The Lycan King and His Dark Temptation Novel

THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS VALERIA I glanced to the side , noticing the Alphas daughter had also stepped outside .

Well , His Majesty takes protecting his pack very seriously , I replied with my best loyal and diplomatic servant voice .

She started chatting with me casually , young and carefree .

Excitedly , she talked about a night market held in the town square , where they sold local specialties .

The fact that she wasnt staring at me strangely or treating me differently because of my scars earned her a point in my favor .

It sounds really interesting .

Id love to go , but I cant leave His Majestys side .

Im sorry You can go with her if you want , Aldrics voice rumbled behind me .

Ill be tied up here for a while .

You can explore the market but dont go too far .

Ill catch up with you both soon .

I turned to see him digging into his pocket , already guessing what he was about to do .

Thank you , sir , I replied quickly , practically dragging the girl away with me to escape .

Wait , Valeria .

He caught my arm , stopping me and forcing me to face him , Take this .

Buy whatever you want .

I dont care if you spend it all I brought more .

He tried pressing the heavy pouch of coins into my hand , but I pulled back , clutching it to my chest .

I have my own money , Your Majesty my wages .

Ill pay for my personal things .

If you need me to buy something for you … No , its for you .

Buy dresses , makeup … I dont know , whatever you like , he insisted , stepping closer , still holding out the pouch .

Its not necessary , King Lycan .

I already received my payment this month for my service as a maid .

I refused outright , full of defiance .

Before he could react , I walked away , leaving him standing on the porch .

His burning gaze lingered on my back , but I straightened it with pride .

Im just your servant , King Aldric .

Stop confusing me with your mixed signals , I snapped silently to myself .

With all this rebellion , will I even make it to tomorrow with my head still on my shoulders ? I wondered , half joking , having no idea of the stormy night awaiting me or the dangers I would soon face .

Look , Valeria ! These bracelets are so pretty ! Adele practically dragged me from stall to stall around the market .

At last , this gloomy pack seemed to show some life .

Paper lanterns floated overhead , casting a warm glow across the bustling square .

# 25 BONUS THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS I got distracted examining some medicinal creams .

I hadn given up hope of finding a miracle that could help speed up my healing .

But when I turned back around Adele was gone .

I scanned the crowd , finally spotting her near the end of the square .

She was speaking to someone in the shadows of a dark alley The moment they noticed me watching , the figure slipped away into the darkness , and Adele returned .

Her face looked different .

Even though she tried to smile , something was clearly bothering her .

Im so sorry , Valeria … Something came up with my mate .

My parents dont really approve of him .

She sounded distressed .

I need to go for a little while , okay ? Of course , I told her it wasnt a problem .

It was obvious she had used me as an excuse to leave the house and meet him secretly .

I watched her disappear into that same dark alley and returned to the market , but I couldnt focus anymore .

A raven cawed loudly above me , circling in the night sky .

I looked up thoughtfully .

I didnt know why , but I felt strangely connected to those birds like they had saved me more than once .

Now , something was calling to me , stirring in the depths of this pack .

My heartbeat quickened as the ravens cries grew louder , guiding me as it flew in a specific direction .

I followed it without thinking drawn by a powerful instinct .

Through narrow streets , into the shadows of old houses , I emerged into the wild forest beyond the town .

The voice whispered softly in my mind : Come to me , my daughter … Come to me .

I reached a clearing with ancient stone ruins , a place that felt sacred like an abandoned temple to the Moon Goddess .

At the center , beneath a massive weeping willow , stood a stone altar .

Moss covered the cracks in the ancient rock , yet intricate carvings were still visible , and above the cube shaped altar , a crescent moon was sculpted with the delicate face of a woman etched along its inner curve .

The power radiating from the monument was undeniable mystical and intense .

A strange , addictive scent filled the air .

Something about this place felt … familiar .

Memories tried to surface , flashes of another temple like this one .

Could this be where the stolen artifacts came from ? THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS +25 BONUS The raven perched atop the stone moon , watching me closely .

1 stepped forward , climbing the worn steps , brushing aside ivy and inoss until I revealed something beneath .

Symbols .

What I had first thought were just decorative patterns were actually letters .

An ancient script , carved deep into the stone.- It was confusing , but I felt like I was starting to understand I leaned in closer , drawn to decipher the meaning , desperate to see what it said … Can you read whats written there ? A voice broke the silence behind me , making me jump .

Adele .

She had appeared out of nowhere , staring at me with wide , curious eyes too curious .

Why did she seem so interested in whether I could read these symbols ? Couldnt she see them too ? The raven cawed again , taking flight as my unease grew stronger .

L … I dont know what you mean .

They just look like strange decorations to me , I lied , my instincts screaming that my survival depended on it .

Now I just needed her to believe me .