CHAPTER 8

SONIA’S POV.

It was almost two hours after I drugged him. The bonfire had been extinguished, so I knew most of his guards were sleeping.

"Michael," I called out, tapping him multiple times, but he remained fast asleep and unaware of his surroundings. I removed his dagger from his side. It was finely crafted and must have cost a fortune. "Thank you. I will return it when I can," I muttered under my breath.

A satisfied smile crossed my lips as I prepared to depart. Carefully, I crept away, ensuring not to disturb the sleeping guards or draw any unwanted attention to myself. Finally, out of sight, I broke into a swift but silent sprint, eager to put as much distance between us as possible.

Suddenly, the bushes rustled loudly, and I could sense their presence; someone was watching me.

"Show yourself," I commanded, my hand instinctively reaching for my dagger.

A figure emerged from the bush, but instead of preparing for a confrontation, they bowed respectfully before me. I quickly recognized them as one of my uncle's guards.

"Your uncle has instructed us to bring you back home safely," the guard in the middle explained.

"Okay, take me home," I replied.

The guard in the middle raised his head with confusion on his face. "Forgive me, but aren't you going to put up a fight?"

I hesitated, pondering his question. "Why would I do that?"

"Your uncle mentioned that you would not be easy to handle," he replied.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't want to be with the cruel Lycan King. He is unsophisticated and rude," I scoffed.

They nodded, seemingly convinced by my words. However, the truth was that I had no intention of engaging in a fight here and risked drawing attention to myself. I had come too far to turn back now. Once we had distanced ourselves from the area, I planned to slip away and forge my own path. I was not returning home, at least not now.

"Where is the Lycan King?" one of the guards asked as he led me along the path.

"He's sleeping in his tent," I replied. "And if you're worried about him noticing my absence, don't be. I drugged him," I said, a triumphant smile spreading across my face. It felt satisfying to have exacted some revenge for his earlier actions.

The guard nodded to the others, and they disappeared, retracing their steps back in the direction we had come from.

"What's happening?" I asked, turning to face the guard, who appeared to be their leader.

"To fulfill our mission, as instructed by your uncle," he answered firmly.

“I don’t understand. I’m already following you back home,” I stated.

The guard turned to face me. “Your uncle sent us to kill him, and since you already drugged him, it’s going to be easier to do so. I will let him know you helped us,”

I swallowed. “But isn’t that unfair? He is asleep and will not be able to defend himself,” I countered.

The guard shrugged indifferently. “The Lycan King is not one to play fair with. He is evil and has caused harm to everyone close to him. You said it yourself, he’s a cruel Lycan King,” he reasoned

I sighed heavily, reluctantly following the guard. I knew the Lycan King was cruel and evil; I had heard the rumors of his mercilessness and unforgiving nature. Most people despised him for a reason, and my uncle particularly hated him, especially after he had publicly humiliated him in front of everyone. I should not feel sorry for him.

I repeated these thoughts to myself like a mantra, trying to convince myself that it was okay, that I didn’t care if he died. After all, he deserved it; he had been unkind to me anyway. But deep down, I could not shake the thought of being a part of his death.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. Perhaps it was for the best that he died. My people would forgive me, knowing I helped end his tyranny. I would be seen as a champion, and I would be crowned Alpha because I dared to kill the Lycan King when others couldn’t.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, pushing the guard away as I ran back to the tent. My heart pounded in my chest as I sprinted as fast as I could, desperately hoping they hadn’t done the deed yet.

I moved closer to the tent, and I could see the shadow of our guard raising his sword to strike the sleeping, cruel Lycan King.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I rushed into the room.

*********

Blood splattered everywhere, coating the Lycan King and the soldiers in a gruesome tableau. My eyes widened in horror as I beheld the scene before me.

The leader of the guard burst into the room and, upon seeing the bloodbath, erupted in rage. “Traitor!” he shouted before fleeing from the scene.

I dropped the blood stained dagger, trembling with fear and shock. In my attempt to save the Lycan King, I had unwittingly caused the deaths of two of my pack members.

The noise from the guards must have alerted the Lycan King's soldiers because they barged into the tent and ordered me to kneel on the ground. I trembled in fear, realizing the trouble I was in.

"You are under arrest," they said.