The Lycan King's Forbidden Craving - Chapter 96: Chapter 96

The list of Alpha daughters was ready. Duncan had instructed Lord Fredrick to spread the rumor among the people.
That way, it would reduce the uproar within the kingdom.
“Does she know?” Lucas asked, his eyes swirling with light excitement.
“Not yet,” Duncan replied, removing his training attire.
Arianna’s hurt expression and words were branded in his heart. He couldn't even focus during today’s meeting.
“You don’t look thrilled. Is something bothering you?”
Duncan sighed. “You’ve been on me all day. What about you? When are you planning to open that cold heart of yours to another woman?”
A shadow fell across Lucas’s face. “I don’t think I can.”
“You can't keep being like this. If I’m to take a step, then so should you.”
Lucas scoffed. “Then perhaps I should choose among the Alpha’s daughters you’re about to invite?”
“Good. You can find a woman you want, mark her as yours, and make her bear your heir.”
“Sounds easy. And yet, the Great Grand King isn’t doing it.”
“Once again, this is about you. Don’t change the direction,” Duncan glared.
“I’m not ready. Same reason you're not,” Lucas replied, his voice leaving no room for argument. “To add, my heart’s not prepared for another. Even though I want it to be.”
Duncan stayed silent, staring at his friend closely.
“The full moon is drawing near,” Lucas changed the subject. “First time in three years I actually feel relaxed. Thanks to Lady Arianna Greystone.”
Now hearing her name, Duncan decided to check if she had returned. “I’ll see you tomorrow for the night hunt.”
Lucas gave him a short nod. “You too, Your Grace.”
“Damn, I really hate that word today,” Duncan’s voice trailed off as he left, while Lucas let out a short chuckle.
But almost instantly, his expression shifted to an unreadable one as he gazed at the sky.
He barely thought of her willingly, except when he took another female to bed.
‘I’m rejecting you because he’s better than you.’
Those words were forever branded on his heart.
••••••••••
As Duncan approached his suite, something felt terribly wrong. His heart clenched in a strange way...
Light, painful whimpers reached his ears, making his eyes go wide as he recognized the sound.
“Ari,” his pace quickened as he rushed through the hall, almost running.
Then he barged into her room, finding her lying on the cold, bare floor—sweating all over and curling into a ball.
Her breaths were heavy, and her face was twisted with so much pain.
“Ari!” Duncan rushed to her side.
“Stop talking,” more tears slipped from Arianna's eyes. “You're too loud.”
Duncan’s Lycan, Ash, roared beneath, sending a message.
It was Arianna’s dragon trying to merge with her. Judging from her state, it was terrifying her...
It had taken a while for Duncan to accept his Lycan back then too.
He didn’t know much about the Ouroboros, but he knew having such a terrifying beast trying to merge wasn’t a pleasant experience.
Quickly, Duncan gathered her in his arms and cursed under his breath. She was burning hot. It was as though her whole body was on fire.
More strands of her hair—apart from the half that was dyed—had turned silver.
He took her to his own chamber and to his tub, already filled with cold water thanks to the order he had given a maid earlier.
Duncan placed Arianna inside, stepping in with her. Her eyes fluttered open as the water enveloped her.
“Dun,” she croaked, searching his face.
“Yes. Ari, I’m here,” he whispered. Despite the radiating heat from her skin, he didn’t let go. He dipped her further in, letting only her head remain above the surface.
“Did that work?”
Arianna let out a broken sob in reply, her eyes shutting as she began struggling in his hold.
“It’s too loud,” she croaked. “Too loud!”
In centuries, Duncan had never once felt this helpless. His heart felt crushed seeing her this way.
“Ari, hey,” Duncan whispered, and she opened her eyes to look at him again.
The water around them rippled as Arianna’s body jerked, her breaths coming in ragged gasps.
“Ari,” he whispered again, his voice softer now, his thumb brushing against her damp forehead. “I need you to breathe, just focus on my voice.”
“It hurts,” she choked out, her hands clawing at his chest as if she could hold onto something solid amid the chaos inside her. “Duncan, make it stop.”
His jaw clenched and his hold around her tightened.
A low, guttural sound rumbled from deep in her throat, something almost inhuman. Duncan recognized it—not just the dragon’s struggle, but Arianna’s resistance against it.
“You have to stop fighting it, Ari,” he urged, pressing his forehead against hers. “You can’t suppress it. Let it in.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks, mixing with the water. “I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t want to lose myself.”
“You won’t,” he vowed. “You are Arianna Greystone. You are strong. It doesn’t control you—you control it.”
Still no progress—it only made her tremble even more.
Duncan instantly summoned his Alpha will this time, merging it with Ash’s force against his own. His eyes glowed at her.
His voice came like low thunder—deep and commanding.
“Stop. Hurting. Her.”
Arianna jerked once in his hold, then slowly, her breathing returned to normal. Her eyes never left his, and soon she was calm.
“It stopped," she whispered.
“Temporarily. It might happen again later on. I only stopped it with our bond,” Duncan said.
Her head fell against his chest; she felt weak.
“Are you alright now?”
She nodded. “I'm better. Thanks.”
He lifted his hand from the water and caressed her cheek gently. Their eyes locked, a spark flickering between them.
His thumb ran over her cheek, down to her neck, the contact sent heat to her system.
“Mine?” Her voice broke the silence between them—soft and uncertain.
A small smile tugged at Duncan's lips, his fingers caressing her cheek with all the tenderness in the world.
Then he declared,
“I’m yours. Only yours, Ari.”