Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 122: You’re always getting into trouble.

Chapter 122: You’re always getting into trouble.

"If you don’t know your place," she said coldly, her eyes narrowed with disdain, "then I will teach you. You are nothing but a maid. A servant. You do not look at the Alpha Emperor. You do not speak of him. You do not even exist in his thoughts. But you? You dared to reach for what is not yours. And for that, you will learn respect."

Without hesitation, she raised the whip high, ready to strike Sorayah’s delicate skin. The air crackled with tension....only to be broken by the sudden force of a strong hand gripping the whip mid-air.

Melisa blinked, surprised, then turned her head with a smirk, as she saw Lucien standing there, fury radiating from him.

Before she could speak, his fist collided with her face, sending her sprawling to the floor.

"How dare you?! How could you be so cruel?!" Lucien spat, chest heaving with rage. Then, his gaze snapped toward Sorayah, who was still crumpled on the floor, wincing in agony. Her eyes were red and swollen, a result of the dried pepper cruelly applied to them. She couldn’t even cry...tears would only worsen the burning. So she remained silent, enduring the pain, weeping only within.

"Sorayah... I’m here now, okay?" Lucien said softly, his tone shifting from rage to gentleness as he knelt beside her. He reached out, intent on lifting her into his arms but instead, he staggered and collapsed, gasping as pain surged through him.

Clutching his head in both hands, he groaned, confusion and fury battling within him.

"What... what did you do to me?" he demanded through clenched teeth.

Melisa slowly rose from the floor, her cheek bruised but her smile still intact...a smirk of triumph.

"What do you think, Your Highness?" she said mockingly, brushing dirt off her gown. "You struck me. For her. You humiliated me for a worthless little bitch you’ve suddenly taken a liking to?"

"Let Sorayah go, Melisa. Or I will punish you," Lucien growled, the threat etched deeply into his voice even as he winced, his body trembling from whatever poison or magic she had inflicted on him.

Melisa threw her head back and laughed....a chilling sound that echoed off the marble walls.

"Punish me?" she echoed, eyes gleaming with venom. "You won’t be able to, not when I will be carrying your heir."

She paused, letting that revelation sink in before turning her head toward Sorayah, her voice dropping to a near-whisper, laced with cruelty.

"As for this slut... Take her to the wilderness. Let the wild animals tear her apart. I want her gone. Watch her be eaten alive, and feed her bones to the dogs."

"Yes, Your Highness," a maid responded, bowing deeply before she and another servant stepped forward, roughly grabbing Sorayah by the arms and dragging her out of the Empress’s chambers.

"I’m warning you, Melisa!" Lucien barked, his voice hoarse with desperation. "If anything happens to Sorayah, I will punish you severely! Even your family will not be spared, you wicked woman!"

But as the last word left his lips, he lost consciousness entirely. His body slumped to the floor, still trembling.

Melisa stared down at him and laughed once more, high and cruel.

"Bring him to the bed," she commanded, licking her lips. "Let me have some fun with the Alpha."

With robotic efficiency, two maids stepped forward, lifting Lucien’s limp form from the ground. They laid him on the grand, silk-draped bed.

Melisa began removing her nightgown, as she prepared herself with a sense of entitlement.

*****

Meanwhile, the two maids dragging Sorayah were suddenly struck down...each hit cleanly and with such force that they collapsed instantly, unconscious before they even realized what happened.

A strong arm wrapped around Sorayah’s waist and lifted her effortlessly.

She didn’t need to see the face to know who it was.

His scent...warm, wild, and familiar wrapped around her. Even in her pain, her body recognized him, and her muscles relaxed.

She didn’t resist.

Because she knew he had come.

Soon, Sorayah was gently made to sit down on the edge of the bed, her body still trembling from exhaustion and pain. Dimitri knelt before her, his expression a mixture of anger, sadness, and something deeper....something tender.

"You’re always getting into trouble," he muttered, his voice tight with emotion. His stormy eyes searched her face, pausing at the red marks around her swollen eyes.

Then, without another word, he leaned forward and pressed his lips gently against hers.

Warmth flooded through Sorayah. Almost instantly, the stinging pain from the pepper faded. The burning in her eyes dulled, and for the first time since her torment, she could finally open them without agony. Tears, which had stubbornly refused to fall before, now streamed freely down her cheeks....tears of relief, of pain, and of something unspoken.

Dimitri cupped her face gently, brushing away her tears with calloused fingers.

"It’s okay now. You’re safe," he whispered, pulling back and rising slowly to his feet.

"The hunt starts tomorrow," he continued with a sigh. "Tonight was supposed to be our final training session. But instead... you were abducted by the Empress Luna."

"We can still train," Sorayah said quickly, reaching up to grab his hand, her grip firm despite her weakness. "I have to do this. I must earn my freedom from Lucien’s palace before we proceed with your plan. You’re right....only by gaining real power can I defeat the enemies around me."

Dimitri looked at her, concern flickering in his gaze. Then he offered a faint smile.

"If we’re going to train, it’ll have to be here in the palace. But... calm yourself, Sorayah. There’s no need. The bow and arrow that will be presented to you tomorrow will be imbued with my magic. That alone should be enough to protect you through the hunt."

"Oh... I see," Sorayah replied softly, nodding in understanding, though a small hint of disappointment crossed her face. "Then I’ll wait until tomorrow. Thank you... for saving me again, Your Highness."

Dimitri’s eyes softened at her gratitude.

"You should rest now. You can sleep in my chambers tonight. I’ll be spending the night with Mira."

At his words, Sorayah shifted uncomfortably where she sat. Her eyes lowered to the floor, and her lips pressed into a thin line.

"The rooster fell on her chamber today," Dimitri added, with a tired exhale. "She’s been complaining that I haven’t bedded her recently. So, I must attend to her tonight."

’And why are you telling me this?’ Sorayah thought bitterly, unable to suppress a scoff that escaped her lips. She didn’t say anything aloud, but her frustration was evident in the set of her shoulders.

"Tomorrow is the night of the full moon," Dimitri continued, oblivious or perhaps deliberately ignoring her reaction. "Which means I won’t be able to join the hunt."

He knelt once again before her, his hands gently grasping her arms. Their eyes met, and something in his expression shifted into something raw and vulnerable.

"Please... stay alive," he said, his voice low and urgent. "You must stay alive. Do you understand?"

Sorayah nodded solemnly, her gaze steady.

"I will, Your Highness." Her voice was calm but edged with seriousness. "Now go and meet your wife. I don’t want to attract more trouble by being seen too close to someone else’s husband. I nearly died today because of the Empress Luna and your wife would’ve gladly finished the job."

Dimitri let out a short laugh, though it lacked amusement.

"What is the Empress Luna playing at?" he muttered. "Why would she dare abduct you, especially after the Alpha Emperor specifically warned her to behave?"

Sorayah let out a bitter breath, her jaw clenched.

"To get pregnant, of course." She shook her head, the reality of it still hard to swallow. "It’s common knowledge that the Alpha Emperor hasn’t visited her chambers since their wedding. He refuses to touch her. So, she used me....lured him in by putting me in danger. She knew he’d come the moment he heard I was in trouble. And he did."

Dimitri scoffed, crossing his arms.

"But she can’t get pregnant. Surely she knows that? Or is she choosing to ignore the truth?"

Sorayah’s brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion etched across her face.

Dimitri’s smirk returned, laced with cold irony.

"This harem is full of deceit and danger, Sorayah. You should know that by now." He paused, then continued more seriously. "I knew she would abduct you tonight. That’s why I was already at the palace. There’s nothing that happens here without my knowledge."

Sorayah stared at him, stunned.

"What are you saying...?"

Dimitri stepped closer, lowering his voice.

"The Empress Luna’s womb is damaged beyond repair thanks to a concoction prepared by the Empress Dowager herself. Poor, naive Luna still doesn’t know. She’s nothing but an empty vessel now. No matter how often she lies with the emperor, she will never bear a child."

The words hit Sorayah like a storm, her body going cold as his meaning sank in.

"Wh... why would the Empress Dowager do that?" she stammered, horror flooding her voice. "Why would she harm her own daughter-in-law?"

Dimitri shrugged with casual cruelty.

"Because of Luna’s family. The Empress Dowager despises their influence. She would never allow anyone from such a powerful bloodline to produce heirs for the empire. So, she eliminated the threat."

His laughter rang out, sharp and cruel.

"Anyway," he added, adjusting his coat with a smirk, "just make sure you win tomorrow’s hunt. If you don’t, the Empress Dowager might set her sights on you instead."

"What?" Sorayah whispered, her blood running cold.

Dimitri’s gaze turned serious once more.

"She prefers weak women....ones she can control. The ones she can manipulate."