Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 59

Isolde's POV

The table before me was arranged with precision—crystal glasses, pristine white plates, and gleaming silver cutlery. A server had already brought out a selection of food, including a perfectly seared steak that would normally have made my mouth water.

I halfheartedly served myself a small portion but couldn't bring myself to lift the fork. My mind raced with possibilities of what this "private service" might entail.

The server—a professionally dressed woman with a perfect bun—approached the table, her expression carefully neutral.

"Is the meal not to your liking?" she asked, noticing my untouched plate.

"No, it's fine. I'm just..." I trailed off, unsure how to explain the tornado of emotions swirling inside me.

"You don't have to force yourself," she said with unexpected kindness. "Mr. Silverwood doesn't expect you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

I nodded, grateful but unconvinced. The server checked her watch and gestured toward a doorway across the expansive living area.

"If you'll follow me, please. You can wait for Mr. Silverwood in his private quarters."

My heart jumped into my throat as I followed her across the penthouse. Every surface gleamed with understated luxury—not ostentatious, but clearly expensive and deliberately chosen. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the city below, lights twinkling like earthbound stars.

We stopped before an imposing door, which the server opened with practiced efficiency.

"You can wait here," she informed me. "Mr. Silverwood just finished a board meeting and will arrive shortly." Her professional smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "If you need anything, please use the intercom. Have a pleasant evening."

The door closed behind her with a soft click, leaving me alone in Alpha Ezra Silverwood's bedroom.

I stood frozen, taking in my surroundings. The room was massive, dominated by a king-sized bed with dark linens. The thought that I was standing in Silver Moon's CEO's private space sent a fresh wave of panic through me.

My eyes caught sight of my designer bag—the one Alliance girls were required to carry—sitting prominently on the massive bed. I hurried toward it, opening it to find what I'd feared: the required "evening service attire."

*Fuck, fuck, fuck,* I thought frantically. Ezra would be here any minute, and I was expected to change into what was basically transparent lingerie before he arrived. I briefly considered locking the door while I changed, but quickly dismissed the idea. In a building with Silver Moon's security systems, locked doors would mean nothing to the CEO.

With shaking hands, I quickly stripped off the casual clothes. I pulled the silky nightgown over my head, the material slipping over my skin like cool water. It was shockingly revealing—a whisper of fabric that did nothing to conceal what lay beneath.

Just as I smoothed the material over my hips, the electronic door lock emitted a soft beep. My heart nearly stopped.

Ezra Silverwood stood in the doorway, powerful frame silhouetted against the light from the hallway. He froze when he saw me, his stormy gray eyes flashing with glints of gold—the telltale sign of his wolf rising close to the surface.

"I see you've made yourself comfortable," he observed, his gaze traveling slowly over my body before returning to my face. "That's quite the enticing attire."

I crossed my arms over my chest instinctively. "Una gave it to me," I explained, my voice barely above a whisper. "She said it was required for Moon Alliance service."

"I see," he replied, stepping fully into the room.

He carried a tablet in one hand and had a suit jacket draped over his arm.

He disappeared into what I assumed was a closet, emerging a minute later without the jacket or tablet, his shirt now rolled up to reveal muscular forearms dusted with dark hair.

"I was told you barely touched your meal," he said, his eyes fixed on me.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a now-familiar heat beginning to build low in my belly. "I... I wasn't hungry."

As if to contradict me, my stomach let out an embarrassingly loud growl. My cheeks flamed with mortification.

"Your body seems to disagree," Ezra observed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "My chef will bring dinner while I shower. You'll eat with me."

The thought of sitting across from him at a dinner table, trying to make conversation while my body betrayed me with these uncontrollable reactions, made panic rise in my throat.

"I don't want to," I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Ezra's eyebrow arched slightly. "Then you'll join me in the shower."

"What?" I gasped, eyes widening in shock.

He stepped closer, until I could feel the heat radiating from his body. When our eyes met, a surge of molten desire crashed through me without warning. My nipples hardened painfully beneath the thin silk, heat flooding between my thighs as my core clenched with need. My skin flushed, and I squeezed my legs together, horrified at the wetness gathering there.

"What's happening?" he asked, frowning slightly. "You don't look well."

I lowered my gaze, mortified. "I... I don't know. Maybe I'm just hot."

*FUCK! I knew it’s going to happen again!*

Ezra inhaled deeply, as if sampling the air between us. The gold in his eyes intensified, becoming more pronounced.

Gathering what little courage I had left, I asked the question that had been plaguing me. "Every time I'm close to you, I feel this way. What are you doing to me?"

A slight smile curved his lips. "I'm not doing anything. It's a natural ability of a Lycan King. Our presence triggers... specific physiological responses in certain females."

"You mean you can make women... go into heat? Like animals?" I stared at him, stunned.

"Not exactly," he explained. "Only females with a particular attraction to me experience this response. It's biological."

My face burned even hotter. "Can you control it? If... if you can, would you please not use it on me? It feels... humiliating."

Ezra regarded me silently, his expression softening. "This is inherent to what I am, Isolde. But if it makes you uncomfortable, I can try to restrain it. I can't promise complete success, though."

"Thank you," I whispered, feeling an unexpected pang of disappointment. "I just need time to adjust to all this."

He began unbuttoning his cuffs, rolling up his sleeves further to reveal more of his powerful forearms. His eyes never left mine.

"However, you were assigned here tonight to accompany me, Isolde. That's your duty in the Moon Alliance Program," he stated matter-of-factly. "But I won't force you to do anything. I'm giving you a choice. Either join me for dinner, or join me in the shower. Decide."

My heart stuttered in my chest. Was this really happening?

"I'll have dinner with you," I replied quickly, though a strange flutter of anticipation stirred within me at the alternative.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a slight smirk. "Wise choice. You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to spending tonight with you, Isolde."

I stood frozen, shock coursing through me at his words. *What the fuck did he just say?*