The Lycan King's Forbidden Craving - Chapter 164: Chapter 164

If Lucas could do anything to suppress the ache in his head, he would.
They felt like it was going to split open at any moment from the relentless pounding of an invisible hammer.
With an arm draped over his face, he lay on his bed with his eyes shut.
“Breakfast, my Lord,” the maid announced in a whisper.
He dismissed her with a flick of his finger and turned back, trying to find some sleep.
However, a strong scent caught his nose, and he sighed.
“Please don’t tell me Falcon reported to you,” Lucas mumbled.
“I knew you’d be this stubborn, so I asked him. Turned out I was right, Lucas. What the in the heavens is wrong with you? Are you going to keep letting yourself suffer?”
Opening red, tired eyes, Lucas rose from the bed and greeted the king, then headed to the table and drank a good amount of the water that had been served.
“I’m fine, your Grace.”
“No, you’re not. Werewolves can go on without satisfying themselves, but Lycans? Not satisfying that craving especially on the full moon? You’re not planning to run mad, are you?” The king’s voice was laced with anger and frustration.
It was understandable. Lucas had been so damn stubborn.
“What’s the point? I keep hurting them. I’d rather hurt myself,” he mumbled.
“Are you referring to someone in particular?” Duncan asked, and Lucas’s few seconds of silence gave him the answer. “Who is she?”
Shit. Having a friend who understands you without you saying a word could be frustrating. They’ll fish out the very thing you wish to keep hidden.
“No one, my king,” he muttered.
But before he could breathe, Duncan’s hand clamped onto his collar and slammed him against the wall. Lucas groaned at the crack in his spine, which immediately healed.
Meeting Duncan’s powerful glare, Lucas’s Lycan whimpered. His friend was truly pissed this time around.
Those golden eyes raged.
“I know what that darkness feels like, Lucas. For heaven sake you’re among the strongest ancient Lycans in the realm. Leaving your Lycan unsatisfied—raging—could lead to a lot of things. Want me to start counting them for you?” he seethed.
"Dun--"
“Lying to my face is pretty fucked up, Lucas. Do not test my patience.” Duncan’s hold tightened as he bit out the words, “Who. Is. She?”
Lucas stayed quiet, clenching his jaw after swallowing hard.
“Is it Yvonne? She’s your favorite mistress. Strong enough to take you. Did she complain when you summoned her last night?” Duncan continued.
“Geez, stop jumping to conclusions. You’re making my headache worse, Your Majesty,” Lucas muttered, causing Duncan’s eyes to blaze even more.
“Then who is she?” Duncan growled.
“I can’t drag her into my mess, okay. She’s not ready. Perhaps my Lycan is confused—insane, even—to crave her. I’m not ready to see that fear in her eyes. I’d rather die of curiosity,” Lucas said, keeping a straight face despite the pressure the king was deliberately exerting on him.
Duncan stared deeply at him but said nothing. It was as though the male were reading him like a clean sheet of paper marked with bold ink.
Then he released Lucas, his expression shifting slightly, as if catching onto something.
“Does she know?” Duncan asked, the frown still on his face—along with a look Lucas couldn’t quite place…
Disturbed?
“Probably. Not sure if she even understands.”
A worried look flashed across the king's face but quickly disappeared. He sighed.
“You pushed her away.” It wasn’t a question—it was a statement he already knew the answer to.
“She’s not ready. And even if she is, I’m not ready to have that kind of relationship with her. Like I said… I’m not dragging her into my mess,” he muttered, raking a hand through his dark hair. “This is probably a temporary craving. It’ll go away after a while—considering the fact it only happens during the full moon.”
Duncan didn’t reply immediately, letting silence settle in the room before speaking again.
“Have you ever craved a female like her before? Even during a full moon?” Duncan asked, and Lucas shook his head.
“Then you know better than that, Lucas. Cravings don’t just happen without a bond.”
Lucas scoffed bitterly, turning his head away. “It’s not a bond, Your Grace. I knew it last night, and I’ve thought about it… She’s too vulnerable, and I don’t see her that way.”
“You think I don’t know what that kind of denial looks like?” Duncan stepped closer, his voice softer this time. “You think I didn’t try to rationalize it when I first saw Arianna? Thought it was just desire. Thought I was losing control.”
“I’m not you,” Lucas ground out, his voice tight. “You didn’t have a mate. I did. And she’s still breathing, walking this fucking earth. The Moon Goddess doesn’t give second chances to the broken ones. They simply stay unhealed.”
Duncan clasped his hands behind his back, his voice calm. “Maybe the Moon Goddess doesn’t care about the damn chronicles. Maybe she’s trying to fix something—even if it’s unbelievable.”
“Doesn’t feel like it,” Lucas muttered. Shutting his eyes, he whispered, “Not even a bit.”
Duncan understood what he meant but still, Lucas was one of a hell strong headed male he had ever known.
“Time will tell then. You’ll get past it.”
“Yeah. She’ll keep her distance for a while. I kinda scared her last night.”
A snicker escaped Duncan’s lips, causing Lucas to look up with a raised brow. He blinked, a questioning look on his face.
“Let’s just hope she does.” A knowing smirk graced the king’s lips as he strode out of the room.
Lucas clicked his tongue, Duncan’s words echoing in his head, followed by Lylah shocked expression last night.
Yeah... She'll stay away.