bChapter /bb64 /b

bNyssa /bpov

bI /bbwasn’t /bbsure /bhow bI /bbdid /bbit/b, but just in bthe /bnick bof /btime, I bbarely /bdodged bthe /bdagger aimed straight at my head. bIt /bbwas /bas though bthe /bbworld /bhad bslowed /bdown as bI /bducked, watching in both horror and bdisbelief /bbas /bthe de sliced through strands of my bhair /band lodged itself into the headboard behind meb. /b

My lips parted in shock, but no words came out. I jerked my body back, staring at the dagger before instinctively reaching up to my head, then slowly turning to look at the indifferent bastard sitting in front of meb. /b

bWhat /bthe actual hell…

For a brief moment, neither of bus /bspoke. Silence bsettled /bthickly in the room, stretching on for what felt like an eternity until I finally snapped.

“bAre /bbyou /bfreaking crazy?!” bI /broared, pointing at the deranged maniac in front of me.

“Are you insane?! You almost killed me, oh my goddess! So you didn’t want to reject me, you wanted to kill me binstead/b?!”

But even as bI /bscreamed at him, his expression didn’t change. He simply tilted his head slightly, watching me with that bsame /bcold indifferenceb, /bpletely unbothered.

“You’re the crazy one, Nyssa! Do you want to get us killed?!” She scolded in my head. “Do you even know who you’re yelling at? That’s the Lycan King! He could change his mind and kill you just for speaking to him like that!”

bI /brolled my eyes at her words, scoffing.

“Kill me? Are you blind, She? He was literally just about to kill me.”

She sighed.

“No, Nyssa. he wasn’t…”

b“/bYou have a wolf,” he stated–more an answer than a question, the corner of his lips curving into a humorless smirk as he gazed at me.

“W–what?” bI /bstammered in confusion, watching as he leaned forward slightly.

“No wolfless person could dodge that attack, no matter how well–trained they are. If you were truly wolfless like you im, your head would’ve been rolling on the floor before you even blinked. Yet you narrowly escaped the de… which means byou’re /bnot wolflessb./bb” /b

My eyes widened, not because he figured it out, but because of the terrifying realization that if I had truly been wolfless, I would’ve been dead. Gone.

T–this man bwas /bbreally /bruthless. Nob, /bscratch that. He was something worse. He was a devil.

This only proved he didn’t care whether I lived or died. If I survived, it was only because I had a white wolf.

“So btell /bme…” he hummed, rising to his bfeet /band tucking his hands casually into his pockets. “What were you saying about being bwolfless/bb?/bb” /b

My heart pounded so violently it felt like it might burst from my chest. Instinctively, I opened my mouth, ready to lie, ready to argue bthat /bit was all bjust /ba misunderstanding but before bI /bcould utter a word, a startled bgasp /bbescaped /bme bas /bDarius suddenly appeared in front of meb, /bstopping just inches away.

bMy /bbeyes /bwidened bas /bbI /bbfound /bbhim /bleaning btoward /bmeb, /bhis face bdangerously /bclose bto /bmine, his bgaze /blocked bon me /bwithout a bsingle /bhint of bemotion/b.

b“/bbMy /bbpatience /bis wearing thin, little sheb–/bwolf. If you bdon’t /bspeak the truth right nowb, /bbI /bmight bas /bwell end your life here and everyone else’s bfor /byour bdisrespect/bb,” /bbhe /bbwarned/b. “Don’t assume I’m easy to bspeak /bto just because you’re my bmate/b.b” /b

For a brief moment, bhis /bbeyes /bshed ba /bterrifying shade of white, and bI /bstared at himb, /balmost breathless.

His beyes/bb… /bbthey /bbwere /bancientb, /byet they held something in btheir /bdepths. Something that made me want to kneel before him and blower /bmy bhead /bin submission. I knewb, /balmost instantly, that it was his aura at y.

My breathing turned shallowb, /bing out in light pants, and I lowered my bgaze/b, trying to hide the trembling in my hands as I looked baway/b.

Oh goddessb, /bwhy bwas /bI getting this bscared/b?

“You answer me when I speak to you,” he said, and I stiffened bas /bI felt him tilt my head up, forcing me bto /bmeet his beyes/bb. /b

For a moment, I wanted to lean into his touch, to close my beyes /band give in to the strange pull I felt toward this man but I quickly snapped out of it, leaning back and swallowing nervously as bI /bspoke.

“1-1…” bI /bstammered, not knowing what to say.

Since he had already figured out the truth, I realized there was no point in lying and She seemed to agree bas /bher voice echoed in my mind.

“Just tell him the truth. He already knows. bIf /byou don’t, you’ll only make him angrier,” she warned, making me frown before I let out a frustrated sigh.

“Well, it’s not like I have a choice, do I?” I mumbled, then lifted my head to look at Darius with a serious expression.

“I apologize, my king. I’ve been nothing but rude to you, but I was terrified when you threw that dagger at me. Please, forgive me for my impudence,” I said.

But his expression didn’t change, so I cut straight to the point.

“You’re right, my king. I am not wolfless. I only discovered this recently and didn’t know how to tell anyone, so I kept it a

secret.”

I watched as his eyes narrowed slightly, studying me. He leaned back and folded his arms.

“When did you find out?” he asked.

“This week, my king,” I answered without hesitation.

He frowned, his bgaze /blocked on me as though trying to determine if I was telling the truth. After a moment of silence, he spoke again.

“So… you’re the white wolf from that day. The one who ran away from me.”

I nodded, tightening my grip on the sheets, suddenly feeling nervous.

I knew Darius didn’t want to reject me and I had a feeling it wasn’t just because I was a white wolf. There was something more to it. Something deeper.

And something told me that She knew bexactly /bwhat it was.

b2/3 /b

“I see,” he hummed, then stepped back, moving away from me. He returned to his seat and sank into it, his gaze never leaving mine.

Then, without a hint of emotion, he said something that made my breath hitch and sent a cold shiver crawling down my spine.

“Strip and shift for me, little she–wolf.”