The Lycan King's Forbidden Craving - Chapter 57: Chapter 57

YARD
At the center of the yard, swords clashed against each other, sparks flying with every strike.
The fight was intense—deadly and bone-chilling—but in the eyes of the two men involved, it felt like child’s play.
Duncan swung his sword with precision, his movements effortless, as if the blade weighed no more than a feather.
Lucas had a smile on his face. It had been a long time since he’d sparred with this man.
The fact that Duncan was fighting him today meant he was in a good mood. A really good mood.
“So, is she the one?” Lucas asked between heavy breaths as they took a break. “Your mate?”
After taking a sip of water, Duncan cleared his throat. “Yes… and no.”
Lucas’s smile dropped. “Are you serious right now? Don’t start with your mind games.”
Duncan’s lips tugged slightly. “Last night, we had a connection. Like a string tying us together. She felt like the one, but I still need to be sure. I need to get closer. My Lycan hasn’t declared her as his mate yet.”
“What? Are you kidding me?” Lucas stood up from the small bench. “Claim her already. Mate or not, I think she’s the destined one we’ve been waiting for.”
Something flashed in Duncan’s eyes—something Lucas couldn’t read. It only confirmed that Duncan was keeping something important from him.
“You know her wolf is still in hibernation, right? So my beast hasn’t fully bonded to her yet. But yes… she’s bound to me. And she might be the one destined to cure me,” Duncan said.
But that wasn’t the full truth.
What he felt last night wasn’t her wolf—and he didn’t want to think about that.
He wanted to think about her.
There was an unsettled feeling clawing at his heart, but he chose to ignore it.
Lucas squinted. “Duncan…”
“We have a council meeting to attend soon," Duncan cut him off. "We should stop here for today and prepare…” his trailed off, his eyes snapping toward the corridor.
She’s here.
He could smell her. She was still a bit afar, yet he could feel her.
Lucas remained silent, merely observing his friend as Duncan stared at the corridor, as though waiting for something.
Then, she appeared.
Clad in a fine, comfortable gown that gently revealed her perfectly feminine curves. The world seemed to slow down in Duncan’s senses as he savored every inch of her.
She approached Duncan, her steps light and graceful.
She never once walked like a slave—that was something Duncan deeply admired about her. It was as though loyalty lived in every cell of Arianna’s being.
Duncan stood frozen, staring at her as if he was seeing her for the first time.
Even though he had seen her in a fine dress before, it still wasn’t enough. She was alluring in every way.
“Your Grace,” Arianna greeted in a gentle voice, inclining her head momentarily before meeting his gaze again.
“I’ll take my leave and prepare for the meeting, Your Majesty,” Lucas announced.
Duncan finally tore his eyes away from Arianna, just long enough to give Lucas a nod, then returned his gaze to her.
After Lucas left, Arianna, visibly nervous, waited for the king to speak—but he didn’t. His eyes continued to scrutinize her, making her heart drum louder.
“Your Grace…”
“Duncan,” he cut in, correcting her. “You’ve been calling me that since last night—even the woods could bear witness.”
Arianna’s face flushed in embarrassment. Her expression was that of someone wishing the ground would swallow her.
“You can call me that whenever we’re alone,” Duncan added, his lips curling into a smirk as he watched her part her lips in shock, struggling to form a word.
“How are you feeling? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?” he asked, breaking the silence.
Arianna blinked, glancing around carefully to be sure he was referring to her.
Clearing her throat, she kept her gaze lowered, her voice unsteady. “I’m fine, Your… I mean, Dun-can.” She bit her lip. “It’ll take a while to get used to calling you that, y—” She stopped herself and took a deep breath.
His lips tugged up slightly.
'Mate is cute when shy,' Ash purred.
'Indeed,' Duncan agreed with his Lycan.
“Why have you come to see me, Ari?” he asked, taking a step forward.
Arianna’s heart leapt to her throat. His presence enveloped her, and it seemed this beautiful devil had an even stronger effect on her now.
Was it the same for him?
“Yes, Your Grace—I mean, Duncan. I… came here to, uhm… to…” She stumbled over her words.
God, why is he so handsome?! Arianna thought, her mouth mumbling incoherently. She had completely forgotten why she came.
“I came… to meet you… and talk about… uhm… I…”
He closed the distance between them, reached out with his finger to lift her chin, and pressed his soft, tender lips against hers.
Arianna’s mind went blank. Her face was red by the time he pulled away.
“I guess that’s one way to shut you up,” he said in a gentle, cool voice, caressing the bottom of her lip with his thumb. “I’ll see you later—after I attend the meeting.”
This had to be a dream.
A dream she didn’t want to wake up from.
The king walked past her while Arianna struggled to control her breathing.
It took her a long while to fully digest what had just happened.
“He… kissed me,” she whispered aloud, turning to Nyra, who had stood around the corner the whole time.
“He kissed me on the lips,” she repeated, her voice sounding more like a question. “On purpose… At his own will… he kissed me.”
“Yes, my lady,” Nyra replied.
Arianna exhaled, touching her forehead.
“I feel hot… do you feel hot?” she asked, fanning her face. “I think I need a cold bath.”
Then Nyra’s eyes widened in shock as she spotted the King returning.
Arianna, still talking to herself, suddenly felt a strong arm wrap around her waist and pull her close.
Before she could speak or react, Duncan slammed his lips onto hers once again—
This time, kissing her passionately and deeply.