<i>Zephyrine </i>


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    47


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    It flies away. I realized the missing piece that has made me weaker, more miserable than I should have been, is because of him. Now that he is here before me, dressing up, I understand how far this courtship between us has gone. The impact it has made.


    The sky has darkened and Iy in bed, naked under the nket, still raw from the pleasure, the aftermath of Lycannar making love to me.


    He had taken his bath and now he’s dressed, fixing his bracers on his forearms when a knock came gently. I didn’t respond, lost in watching him.


    I’d be a fool to take my eyes off this King. I was lost in him, his everything. His handsomeness, his solid presence. Nyroth had been here, but his presence never made half the impact this one does.


    The knock came again, louder this time, and Lycannar paused to look at me, as though surprised I wasn’t speaking.


    “It must be one of your waitingdies,” he said, and I jolted back to reality.


    I turned to the door.


    “Come in.”


    Isolde stepped in after <i>a </i>few seconds, cautious, reading the room. She bowed to Lycannar, though my man paid her no attention, busy with his bracers, then bowed to me.


    “Mydy, dinner is ready. Should we serve it now?”


    Oh. Right. Dinner.


    I turned to Lycannar.


    “Will you take dinner now?”


    He paused, that small flicker of a frown marking his forehead. I waited.


    “Uhm… I… I thought I should start getting back to…


    “Are you going to take dinner now orter?” I cut him off, eyes steady on his. He recognized that look. I would throw a tantrum if he dared not stay overnight.


    <b>15:57 </b><b>Thu</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>11


    He swallowed and nodded slowly.


    “Sure. I… I guess I’ll stay overnight. I’ll take dinner now.”


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    I nodded at Isolde to set the table. After her departure, I got up from the bed and made for my bath chamber, but Lycannar caught my wrist tenderly before I could bypass him, pulling me into his arms from behind.


    His lips grazed my neck, making me close my eyes.


    “My brother will be waiting at home. He won’t leave unless I’m there to say farewell, and I don’t want to dy him.” His voice was soft.


    I turned and kissed him gently on the lips.


    “You’re staying with me tonight. No deal.” My tone left no room for argument. I entwined my fingers with his and pulled him into the bath chamber.


    I left him by the chair as I slipped into the water, back turned. I could feel his gaze heavy on me. Slowly, I turned toward him, scrubbing my skin softly, and I was right. His eyes never left my body. He sat, leaning back, fingers brushing the outline of his lower lip as though savoring the sight before him.


    ***


    Dinner was served carefully by Isolde. More careful than usual, as if terrified of making any mistake before Lycannar.


    Afterward, Blue poured out the water and quietly set aside a shiny porcin dish that could reflect him like a mirror, making sure the King wouldn’t catch his reflection.


    A small smile tugged my lips. Blue. The love, respect, and devotion he had for Lycannar could never be matched.


    When they were done, Lycannar finally looked up from the table at Blue.


    “Take.” He held out a paycheck. “Forst month.”


    My breath caught. I watched Blue turn, startled.


    “Blue is already on Ash Pack payroll, Lycannar,” I said softly.


    “She’s still a Lycan. Let me be responsible for her.” His gaze sharpened at Blue, like scolding her for hesitating to ept a King’s hand.


    Carefully, Blue took the paycheck with a bow.


    “Thank you, Your Majesty.”


    He didn’t look at her, murmuring instead,


    <b>+10 </b>Free Coins


    “I did nothing. Don’t thank me.” Then he reached for his cutlery again, dismissing her.


    I nced at Blue and saw the admiration shining in her eyes. She bowed to me before leaving with Isolde.


    When they were gone, a soft sigh escaped me. Lycannar knew how to crawl into people’s hearts. To make them let their guard down and be swept away. People like me.


    I reached for my own cutlery but found my eyes fixed on him as he ate, silent. Then I realized something odd. He didn’t talk while eating. Not once. Just as it had been back at White Pack when he was invited to dine. He’d never spoken a word.


    “You like… food?” I asked, almost stupidly.


    He paused, looking at me innocently, his mouth full. Then he smiled, chewing quietly, not speaking. That gesture made my heart swell with warmth… until my eyes drifted andnded on the fractured mirror.


    And then I remembered. Varyn.


    Guilt crushed me. I didn’t deserve tough. I didn’t even deserve to eat.


    “What’s wrong?” Lycannar’s voice pulled me back. His eyes were on me, sharp. He’d noticed.


    Gently, I shook my head.


    “It’s nothing. Go on, eat your dinner.”


    But he didn’t. He set down his cutlery and leaned back in his chair, gaze locked on me. My chest tightened.


    “Lycan..”


    “Tell me what’s going on. I didn’t want to ask until we were in bed, so you’d have a peaceful dinner. But you won’t open up?.”


    “No… I…” I tried to excuse it, but under his gaze, my voice faltered. I bit my lip, sighed, and gave in.


    Chapter 195 <fn28c5> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find?novel</fn28c5>


    47


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    “I don’t have any army. I can’t control any. Ashmere’s best warriors were killed in that war five years ago, and after the rumor that we were traitors, no soldier wants to hear mymand anymore. After salvaging everything, the men I have left are barely one hundred and fifty. That’s nowhere near enough to attack ckwater, where one thousand five hundred Babarians wait to tear my brother apart. So… I am in a loophole. I am lost, Lycan. I lost.”