Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 273

Isolde's POV

The hot water cascaded down my shoulders as I tried to wash away the tension from another long day. Steam fogged the bathroom mirror, and for a moment, I felt almost peaceful—until my phone started ringing from the bedroom.

*Shit.* I let the water run a bit longer, hoping whoever it was would give up. Probably someone from the office calling about tomorrow's competition preparations. The last thing I needed right now was another crisis to handle.

The ringing stopped, then started again immediately.

*Persistent little fucker,* Lyra commented dryly in my head.

I sighed and turned off the water, wrapping myself in a towel before padding to the bedroom. My phone screen showed a missed call from Mom. My stomach clenched with immediate worry—Mom never called this late unless something was wrong.

I hit redial, but the line was busy. *What the hell?*

Before I could try again, Holden appeared in my doorway without knocking, his phone pressed to his ear.

"Yes, Mom, we arrived safely and we're all settled now..." His voice was strained with barely contained annoyance. "Yes, Mom... I will... I love you too, goodbye."

He ended the call and fixed me with an accusatory stare. "Next time, answer your damn phone so I don't have to deal with all this."

"Chill out!" I snapped back, clutching my towel tighter. "I was in the shower, I couldn't answer!"

My irritation flared hot and immediate. I grabbed my phone and threw it onto the bed with more force than necessary.

*Such a temper,* Lyra laughed in my mind. *Your human brother really knows how to push your buttons.*

Holden's expression softened slightly. "Look, I'm going out for dinner, then driving around the city to check it out. Want to come?"

A genuine smile spread across my face before I could stop it. "Dinner?"

"Yeah. I found this popular restaurant online and already made a reservation." He shrugged, trying to look casual.

"Wow! That was fast!"

"What about those security guys?" I asked, remembering the Silver Moon Group's watchdogs stationed in our living room. "They're not coming with us, right?"

"No, they're not."

"Cool!" I felt a rush of excitement at the prospect of actual freedom.

"You have..." Holden checked his watch, "thirty minutes to get ready."

I knew better than to test Holden's punctuality. If I wasn't ready in exactly thirty minutes, he'd leave without me and not feel bad about it for a second.

*Why are you so obsessed with human time schedules?* Lyra grumbled as I rushed to my closet.

*Because unlike wolves, humans have social contracts,* I shot back, pulling clothes off hangers.

---

Twenty-eight minutes later, I was ready and we were heading out. The security guards were sprawled across our living room sofa, snoring loudly.

*This is actually happening,* I thought, staring at them in disbelief.

"You drugged them?" I whispered to Holden as we tiptoed past.

"Just a little something in their drinks," he murmured back. "Mom was very specific—she told them they absolutely could not let us go out alone in public."

*I like your brother more and more,* Lyra purred with satisfaction. *This small rebellion feels good.*

---

As we pulled up, a valet immediately appeared at my door.

"Welcome." he said with a warm smile.

"Thank you," I replied, nearly blushing at his enthusiasm.

*You're reacting to a basic human greeting like it's a marriage proposal,* Lyra teased. *Pathetic.*

Holden handed over the keys and offered me his arm with exaggerated formality.

"Look at you being all cute and gentlemanly," I laughed.

He shot me an annoyed look. "Of all the words you could use to describe this gesture, you picked 'cute'?"

"Who else am I going to annoy if not you?" I grinned as we walked toward the main entrance.

"I already have Mom and Lydia for that."

"They're not here right now, are they?"

"You make it sound like being annoyed is some kind of cool experience. It's not!"

I was still laughing when a male voice called out behind us.

"Isolde Blackwood."

I froze. The voice was unfamiliar, but something about it made every instinct I had snap to attention. I turned to see a young man in a navy tailcoat approaching us, his face lit with a charming smile.

He was handsome—I'd give him that.

I didn't recognize him, and from Holden's confused expression, neither did he. But there was something about his face... familiar, though I couldn't place where I might have seen him before.

"I'm sorry for stopping you like this," the stranger continued, his smile widening. "Wow! You're as beautiful as ever."

*As ever?* The phrase caught me off guard. When had he seen me before?

"I apologize, I'm Daryl Fields," he said, extending his hand. "It's such a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

"Mr. Fields, the pleasure is mine," I replied carefully. "Since you already know my name... this is my brother—"

"No need," Holden cut me off sharply, his voice carrying an edge I rarely heard. "Don't take up too much of her time."

Then he just walked into the restaurant, leaving me standing there.

Holden shot Daryl a look that could have killed before disappearing inside. Even Lyra seemed impressed.

*Your brother's human death glare is terrifying. Imagine how scary he'd be if he were actually a wolf.*

*I'll never understand his methods,* I thought, watching the door swing shut behind him.

"Your brother's like a ninja," Daryl commented with an amused chuckle. "That warning went straight to my soul."

"He doesn't mess around when it comes to me."

And honestly? I was staying out here talking to this stranger because he sounded so sweet, looked so handsome, and smelled so fucking good! Yeah, I knew it was a stupid reason, but he was cute.

"You're probably wondering who I am and how I know you," Daryl said, reading my thoughts perfectly.

"You read my mind."

His smile turned almost shy. "I'm one of the contestants in the design competition."

My eyebrows shot up to my hairline. *A fellow designer. Interesting!*

"Oh... wow!"

"Yeah... I'm the chief designer at Ethereal."

"Ethereal? THE Ethereal?"

My voice came out a little too high. I couldn't help it—Ethereal was legendary in the fashion world.