Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 76: I Slept Here With You Since Last Night.

Chapter 76: I Slept Here With You Since Last Night.

And I hope to find my cousin and my bodyguard, she added silently, biting the inside of her cheek in desperation. I still don’t trust Dimitri, no matter what he says. But if I do end up saving some of those humans, then my cousin and bodyguard can take over from there I guess. Build something. A place where humans can live freely again. I hope... I truly hope.

___

The next day arrived swiftly. Morning sunlight poured into the room, casting golden hues across Sorayah’s face. As the warmth stirred her from sleep, her lashes fluttered open only to be met with an unexpected sight.

Dimitri was lying beside her in the same bed.

Her mind reeled. Last night, he had booked another room with Liam, and she had been asked to stay with Jasmine. So why was he here now?

Before the thought could fully register, she gasped and shoved him away from her with all her strength.

"Argh!" Dimitri let out a startled groan as his body hit the floor with a dull thud. His eyes snapped open immediately, blinking in confusion.

"What are you doing in here?" Sorayah demanded, her voice edged with irritation as she sat up. Her gaze flicked around the room, her heart thudding. "Where’s the baby? And where’s Jasmine?"

Dimitri groaned lowly, rubbing his back as he stood up from the floor. He brushed off his tunic with exaggerated care, as though dusting away both invisible dirt and perhaps a hint of shame.

"I slept here with you since last night," he said, his voice slightly hoarse from sleep. "The baby is back with his mother. As for Jasmine, she slept in another room."

"You slept here with me?!" Sorayah repeated, disbelief plastered across her face. "Why?!"

Memories began to trickle back, fragments of the previous night. She recalled the introductions Dimitri had made, the toasts, and the sting of strong alcohol as she drank it down. She hadn’t been celebrating anything. Quite the opposite, she’d been drowning in sorrow. Thoughts of her lost family and the shattered lives of her people had consumed her. The drink had numbed the pain, but now it all returned with a fresh edge.

Her heart pounded as a troubling thought surfaced.

"Di... did we do anything together, Your Highness?" she asked hesitantly, the question burning on her lips. She lowered her gaze, unable to look him in the eyes.

Dimitri’s brow arched in confusion. "Do anything? Like what?" His emerald eyes unhidden by any magical mask this morning bore into her with unflinching clarity.

Sorayah bit her lower lip, frustrated and anxious. There was no way he did not understand what she was trying to ask.

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Did we... have sex, Your Highness?"

The silence that followed was deafening.

She dared to glance up only to see Dimitri, now at the tea table, calmly preparing two cups of tea as though she had asked him something mundane. A moment later, he walked over and offered one of the cups to her.

"Here," he said evenly. "You had a lot to drink last night. This should help with the headache."

He pushed the cup into her hands before she could refuse. Sorayah took it, though her fingers trembled slightly around the porcelain. Her mind was still spinning, trying to read between the lines of his composed behavior.

He’s avoiding the question... why? she thought as she raised the cup to her lips. She drank it all in one gulp, hoping the bitter warmth would also wash away the lingering dread.

Dimitri took a seat, lifting his own tea and sipping it slowly. Then he set it down with a soft clink, his expression turning grim.

"Everyone already began their tasks. Liam and Jessica left the inn during the night," he said. "You and I will be heading to the slave trade district now. I’m afraid the time has come and this pack is on the brink of ruin."

His tone had shifted to something heavier, serious and foreboding.

"No one saw Liam or Jessica leave," Dimitri continued, standing once again. "They departed under cover of darkness. If you and I leave now, anyone watching this place will assume we’re heading to the palace. That’s what the wheelbarrow full of goods outside is for, it’s our decoy. Liam didn’t take it with him. Instead, he took something far more valuable. The slave trade is near the palace. That proximity gives us an advantage. We can move without drawing suspicion."

Sorayah swallowed hard, following his words.

"We’ll go to the slave trade posing as a couple looking to purchase slaves," Dimitri said, a wide smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Only the rich and powerful dare to trade there. Influential officials, noble werewolves, and the wealthiest of our kind. Once someone of lower status attempts to buy a slave and fails to pay the demanded price..." His eyes glinted darkly. "They risk becoming slaves themselves. And if they’re accompanied by anyone, that person is fair game too."

"What?!" Sorayah’s eyes widened in utter disbelief, her breath catching in her throat.

Dimitri nodded solemnly. "Yes. We won’t be able to buy the slave they’ll offer to us too hence they’ll try to take you instead because you’re a woman and an outsider. However, there’s an ancient law that allows any would-be slave to fight for their freedom. If the person wins in a duel against the strongest werewolf slave, they go free. But if they lose..." His voice dropped to a grave whisper. "They die even though they’re werewolves."

Sorayah’s heart pounded in her chest.

"This barbaric practice has gone unchecked for too long or perhaps not as I believe anyone in their right senses, that know they don’t have money wouldn’t go to the slave trade. But then some werewolves who owe money to those rich families are also sold off to be slaves if they’re unable to pay back the money owed. Dimitri said, stepping closer to her. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders. She flinched at first, startled, but slowly relaxed under his touch. His emerald eyes locked with hers, unyielding and intense. "But anyways, this pack would perish today."

Sorayah swallowed hard, anxiety clawing at her insides.

"Remember," he continued, his voice steady and reassuring. "Determination. Even an ant can defeat an elephant if it refuses to give up. Be brave. I’ve imbued your hands, your bow, your sword, everything you’ll wield today with my magical energy. You won’t be alone."

"This is madness though," Sorayah whispered, her fingers curling into fists.

"It’s a difficult battle," Dimitri admitted. "But we only need to last for one hour. After that, my soldiers will join the fight. We won’t be the only ones on the battlefield."

She nodded slowly, determination gradually replacing her fear. There was no turning back now anyways.

"I need you to act as my wife while we’re at the slave market," he added, a warm smile flickering across his face. "Play the role perfectly. Our story is simple, we’re looking to buy a female werewolf nanny to help care for your newborn child. That’s the tale we’ll tell the guards at the entrance."

Sorayah took a deep breath and nodded once more.

Then, as if remembering, Dimitri turned to her, his expression softening. "And in answer to your earlier question... nothing happened between us last night. We only shared a bed."

Sorayah’s shoulders sagged in relief as the tension began to leave her body. She hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until she exhaled shakily.

"You tried to seduce me," Dimitri added casually, "because you were drunk. But I didn’t take advantage."

Her eyes widened, cheeks flushing in embarrassment . "Thank you... Your Highness," she murmured with a small, appreciative smile.

"But..." he continued, his voice suddenly colder, more calculated. "I can’t promise I’ll keep my hands to myself next time. Your body might not be of much interest to me but you still have the female reproductive organs. That’s all I’d need to make use of you."

The words hit her like a slap.

Shock and fury surged through her, twisting in her gut like a burning coil. How could he say something so crude? Her lips trembled with unspoken rage, but she clenched her jaw, forcing herself to hold it in.

"All right," Dimitri said briskly, ignoring the storm he’d just stirred. "It’s time to go. We don’t have the luxury of time."

"We’re not going to freshen up?" Sorayah asked, raising a brow in disbelief.

"I’m afraid not," he replied, already retrieving his magical mask. "You’ll bathe once we’re done with the bloody business ahead. Every second counts now."

As he secured the enchanted disguise onto his face, the original face with half mask covering half of it vanished beneath the illusion of an older man. Without a second glance, he turned to her.

"Let’s go, Sorayah."

She stood from the bed, composing herself as best as she could. But before she could move, Dimitri stepped forward and took her hand. She stiffened in surprise, her gaze darting to their joined hands.

But he didn’t pause. He walked with purpose, pulling her gently along as they headed toward the exit.