Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 204

Isolde's POV

My heart leapt to my throat as the private elevator climbed toward Ezra's penthouse. Though I'd traveled this path a thousand times before, it had never filled me with such dread.

Previously, I'd been either excited or nervous—never terrified like I was now.

Every fiber of my being screamed at me to run, but the memory of Ezra easily catching me during my escape attempt in the Silver Moon Tower lobby this morning quashed that impulse.

Instead, I focused on the sensation of the elevator rising, trying to steady my breathing.

When the doors slid open, revealing the familiar hallway leading to his penthouse, my stomach twisted into knots.

Ezra approached the door, his broad shoulders blocking my view as he pressed his thumb to the fingerprint scanner. The lock disengaged with a soft click that somehow sounded deafening in the silence.

He turned to me, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile that sent chills down my spine. "Ladies first."

That smile was utterly creepy—like a collector regarding a prized possession that had nearly escaped but was now back in his grasp. I swallowed hard, forcing my legs to move as I stepped past him into the penthouse.

I could feel his gaze raking over my body as I entered, like a physical touch that made my skin prickle with awareness.

The penthouse looked exactly as I remembered—sleek, modern luxury with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city. Everything was just as it had been the last time I was here. I hated how much I'd missed this place, how it felt like home despite now being my prison.

Ezra moved to stand before me, his silver-gray eyes flickering with dangerous light. "I trust you've missed this place."

My throat felt dry, my voice coming out hoarse with tension. "What did you bring me here for?"

He stepped closer. My heart threatened to burst from my chest as Lyra stirred restlessly within me.

I fought to maintain control, reminding myself of all the reasons I should despise him: *He hurt me. Disappointed me. Betrayed me. Made a fool of me. I shouldn't feel anything for him. His very existence should disgust me. He's a cold-blooded Lycan king who's imprisoned me without remorse.*

"You've been trying to hide it," Ezra said, his voice dropping to a husky timbre, "but your eyes betray you. You've missed me, Isolde."

He called me "little wolf" in that raspy voice that always undid me, moving even closer until our breaths mingled. His Alpha scent overwhelmed my mind, and I nearly moaned aloud as my wolf howled for him.

His face brushed against mine as he leaned in, his lips grazing the nape of my neck in a tender kiss that almost made me whimper. Lyra trembled within me, and my traitor body responded instantly. My knees weakened, muscles turning to liquid, bones seeming to melt away. I could barely stand as I gasped for breath, my eyes fluttering closed as his Alpha scent commanded my instincts to submit.

His hand caressed my cheek with gentle strokes, his touch sending electric currents through my skin. I needed to stop this before I lost myself completely.

"Ezra..." My voice emerged raspy and weak. "Please stop. I don't want this."

I shook my head in his hand, fighting the mate bond's pull with every ounce of willpower I possessed.

He gazed at me with something like reverence. "I don't believe you. Your scent tells me you want me."

I knew exactly what he wanted, and despite my body's reaction, my heart and mind couldn't comply. I was too distraught, too heartbroken to engage in anything physical with him. I refused to be just another plaything.

When he leaned in to kiss me, I turned my head away. Lyra howled mournfully within me, craving that connection I denied us both.

I fixed him with a blood-red stare, my wolf rising to the surface as I said with absolute conviction: "I said no."

A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes as gold began bleeding into the gray, his own wolf surfacing. "It's been too long, Isolde. I've missed you. Something feels missing without you."

His arm encircled my waist, pulling me against him. My body collided with his solid chest, his Alpha scent enveloping me completely.

I gasped, feeling utterly terrified even as my body betrayed me by trembling with desire.

"I want you," he stated simply, and I could feel the evidence of his desire pressed against me through his suit pants.

Before I could dodge away, his lips captured mine in a demanding kiss that screamed of Alpha dominance and possession. He kissed me with an intensity that made me remember all those nights I'd spent in his arms.

I tried to break free, but he was too strong, his Alpha strength far beyond what I could overcome.

He lifted me effortlessly, striding toward the bedroom with purpose. Lyra cheered within me while my rational mind screamed in protest.

"Ezra, please stop," I begged as he placed me on the bed. "I don't want to do this. I'm not your possession, not your toy."

His voice sounded like a beast about to devour its prey, his eyes now completely golden. "I want you, my little wolf. You are mine."

"No! Please stop!" I cried, but my pleas fell on deaf ears as the Alpha command in his voice nearly made my wolf submit.

He tore my clothes, pushing me further onto the bed, his golden eyes glinting dangerously.

*Holy mother of the moon goddess! This can't be happening!* my mind screamed in desperation.