Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 200

Ezra's POV

I set my fork down, suppressing a sigh. "This isn't captivity, Isolde. It's protection."

"Call it whatever helps you sleep at night," she muttered, finally taking a small bite of waffle before pushing her plate away.

"I'm trying to keep you safe until I can resolve the situation with—"

Isolde stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. "I'm going to take a shower."

I nodded, relieved for even this small reprieve from the tension. "I'll be leaving for the office soon. We can talk more tonight."

She didn't respond, just turned and walked toward the bathroom.

Soon the sound of running water soon echoed from the bathroom.

Five minutes later, something felt wrong. Prime growled a warning in my mind. The shower was still running, but Isolde's scent had shifted—moved. I bolted up from my chair and strode toward the front door just as I heard it quietly click open.

Isolde had barely stepped into the hallway when I caught sight of her. Her hair was still dry—she'd turned on the shower as a distraction.

"Where do you think you're going?" I demanded, moving swiftly toward her.

Her eyes widened in surprise before narrowing with determination. Without a word, she turned and sprinted down the hallway toward the stairwell with impressive speed.

I raced after her, my longer stride allowing me to catch up quickly. I had barely made it halfway down the first flight when I grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face me.

"Let me go!" she hissed, struggling wildly against my grip. "You can't keep me prisoner!"

"I'm not keeping you prisoner," I said through gritted teeth. "I'm keeping you safe."

"Bullshit!" she spat, her voice echoing in the stairwell. "Take me home right now or I'll—"

"You'll what?" I tightened my grip slightly, careful not to hurt her. "Isolde, please. Just give me time to fix things."

She stopped struggling for a moment, her chest heaving with exertion. For a second, I thought I'd gotten through to her—until she suddenly lifted her knee and drove it straight into my groin.

White-hot pain exploded through my body. I doubled over, momentarily loosening my grip, which was all the opportunity she needed. Isolde bolted down the stairs, but she'd only made it down one flight before two security guards appeared, grabbing her firmly by the arms.

"Take your fucking hands off me!" she screamed, thrashing against their hold. "I am not your prisoner! I don't belong to any of you!"

I straightened up, wincing as I descended the stairs. "Take her back to the apartment," I instructed the guards, my voice strained. "Gently."

As they turned to lead her away, Isolde fixed her gaze on me, her blue eyes blazing with fury.

"I hate you," she hissed, each word sharp as a blade. "You're no better than the monsters you claim to protect me from. You're worse because you pretend to love me while you cage me!"

I watched as the guards escorted her back up the stairs, her curses and struggles continuing until the heavy door closed behind them, muffling her rage.

*She doesn't mean it,* I told myself. *She's just angry and scared.*

---

I had barely settled into my chair at the office when Nathaniel appeared in my doorway, his expression urgent. I sighed deeply and shifted in my seat, trying to find a comfortable position that didn't aggravate the lingering pain from Isolde's well-aimed kick.

"What bad news do you have for me now?" I asked bluntly.

"It's about the annual business summit with the other Alpha werewolf business leaders," Nathaniel informed me, his tone carefully neutral.

Nathaniel—and Orion, they were among the few people I actually trusted.

"The annual business summit with the other Alphas," I repeated slowly, my memory coming into focus. "Fuck... I completely forgot about that damn formality."

Nathaniel nodded. "We've been so busy with the Silver Moon merger and the underground territory conflicts that we forgot about the date."

I rubbed my temples, already feeling a headache forming. "When is it scheduled for?"

"This weekend."

My eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding me! This weekend? Do we even have time to prepare?"

"The other Alphas are ready," Nathaniel replied calmly. "Their families are expecting the summit to be held at Silver Moon headquarters as scheduled. Everyone's waiting for it."

I let out a heavy groan, slumping back in my leather chair. The annual Alpha business summit had evolved from a necessary gathering into a glorified dick-measuring contest. Each Alpha trying to outdo the others with displays of wealth, territory, and women. I hated spending time with those overgrown boys acting like spoiled rich kids—which was exactly what most of them were.

"Can't we postpone it this year?" I asked, drumming my fingers on the desk. "We could say Silver Moon is in critical acquisition negotiations. That's not even a lie."

Nathaniel's expression turned firm. "I'm afraid not, sir. This summit is crucial for maintaining your position as the dominant Alpha in the business world. Canceling would be interpreted as weakness, and the other pack Alphas might start challenging Silver Moon's standing." He paused before adding, "Besides, preparations have already begun."

I cursed under my breath. Nathaniel was right, as usual. These appearances mattered in our world. Perception was often as important as reality when it came to maintaining power.

"Fine, fine, fine! Let the damn summit happen," I conceded with a heavy sigh. "Make sure security is airtight. I don't want a repeat of last year's... incident."

I saw a potential escape route. "You could represent me at the—"

Nathaniel cut me off with a dangerous look.

"Fine. I'll attend in person," I relented.

"That's a wise decision, sir," Nathaniel said. "The other Alphas would consider your absence disrespectful."

In some ways, Nathaniel was more Alpha than I was. But at least the after-party was something to look forward to—top chefs preparing exquisite meals and carefully selected entertainment. It was the one part of these summits I actually enjoyed.

"I just came to remind you about this," Nathaniel said, heading for the door. "The meeting schedule will be sent to your email shortly."

After he left, I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair, a new problem forming in my mind. The summit. Isolde. The two concepts collided in my thoughts.

I would need to tell Isolde about the summit and invite her as my companion. As my mate—my Luna candidate—she would be expected to attend by my side. This would be her first official appearance in werewolf high society, a crucial moment for establishing her position.

Given Isolde's current state of mind, would she agree to come? Would she use the opportunity to embarrass me in front of the other Alphas? Or worse, would she try to escape again?

I massaged my temples, feeling the throb of an impending headache. I needed to change her mind, to make her see that running away wasn't the answer. But first, I needed her to stop hating me long enough to listen.

The summit was just days away. I had to find a way to repair things with Isolde—and fast.