Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 91: You’ll accompany me to the palace tomorrow.

Chapter 91: You’ll accompany me to the palace tomorrow.

Before Sorayah could react, a loud, vicious slap cracked across her face, the force of it making her stagger slightly. The sting bloomed instantly across her cheek, sharp and unforgiving, as gasps echoed from the maids nearby.

As if that wasn’t enough, Mira shoved Sorayah to the ground with ruthless force. The floor met Sorayah’s back with a harsh thud, her breath catching in her throat. Mira raised her hand again, her expression twisted with fury, prepared to strike once more...

But a strong, calloused hand caught her wrist midair, stopping her cold.

It was Dimitri.

"Your Highness!" Mira exclaimed in shock, her voice trembling as she swallowed hard. His grip tightened just briefly before he released her hand with visible disdain, pushing her back ever so slightly. Her maids immediately rushed forward to catch her, preventing her from falling.

"She disrespected me," Mira hissed, her voice laced with venom.

"Disrespected you?" a new voice rang out, laced with scorn.

It was Lady Arata. She stepped forward, folding her arms across her chest as she gave a derisive scoff. "Or are you simply angry, Lady Mira, that His Highness rejected your offer and now you’ve decided to take out that humiliation on a common maid?"

"Can you just keep quiet, concubine Arata?" Mira snapped, her eyes glowing with barely contained hatred. "It seems you’ve forgotten your place in this manor just because you’re carrying His Highness’s child. Have you forgotten that I am his official wife, while you...you’re nothing more than a concubine."

"I didn’t realize Lady Mira was already nursing such hatred toward my unborn child," Arata replied, her tone icy calm. She protectively placed a hand over her growing belly, as if shielding it from Mira’s toxic gaze.

"You...!"

"Enough, Mira," Dimitri’s voice boomed, silencing the room.

His tone was sharp, clipped with restrained fury, though his expression remained unnervingly calm. "Enough of this madness. It seems you’ve learned nothing from your past disgrace. You once conspired to have my personal maid assaulted by my werewolf guards and had I not arrived in time, your vile plan would have succeeded."

Gasps rippled through the courtyard.

"I sent you back to the manor to reflect on your actions, not to fester and grow even wilder. So tell me, Mira...how exactly should I deal with you this time? What punishment will make it clear to you that you are walking the edge of my patience?"

"Y...Your Highness..." Mira’s voice faltered as she took a step back, her bravado withering. She swallowed hard, bowing her head, but Dimitri didn’t even spare her a glance.

Instead, he turned his full attention to Sorayah, still on the floor, her hair tousled and cheek red with the mark of violence. Stretching his hand forward, he offered it to her.

The act alone sent fresh waves of shock through the gathered servants and terror down the spine of Mira, whose pride had just been publicly shattered.

"Th..Thank you, Your Highness," Sorayah whispered, hesitantly taking his hand. Dimitri helped her up, his grip firm and steady. She stumbled slightly, but he caught her by the waist, holding her with surprising gentleness.

"You should be more careful," Dimitri murmured, his warm breath brushing her cheek.

Sorayah’s eyes widened at their closeness, and she quickly stepped back, lowering her gaze in flustered silence. She offered a small bow in gratitude.

Without another word, Dimitri took her hand again, this time without hesitation and led her away. The maids and concubines watched in stunned silence as he escorted Sorayah toward his private manor and resting quarters.

Once inside Dimitri’s richly furnished chamber, he released her hand and strode toward a low table where a steaming pot of tea awaited. He poured himself a cup, then sat down in a high-backed chair with regal ease. Sorayah remained standing, her head slightly bowed, unsure of what to expect.

Time dragged on as Dimitri sipped his tea in silence. The room was thick with tension. Sorayah didn’t dare move or speak, though her legs were beginning to ache from standing so long.

Finally, a voice called from outside.

"She’s here, Your Highness," came Liam’s voice...calm and composed as always.

"Bring her inside," Dimitri replied, gently placing his teacup down with a soft clink. His eyes remained fixed on the door, and Sorayah instinctively turned toward it as well, her pulse quickening.

Liam entered the room, guiding a young teenage girl at his side. She wore a modest blue blouse tucked into a matching skirt, her hair neatly combed and pinned with simple clips. Despite the clean appearance, there was a haunted look in her eyes...a sign of suffering and fear.

Sorayah’s heart skipped a beat.

She recognized her immediately.

It was the same young girl from the slave market in Lupien’s Park...the one Sorayah had tried to protect. The memory returned like a ghost: the guards placing the terrified girl on a wooden table, her small body trembling as they explained how slaves were broken and groomed. Sorayah had feared the worst when Dimitri hadn’t brought the girl to her that night as promised.

Why is she here now? she wondered, her mouth suddenly dry.

"You said you’d take responsibility for her, remember?" Dimitri said, his gaze calm but watchful. "I decided to wait until after the war. Had you died, she would have been killed. But since you lived, she does too. From today onward, she belongs to you."

The girl dropped to her knees in front of Sorayah, her head touching the floor.

"Greetings, Master," she whispered. "Thank you for saving my life. I now belong to you."

"Get up," Sorayah said quickly, stepping forward. She gently lifted the girl to her feet, her hands trembling slightly. Her heart twisted in her chest.

So he wagered her life... like a game.

Dimitri leaned back in his chair, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk. "She’s yours now. And though you’re still considered a lowly slave, you’ve done something I never expected hence you earned a servant in return."

Sorayah said nothing, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

"You’ll train her," Dimitri continued. "Teach her how to be useful. Mannerisms, etiquette, and everything in between. But since you yourself were never taught the ways of the court, I’ve arranged for a teacher. You’ll both be trained. I won’t have either of you humiliating me in front of nobles."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Sorayah voiced out with a slight bow.

The girl followed suit, bowing even lower than before.

But Dimitri wasn’t finished.

He sat up straighter, his tone turning serious. "From this moment on, you will no longer be treated as a mere slave."

Sorayah’s head lifted slightly, unsure of what he meant.

"You will accompany me to the palace tomorrow," he continued. "Not as a slave, but as my concubine."

"What?" Sorayah’s voice cracked out before she could stop it.

"There will be a simple ceremony to announce your change in status. You’ll be given a decree. Traditionally, a concubine must be expecting her master’s child. But I’ve decided to elevate you as a reward for your service. From now on, you’ll enjoy all the privileges that come with that role."

"Congratulations, my lady," the young girl said softly, kneeling again and bowing her head to Sorayah.

But before Sorayah could think, before she could measure the weight of what was happening, the words slipped from her lips.

"I refuse, Your Highness."

The air in the room turned still.

Liam flinched. The young girl gasped. Even Dimitri’s expression shifted...his smile faded, replaced by something unreadable.