Curves And Claws: The Lycan King's Relentless Claim novel Chapter 89

**Fireflies in Winter Rain — Neil A. Varma**
**Chapter 89**

Cassian,

“Did we truly like her? Did we really?”

I found myself whispering these words as I painstakingly signed the documents before me, my grip on the pen tightening with each stroke as if the mere act of holding it incorrectly could shatter the fragile reality I was grappling with. The attendants surrounding me seemed to be caught in a tableau of anxiety, their rigid postures straightening each time my voice broke the heavy silence. Their faces reflected a blend of concern and bewilderment, as if they were witnessing the unraveling of their king in real time. Yet, they had no idea that, for the very first time in my life, I was confronted with a question so simple, yet so profound, that I couldn’t muster an answer.

–

The hours slipped by in a haze, a blur of conversations and movements that felt like shadows dancing just beyond my reach. Words floated around me, people bustled to and fro, schedules morphed and shifted – yet none of it penetrated the fog that enveloped my mind. The thought gnawed at me incessantly, burrowing deep into my consciousness like a thorn I was powerless to extract. I was lost in a labyrinth of uncertainty, unable to find a way to confront the feelings that churned within me.

Lorenzo’s gaze flickered toward me repeatedly, his confusion evident as it tugged at the corners of his mouth. Unlike his usual self, he refrained from chastising me, from letting out an exasperated sigh, or from hurling sharp remarks whenever Roana’s name was mentioned.

I understood his intention; he wanted to reinforce the boundaries that existed between Roana and me. But I had never given him the audacity to insult her, not even once.

It seemed, however, that after our earlier confrontation, he had decided to take a step back. His posture remained stiff, yet there was a hesitance in his movements that I had never witnessed before.

“Your Majesty, your next appointment is a visit to the dungeon. Well—” His voice wavered slightly as he finally met my gaze, his expression steady but his eyes flickering with apprehension. “Her Highness is currently there with Commander Keane.”

My attention snapped to him with such intensity that I could see his shoulders tense in response.

The chair behind me screeched against the polished floor as I shot up, my shadow enveloping the table, blocking out the light. “What did you just say?”

“They’re there, meeting Alexander.”

My jaw clenched so tightly that a sharp pain shot through my teeth, a pulse of anger throbbing in my neck, my veins constricting. Why was she with that insufferable brat again? It was no wonder he hadn’t been present at the meeting.

“We are heading to the dungeon. Right now.” The words erupted from my mouth before I could even think to hold them back. I stormed out, my pace quickening with every step I took.

Did she really need to go to him every single time? If she needed anything, I would have gladly accompanied her myself.

Cyrus hissed within my mind, each word dripping with disappointment. “If you hadn’t tried to force yourself on her, she would have asked us to accompany her. You insatiable, disgusting idiot.”

A muscle in my eyebrow twitched at his words. “Have you heard yourself? You kept pushing me to mark her. You couldn’t even control your own urges. And now it’s my fault? Incredible.”

“Shut up! I want to mark my mate. I want to claim her for life!”

I chose to ignore him. My footsteps grew heavier, echoing like thunder in the empty hallway. It wasn’t until I noticed the way people hurriedly pressed themselves against the walls, their eyes wide with fear, that I realized the sheer amount of Aura I was releasing.

But I didn’t care. The only thought hammering in my mind was the urgent need to reach her. Fast.

As I approached the dungeon, the air felt unnaturally still, a heavy silence that pressed down on me. I halted at the entrance, a feeling of unease twisting uncomfortably in my chest—something far worse than mere anger, almost a sense of dread.

But then, my eyes widened as a voice drifted through the shadows from behind a wall.

“Please don’t tell anyone that the Black Moon Flower is deadly for you. Not even His Majesty.”

I froze, my breath caught in my throat. My eyes narrowed, darkness creeping into them like ink. Deadly? The Black Moon Flower was deadly for her?

“Deadly?” Lorenzo’s voice sharpened, the sound of his boots scraping against the ground. “How is that possible? Only witches are affected by the Black Moon Flower. It’s lethal to them.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “Black Moon Flower can indeed be deadly for witches, yet they still choose to use it. But Roana can’t even touch it.”

“We know nothing about her. And don’t you think she has been targeted from the very beginning? As if everything that’s happening is intertwined with her!”

His words made me pause, a cold line forming between my brows. Something clicked in my mind—faint and vague, like the outline of an answer just beginning to take shape.

“Lorenzo, come with me,” I said quietly, my voice suddenly steady.

“I have no idea. Roana seemed puzzled by it. I doubt she knows who it is.”

I glanced at the note again. She had attempted to dispose of it, but it had missed the bin and landed on the floor instead. I had discovered it purely by chance.

“Your Majesty,” Lorenzo exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck, “this doesn’t sit right with me. It feels as if there’s someone else involved. What if bringing Roana into this situation was a mistake?”

“I understand your concerns. But she poses no threat to us. Not now that we know the Black Moon Flower is deadly to her. Everything happening in the Region seems to be tied to that flower.”

Lorenzo lowered his gaze, guilt flickering across his expression. “I misjudged her… I truly believed she was involved.”

“Don’t dwell on that. I suspect Keane advised her to keep it hidden since everyone knows witches cannot get close to the Black Moon Flower. The real target here is Rosetta—the only witch connected to all of this.”

“Yes, but our people haven’t been able to gather any information. Carolyn mentioned that her spies failed to uncover anything regarding Elle, either.”

My eyes narrowed. “Carolyn sent people? What do you mean?”

Lorenzo stiffened, a hint of unease creeping into his demeanor. “It’s… nothing to worry about.”

“What do you mean?” My voice dropped dangerously, an edge creeping in. “How did her people gain access to the Northern Region? We blocked every route. Unless—” I stopped abruptly. “Did you allow her to use the secret passages?”

“I…” He swallowed hard, guilt washing over his face. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. After seeing her so broken for months, I—”

“Months? Wait. You mean she’s been using our secret passages for five years?”

An oppressive silence fell, heavy and suffocating. Lorenzo’s shoulders slumped, still bruised from our earlier confrontation.

“What in the world did you do, Lorenzo?” My voice boomed through the chamber, reverberating off the walls. “If one of them gets caught, those bastards will do anything to extract our passage information!”

My voice thundered loud enough to shake dust from the ceiling, and I momentarily forgot that Alexander’s cell was right next to us.