The Lycan King's Forbidden Craving - Chapter 83: Chapter 83

Kael's hands were trembling slightly as he packed his belongings, his breath uneven.
He had heard tales of the ruthless Lycan King, but witnessing him make a strong Alpha like Magnus tremble, bleed, and eat his own severed tongue was on a whole other level.
That man is a devil.
Kael's mind was unsettled—especially with the fact that the same king had the face of the man from the inn.
Hell, it was him!
Those eyes, that face—he’d never forget them. That strength and aura… it sent him into a pit of fear.
And the way the King spoke at the banquet—it felt like those words were directed at him.
No. He can’t stay here!
He’ll die if he does.
A knock sounded on his door, sending a ripple through his system. Who was it at this hour?
Kael hesitated, staring at the door with wide eyes and a pounding heart.
“It’s Alpha Toran, Alpha Kael. Do you have a spare moment? I need to talk to you.”
Kael didn’t reply, hoping Toran would assume he was asleep. He didn’t want Toran to know he planned to leave the Citadel.
The door suddenly creaked open without warning, and Toran stepped in, making Kael flinch.
“I never asked you to come in,” Kael snapped.
“I never need your permission,” Toran shrugged, placing both hands behind his back. “I just have a few questions about—”
“My ex-mate? Yeah, I know,” Kael cut in. “But I still don’t get why you keep bringing her up all the time. I don’t want to talk about her, so just leave me the fuck alone!” he snapped.
Toran glanced down at the belongings Kael was trying to gather. “You could get into a lot of trouble for this.”
Kael swallowed, glancing at his belongings, then back at Toran. “Just let me be, okay?”
Toran scoffed. “Why are you so scared? Do you think the King will find out what you’ve done? Come on, Kael. If you didn’t leave a trace, he won’t find out.”
“But your father of all people was found and punished…”
“My father was drunk during an important ceremony, lost his mind, and blurted out what he shouldn’t have. He made the King mad and got what he deserved,” Toran said with a shrug.
Kael stared at Toran in disbelief. “How can you say that? Your sister got banished, and your father is in severe pain—yet here you are, curious about my late mate. She’s dead! She’s fucking dead, and she’s the last thing I want to think about right now!”
“I know. Fuck,” Toran groaned, feeling a surge of frustration. “You said she was a bastard. I just need to know how and why,” he said, trying to hide the desperation in his voice. “Tell me, and I’ll keep your secret about trying to escape the Citadel.”
Kael’s jaw clenched, his eyes scanning the room before settling back on Toran.
“I don’t know the full story, but my father mentioned Alpha Thane... Aria…” For a moment, Kael felt strange saying that name. “Arianna’s father slept with a woman who saved him during a battle, and it led to the birth of a girl. After I watched Alpha Thane take my father’s head, I decided to take the throne. I used the fact that Arianna was a bastard to get the Elders on my side. The Moon Goddess made it easy for me to fool her by mating us together.”
Toran put on a fake sad expression. “Such a sad story. That couldn’t have been easy.”
Kael scoffed. “The Moon Goddess curses whoever kills their destined mate, so I didn’t do it myself. I asked some guards to,” he paused, his gaze slipping to the floor, “and told them to burn her body.”
Toran almost rolled his eyes.
What a fool.
“I understand, Alpha Kael. Really, I do. Even though I don’t know what it feels like to have a mate, your story is touching.”
Kael clicked his tongue and nodded.
“I’ll take my leave, Alpha Kael. One piece of advice, though,” Toran’s voice remained steady. “Do not leave or try to sneak out of the Citadel. You’ll get caught, and if you do, you’ll be punished—by the King or his Beta. Just stay and chill out.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed. “How can you be so calm after everything?”
“Of course, the King has nothing on me,” Toran shrugged, his words laced with underlying meaning. “Same goes for you. We cleared the evidence.”
Kael nodded. He had seen the burnt body of Arianna, the one the guards had shown him. The one that was buried at her funeral. The evidence was gone.
“Goodnight,” Toran said, turning to leave.
“Alpha Toran,” Kael called before Toran could open the door. “Thank you.”
Toran glanced at him. “It’s my pleasure,” he smirked and left the room.