The Lycan’s King Breeder

Felicity's POV

As we were escorted out of the leader's house, we noticed that some of the villagers were watching us closely. We wondered if they were bandits, or if they were simply suspicious of outsiders. "Something's not right here," I whispered to Ava. "We need to find out what's really going on."

Ava nodded in agreement. "But how do we do that without getting into more trouble?"

"We'll have to be discreet," I said. "We'll need to keep our ears open and our mouths shut. And we'll have to stay out of sight."

Ava nodded in agreement, and we walked in silence for a while, our eyes scanning our surroundings for any clues. Suddenly, we heard a rustling in the bushes, and we both froze.

"Who's there?" I called out, my hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at my waist.

A figure emerged from the bushes, and we both let out a sigh of relief when we recognized him as one of the villagers we had met earlier.

"Are you two okay?" he asked, looking around warily. "I saw you leaving the leader's house and thought you might need some help."

"We're fine, thank you," I said, relaxing a little. "But we're trying to find out what's really going on here. Can you help us?"

The villager hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I don't know anything, sorry!" Then he turned and left.

Ava and I exchanged a look, unsure of what to do next. We continued on our way, but with even more caution than before.

As we walked, we noticed that the villagers were giving us sideways glances and whispering amongst themselves. It was clear that they were suspicious of us, and we had to be careful not to draw too much attention to ourselves.

***

It had been a few days since our encounter with the villager, and Ava and I had been keeping a low profile.

Ava and I sat across from each other, enjoying our meal in our shack. We chat amiably, discussing current events. Suddenly, Ava's eyes widen as she catches sight of my hand.

"Hey, what's that weird, red bracelet you're wearing?" she asked, reaching across the table to inspect it.

I felt my hand shake slightly as I tried to hide it under the table. I had forgotten all about the bracelet, and the memories it held.

"It's nothing, just a bracelet I picked up somewhere," I lied unconvincingly.

But Ava immediately sensed that something was wrong, and looked at me questioningly.

"Emily, what's going on? Is that bracelet important?" she asked, her eyes searching mine.

The bracelet has a story, a painful one.

-Flashback-

As I stood at the altar, my white gown feeling suffocatingly tight, I couldn't help but feel like I was in a bad dream. My stepfather had sold me to the Lycan king Maximus, and today was the day of our wedding.

The guests were all staring at me with their glowing eyes, making me shiver with fear. Maximus appeared at the end of the aisle, his towering figure and cruel gaze sending chills down my spine.

"You belong to me now, Felicity," he growled as he reached me, squeezing my hand tightly. "And you will give me an heir quickly, or suffer the consequences."

I tried not to let his words affect me, but it was impossible not to feel trapped with this monster for the rest of my life.

"Do you, Felicity, take Maximus as your lawfully wedded husband?" the officiant asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. "I do," I murmured.

Maximus leaned in and whispered harshly in my ear. "This bracelet will ensure that you bear my child, Felicity. You have no choice but to obey me."

I felt bile rising in the back of my throat, fighting hard to keep from breaking down in front of everyone. I knew I was going to be trapped with him forever, and there was nothing I could do about it. Maximus held me close, his embrace feeling like a cage. "You are mine now," he said, kissing me hard on the mouth. I could taste his cruelty on my lips, feeling like running away and never coming back. Our vows were exchanged with coldness, as if it was just another business deal. The wedding was over too soon, and as we left the altar, Maximus pulled me to the side.

"Remember, Felicity," he said gruffly. "You belong to me. Your duty is to bear me an heir, and nothing else."

I nodded, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. It was the worst day of my life, and it was only just beginning.

As I sat opposite Ava at the lunch table, I felt a tear slip down my cheek. I knew that Ava could see through my lies, and that I needed to let the memory of Maximus and the wedding day go.

"Ava, the bracelet was a gift from someone who doesn't matter anymore. I want to forget that part of my life and move on," I said, wiping away the tears.

Ava nodded in understanding,"I'm so sorry, Emily," she said, reaching across the table to take my hand.

I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. It was time to let go of the past and focus on the present, and the future that lay ahead of me.

I took a deep breath, trying to push away the memories of Maximus and the wedding day.

"So, have you heard about Peter and that new girl he's been seeing?" Ava asked, breaking the silence.

I shook my head, pleased at the change in topic. "No, who is she?"

"A girl from the coffee shop downtown. Apparently they hit it off and have been inseparable for weeks," Ava replied, taking a sip of her drink.

I raised an eyebrow, wondering how long this one would last for Peter. He had a reputation for being a bit of a playboy.

"That's surprising. I didn't think Peter was the type to settle down," I commented.

Ava smirked, "Well, maybe he's finally growing up. Or maybe he just really likes her."

We chatted for a bit more, catching up and discussing our plans for the afternoon. But as we finished up our lunch, Ava suddenly looked over my shoulder with a worried expression. "Emily, I think we're being watched," she whispered.

My heart raced as I turned to see a shadowy figure lurking outside our cabin window. Who could it be, and why were they watching us?