The Lycan King and his Dark Temptation romance Capítulo 13

VALERIA

He simply carried me princess-style from the bed, and no matter how much I told him I could walk on my own, it went in one ear and out the other.

"Hold on tight," he ordered when I didn’t know how to position myself against his solid chest.

Hesitantly, I raised my hands and wrapped them behind his strong neck.

"Closer. Am I that unpleasant to you?" He shot me a cold glare that could kill, and I shook my head frantically, like a doll with a loose spring.

My fingers laced behind his neck. His powerful heartbeat echoed against my side, and I fought the urge to let my eyes wander over his masculine features.

That fiery red hair swirled and danced with his every step through the castle corridors and down the stairs, as if he carried no weight at all.

His skin felt so warm, and that intoxicating scent lingering near my nose teased my senses.

Had he already controlled his rut? Or would I soon have to drag more of his lovers out of the castle by their hair?

"Don't be afraid," he said suddenly. "Point to whoever you think is guilty, Valeria."

We had stopped before the massive kitchen doors.

"Fine... And you... what will you do to that person?"

"I'll kill them, of course," he replied without further explanation, kicking the door open as he stormed into the room where the entire staff was trembling, waiting.

The scent of fear filled the air, and tonight, more blood would be spilled.

*****

"Your Majesty, I’ve gathered the entire kitchen staff as you ordered," the housekeeper immediately announced, approaching us.

She looked at me strangely, just like everyone else. And honestly, I was embarrassed to still be in the King’s arms.

He walked to the side and set me down on a chair, grabbing another one to sit beside me, exuding such a deadly aura that even I felt its weight pressing down on me.

"Now, Valeria. Tell me every detail of what happened when you came for my dinner," he commanded, and I didn’t hesitate to recount everything from the beginning.

When I reached the part about the maids, I looked directly at them.

Both had their heads lowered, fear clearly clutching their hearts.

"...Then, I went to the housekeeper’s home, but she wasn’t there. Those men claiming to be guards captured me."

"Yes, they were low-ranking warriors from the pack, responsible for patrolling the forest’s borders. I identified them, and the one who survived confirmed it as well."

Suddenly, I froze in surprise, noticing the Lycan Quinn standing in the shadows, leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Sir, did he say who gave the orders?" I asked him respectfully, even in the dim light, his golden eyes were sharp and clear.

"No. He refused to confess, even under torture," Quinn replied, his gaze shifting toward the King beside me.

I assumed His Majesty Aldric had been the one to interrogate him.

And yet... he didn’t break? Was his accomplice really that important to him?

I turned my head slightly toward the King, only to freeze under the icy, accusing glare he was giving me.

What did I do now, Your Majesty?!

"What’s going on, Valeria?" the housekeeper asked, frowning as she approached me.

"Something doesn’t add up, ma’am. I tasted the food the cook prepared—and it didn’t affect me at all," I explained, and she immediately unlocked the storage cabinet.

We began searching for anything suspicious, even tasting the leftovers. Nothing seemed tainted with any aphrodisiac.

"Let me help you."

I froze when I heard that low, husky voice behind me, so close that his breath caressed the back of my neck.

Your Majesty... with all this space, why do you have to stand so close to me?!

I wanted to cry without tears but instead focused on steadying the trembling in my hands and keeping my mind on the search.

"There’s a strange scent. Faint, but I can detect it," he suddenly announced.

I watched as his hand reached out toward the silver serving trays used to cover the food.

Of course, when he leaned forward, his muscular chest pressed even closer against my back, trapping me between him and the counter.

I didn’t dare move a single inch—or worse, glance at the housekeeper, who stood awkwardly beside me.

It must be the rut still lingering in his body. That had to explain why he was being so... clingy.

"It smells like a foreign substance. There are traces of blue powder here," he declared, flipping the tray over to reveal the concave underside—the part that always remained above the food, out of sight.

The one spot I would have never thought to check.