The Ruthless Lycan King Fell For His Slave Mate novel Chapter 19

All the attention in the hall turned to Lyra, with nobody stepping in to help her but instead looking at her like a sore disturbance. Lyra could feel all their eyes on her–as if this could be any more embarrassing.

“What on earth is she doing?” Julian’s mother, Isla, mumbled to her husband as they watched in displeasure. She couldn’t believe that after all the meticulous planning, someone had ruined the most anticipated moment.

“Clearly, she needs more training,” her husband, Gustav, commented.

At the front, Julian’s eyes narrowed down at Lyra’s figure. Huh. So she was finally back from Zero’s lair or whatever. And of course, she had to cause chaos. Was this her way of demanding attention because he had refused her request about Crystal?

“Get her out of here,” he instructed Asher through mindlink.

Asher agreed and made his way through the guests towards Lyra. Meanwhile, Lyra tried to get up, but she slipped on spilt wine and fell back down.

“Come with me,” Asher ordered when he got to her. Like everyone else, he simply stood and watched her, not offering to help her get up.

A myriad of emotions coursed through Lyra. She felt like screaming or crying or laughing, she couldn’t tell which. Could this be termed as hitting rock bottom? She had turned into a spectacle, making a fool of herself in front of the most powerful and important people in the kingdom.

“Oh my God,” a feminine voice gasped. “Are those hickeys?”

“What?”

“Look at her neck!”

“Holy Goddess, what is this?”

“How can someone like her be working at the palace?”

“What a disgrace!”

As such comments grew around her, Lyra realised that the evidence of the previous night’s activities with Julian were clear for all to see on her exposed neck. How had she missed them when she was in the bathroom earlier?

To her horror, she realised that she also had marks on her thighs, which were exposed when she fell. She tugged at her dress, covering them up.

“What a slut!”

“No wonder she does not know how to do her job properly.”

“She should be banished from the palace or she’ll bring shame to the royal family!”

“You are right!”

Lyra fought back tears as she tried to get up again. Just then, someone threw a jacket over her shoulder. She looked up and found Zero standing in front of her, a sad look in his eyes.

He gave her a quick nod before wrapping his arm around her shoulder and taking her hand. “Let’s go,” he said gently.

Her tears flew as she got up and leaned into him. People parted and made way as Zero led her out of the banquet hall, their whispers in their wake.

“It’s okay,” Zero told her when they were finally outside and alone. He looked her over in concern. “Are you hurt?”

Lyra shook her head and wiped her tears. “No.”

Zero pushed her hands away and did it himself, drying her wet cheeks with gentle sweeps of his thumbs. His heart ached to see her like that, and he wished he could make her forget all the nasty words that had been said inside. “You should go back and take a rest. You don’t have to work today.”

“Thank you for this,” Lyra told him, taking a step back. “And for everything. You have been so good to me even if I don’t deserve it.”

Zero’s brow creased. “What do you mean you don’t deserve it? Of course you do. Nobody should have to go through such treatment!”

“Maybe I do,” she said, sounding defeated. “And it’s best if you stay away from me too. I’m a curse. My parents even died because of me. You are the only person to treat me warmly, and I don’t want to endanger you.”

“Did you kill your parents with your own hands?” Zero asked her.

Lyra blinked in shock. “No.”

Zero stepped closer and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me.” She did, her teary eyes meeting his. “Then it’s not your fault. You are not cursed. You have been through a lot, but it’s not because you did something bad. You are the victim, and you deserve better. Do you understand?”

Lyra wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that her life was not so shitty because of her. She wanted to believe that she had nothing to do with her entire pack dying while she alone survived.

But even more, she wanted Zero to be her mate. She wished it was him and not Julian. If she was not cursed, why couldn’t she get the good things in life for once? Why couldn’t she catch a break?

“I care because she does not deserve to be treated like this,” Zero replied, his voice losing its conciliatory edge. “She has not wronged anyone, why are you doing this?”

“We sent you here to train, but clearly, you have learned nothing,” his father said.

“What does this have to do with my training?”

“You,” his mother said, focusing her attention on Lyra. “I believe you know what’s best for you. I do not want you anywhere near my son. You can leave on your own or I can involve the queen mother and see how this ends.”

“She is not going anywhere,” Julian’s voice came from behind the pair of parents.

They whirled to face him. Confusion filled Gertrude’s face. “Your Majesty, I think it’s best for the royal family if she leaves. Give her enough time and she’ll bring shame on us.”

“It would be rude of me to let her leave,” Julian told his aunt. “She was a gift from the Red Moon Pack’s Alpha, Devon. For the sake of peace between our two packs, I must keep her here.”

“A gift?” Gertrude looked back at Lyra, scanning her from head to toes. “Was this the best they could offer?”

Julian gave a tight smile. “Like they say, you should not look a gift horse in the mouth. It’s the intention that matters.”

Lyra dropped her gaze to the ground, feeling ashamed and disheartened.

A gift horse?

Did he derive pleasure from humiliating her?

“Well, if you say so,” Gertrude said. “We are just worried about your cousin. He is always getting mixed up with the wrong kinds of people.”

“I’m sure he knows better,” Julian said, meeting Zero’s gaze. Something lurked behind his cousin’s eyes, something that told Julian he was not happy about any of this.

Noticing the tense look between the two males, Lyra stepped forward and bowed her head. “I apologise for causing a disturbance and disrupting the ceremony. It’s my fault, I should have been more careful.”

“It’s not–”

“Damn right you should,” Julian said, interrupting Zero. “Since you ruined the party, you will clean the banquet hall alone. Do it well or you’ll face more punishment.”