The Lycan King's Forbidden Craving - Chapter 155: Chapter 155

“D…did I just smell my pups on you?”
Arianna stopped breathing, as though her lungs were just as shocked and refused to function. The heavy pounding in her chest doubled, and she was sure he could hear it.
“Y…you can… smell it?” she asked, her voice thick with shock.
Duncan’s eyes grew even wider, his shoulders tense, looking more shocked than her.
“Are you—” he paused, seeming to struggle with his next word.
Tears built in Arianna’s eyes as she nodded. “Yes.”
His gaze flicked to her stomach, then to her face, and back again before he pushed himself to his feet. His fingers dug into his hair, sweeping the strands back.
This was the first time she had seen him speechless. The Great King of the realm—sharp with words, brazen with deep authority—was speechless.
He crouched… no, he knelt before her, cupping her face gently and stared deep into her silver eyes.
“You're… pregnant.” His chest heaved, as if the news didn’t have enough space to settle in it. “You're carrying my child, Ari. My Child.”
She nodded again, unable to contain the uncontrollable rush of emotions that hit her all at once. The shock and happiness were clear in his eyes.
“Oh heavens, Ari. What have you done?” he asked, pressing his forehead to hers. “What have I done to deserve you? I'm about to be a father.”
He pulled back and kissed her lips over and over.
Arianna’s chuckle mingled with his, the sound blissful and warm. His laughter—oh, she wanted to hear it every day, every second.
Despite facing a draining situation minutes ago, here they were, smiling.
“How is it possible? The mark wasn't complete,” he asked, his thumb caressing the mark on her neck. And just like every other time, it sparked fire within her.
She hadn't realized how much she’d missed this male until he was finally before her.
Every nook and corner—mind, soul, body—missed him.
“I don't know,” she whispered, shutting her eyes and hugging him. He hugged her back, stroking her hair.
“It doesn’t matter. Heaven has finally answered my prayer. Years of drowning in the pit of loneliness, slowly losing my mind as though cursed… and then you came, pulling me out of the darkness that was a breath away from swallowing me whole,” he said, still on his knees, voice thick with emotion.
“You made me whole, Ari. Despite the danger, despite the terror that could have meant death… you stepped into my hell and dragged me out.”
He kissed her mark, then buried his nose against it. “And now you’ve made me the happiest male in the realm, Ari.”
Arianna hugged him too tightly, tears spilling from her eyes. “I'm the luckiest female. I thought this place would be my hell, but it became my heaven. You are my heaven, Dun.”
He broke the hug and leaned down to kiss her belly. “I'll protect you. Even if I have to burn the world to ashes. That’s the kind of father you have, little one.”
She chuckled, caressing his long dark hair tied into a bun.
A warm bath had been prepared. The scent of flowers and honey wafted through the air.
Duncan was clearly sleepy—Arianna could see the tiredness etched into every part of his face—yet he took care of her, helping her bathe without even thinking of his own comfort.
His jaw ticked, a clear sign that his restraint was wearing thin.
She was naked. He hadn't fed his lust for days, and she could tell he didn’t want to wear her out. He holding himself back.
“Your turn,” she whispered once he was done. He didn’t argue and allowed her to wash the dirt from his strong, built body.
She took her time, exploring every inch of her male. He didn’t stop her.
Instead, he smiled and kissed her with tender affection.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said, pressing his thumb to her belly. “We’ll be having a family soon. It feels like a dream.”
She sighed. “It feels like a dream to me too. And I don’t want to wake up.”
He pressed his lips to her forehead. “My little flame. The one who lit up my darkness. My one and only.”
“One and only,” she echoed.
His gaze dipped down her body, and he swallowed, but kept himself at bay.
Together, they left the tub and dressed in something comfortable.
Duncan was the first to fall asleep, one hand on her stomach and the other holding her close. His face was calm and peaceful in his sleep.
Her head rested on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and inhaling his comforting scent.
Her mind then drifted to what had happened in the court. The stares of the four Lords of the Emissaries still lingered in her mind.
Was it over? Would they listen to Duncan?
Lord Valoreth didn’t look like he would. She wasn’t sure about the other Lords, but she hoped Lord Merek would understand.
She loved Duncan with every fiber of her being, and she loved the realm she had grown up, laughed, cried, and made friends.
The realm was a part of her, and she wouldn’t do anything to hurt it.
She understood their pain, their confusion, and their worries, but she wished they could trust her.
One thing haunted her, even though she tried to ignore it. Would the Ouroboros and Drakora be left to die?
Duncan had mentioned it would be two months instead of four. Could he have said that just to cool off the four Lords?
She hadn’t brought the topic up, not wanting to ruin their moment.
Those Ouroboros men, women, and children—including Jarik’s son—left to freeze and suffer for a sin they didn’t commit?
She had promised Selene she would save them once she became Queen. To help them carve a path to the human lands for the surviving Ouroboros.
The question was…
Would Duncan agree to it?
•••••••••••••••••••
After a few hours, Duncan stirred awake. He still had the four Lords to deal with, and having slept a little, he gained a bit of strength—thanks to the beautiful female in his arms.
His gaze flicked down to her stomach, letting the whisper echo in his head:
‘My female is carrying my child.’
Heaven! He still found it hard to believe. The different kind of joy seeping into his bones was overwhelming.
He would do his task—find the best healer in the realm to take care of her, hunt the Library, learn about pregnancy, every single little thing.
Be with her every step of the way. He promised himself that.
The thought of his female facing those incompetent Lords while carrying his child made his jaw tick. He hadn’t been there to protect her, and for that, he scolded himself.
He moved, careful not to disturb her sleep, placing a pillow beneath her head. When his body disconnected from hers, her brows furrowed in her sleep.
He leaned down and kissed them, prompting them to ease. A smile spread across her lips.
‘Let’s stay. Those Lords can wait. Want to be with mate. Want to hold her. Smell our pup,’ Ash whimpered.
‘Relax, Ash. We'll be with her every step of the way,’ he said to his stubborn Lycan.
But he stayed and stared at her for a long while before finally dressing and leaving.