Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 53

Ezra's POV

I leaned back against the smooth leather of my sofa, closing my eyes as the weight of the day pressed down on me. 

The image of Isolde kneeling on the marble floor of Nathaniel's office, tears streaming down her face, refused to leave my mind. The sight of her crying, so vulnerable and broken, stabbed at my chest with a pain I couldn't shake. 

My heart twisted, a raw, searing ache as if her tears were slicing into my very soul. I ached to drag her into my arms, to protect her from whatever had shattered her, to kiss away every trace of misery on her beautiful face. Earlier that same day, I'd caught her crying in the garden, though she'd quickly denied it when confronted.

Isolde Blackwood wasn't the type to cry over trivial matters. She was a fighter – I'd seen her determination in the training center, witnessed her resilience as she faced challenge after challenge at Silver Moon Group. Yet twice in one day, I'd found her in tears.

My mind plunged into a raw, explicit fantasy. I pictured Isolde on her knees in front of me, not crying from pain but from raw need, her wet cheeks burning with lust. Her quivering lips parted, begging silently as she stared up at me, desperate for my command. 

I imagined fisting her hair, yanking her closer, forcing her to take my cock in her mouth, feeling her hot, eager tongue working me over as she choked on my length, her gasps and whimpers driving me wild. 

The vision grew nastier—I saw her stripped naked, her soft, creamy skin bare under my hungry stare. I'd pin her down, her wrists locked in my grip, her body squirming as I spread her legs wide, my fingers diving into her dripping heat, fucking her with them until she's sobbing for more. 

I fantasized about slamming into her, my cock buried deep, pounding her relentlessly into the floor, her tight, slick walls clenching around me as she screamed my name, her body shaking with every brutal thrust until she came apart, a shuddering, sweaty mess beneath me. My breath turned jagged, my cock straining painfully against my pants, the leather groaning under my clenched fists as I fought to claw myself back from the edge of this depraved, all-consuming lust.

*Prime, are you there?* I reached out silently to my wolf, desperate for anything to pull me from the fire scorching through my veins.

*I'm always here,* came the immediate response. *I hear our mate is being bullied. What's happening?*

"Isolde," I corrected aloud, jaw tightening. "Call her Isolde."

*Do you have a problem with me referring to her as our mate?* Prime's voice carried an edge of challenge.

I exhaled sharply. "Prime, when you refer to Isolde as our mate so directly, I find it difficult to maintain control. I might do something impulsive."

*You mean like marking her as yours? Making sure everyone at Silver Moon knows who the real Luna is? What would be so regrettable about that?*

"For Moon Goddess' sake, Prime," I snapped. "I didn't reach out to be lectured."

*Is it because she's only a common werewolf?* Prime pushed. *Is that why you refuse to accept her?*

"You know damn well that's not the reason for my hesitation." My fingers dug into the leather beneath me. The truth was buried deep within me – this reason was connected to fear. In my core, I was afraid.

I closed my eyes again, recalling the scene in Nathaniel's office – Isolde on her knees, Greta standing over her with cruel satisfaction, the ridiculous accusations about sending inappropriate items. My fingers clenched involuntarily at the memory.

"Isolde is being bullied by the other girls in the Moon Alliance Program."

*You need to take action,* Prime stated firmly.

"I'm well aware of that." I shifted my position, frustration building. "But no matter how I approach this, I can't find a way to stop them without raising suspicions about my relationship with Isolde – or worse, speculation about our mate bond."

*Ezra, you seem to be forgetting something important.*

"What's that?"

*Unless one of you admits it, nobody can know you and Isolde are mates. We're not even certain Isolde knows she's your mate – if she did, she would have approached you about it by now. That means you're the only one who knows this secret. You hold all the cards.*

"What are you suggesting?" I asked, though I already sensed where this was heading.

*You should approach her. You can show interest in her without acknowledging she's your mate. It's normal. So if you're worried that showing interest in Isolde will make people suspect your mate connection, you needn't worry – no one will jump to that conclusion.*

I sighed deeply, adjusting my position on the sofa. This internal dialogue left me tense, uneasy, and somewhat afraid.

"If I get close to Isolde, I can't guarantee I'll control myself enough not to tell her about our bond. Her pull on me is too strong. I might not resist. Believe me, Prime, if people at Silver Moon discover Isolde and I are mates, it will create serious problems."

*While I'm extremely curious about what problems these might be, I won't press. I just have one question.*

A brief silence fell between us.

*Are you going to ignore this situation? Will you let those girls continue to bully your mate? Our mate? The future Luna of Silver Moon?*

His questions struck deep, each word a knife twisting in my gut. When Prime realized I wasn't going to answer, he continued:

*Our mate needs us, Ezra. We can't ignore her. Even the Moon Goddess would be angry at our neglect. I don't know about you, but I really don't want to face the Goddess's wrath.*

"How would approaching Isolde help?" I finally asked.

*How did Evanthe gain so much power and influence in the Moon Alliance Program?*

I almost smiled. *Prime, master of answering questions with questions.*

Rising from the sofa, I walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing at the city lights below. The irony wasn't lost on me – I could effortlessly control a business empire like Silver Moon Group and an underground werewolf kingdom, yet I was utterly perplexed by matters concerning one ordinary werewolf girl.

"Prime."

*Yes, Ezra?*

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

*You know I would never mislead you.*

I sighed again, turning away from the window. Despite my uncertainty about the outcome, I'd made my decision to approach Isolde.

Picking up my phone, I dialed a number. The call was answered on the third ring.

"Alpha Ezra," came the immediate response.

"Come to my office immediately," I commanded.

Hanging up, I gripped the expensive device tightly in my hand.

*Isolde,* I thought. *I hope you're ready for this.*