Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 135

ISOLDE'S POV

I dragged myself back to the Battle Arena, Evanthe's words echoing painfully in my head. Each step felt heavier than the last as the truth sank in: Lycans were a proud race, and the Silver Moon Group executives would never allow their Alpha CEO to marry a fallen family's ordinary werewolf and make her Luna.

*She's right, you know,* Lyra whispered in my mind. *We don't belong here.*

I didn't bother arguing with my wolf. The evidence was all around me - the luxury, the power, the politics. There was no place for me in this gleaming tower, no future with Alpha Ezra. Whatever we had been building these past weeks would eventually end.

"Isolde."

The commanding voice stopped me in my tracks. Alpha Ezra stood at the entrance to the training arena, impeccably dressed in his training gear, his expression displeased. Despite everything, my heart still fluttered at the sight of him, which only made me angrier at myself.

"Where have you been?" he asked coldly.

I kept my face expressionless. "The rooftop terrace. Just needed some fresh air."

"You don't leave training without permission," he said, his voice like steel. "Five laps around the arena. Now."

I nodded stiffly. "Yes, sir."

From the corner of my eye, I caught Evanthe's smirk as I began my punishment laps. The other Moon Alliance girls watched with confused expressions. If Evanthe hadn't warned me, I'd be just as confused, wondering what I'd done to deserve such treatment from a man who'd been so different with me in private.

*The board must have really laid into him,* I thought bitterly as I ran. *Made it clear I'm not acceptable Luna material.*

---

By my third lap, sweat was dripping down my back, but it wasn't the physical exertion that bothered me. It was the weight of realization crushing my chest.

I thought he had feelings for me. Now, I was just someone who satisfied him in bed.

How fucking ridiculous was that?

As I completed my punishment laps, I joined the others for combat training. For three grueling hours, Alpha Ezra deliberately ignored me, his eyes passing over me as if I were invisible. Only when it came time for the sparring matches did he acknowledge my existence again.

"Isolde and Evanthe," he announced for the final match of the day. "You'll close us out."

Great. Just fucking great.

---

I was grabbing water when Orion approached, his amber eyes concerned.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, why?" I lied, taking another sip.

Orion gave me a knowing look. "The tension between you and Alpha Ezra is so thick everyone in the room can barely breathe."

"That's because he woke up this morning and decided to be an asshole!" I snapped, glaring across the room at Ezra. I knew with his werewolf hearing, he'd catch every word. I rolled my eyes and walked away.

*You're playing with fire,* Lyra warned.

*Let it burn,* I thought back savagely.

Facing Evanthe in the sparring circle, I channeled all my frustration into my stance. She smiled at me, the picture of confidence in her designer training gear.

"Begin," Ezra commanded.

We circled each other like wolves, which I suppose we were. Evanthe struck first, a calculated jab that I barely dodged. I countered with a sweep that she jumped over gracefully.

For ten minutes, we traded blows, neither gaining the upper hand. Every kick I landed, she returned. Every block I made, she found another opening. We were evenly matched, both fueled by different motivations - her by ambition, me by pain.

When Ezra finally called time, we were both breathing hard, neither having secured a definitive victory.

"Draw," he announced, looking distinctly unsatisfied. I couldn't tell if he wanted me to win or Evanthe. The uncertainty just twisted the knife deeper.

"Isolde," Ezra called as I turned to leave. "A moment."

I approached him with the proper deference, bowing my head slightly. "Sir."

"You should train harder." he said, his voice clinical.

I swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, sir."

His eyes narrowed. "See that you don't disappoint me."

The coldness in his voice cut through me like a blade. This wasn't the man who'd held me through the night, who'd whispered my name like a prayer. This was Alpha Ezra Silverwood, CEO of Silver Moon Group and Lycan King - cruel and merciless.

Tears welled in my eyes as I rushed out of the Battle Arena.

---

"He's a complete asshole!" I cried hours later in Thalia's room. I'd told her everything about my conversation with Evanthe on the terrace.

Thalia handed me another tissue. "Evanthe could be lying, you know."

"About what?" I sniffled.

"The board meeting, the warnings to Ezra. Think about what she gets out of it." Thalia ticked off on her fingers. "Your tears. Your pain. Making you doubt Alpha Ezra's intentions toward you."

I considered this, wiping my eyes. "Maybe, but it makes sense with how he acted today. He was so cold and mean. It felt like he was a different person."

"I still think you should hear it from him before you jump to conclusions," Thalia advised.

I laughed bitterly. "When does he ever tell me what he's thinking? When does he ever open up about his feelings? Never." I shook my head. "This is a wake-up call, Thalia. I need to step back and re-evaluate whatever this secret thing is between us."

"What do you mean?"

Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks. "It's pathetic. We've been sleeping together for weeks, and now he just give me cold shoulder. And even worse, the board and executives won't accept me as Luna."

Thalia squeezed my hand. "You don't know that for sure."

"Evanthe threatened to have me killed if she becomes Luna," I whispered. "And honestly, I believe her."

I buried my face in my hands. "How did my life get so fucked up? One minute I'm just trying to save my family from debt, and the next I'm threatened by a woman who wants me dead."

Thalia had no answer for that. Neither did I.