Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 71: I Need You To Pretend To Be A Pregnant Woman.

Chapter 71: I Need You To Pretend To Be A Pregnant Woman.

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye. Sorayah had woken up early, already dressed in another set of shirt and trousers, layered with burnished copper armor. It wasn’t as though she’d gotten any sleep after the nightmare, she’d stayed up all night, sitting by the window, listening to the distant clashing of blades as soldiers trained. Dimitri’s deep voice had echoed through the still air, sharp and commanding as he gave instructions.

Now, the soldiers were assembled in strict formation, standing in straight lines, each one armed with a weapon gleaming under the early sun. The tension was thick, anticipation vibrating through the ranks like a drumbeat.

Dimitri stood before them, expression unreadable, his presence alone commanding silence. He didn’t need to give another speech. His soldiers had already been thoroughly briefed. Their mind, body, and soul sharpened for war.

Without a word, the troops bowed their heads in solemn respect to their general, as well as the three unit commanders who would be leading them into battle. The scale of the army was staggering millions strong, strategically divided into three divisions. Each would strike a different front.

Dimitri returned their gesture with a subtle nod, and with that, the soldiers turned and began their march. Their footsteps thundered against the earth, accompanied by the neighs of armored horses and the rumble of wheels from the supply carts.

"Should we set out on our journey too now, Your Highness?" Liam’s voice rang out, pulling both Dimitri and Sorayah’s attention back from the departing troops.

Dimitri turned slightly, his gaze falling on Liam, then flickering briefly to Sorayah. She had been watching the soldiers vanish into the horizon, her brows drawn, lips pressed into a thin line.

Although she was a warrior, trained to face either victory or death, something about this mission unsettled her. Going to war with Dimitri, and with no army at their back, felt like knocking on death door . Still, she’d believed she could survive not until last night’s dream.

She had thought about it over and over again.

Or perhaps... is it someone else who will die? Someone close to me? she wondered, a shiver tracing her spine. Could the dream have been a warning for them instead of me? My cousin? My bodyguard? They’re still alive no doubt as I could still feel their presence somehow since my dragon scale is inside of them. What if they’re in this werewolf city we’re heading to?

Her thoughts spiraled. The dream had ended with the same ominous phrase it always did: "You must awaken before him." She didn’t know who he was, nor why she had to awaken before him, but it echoed in her mind like a riddle.

Does it mean I must awaken my dragon powers before he does? But how?

She exhaled a heavy sigh.

"Just where did your mind wander off to?" a deep voice cut through her thoughts.

Startled, Sorayah blinked and turned, finding Dimitri standing far closer than she expected. He was leaning slightly toward her, eyes sharp with curiosity. She instinctively leaned back, teetering, but before she could fall, Dimitri’s hand shot out and gripped her waist with ease, steadying her. The heat of his touch lingered as he pulled away.

"You looked like you were lost in another world," he said, now standing straight, his gaze still locked on her. "Are you still nervous about the war?"

"I’m fine, Your Highness," Sorayah replied quickly, forcing a swallow past the dryness in her throat. Her heart pounded, louder than it should.

"You better be," Dimitri muttered, his tone carrying more weight than the simple words should have. It was both a warning and a strange kind of concern.

Gathering her courage, Sorayah finally voiced the question she had been holding back until the other soldiers were gone.

"What about weapons?" she asked, her voice steadier now. "I tried to arm myself, but I couldn’t get access to anything. I didn’t want to ask until the others had left."

"Oh yeah. We aren’t taking any weapons with us," Dimitri replied casually, as if he hadn’t just shattered Sorayah’s last thread of calm.

His words sent waves of shock and utter disbelief surging through her spine.

What the actual hell? Sorayah’s mind reeled. Is this why I had that nightmare? Because this madman intends to walk straight into enemy territory with no weapons? What in the goddess’ name is he thinking?

"What do you mean, Your Highness?" Sorayah asked, her voice calm but her eyes narrowing. There was a tightness in her tone, the edges sharp with barely restrained frustration. "We’re going to this so-called war without a single weapon?"

"Yeah." Dimitri confirmed again with a nod, his voice maddeningly nonchalant, as if they were just going for a stroll. "We’ll go as common people. We’ll get the weapons once we reach the city."

At that, Sorayah exhaled sharply, relief washing over her like a wave. Her shoulders dropped from their tense position but still Dimitri words still sounded stupid.

Her eyes remained fixed on him and before she could ask any further questions, Dimitri chimed in.

"Enough with the questions," Dimitri said, tone shifting, more serious now. "You’ll understand everything once the pieces start to fall into place."

Sorayah bit the inside of her cheek, suppressing the urge to argue further.

"Besides," Dimitri continued, his gaze lowering to her hands, "I’ve imbued you with part of my power, a skill actually. Once you hold a bow, you’ll be able to summon and shoot thousands of arrows at once."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"You’ll be able to test the ability once we get there," he added. "Your body may not feel different now, but the power’s there. Dormant but waiting."

Sorayah lifted her hand, inspecting it with suspicion. Her fingers trembled faintly, but she felt... nothing unusual. Still, the idea of having any kind of supernatural advantage gave her a thread of reassurance to cling to. She lowered her hand with a quiet sigh.

Before she could speak again, a strong arm suddenly swept her off her feet and onto the saddle of a dark, muscular horse. She let out a gasp, caught off guard.

Dimitri climbed up right behind her, his arms on either side of her as he took the reins. The heat of his body pressed against her back.

Liam mounted a second horse beside them, offering no words as he adjusted the straps and prepared for departure.

The moment both men were settled, the horses surged forward with a burst of speed. The wind howled in their ears, blowing Sorayah’s long hair into Dimitri’s face. She closed her eyes, trying to stay calm, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

I’m not going to perish. I can’t. Not yet, she reminded herself fiercely.

The ride was long and grueling, the sun rising and falling as they crossed terrain that seemed to stretch forever. Hours passed in tense silence, interrupted only by the rhythmic pounding of hooves and the occasional grunt from the horses.

Just when Sorayah was starting to think they’d never arrive, the horses came to an abrupt stop before a lone hill. Dimitri swung off first, landing with practiced ease before turning to lift Sorayah down in one fluid motion.

Liam dismounted next, silent as always. Without warning, he walked over and tapped the rear ends of both horses. The animals bolted, galloping away into the distance.

"What did you just do?" Sorayah asked sharply, eyes widening in shock and disbelief as she whirled toward him. "Why would you release the horses?"

Liam didn’t respond. He simply turned his back on her and addressed Dimitri instead.

"There’s a small hut just behind the hill, Your Highness," Liam said with a respectful bow. "You can change your attire there."

Dimitri nodded in acknowledgment, but Sorayah wasn’t done.

"What’s going on?" she demanded, turning her focus to Dimitri now. "Why did he free the horses? I get that maybe you wanted to rest from the journey, but how are we supposed to get to the city now? We’re in the middle of nowhere!"

Dimitri’s lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk. "I believe you can act, can you?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, eyes glinting with challenge.

Sorayah blinked. "What... what do you mean?" Her tone was wary, her confusion written plainly across her face.

"If you want to survive, you’ll have to play your part," Dimitri replied, his expression sobering. "To enter the werewolf city, we need to appear harmless, unremarkable."

He stepped closer, and the playful gleam in his eyes gave way to something more serious.

"I need you to pretend to be a pregnant woman," he said matter-of-factly. "I’ll pose as your husband, and Liam will act as my younger brother."

Sorayah stared at him as if he’d sprouted another head.

"You want me to pretend I’m pregnant?" she asked slowly, incredulously. "Seriously?"

"It’s the only way to ensure we’re not questioned. A pregnant woman traveling with her husband and brother-in-law is far less likely to raise suspicion than a lone woman traveling with two armed men," Dimitri said with a shrug, as if the whole situation was entirely reasonable.