Chapter 6 – Mate?

Lila The moment the Lycan King’s gaze locked onto mine, I felt the air shift, as if the entire room had been stripped of its oxygen. His expression hardened, something fierce and haunted flickering behind those piercing golden eyes. His lips parted, and a single name, one that did not belong to me, slipped from his mouth. "Natalie…" The raw pain in his voice sent a chill down my spine. My heart stammered, confusion crashing over me in waves. He wasn’t just looking at me, he was seeing someone else. Someone long gone. Who was Natalie? Before I could react, his aura lashed out, thick with power, sending goosebumps crawling across my skin. His entire body tensed, and I swore I saw his fingers twitch as if he wanted to reach for me. Inside me, Ruby stirred, whimpering. He’s our mate. My wolf’s voice was almost frantic. Why isn’t he claiming us? I swallowed hard, my hands trembling at my sides. No. That wasn’t possible. The Lycan King – the most ruthless ruler in the kingdom – couldn’t be my Mate. I forced my voice to be steady, though my throat felt tight with the lie I was about to tell. "No, Your Highness. My name is Elena Ashford." His golden eyes darkened, and something inside him snapped. He inhaled sharply, blinking, as if shaking himself from a trance. The silence that followed was thick, suffocating. The maid at his side cleared her throat. "She’s the girl who fainted in the garden, Your Majesty. One of the candidates." Recognition dawned across his face. His posture straightened, expression shifting into something unreadable. Whatever he had seen when he looked at me, it was gone now. Buried. "You," he murmured, his voice lower now, controlled. "The one my teacher spoke of." His stare returned, dragging over me with unnerving intensity. He was studying me; not just my face, but something deeper. A shiver worked its way down my spine, but I held my ground. His wolf, barely restrained beneath the surface, seemed just as fixated. The pull between us – one I didn’t understand – thickened in the air. Ruby whimpered again. He feels it too. He just doesn’t understand why. Before I could process the weight of his gaze, a sharp elbow slammed into my ribs. Pain shot through my side as I stumbled. My head snapped toward the culprit: Isabella. Her dark eyes burned with irritation as she sneered. "Didn’t you hear the Lycan King speaking to you? Such an rude girl." I clenched my jaw, steadying my breath. Don’t react. Don’t give her the satisfaction. "Yes, Your Highness," I said, my voice even, despite the lingering pain. His frown deepened. His golden eyes flickered from Isabella to me, catching the way my body tensed. Something darkened across his face. I had barely recovered when his hand shot out, gripping my chin with firm fingers. My breath caught. His touch was fire. His thumb brushed along the edge of my jaw, tilting my head slightly. The intensity of his attention made my skin burn. "You dare to space out in front of me?" His voice was dangerously low. "Which pack are you from?" I forced myself to remain still, even as every nerve in my body screamed to recoil. He was testing me. Searching for something. "Nightfall Pack," I answered. My father’s name rested at the tip of my tongue, but I held it back, unwilling to invoke him unless necessary. His gaze lingered a moment longer before he finally released me. "Stay in line," he warned, his voice colder than ice. From the corner of my eye, Isabella smirked, crossing her arms. "Noble girls never run around the corridors like this. Shouldn’t we punish her?" I exhaled slowly. Of course, she’d try and dole out another punishment. Keeping my voice measured, I turned to the Lycan King. "My King, if Isabella hadn’t tried to tear my face apart, I wouldn’t have been running through the corridor. I don’t understand why she has been so hostile towards me." His gaze snapped to Isabella, sharp and dangerous. Isabella stiffened. "I… I was only looking out for you –" His voice cut through her excuses like a blade. "Isabella, don’t overstep. You will not touch the selection females again." Her mouth opened slightly, as if to protest, but then she lowered her head in acknowledgement. "Yes, Your Majesty." A flicker of satisfaction curled in my chest, though I quickly smothered it. Isabella wasn’t someone I could afford to make an enemy of, not when I had to tread so carefully, and she was practically Royalty. The Lycan King, however, wasn’t done. His gaze lingered on me again, his expression unreadable. Slowly, his eyes dropped to my lips. I barely resisted the urge to lick the lips in question, just to see if he’d respond as a Mate would. I could feel the pull of the Mating bond, but he wasn’t reacting. Finally, he turned away, his voice clipped. "Wait for me. I want to see you tonight." My hands trembled as I curled them into fists at my sides to keep from reaching out to him. I survived another day and avoided another punishment. It wasn’t until I saw Damon’s back completely disappear that I sighed in relief and followed the maid away from Isabella towards the room I was supposed to wait in. It was luxurious, but I couldn’t enjoy it. Not when my thoughts were still caught in the revelation that was Damon Sinclair. The fact that my wolf Ruby was restless didn’t help me relax either. He’s our mate, she repeated, frustration simmering. Why is he pretending he doesn’t feel it?! I paced near the vanity, the tension in my shoulders increasing with each pass across the rug. Maybe he doesn’t know. Or maybe we’re mistaken..." My voice faltered. Impossible. When Damon touched us, it was intoxicating. The maid interrupted my thoughts, "Let’s add something to your hair," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. She lifted a sapphire hairpin from a small box, the deep blue gems catching the light. I stared at it for a moment but said nothing, simply letting her work. I sat in silence, my hands clasped tightly in my lap as I waited for what felt like hours while Ruby kept trying to get me to go after Damon. The weight of uncertainty pressed against my chest. Why me? There were so many women here – daughters of powerful Alphas, noble-born and beautiful. I was nothing compared to them, but that was exactly what I was pretending to be. Damon hadn’t acknowledged the pull I felt, so why had he demanded to see me tonight? The question gnawed at me, each passing minute stretching unbearably long. He was exactly as expected – a terrifying male. And yet, the anticipation of seeing him again heated my skin. Ruby, my wolf, paced in the back of my mind. Go to him, she whispered, her voice impatient. I swallowed hard, urging her to calm for both our sakes. The air in the room got heavier as the night progressed. The candles the maid had lit earlier flickered, their soft glow casting long shadows against the walls. Then, the door creaked open. My body tensed as a tall figure stepped inside, his presence dominating the space in an instant. Damon. His gaze locked onto mine, stealing my breath, and I scrambled to my feet.