Dangerous Lycan: Claim Betrayed Luna’s Second Chance Mate

I looked out the window, I couldn’t tell the time but I knew that I had just spent an hour looking through a book that I did not understand. I was frustrated. All the time we spent together, forced together by circumstance, and yet, we remained as strangers that were bounded by a lie. What was more frustrating than that?

“So,” I finally said as I was unable to bear the silence any longer. “What is it exactly that you do as Lycan King?”

Kieran looked up, “Everything, I am responsible for the well-being of my people, for protecting our borders, for maintaining peace within the kingdom.”

“And what about me? What’s my role in all of this?”

“You’re the Queen, Clara,” he said finally. “You stand by my side, present a united front.”

His words felt hollow.

“Is that all you see me as, Kieran? A prop?”

He met my gaze, “No, but…”

He trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging.

“But what?” I asked.

Kieran remained silent he clenched his jaw and his gaze still locked on mine. I didn’t like the silence again. It felt like I would suffocate if I didn’t say something.

Just as I was about to speak, a loud knock on the door changed our gaze. I felt relieved a bit although, I was also unsatisfied.

“Come in,” Kiera ordered.

The door creaked open, it was Alex and he looked worried.

“Your Majesty,” he began, taking a bow.

“Your guests have arrived for dinner.”

“Guests?” He asked and I watched him.

“Yes, you acknowledged their invitation two days ago.”

“Oh yeah, I can’t believe I forgot about that. I would be at the grand diner shortly.”

Alex bowed again and disappeared.

“Get dressed Clara we have guests.”

“Guests? But this is our honeymoon. We shouldn’t be having guests they should leave.”

“I already accepted their invitation. We can’t just tell them to leave.”

“Oh God, I don’t fit I this. You should go alone.”

“No I can’t. Who knows maybe it is one of the tests. They are friendly people. You don’t even have to say much. Just get dressed please.

I left the chair pushing the book aside.

“Okay,” I nodded, “I can do this,” after all, I had gotten enough dresses for such occasions. At times like this, I needed Nikkei. But the honeymoon period had not allowed me see her as often as I wanted. I couldn’t wait for it to be over.

My reflection stared back from the mirror, a stranger in a dress that felt both too much and not enough. It was the first time Kieran was having friends over for dinner with me as his mate and the supposed queen. I didn’t know if there was a manual for it. Maybe I shouldn’t only be training to become a fighter.

“Is this okay? Do I look alright?” I asked moving my sides so I see the dress on me properly.

Kieran leaned against the doorway he had a relaxed smile on his face. I felt his eyes roving over me as he scanned me from head to toe.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“You look amazing, Clara. Don’t worry, they’re just friends.”

” Just friends,” I echoed, but it did little to ease the knot in my stomach. Friends who lived in his world, a world filled with sophistication that felt miles away from my lifestyle. I have forgotten how to live with elegance. I knew I had it in me buried somewhere didn’t quite know how to being it out.

“Relax,” Kieran chuckled and moved closer. He reached out for my hair tucking a loose strand behind my ear.

“They’ll love you,” he said.

His words were meant to calm me but they only made me think about it all over again. What if they didn’t? What if I said the wrong thing, or came across as awkward and out of place? That wouldn’t be a surprise.

I exhaled forcefully letting out a smile. “What are their names again?”

“There’s Isabelle, she is a top judge in the palace legal constitution.”

“Top judge huh?”

“There’s Michael, this really chill guy, he is an Alpha and has his own pack bjt still part of the kingdom. Aside that, we work on businesses together and David, a bit quieter but nice. The wealthiest amongst the three. His business are all over the world. They are just here to congratulate me.”

“Oh wow, they are all well established.” I exhaled.

“Yeah, Is there a problem?”

“No, no problem,” I stammered, “It’s just the usual feeling.”

He looked at me for a moment before placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Hey,” he said softly, “with everything one thing still remains paramount.”

“What’s that?”

“The fact that you are their queen now. They are loyal to you. Don’t forget that.”

I nodded.

“Let’s go,” he took my hand, “remember this people are smart so let’s make this real.”

I took his hand as he led me out to the grand diner.

… The clinking of forks and murmur of conversations filled the diner. The only thing I had said as soon as I got to the diner was to exchange pleasantries. Kieran had advised that I say little but I had said nothing at all. I refilled wine glasses. I placed my hands on Kieran’s he was laughing, caught up in an old story that I had no knowledge about. I guess we had been so caught up in palace business that we had completely forgotten to talk about our personal lives. I forced a smile at Isabella. Her designer dress shimmered under the soft glow of the lamp, and her perfectly manicured nails tapped a fine rhythm against the wine glass. Across from her was the one Kieran called Michael and David in their expensive wears just like Isabella.

These were Kieran’s “sophisticated” friends, the ones he used to spend weekends with before his ex passed away. A familiar ache settled in my chest. They were everything I wasn’t about a week ago polished, wealthy, effortlessly moving through life. I stole a glance at Kieran. His head was bent as he listened to Michael talk. Even in a much causal wear, he still stood out, maybe because he was King

“So, Clara, what do you do for a living? I mean before you became our queen.”

“Uhmm…I used to work at a farm.”

Shit! I shouldn’t have said that.

It was either that or telling them that I was Ryan’s slave before I killed him.

“A farmer? Huh,” she echoed, “How quaint,” she smirked.

I tightened my grip on the fork, forcing myself to meet her gaze. “It’s rewarding,” I said.

“Yeah, what’s more rewarding than getting g your hands all over the brown soil,” she chuckled. And then she turned back to Kieran and the other guys. I guess, I wasn’t a catch.

They discussed about various weekend getaways to exotic locations that they had been to, exclusive art collections, and charity events I’d only ever seen on glossy magazine covers. I curled up on the chair my smile becoming a bit too strained.

“Kieran,” Isabella said, leaning towards him, “remember that gallery exhibit in Paris we went to? The one with the Van Gogh?”

Kieran’s mood shifted, “Yeah,” he said quietly, “Katherine loved that one.”