The Lycan King's Defiant Surrogate

Chapter 57

Rage takes hold inside of Caleb, throbbing inside of his chest, then slowly pushes outward along his limbs.

He tries to hold back his wolf, but the anger is so strong, so overwhelming, that his limbs start to elongate and his teeth. sharpen. His fingers curl, sharpening into claws.

That's Harper's fresh blood he smells in the air. He's sure of it now. This close to wolf-shift, he can discern things even more. clearly. His eyes also sharpen and focus, able to see into the pitch black beneath the floorboards.

Which is how he knows with such certainty that Harper is under there, looking up at him with frightened, wide eyes.

He doesn't ask Madeline for an explanation. She will only feign ignorance, or attempt to otherwise feed him some outright

lic

Caleb has no time for that.

With his teeth sharpening and growing as they are, he's not sure that he could talk anyway.

He has no time for this.

He crashes his hands down to the floorboards. Curling his claws around the boards he slowly lifts them up, prying them apart. They crack and splinter as they shift and break. When they are finally free, he casts the fractured pieces of wood to the side. Harper's face is exposed now. She's gagged

Growling. Caleb reaches down and starts prying free more boards to expose the rest of her.

For Madeline and her handgnaiden to so swiftly place Harper down here beneath the floor, there must be a secret latch. Who knew how many others they disappeared' this way?

Caleb doesn't bother asking for explanation. He doesn't waste time trying to find the latch. He's strong enough to break the floor without much effort so that's what he does.

Harper's torso is exposed now. Her hands are bound behind her back, which is where the scent of blood is coming from.

Reaching in, he grabs Harper by the shoulder, as gently as his large, clumsy half-shifted body will allow and starts to pull her up from the hole.

He has her mostly free when a dagger slides into the back of his shoulder.

Hissing, he starts to loosen his grip on Harper, but still manages to safely place her on the edge of the hole he made before swiveling around.

As he turns, he spots Harper's handmaiden moving toward her to help. Good. He doesn't need to worry about her then.

It's the one with a knife he can concentrate on. Well. The knife remains in Caleb's meaty shoulder. The one who had wielded it is Madeline's handmaiden. Her eyes burn with fury and fear, though at the moment anger is wimming our Caleb doesn't bother asking her why she would do this. He sees the hate within her.

She doesn't need more reason than that.

Neither does Cadeb.

At her belt, she withdraws another, smaller blade. Caleb swings Bis massive arm, striking her before she can attack him

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Chapter 57

She flies like a ragdoll and collides with the wall near the door.

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ith him. They capture the slave with the

The head of the guard immediately rushes inside the room, several other guards dagger at once. It's not difficult, since she's unconscious. Then they look at Madeline

"Th-had nothing to do with this" Madeline screams, backing away.

Harper's handmaiden removes the gag from her mistress's mouth. Then starts working on the binding

Calch looks to Harper for confirmation. He half-expects her to refuse to give him another name.

Instead, Harper rubs at her sore wrists, smearing the blood on her fingers, while glaring at Madeline. "She tried to poison me," she says.

"That was Molly!" Madeline shrieks. "It's all Molly's idea!"

The guards move toward her. As they grab her by the arms, Caleb growls his command, "Coliseum."

This one

deserves to suffer

Caleb, half-shifted is a terrifying sight. He's massive, practically hunched over to fit in this room. His clothes are torn, clinging to his body in rags. His hands are claw-like, his teeth sharp points, his eyes blood red. And there's still a dagger in his back.

"Help me stand," I say to Bethany, who does as I ask. I know she is to thank for my rescue, and I am filled with appreciation and respect for her. When there is time, later, I will convey my heartfelt gratitude and ensure she is rewarded. Right now, I just want to help Caleb and end this nightmare.

With Bethany as a crutch, together we hobble closer to Caleb. He glances over his shoulder at me and chuffs, but does not make another move as I reach up, grab the edge of the dagger and yank it from his shoulder. Caleb grits his teeth but bears the pain.

It feels wrong to hold it after, such a vicious thing, so I let it clatter.

I watch, amazed, as the gaping wound in Caleb's back stiches itself closed once more.

Werewolf healing is no joke. As a powerful Alpha, Caleb must be practically unstoppable.

With the blade free, Caleb slowly shifts back into his human form. Turning to me, he holds out his arms.

I'm strong enough to stand, but maybe not enough to walk, with how much my legs ache. I have no idea how long I was under that floor.

Before I can make any reaction, Caleb scoops me up into his arms and pulls me against his chest. Without another word, he Carries me out of Madeline's room and down the hallway to my own chamber.

We pass several other harem members on the way, each likely driven out of their rooms by the noise. None of them stand in the way of the King, though they all stare.

As we walk, my eyes Jock for a moment with Gwen. She glares atine so coldly I shiver.

Caleb clutches me tighter to him and quickens his pace.

At my room, he barges his way inside then deposits me on the bed. I bounce a few times before coming to a stop. Before I

my wrist closer to his face for inspection.

even fully settle, he reaches out, watches my arm, and brings nce a few times before coming!

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Chapter 57

"Your wounds heal slowly, he says, voice gruff, raw from his near-shift.

"I'm human," I remind him. My voice is rough too, from my screaming, from my not being heard.

Only... Caleb did hear me in the end. Somehow.

No, that's insane. It's more likely that he heard me or scented my blood.

Still, I'd been so sure he was about to leave. When I called out to him with my entire being, he stilled.

Was that a coincidence?

And even after he found me, when I sat there relieved, the moment Molly attacked him, fear had lodged up in my throat.. Caleb is a monster. I watched him torture. Even just now, he tossed Molly aside like she was made of paper. I hate him. He's a vicious, selfish brute, Murderous. Bloodthirsty.

Yet, being here with him now as he gently inspects each of my wounds, even the ones on my ankles, I am filled with something much warmer than contempt.

I push it away, refusing to acknowledge or accept it.

Yes, he almost died. Yes, that frightened me.

No, that doesn't mean I care for him.

Yet, after his thorough inspection, when his lips find mine, I don't push him away this time.

Not this time.

Even if, later, the weight of guilt pushes down on me.

I should have fought him off.

The only one I should want to touch me is my beloved Samuel.

Kissing Caleb... Wanting to kiss him...

It feels like a betrayal to my actual love.

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