The Lycan King's Defiant Surrogate

"I will ask once more before I become a man you

will not like," George says.

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"Too late," I snap.

He glowers at me. "You can speak to insult me, but not to answer my questions. Do you know understand the precarious nature of your situation, whore? It is by my will alone that you live or die. I could give the command right now and have this guard snap your neck." The guards drops my arm to wrap his hands around my neck.

"Not yet, you imbecile. I need answers first."

"So you admit you can't kill me until I tell you what you want," I say. "Then we're at an impasse."

George narrows his eyes. "I don't have to kill you to hurt you, bitch." Then, he slaps me across the face with the back of his hand hard. A few rings cut across my skin.

The shock of the sudden pain makes brings tears to my eyes. I taste blood.

"It seems as if we now have an understanding," George says, satisfied with himself. "Now. Be a good girl and tell me why you are here?

I have to tell him something, or I risk being hit again.

"I had nowhere else to go," I lie.

He hums, seemingly not being able to tell what the truth is.

"Where is King Caleb?" George asks.

I freeze.

"You mean... his body, right, George?" the second guard asks.

George glares at the man. "What did you just call me?"

"I told you," the first guard hissed.

The second guard doubled down. "Uh, Steward George. You said King Caleb. But you mean his body right? You told

everyone

he

was dead."

Both guards hands start to loosen on me.

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"Of course, I mean his body, you imbeciles," George says, but he's a shit liar with one very clear giveaway

In his eyes, there's a hint of fear.

He knows Caleb is alive. He knows my being here is a sign that Caleb is close.

He knows all these things, and he's scared.

It's not just Caleb that he should be afraid of.

Without the guards holding me tight, I'm able to reach into my pocket, grab my knife, click off the top, and slash, plunging the knife straight into George's upper chest. 1/4

12:06 Sun, Dec 1 Gs ti

George howls in pain as the guards scramble to hold me back.

"What the fuck?" the first guard gasps.

"Holy shit," the second guard agrees.

Maybe I'll die here. Maybe he will finally snap my neck. But I'm going to go down fighting goddamn it.

"You bitch," George roars. Blood oozes down from the wound, staining Caleb's dark outfit. "I'm going to kill you!"

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He rushes toward me, arms extended toward my throat. Just before he can reach, something in the distance explodes. The windows rattle. All the men straighten, alarmed. "What the hell was that?" one of the guards say.

"Caleb," George growls.

"I thought he was dead," says the second guard.

"Forget this girl. Get out there and bring the Alpha's here! I will have my ceremony! I will have my crown!"

"But, sir-"

"Now, damn it!"

The guards stumble out from the room. Unfortunately, new guards step in off the balcony. One with a gun comes toward

1. me.

"Want me to put her down, boss?" he asks, his accent unfamiliar

"Wait until Caleb arrives. I want him to watch her die." George spits at me. "His precious favorite. That bastard will learn he has no power here anymore, and I -" George cuts off at once, hearing a wolf howl in the distance.

My heart leaps into my throat. Caleb.

"Those bastards better hurry up bringing in those Alphas. Call in backup, I want this room surrounded. Once that crown is on my head, he'll have a hell of a time taking it back." The guard makes a call and speaks hurriedly into it in a language I don't know.

Just as he finishes, the doors to the Hall open once more and the Alphas are brought inside, each accompanied by their own. armed guard.

"What is this about?" the Alpha from the Moonlake pack demands.

I see Samuel and Leah among the crowd. I'm glad they are alive but that is all I feel. When Samuel looks my way, I immediately avert my gaze.. "What was that explosion?" another Alpha asks.

"It doesn't matter," George growls. He still has my knife in his shoulder. The Alphas in the front spot it first, and then see me

"Is that Harper?" one asks.

"Ignore her! Where is the bastard with the crown?" George demands.

*On his way," one of the guards says. "We thought we had a few ours.

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T

"No excuses!"

Another howl sounds, this time closer.

"Where is that crown?!"

"It won't be here in time," I say, taunting George, emboldened by Caleb's closeness.

"Quiet!" George snaps at me. Fear and rage war on his face. The Alphas see it too, and start murmuring to each other. "Silence, all of you!" "Caleb is coming here," I say. "And he's pissed at your betrayal."

"Betrayal?" asks the Moonlake Alpha. "What is she speaking of, George? And how can Caleb be coming here if he's dead, as you've said?" The other Alphas quiet, suddenly alert, listening intently to George's answer.

"The bitch is delusional," George snaps. "The guards found her wandering the hallways dressed as a servant."

"He's not dead!" I shout, so all the Alphas can here. "He's alive! Can't you hear him?"

"That is an Alpha's howl," one of the Alphas says. "It could be his..."

"It's a wolf with authority, that's for damn sure," says another.

Suddenly, there's gunfire at the door.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

"Get over there," George snaps to the guard standing over me. "Protect me!"

The guard rushes toward the door..

"You are losing," I tell him. "Your alliance with the bear clan won't save you..."

"Alliance?" a few of the Alphas gasp. One by one they train their eyes on the arm guard assigned to each of them. One by one, they give a gentle sniff.

"Caleb is going to kill you," I say.

George reaches his breaking point. "Shut up, shut up! Shut up!!" He rushes toward me and grabbing me by the hair drags me back toward the throne. "I'll break your neck as he comes through the door. If he's taking me out, you are going down too, you fucking bitch." "He's not denying it anymore..." the Alphas whisper.

"King Caleb lives..."

"He's alive..."

"We can't just stand here."

Another explosion sounds, nearer. Then several things happen at once.

A few of the younger Alphas, pounce on the guards assigned to them. Some knock away their weapons. Others kill them outright. The rest of the Alphas follow the younger one's leads, striking down every guard in the room with a gun.

The final one, at just that moment, shifts into a bear.

"Treachery!" the Moonlake Alpha cries.

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12:06 Sun, Dec 1 Gsti.

At the same time, the door to the hall blows open, flying off its hinges.

Through the smoke, a man steps through.

As the smoke clears, it's Caleb.

He has blood splatter on his face, and there are bullets dug into his armored vest.

Yet he struts forward, walking up that silver carpet, as he should. A King, his head held proud, returning home.