Lycan King's Regret: Punished The Wrong Daughter

Arabella:

”How is that even possible?” Maya whispered. ”Did you actually see the lizard they found?”

The two of us were sitting on the carpet in Toby’s room, discussing the lizard I had made up... that had somehow become real. I shook my head. ”No. Lucien just told me they found it behind the curtain.”

Maya leaned closer. ”Then either there really happened to be a lizard in that room, or...” She paused.

”Or what?”

”I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking you.”

Toby had been pacing around the room while we talked. Suddenly, he dropped onto the carpet beside us and leaned in. ”Can you see anything in this room that shouldn’t be here?”

I frowned at him, wondering where the hell that question had come from. ”Excuse me?”

”What I mean to say is... just say something outrageous. Anything.” He gestured toward the corner. ”Say there’s a huge dinosaur standing over there.”

I stared at him like he had suddenly lost his mind.

”Or a Godzilla, maybe,” he added. ”Tell us Godzilla is hiding behind those curtains.”

A laugh escaped me. ”Are you seriously trying to check if whatever I say comes true?” I expected him to laugh, he nodded instead.

”Yes. And I’m dead serious.”

My smile slowly disappeared, and I looked around the room, thinking. ”There are...” I glanced toward the empty corner. ”Two baby dragons over there.”

Maya immediately gasped and slapped a hand over her chest dramatically. ”Oh, Goddess.”

But I didn’t stop. ”And ... and they’re breathing out fire,” I continued. ”Lots of fire.”

Maya scrambled closer to me with a fake horrified expression. ”Arabella! How could you? Soon those two dangerous little monsters will be running around my room, setting everything on fire... including your friend. You should be ashamed of doing this.”

I slapped her shoulder and yawned. ”Idiot.” She burst out laughing.

”Enough.” I pushed myself to my feet. ”I’m going to sleep.”

”But, Ara! Aren’t we watching a movie?” I started shaking my head because I couldn’t stay up this late with all those pills in my system. Maya’s room was next to mine, while Toby’s room was at the other end of the hallway.

Toby got up too. ”Where are you going, Ara?”

I stopped. ”What do you mean? Of course I’m going to my room.”

”I mean... are you really going to your room, or...” He let the question hang there. I narrowed my eyes at him.

Maya immediately started laughing again. ”He has a point. Maybe you should go to Lucien’s bedroom again.”

”Don’t be stupid. I only went there because I was missing Zorro and didn’t want to be alone.” I pointed toward the door. ”Tonight, I’m sleeping in my own room. Okay?”

”Sure.” The way Toby said it made me want to throw something at him. I waved them both off and walked out with a smile.

Ever since Maya and Toby had arrived, the palace had somehow become more bearable. There was still too much going on here, but having my friends around made it easier to forget all that for a while.

By the time I reached my room, I had pushed the lizard incident out of my mind. I changed into my oversized T-shirt and climbed into bed. I had just pulled the sheets over myself when I heard a knock.

”Yes?”

When another knock came, I frowned and got out of bed. I opened the door, but the hallway was empty. I looked both ways. ”Who is it?”

When there was no answer, I closed it back. After a while, there was another knock. I stopped and looked up at the ceiling, already annoyed. Turning slowly, I looked toward the window. It was more like a tapping sound against the glass. ”What the hell?”

I hurried over and pulled the curtain aside. My eyes widened when I saw Lucien outside my bedroom window.

”Goddess! What are you doing out there?”

I quickly slid the window open. He climbed inside, making me step back to give him room.

”I was waiting for you in my room,” he said casually, straightening once he was inside. ”When you didn’t show up, I decided I wasn’t spending the night alone.”

I stared at him. The Lycan King had just climbed through my bedroom window.

”Are you serious?”

”I was missing you...” He walked through my room, looking around. ”Especially after meeting that lizard.”

I placed both hands on my hips. ”Seriously? Do I look like a lizard to you?”

He chuckled, at last, turning toward me... his eyes slowly traveling down my body as if the oversized T-shirt was suddenly getting in his way. ”Not at all.” His golden orbs rose to meet my gaze. ”I don’t remember wanting to kiss the lizard.”

Chewing my lower lip, I turned away, realizing my heartbeat had accelerated. His Highness sneaked into my room because he was missing me? Impossible!

Before I could take another step, his voice stopped me. ”Oh, no.”

With a frown, I turned back to him. ”What?”

His eyes dropped down my body for a second before returning to my face. I didn’t miss the amusement dancing in them. ”Tonight, you’re wearing panties.”

My mouth fell open. ”Ex... excuse me...”

”That night when you sneaked into my room, you weren’t—” He didn’t even get to finish when I lunged at him.

Lucien shrieked when I grabbed his shoulders and jumped onto him, wrapping my legs around his waist. His arms shot out and caught me as he roared with laughter.

”Hey!” He stumbled back a step, still laughing. ”I’m your fucking King. You can’t just attack—”

I wrapped both hands around his neck, squeezing just enough to shut him up, though the idiot only laughed harder.

”Finish that sentence,” I warned, trying my best to look threatening while hanging onto him like an angry monkey. ”Go on. I dare you.” His shoulders shook as he struggled but still failed to keep a straight face.

Still fighting his amusement, Lucien stumbled backward until the backs of his knees hit the bed. He went down with me still wrapped around him, dragging me onto the mattress with him.

A startled squeal escaped me, but before I could recover, he shifted his weight and rolled us over. The next thing I knew, I was pinned beneath him.

”That’s cheating,” I protested, slightly breathless.

Lucien looked too pleased with himself. One of his hands rested on my thigh, his fingers moving lazily against it.

”I’m the King,” he reminded me, lowering his face closer to mine. ”I make the rules.”

My heart began pounding as his hand moved higher, inch by inch, until his fingers brushed the edge of my panties.