Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 98

Isolde's POV

I was jolted from sleep by Thalia's excited voice penetrating my consciousness. Her eyes were as bright as stars in a clear night sky, practically glowing with excitement about our move to the Privilege Apartments.

I sat up straight, genuinely happy to see her this excited. "Thal."

She came to my bedside, her face split with the widest grin I'd seen in weeks.

"Is... is this real?" she asked, her voice hushed with reverence.

I feigned confusion, deciding to tease her a little. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't mess with me, Isolde," Thalia pressed. "Are we really staying here? Are we actually residents of the Privilege Apartments now?"

I gestured around us. "Thalia, you're here. Our stuff is here. What does that tell you?"

"It means we're Privilege Apartments residents now!" she squealed, jumping up and down. I couldn't help but laugh at her childlike excitement.

I understood why this meant so much to her. Living here represented respect, protection, privacy, and elevated status within Silver Moon Group. I was just as excited beneath my calm exterior.

"I told you Alpha Ezra likes you," Thalia continued, pointing around. "You kept denying it, but look... this is proof! The man is crazy about you! Privilege Apartments? My God!"

"It's nothing!" I protested. "He just wants to make sure I'm safe after what happened to Ash."

"Exactly!" Thalia exclaimed triumphantly. "He cares! The Lycan CEO doesn't worry about just any Alliance Program girl every day. You're special to him!"

I shook my head. This was exactly why I'd almost not wanted Thalia to move in with me. She over-analyzed everything, planted ideas in my head that would destroy me if I dwelled on them too long.

"Thal. That's not what's happening here. I can assure you."

She shrugged, clearly unconvinced. "Keep denying it. When you realize I've been right all along, remember to tell me shamefully."

She patted my thigh before standing up. "I'm going to check out the closet and bathroom." Without waiting for my response, she darted into the marble bathroom with its high-tech shower system.

I watched her, thinking living with her here would be fun. But Lyra reminded me: *Don't get too comfortable. This could be another trap.*

---

The next hour flew by as Thalia and I organized our clothes in the walk-in closet. It was so spacious that our belongings barely filled half of it. We discovered several new high-end outfits already hanging there—clearly meant for us.

Later that day, all Alliance Program members were summoned to a meeting where they officially announced Ash's death. The murderer hadn't been found, they told us, but her parents had collected her body, and the company had provided generous compensation.

What disturbed me most was how the Alliance girls no longer looked at me with hateful glares. Most of them watched me with expressions reserved for someone about to rise in rank. The dynamics around me were shifting dramatically, and it made me both wary and uncomfortable.

After the meeting, we headed to the high-end cafeteria. As we walked, Thalia leaned close to me.

"Now I'm completely convinced Ash was innocent," she whispered. "Whoever poisoned her did it to shut her up forever. There's something big going on here."

"I told you, didn't I?" I replied. "She was bullied by Sybilla's group into giving me that orange juice. I feel terrible about what happened to her. She was because—"

"Isolde?" a voice called from behind us.

We turned around. My jaw nearly dropped when I saw a group of Alliance Program girls standing up from a table they'd just claimed, all smiling at us.

"Isolde, Thalia, you two can have our table," one of them said with a broad smile.

Thalia and I exchanged confused glances. Lyra growled a warning: *Be careful of these fake bitches and their sudden kindness.*

"You want us to sit at your table?" I asked, bewildered.

"You don't have to bother finding a table now, use ours," another girl said.

A third girl stepped forward. "And... you don't have to exert yourself getting food either. I can get it for you."

My mouth and eyes widened in shock. *She wants to get my food for me?*

"Thank you for the offer, but Thalia and I are fine on our own," I said with a forced smile.

But they wouldn't take no for an answer. Two girls pushed Thalia and me to the table, forcing us to sit down.

Two more girls appeared in front of us. "Tell me what you want, and I'll get it for you," one of them said.

I told the girl what food I wanted, and Thalia did the same. They rushed off and returned quickly with our meals.

"And... if you need any help with anything, just let me know, okay?" another girl interjected. "Just one word, and I'm at your service."

"We all are," the others chimed in.

They surrounded our table, each one eagerly listing things they could do for me. I was too shocked to speak.

"What's going on here?" a familiar voice asked, carrying the elegance and authority that only the PR director could command.

Everyone turned to see Evanthe. The girls surrounding our table immediately scattered. She walked toward my table and, to my surprise, sat down across from me.

"You look shocked," she said, her voice smooth as silk yet sharp as a blade.

I frowned, clenching my jaw. "I know you killed her," I said in a low, hard voice.

Evanthe scoffed, leaning closer. "Can you prove it?" she whispered with a victorious smile.

Anger surged through me, my fists clenching on the table. "Murderer!"

"Watch your words, Miss Blackwood," Evanthe threatened. "At Silver Moon, accusing an executive is a serious violation, and the punishment is severe."

"I will make you pay for this!" I vowed.

"I'd like to see you try." She gave me an evil smile.

"You must feel like a queen now, being moved to the Privilege Apartments," Evanthe remarked.

I forced a smile. "Hard not to feel that way after such a big promotion. Especially when the orders came directly from Ezra himself." I deliberately omitted the "Alpha" title.

A flash of anger crossed her eyes. "You should watch your back, Isolde," she warned. "From now on, be careful of every step you take, everything you eat, everywhere you go. We're at war, and more blood will be spilled. The next could be yours."

"Since you refuse to let go of Alpha Ezra, only one of you and me will survive," she declared before turning away.

I sat speechless, feeling as if the temperature in the cafeteria had suddenly dropped. Her words echoed in my mind: *War. Blood. The next could be mine.*

*What have I gotten myself into?* I wondered, while Lyra whispered: *We need to become stronger, or she will destroy us.*