."

He let out a long, weary sigh before fixing his dark, bloodshot eyes on Lorelai’s impassive face.

"This, again," he muttered bitterly. "You have always looked at me like this—cold, indifferent. Not even a flicker of warmth in your eyes. But when you looked at him, that animal, your face overflowed with emotion... Why? Why couldn’t it be me?"

Suddenly, his rage ignited. Kai lunged forward, grabbing Lorelai by the neck. His fingers pressed into her skin as his face contorted with fury.

"Why?!" he shouted, his voice trembling with desperation and pain.

"My Queen!" Alim’s voice cut through the tension as he stepped forward, sword drawn and poised to strike.

But Lorelai raised her hand, stopping him once again. Her gaze remained locked with Kai’s, her voice soft but steady as she whispered, "Because you are a monster. It wouldn’t have mattered to me if you were simply different by nature. But you... you are rotten to your core. If you had ever shown me your true heart, none of this would have happened." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Kai’s expression softened, and his grip on Lorelai’s neck slackened. She took a deep breath, her chest rising as she inhaled sharply, but her unwavering gaze stayed fixed on his face.

He looked... conflicted.

Had he ever truly shown her his real self? Perhaps he had. Yet, all the frustration, jealousy, and longing that had festered inside him for years boiled over, fueled by the sight of Lorelai being pulled further and further away from him by forces beyond his control.

What could he have done? Althea had never intended for them to be together unless it served her purposes. And now, as the cruel reality of her manipulation became clear, he realized the truth. She had never cared about his desires or happiness.

Now it all made sense. The way Althea had insisted on keeping Lorelai close when the beast king approached her. It wasn’t Lorelai she cared about—it was him. Him and his powers.

Kai’s chest tightened as the horrifying realization settled over him: he had been her most loyal puppet all along.

"Kill me," he whispered, his voice hoarse and broken as his dark eyes met Lorelai’s. "She needs me to complete her plan, so end it. Destroy my heart. Isn’t that why you came here in the first place?"

Lorelai frowned, her brow furrowing as she slowly wrapped her delicate fingers around his wrist, gently pulling his hand away from her throat. Then, in a firm, resolute motion, she extended the gilded dagger she’d been clutching.

"No," she said calmly. "You can live. We all can. But you must help me."