The Lycan King's Forbidden Craving - Chapter 174: Chapter 174

Lucas pushed Mearina away the next second, eyes wide as he stared at her.
“Have you gone insane?” He rose to his feet, swallowing hard. “Why in the world would you do that!” he yelled.
When she didn’t reply, he turned to leave, but her words stopped him.
“He treated me better, Lucas,”
Still raging over her action, Lucas gave her a hard, questioning look. Heart pounding.
"What?" He whispered.
“There’s another reason why I left you. You made me leave you, Lucas. I couldn’t handle the way you always put Duncan first. Like his loyal dog.”
Lucas was speechless, his mind foggy as he tried to grasp what was happening.
“Everything I told you was the truth. I did owe Valoreth that favor, and I became his wife because of it. And you know what? It was the best decision I ever made. He’s so much better than you.”
Lucas hissed and grabbed her by the shoulders, pinning her to the wall, glaring at her.
“What in the world are you saying?” His voice shook.
Why was she repeating the same words that had haunted him for years?
“You said he abuses you! So what the fuck are you saying now?”
“Owen said he abuses me,” she replied coldly. “My personal maid, she is a sweet, lovely woman who never lies. She’s an omega, incapable of controlling her heartbeat. So I made her believe my husband abuses me. I made her convince you to come here.” Mearina smirked. “And here you are.”
Lucas paled while Mearina scoffed.
“You really think I would let the bloodline that wiped out my entire home sit on that throne?” she said, anger etched across her face. “How dare you defend them Lucas Adryn?”
••••••••••••••••
Back when Mearina had an argument with her husband in her maid's presence, Lord Valoreth visited her late that night.
Worry lined the Lord’s face as he stepped inside. He shut the door and gently cupped Mearina’s face.
“Did I hurt you when I grabbed you? Are you alright? Are you in any pain?”
Mearina chuckled softly. “No, honey. What about you? I didn’t mean to hit you that hard.”
“It’s alright. There’s nothing you could do that would ever hurt me. I love you so much. I’ve felt sick about what happened earlier. I’m sorry,” he said, kissing her face several times before pressing his lips to hers, savoring her taste.
“I love you too,” she smiled. “Do you think she’ll fall for it? I told her you’ve been abusing me for years and that I stayed quiet about it. Do you think she believed me?”
“She did. I saw the shock in her eyes. Just stick to the story, alright?” he replied, and she nodded.
A flicker of concern passed through his eyes.
“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” he asked gently.
“I’m not changing my mind, Valoreth. I won’t let history repeat itself. I can’t lose myself again like I did during the war. I’ll protect my children, and you. Even if it means sacrificing myself.”
His eyes welled up with tears as he pulled her into a hug, saying nothing. He just held her tightly, soaking in her warmth before she left the next day to meet with Lucas.
“What if it doesn’t work with Lucas?” Mearina whispered. “He’s the second ruler… what if he doesn’t show up?”
“Forgive me, love,” Valoreth said softly. “But a part of me selfishly hopes he doesn’t show up. That way… I won’t lose you.”
She buried her face in his chest. “For the sake of the realm.”
“For the sake of the realm,” Valoreth echoed.
••••••••••••••
Present.
“The King has lost his mind. Her very existence is too complicated for us to understand, even she admitted she hasn’t fully grasped what she is. She’s their Goddess’s daughter, their fucking Goddess. Heaven knows what kind of power is swirling inside her.” Mearina’s eyes were red with anger as they locked onto Lucas.
“No dragon?” Mearina scoffed. “No dragon, my ass. She is a dragon. She is destruction HERSELF!!!” she shouted.
“And the King won’t even bother to consider what the future holds for the realm. He still wants to protect her. To make her our Queen.” A mocking laugh escaped her lips.
“If she births an heir, that child will bear her blood—and we’ll allow the enemy’s blood to sit on the throne as the supreme ruler? What makes you so sure they aren’t waiting, and that the book isn’t just a distraction to deceive us?”
“What makes you so sure that the moment she sits on that throne, fire won’t pour from above and eradicate us all? What makes you so sure she hasn’t brainwashed the King? Think it through… Duncan has lost his fucking mind! And you're just a dog following his orders. All it took was a little sob story, and here you are. Just like before. Still wearing Duncan’s leash.”
Broken.
Lucas had never felt so hollow, so lost, so shattered. If there was a word worse than that, it would be his. He was destroyed, inside and out.
It clung to his chest, heavy and vile. His lungs burned, and his eyes, those damn traitorous eyes of hers, stung me hard.
She had used him. Twisted his memories. Played with his guilt.
For what?
For a cause soaked in fear and mistrust?
A low growl escaped his throat. He punched the wall beside her head, fist cracking against stone, but the pain did nothing to dull the ache in his heart.
“You think this is loyalty? You think I follow Duncan blindly?” He shook his head, voice trembling. “No. I made a choice to stay by him because he never gave up on this realm.”
“The realm you think you’re saving was already lost the moment you supported her. Have you forgotten what they did?” Mearina whispered, tears still fresh in her eyes.
He punched the same spot on the wall again. Harder with rage.
“You don’t get to talk about saving anything! Not when you’re the one lighting the fucking match, Mearina!!!” he yelled at her. "You haven’t seen her. You haven’t heard her, yet you all judged her like fucking cowards! And you are the last person I expected to pull this trick. So what now, huh? You’re happy?”
Lucas’s throat tightened. "Are you happy to have that poison on your lips and feed it to me… huh?”
Mearina cried harder, while Lucas already felt that creeping dizziness rising.
“Valoreth wasn’t targeting the other two Lords. It was me and Duncan… wasn’t it?” he sobbed. "The ritual was already done. Valoreth wasn’t the caster. So who was, Mearina?”
Her chest heaved violently.
“Fucking tell me!!!”
Mearina forced to steady her breathing. “Who else…?”