Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 14

Isolde's POV

 

"I need to blow off some steam," I told Thalia as we walked back toward our quarters. "I'm going to check out the battle arena. Want to come with me?"

 

Thalia glanced at me and winced. "I can't. My belly really hurts now."

 

"Sure," I said, though I was disappointed. After the disaster in Victoria's class, I could really use a friend's support. "I'll just go scope it out myself."

 

"Be careful," Thalia warned, squeezing my arm. "And try not to start any more revolutions today, okay?"

 

I laughed despite everything. "No promises."

 

I was almost to the arena entrance when I heard voices coming from a corner—male voices, low and predatory. Something in their tone made me stop walking.

 

"Come on, sweetheart," one of them was saying. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

 

"Please," a female voice responded, high with fear. "I was just trying to get to the training room"

 

Every instinct I had screamed danger. I crept toward the sound, pressing myself against the wall as I peered around the corner.

 

Three men had cornered a girl who couldn't be more than nineteen. She was pressed against the wall, clutching what looked like a gym bag to her chest like a shield. The men were all wearing Silver Moon security uniforms, but something about their bearing suggested they held higher positions than basic guards.

 

The largest one, a dark-haired man with cruel eyes, was standing closest to the girl. "It's been a while since we've had some... recreational time." he said.

 

"No... please..." the girl whispered.

 

The girl's face crumpled. She was going to give up, I realized. She thought she had no choice.

 

*We have to do something,* Lyra snarled in my mind.

 

*I know. But there are three of them.*

 

*So? We've taken on multiple opponents before.*

 

*Not while recovering from a whipping and dealing with everything else.*

 

But even as I tried to talk myself out of it, I was already moving because they were about to lay their hands on her!

 

Fuck that.

 

"Hey!" I called out, stepping into view. "What the hell is going on here?"

 

All three men turned to look at me, and the girl's eyes widened with a mixture of hope and terror.

 

"Walk away, little girl," the dark-haired leader said, his voice taking on a dangerous edge. "This doesn't concern you."

 

"Actually, it does." I moved closer, noting how they positioned themselves between me and the girl. "See, I don't like bullies. And I really don't like rapists."

 

"Rapists? That's a strong word. We're just being... friendly."

 

"Friendly?" I looked pointedly at the girl's terrified expression. "She doesn't look like she's enjoying your friendship."

 

"Listen, bitch," the leader said, taking a step toward me. "I'm going to give you one more chance to walk away. You have no idea who you're fucking with."

 

"Who am I fucking with?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Enlighten me."

 

"I'm Derek Sullivan, Assistant Security Director for Silver Moon Group," he said with obvious pride.

 

So not just random thugs—actual mid-level management. Which made this both more dangerous and more satisfying.

 

"Impressive titles," I said. "Do they come with a rape license, or is that just a perk?"

 

Derek's face darkened. "You have a smart mouth. I don't like smart mouths."

 

"And I don't like men who think their job titles give them the right to assault women. Guess we're at an impasse."

 

The girl was watching our exchange with growing hope, but I could see her preparing to run if things went badly.

 

"Last warning," Derek said, and I could see his eyes beginning to shift—the telltale sign that his wolf was rising to the surface. "Walk away, or I'll make you walk away."

 

*He's going to shift,* Lyra warned. *If he does, we might have to as well.*

 

Derek was already beginning to change, his muscles expanding and his canines extending.

 

*Fuck,* I thought, feeling my own wolf respond to the threat. Heat began building along my spine as Lyra prepared for battle.

 

"You want to dance?" I asked, my voice coming out rougher as my own wolf began to surface. "Let's dance."

 

I was just beginning to feel the familiar burn of transformation when footsteps echoed down the corridor.

 

"What the fuck is going on here?"

 

A new voice, male but different from the others—this one carried unmistakable authority. Derek and his friends immediately stopped their partial shifts, turning to face the newcomer.

 

Two people emerged from the shadows: a tall, muscular man with sandy brown hair and intense hazel eyes, and a woman with short black hair and the kind of lean build that screamed professional fighter.

 

The man's gaze swept over the scene—the cornered girl, the three partially-shifted security officers, and me standing in a defensive posture.

 

"Derek," he said, his voice deadly calm. "Explain."

 

Derek's entire demeanor changed. "Gamma Orion, sir. We were just..."

 

"Planning to escort her back to appropriate areas?" the dark-haired woman asked with obvious skepticism. "It looked more like you were planning to assault her."

 

"Nyssa, these are serious accusations," Derek said, but I could hear the uncertainty in his voice now.

 

"And this is a serious situation," Orion replied.

 

His eyes found mine, and I saw both approval and curiosity there. "You," he said. "What's your name?"

 

"Isolde Blackwood."

 

"Isolde." He tested the name, then nodded. "Good instincts. But incredibly stupid to take on three Lycans alone."

 

"Someone had to," I said simply.

 

Nyssa stepped forward, offering her hand to the girl who was still pressed against the wall. "Come on, honey. Let's get you out of here."

 

As the girl gratefully accepted Nyssa's help, Orion turned back to Derek and his associates.

 

"Report to my office after work," he said coldly. "All three of you."

 

Derek looked like he wanted to argue, but something in Orion's stance must have convinced him otherwise. The three men slunk away, shooting venomous looks back at me.

 

When they were gone, Orion looked at me again. "That was brave. Also reckless as hell."

 

"I've been hearing that a lot lately," I admitted.

 

Nyssa returned from escorting the girl to safety. "She's fine. Shaken up, but unharmed." She studied me with interest. "You're the one who caused a scene in Victoria's class today."

 

"Word travels fast around here."

 

"It does when someone publicly calls out the program's training methods," Orion said. "I'm Orion Hawthorne, by the way. Head of Security. This is Nyssa, our combat training specialist."

 

"Were you heading to the arena?" Nyssa asked.

 

"Yeah, I was hoping to blow off some steam."

 

"Good timing," Orion said. "We were heading there ourselves. Why don't you join us?"