The Lycan King and His Dark Temptation Novel

---- VALERIA Really?! How lucky! Dave grabbed her shoulders, leaning in cheerfully.

Do it for me.

I love personalized things! No, wait, even betteryoull be my maid from now on! What? Juliette raised her eyes for a second to look at him, and I saw something in her expression I had never noticed before.

She always teased the other lycans, but now that I thought about it, she had never said anything about Dave.

So this was her weakness, I thought maliciously, already plotting how to pay her back for all her teasing.

Pll be waiting for you in my room then, maid...

Whats your name? Ju...

Juliette, sir...

Good, July.

Youre mine from today, he nodded, deciding for himselftypical lycan behavior.

But 1...

Hey, Valeria! We're going on a run through the woods this afternoon.

Meet us by the lake, we're one person short.

I think His Majesty will be there tooyou have to be on my team! He added before dashing down the hallway like the hurricane of energy he always was.

So...

Guardian Dave, huh? [fyou say one more word, ll spill the truth about the shirt...

Your Highness, the Queen...

she threatened, speaking fast before practically running off down the opposite end of the hallway.

Watch out for complications! I called after her, laughing, though honestly couldnt imagine those two as a couple.

Then I remembered how promiscuous Dave was and worried about Juliettes poor heart.

Well, look whos suddenly worried about someone elses heartbreakthe mistress of Lord Orgies himself.

eK ['m sorry, Lady Valeria.

You are not permitted to enter the servants quarters or perform heavy domestic tasks.

That afternoon, bored out of my mind, I decided to help with some laundry, but the ---- housekeeper stopped me, unyielding But...

Housekeeper, I...

Pm sorry, maam.

His Majesty gave explicit orders.

You must discuss it with him, she replied with her usual stern but respectful tone, even addressing meas Lady.

Truthfully, I felt a bit embarrassed, especially with the other maids watching from behind her, their faces filled with all kinds of expressions.

Astonishment, surprise, mockerybut mostly, envy.

Fine, ll speak with His Highness, I replied, turning to leave.

Icarried a storm of emotions in my chest.

Of course, I loved being treated so specially, feeling on top of the world, so cherished by the man I desired.

And yet, that was exactly the problem.

Iwas terrified of falling from those heights and hurting myself worse than Id already been hurt.

Sighing and grumbling, unaccustomed to having so much free time, I decided to walk around the castle grounds.

The magnificent lake was stunning and ethereal at sunset.

Istrolled along the shore, letting the cool waters kiss my bare feet, when Iheard a commotion in the distance and spotted a gathering near a clearing between the forest and the lake.

It was all the guardians, talking animatedly, clearly planning something.

To my surprise, Juliette was there too, sitting timidly on a fallen tree trunk.

Even Aldric was among them, though it seemed like he was preparing to leave.

Dave spotted me first, waving enthusiastically.

His Majesty turned as well, fixing me with that possessive gaze that made every cell in my body tremble.

There he stood, against the dimming sunlight, dressed in his usual dark attireimposing, fierce, yet the most protective presence of all.

See, sir? I told you Valeria would come to play, Theard Dave's voice.

Apparently, they were trying to convince Aldric to join this...

whatever it was, and of course, they were using meas bait.

Eine.

Then I guess Ill stay a bit longer, Aldric replied, never taking his eyes off me.

T approached the group of towering men a bit shyly.

Istill wasnt used to this overwhelming amount of testosterone.

---- Celine stood nearby, with Quinn close to her.

I propose the two females pick their team members and act as captains, Erik, the handsome, laid-back lycan with long black hair, suggested.

No, I think we should be together.

That way, Ican support her.

Valeria doesnt know how to run the course, Celine suddenly said.

Why would you need to support her? Valeria will be on my team.

Shes going with me, Aldric declared with absolute confidence.

Ihad no idea what made him so sure.

Talso had no clue what this game was about, but suddenly it seemed pretty interesting.

Some sort of competition between two teams.

Somehow, I ended up as the captain of one team...

and Dave the other.

Each of us had to pick our players.

And some, like a certain king, were way too sure about which side they'd be on.