Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 82: Sister-in-law, please accept me!

Chapter 82: Sister-in-law, please accept me!

"For now," Sorayah concluded, swallowing hard as her trembling hand came to rest on her stomach. "Till I decide what to do."

"I understand you your highness." Rhys replied as he heaved a heavy sigh.

"Anyway... where’s my cousin? Where’s Caleb?" she asked, quickly changing the subject. She didn’t want to dwell on her current condition any longer than necessary. "You two are supposed to be together, aren’t you?"

"We’re not together, Your Highness," Rhys replied, lowering his head in shame. "In fact, I haven’t seen him since the werewolves attacked our kingdom."

"What?!" Sorayah’s voice rose, her heart suddenly pounding faster. A sickening wave of dread settled in her chest. "Just... where could he be?"

"You shouldn’t worry too much about that," Rhys said in a calm, reassuring tone. "I’m sure Young Master Caleb is safe, wherever he is. He’s strong. He knows how to survive."

He paused, then added more seriously, "Actually, I brought you here because I wanted to talk. How have you been coping in the werewolf kingdom? And... do you plan to abort the baby soon? You really should anyways as it’s an insult carrying the pups of those monsters in your womb!"

"I’m surviving, Rhys," Sorayah answered, exhaling a deep, heavy sigh. Her expression hardened with determination. "I live because I must avenge my parents and the massacre of our people. That is the only thing keeping me going."

Her eyes turned cold with resolve as she added, "And yes, I’ll do something about the pregnancy as soon as I return to the werewolf pack. Dimitri must never find out. Once I reach the palace, I’ll make my decision."

"Good," Rhys nodded, though concern flickered in his eyes. "What about Lily? Did you both escape together? Or... did you not see her at all?"

Sorayah’s expression darkened. Her voice dropped to a whisper that carried deep pain. "Lily is dead."

The words sent a visible shudder through Rhys. His eyes widened, and he staggered back half a step as if the grief hit him physically.

"She’s... she’s dead?!" he gasped, disbelief etched across his face. "How? What happened?!"

Sorayah’s jaw clenched as she blinked through the tears brimming in her eyes. "That’s exactly why I must stay beside Dimitri even if it’s only as his sex slave," she said bitterly. "The one who killed Lily is still alive. Lupien is still alive. Until I bring both of them down, I will never know peace. Until I ruin the werewolf packs, I can’t die yet."

A tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another, but she didn’t bother to wipe them away. "No matter the insults I face... no matter the humiliation and the ridicule at Dimitri’s mansion... I have to endure it. I have to get stronger. For Lily. For my people. For myself."

There was a long, heavy silence before she tilted her head slightly, curiosity breaking through the pain as she decided to change the topic again. "Anyway... who’s that girl?" she asked, her voice gentler now. "She’s a werewolf, isn’t she? Her ears twitched when she got angry that you held my hand. I noticed it. I just didn’t say anything earlier."

Rhys sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "She’s the reason I’ve been able to stay in this pack without being detected as a human," he began, his tone weary. "You know how humans are treated...as slaves or worse."

He paused again, as if collecting his thoughts. "She found me by the riverbank. I was half-dead. She brought me to her home, covered for me, and even passed some of her werewolf scent onto me so I could blend in. She saved my life."

He shook his head, his voice lowering into a whisper. "But she’s... difficult. Obsessed, even. She’s convinced we’re meant to be together. But I....I can’t return her feelings. I just can’t."

"That’s surprising," Sorayah said after a moment, her tone thoughtful. "I didn’t know some werewolves still had sympathy left in them." She heaved a sigh, brushing her fingers across her lap. "Anyway, I understand why you couldn’t return her feelings. You’ve always hated werewolves. I can’t blame you."

"No, Your Highness," Rhys corrected gently, lifting his gaze to meet hers. His voice dropped into something softer, more intimate. "It’s not because she’s a werewolf... It’s because someone else already holds a place in my heart."

Sorayah’s brows lifted in surprise, her eyes narrowing with curiosity. "Ouuu," she drawled playfully, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "I didn’t know my ever-serious bodyguard is capable of love and willing to carry someone so deeply in his heart."

She leaned forward slightly. "So, who is the lucky girl? Did she survive the war?"

Rhys let out a light chuckle, his lips twitching into a rare smile. "She did, Your Highness. I found her after so long... and I thank the gods she’s alive. I couldn’t stop thinking about her all this time, but now that I’ve seen her again... I feel at peace, somehow."

"That’s good to hear," Sorayah said, nodding slowly. Then her eyes narrowed again, this time with playful suspicion. "Where is she now? Why isn’t she here with you ?"

"You’ll know her when the time is right," Rhys answered mysteriously, his tone warm but firm. His gaze remained locked with hers. "I only hope that someday, she’ll fall in love with me too... and not someone else. I’ve loved her since childhood. I can’t imagine loving any other man."

"That’s touching," Sorayah murmured, her teasing smile fading into something sadder, softer. "So... a one-sided love. Why don’t you just tell her how you feel? She might love you too, Rhys. Maybe she’s only waiting for you to say the words."

"I can’t," Rhys said, shaking his head gently. "Not now. She lost her entire family in the war. I don’t want to be another weight on her shoulders. I want to wait... until she finds happiness again. Until we avenge our people. Until the werewolves who destroyed the human kingdom are no more."

He smiled faintly, though his eyes glinted with unspoken pain.

Sorayah reached forward and gently grabbed his hand. "Everything will be fine, Rhys," she said, her voice filled with quiet conviction. "We’ll make sure of it. Together."

"I know," Rhys replied, his voice firming. "That’s why I’ve decided. Anaya and I will return to Dimitri’s pack with you. Since she’s a werewolf, and I now carry a werewolf scent, we won’t raise suspicion. We have no other choice. And by staying close, I can protect you as your bodyguard, and we can plan in secret. I won’t lose you again, Your Highness. Never."

"But... they’ll know you’re not from Dimitri’s pack," Sorayah said, her brows furrowing in concern. "What if they become suspicious?"

"We only need to get past the gate," Rhys replied. "That’s the hardest part, but I believe we can do it. Anaya and I will go with you as the people who saved you from the ambush, the ones who rescued you from your captors. You can say you’re bringing us back as a way of showing your gratitude."

He paused to breathe deeply before continuing, "Dimitri might be cruel, but he’s not completely reckless. If you ask him for something directly, especially after everything you’ve endured, he might grant your request. Besides, since you injured your shoulder. You likely won’t be riding on horseback. They’ll give you a carriage, probably the one Dimitri himself rides in, since he’s returning victorious. Anaya and I can hide inside the convoy until we get past the gates."

"You really thought this through," Sorayah murmured, both impressed and anxious. "That heartless monster should at least listen to one of my requests. Especially after everything I’ve risked. Besides, he wouldn’t dare kill me not when I’ve claimed to be the personal servant of the human prince."

She drew in a breath, her eyes turning sharp. "If he dares refuse to let you and Anaya follow me, I’ll threaten to kill myself right then and there. He won’t risk that. And you and Anaya aren’t member of this pack but you’re a couple of wandering merchants who recently moved into the territory. Newcomers hoping to start a business."

"I’ll be his wife!" a cheerful voice interrupted from the doorway.

Both Sorayah and Rhys turned their heads sharply as Anaya burst into the room, her face glowing with excitement. She skipped toward the bed with a huge smile, ignoring Rhys’s stunned expression.

"Sister-in-law, please accept me!" Anaya said dramatically, grabbing Sorayah’s hands before Rhys could react. "I promise I’ll be a good wife to Rhys. Way better than that other girl he’s still clinging to. I love him! So much! Just tell him to accept me already."

Sorayah blinked, dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events. She turned a wide-eyed stare to Rhys whose jaw had gone slack and then back to Anaya, who was still smiling like an overenthusiastic child announcing a school crush.

Neither of them spoke at first.

"Uh..." Sorayah finally managed, raising an eyebrow.

Rhys still hadn’t recovered from the shock.

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