The Lycan King's Defiant Surrogate

Blinking my eyes open, l'in once again surprised to find myself still alive. In fact, I almost feel better?

I lift my limbs, surprised to find that I still can, and it's so much easier than it was when Nina was putting that needle into my IV tube and -

Fear floods through me at the thought, and I jerk upright.

A man at my bedside quickly steps in, guiding me back down onto the mattress. "Easy," he says. "Don't hurt yourself further."

Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I recognize the man as the King's Beta, Tristan. He's standing at my bedside, frowning down at me as a teacher would a petulant child.

We aren't alone in the room. An armed guard stands near the door, looking more alert than bored, like he's on the job here. Is he on the job here?

1 have no idea the details, but for me to still be alive must mean that some vital things must have happened. Either whatever Nina gave me wasn't enough to actually kill me, or the doctors were able to intervene in time....

In a rush, I face Tristan and start talking. "Nina put something into my IV. I couldn't move to stop her, I don't know what it was, but it —"

"Stop, Tristan says. "We know all this."

"You. You do?"Têxt belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

Tristan nods. "King Caleb interrogated Nina himself."

"He did?"

Tristan gives me a flat look. He's not going to repeat himself, that's clear.

I try to process the information that I have. If Caleb interrogated her.. If he learned the truth...

Then...

"Where is Nina?" 1 ask.

"Which part?" Tristan asks to clarify

He doesn't need to say more than that for me to know that Nina is dead, and that she likely faced torture.

Even though she was actively trying to murder me, I take no pleasure in her passing or the brutal nature of it. She might have hated me, but to me, she was pack. However misguided this place had made her, she deserved better than to be-stain in such a way. This place continues to be a nightmare, when brutal murder stands in the place of justice around here.

"You don't need to worry about her anymore," Tristan says. "You only need to concentrate on restoring your for your own sake, then for that of the King."

This time the flar look we exchange is from me to him.

I'm sure the King wants me healthy again before he throws me back into the coliseum."

"You aren't going back to that place," Tristan says. "At least not now. You have other priorities."

health. If not

1/3

Priorities? "What are you talking about?"

"Feel better, Tristan says. "Then our King will show you."

I'm not thrilled about being left in the dark on this. For every danger that passes, another seems to be waiting in the wings. Caleb might have eliminated Veronica and Nina, but he remains the greatest threat against me. Tristan doesn't wait around for me to probe further. He simply ups and leaves me alone in my hospital bed.

The guard stays, however watchful. I don't ask him questions though, knowing he likely has as many answers as I do. Zero.

Instead, I focus on my health. For the next few days, my strength gradually returns to me, and after a full week, I feel well enough to walk around. Though I have no visitors other than the doctors and nurses and the guard, I'm not terribly lonely. The nurses make small talk when they check on me, which is enough.

This place has taught me that I'd rather be alone than faced with the violent treachery everyone here seems to feel for everyone else.

I'm not part of this wheel of power plays, nor do I want to be. I just want to survive long enough to be allowed to go home.

Then on the eighth day of no visitors, Caleb walks into my room. I'm standing and thankfully dressed. Yesterday, I requested more than my simple hospital gown, which opened in the back. One of the more generous nurses supplied me with a set of scrubs. Caleb looks now at the loose teal blue top and bottom covering me and frowns. That frown remains as he looks up to my

eyes.

After having spent so much time away from the man, I forgot what it's like to be in his presence. He's a strong man in muscle bulk and stature, but even beyond that his presence fills room so completely that it's difficult to concentrate on anything else. And gods, he is handsome.

His eyes are wild, almost feral, dangerous. His features could have been chiseled out of hard rock. His shoulders are wide. His chest ripped with muscle that bulges even under his carefully tailored clothes.

"I've been told you are well enough to walk now," he says.

"I am," I say and wobble around a bit to show him. I'm not completely healed yet, but I'm well on my way. I lose my balance sometimes, but if I'm near enough to something, I can walk comfortably, knowing I can catch myself if I fall. "Good," Caleb says. "Come with me, then."

"Leave the hospital?" I ask.

He lifts a brow. "Did you want to stay in this room?"

"No," I reply.

Without waiting for me, Caleb turns and leaves the room. I hobble along behind him, struggling to keep up.

He makes no accommodations for me, moving at his full pace. Even on my best day, I'd have to scurry to keep up Right now, it seems impossible.

Feeling my stitches pulling. I stop trying to keep up and let myself fall behind.

Clancing behind him, he notices and stops. "Are you trying to escape me?" he growls, displeased.

2/3

with him

09:52 Tue, Nov 19 B GG

It takes everything in the not to roll my eyes at him. "The only thing I'm trying to escape is having to return to that hospital

bed."

At his glare, I continue, "I can walk, but not that fast. I'll risk pulling out my stitches."

Caleb glances down at my still-battered body, hidden behind my scrubs, then up to my face. "How fast can you walk?"

To show him, I move ahead, gradually catching up to his side. Once I do, his frown is even deeper, somehow.

"That is not acceptable," he says.

1 shrug. What can I say?

Caleb looks down at me again. Then, without warning, he scoops me up like a sack of potatoes and hoists me over his shoulder. Immediately, he starts walking again.

"K-King Caleb!" I say, embarrassed. One of his hands sits on the back of my thigh, keeping me steady, but the rest of me dangles over his shoulder. I scramble to hold myself up, pressing my arms against his back.

"I don't have all day," he grumbles.

Carrying me like this, he takes me past the hall, then down toward the wing that includes his private chambers.

We do not enter the massive door belonging to him, though. Instead, he takes me to one at the end of the hallway. Once it's open, we enter into a massive wardrobe with wall-to-wall closets mirrors on every possible surface, and even mannequins wrapped in fine gowns Golden chandeliers hang down from the ceiling. Plush carpets cover the floor.

Jewelry cabinets are dotted around, their drawers opened revealing sparkling gemstones within.

Caleb lowers me down to my feet, and I turn in circles, unsure where to put my eyes next

"What is this place?" I ask.

"As King, I am gifted many things to bestow upon my harem. They all find their way to this place. Then, when a harem member has pleased me, I send them here to collect their reward

I freeze a moment, realizing just how many times he's said harem in that sentence.

If everything in this room is for his harern, what am I doing here?

"Pick something," he says.

"I couldn't..."

Ignoring me, he continues. "You will need something to wear. Tomorrow night, we will attend a party. There, I will officially announce you as part of my harem."