Vanished Sisters: The Lycan King's Slave Island Chapter 153

Natasha's POV

Lord Fergus watched me with those unsettling eyes, as though he could peel back every layer of pretense I'd ever constructed. The quiet between us grew oppressive, pressing down on my chest until I wanted to shout just to shatter it.

"The work assignments treating you well?" His question came at last, delivered with casual ease. "Nothing beyond your capabilities?"

I hadn't expected such ordinary conversation. "They're... manageable, my lord. I appreciate your concern."

"Your sleeping arrangements satisfactory?"

"Yes, my lord. Quite satisfactory."

"Excellent." He reclined in his seat, interlacing his fingers beneath his chin. "I'm pleased the adjustment hasn't proven overly harsh. Ashclaw operates rather differently than the citadel, I'd imagine."

Why this charade? The ambiguity gnawed at me worse than any outright accusation.

"My lord," I interrupted, my patience fraying, "forgive my bluntness, but what's the purpose of this summons? If there's a matter requiring discussion, I'd rather we address it plainly."

A ghost of amusement flickered across his features. "Straightforward. I respect that quality." The humor vanished. "Very well. We'll skip the formalities."

He rose and crossed to the window, presenting me with his back, fingers locked together.

"You're the King's fated mate."

The declaration struck like a hammer to my ribs. I jolted forward in my seat, air strangling in my windpipe. The floor seemed to drop away beneath me, and my fingers dug into the wooden armrests to anchor myself.

Impossible. How had he discovered this?

"My lord, I—that can't be—" The words stumbled out, barely audible.

"Can't it?" He pivoted to face me, his features carefully neutral. "I've spent days questioning my own blindness. The evidence was glaring. A feral creature, governed entirely by base impulses and violence, fixated exclusively on a single servant."

He started pacing, his tone sharpening with each syllable.

"That day you were attacked—do you recall? When you bore another male's scent, the beast's reaction transcended mere anger. It was primal, all-consuming rage that compelled him to tear free from his confinement and rip that man apart."

My pulse hammered against my skull so violently I feared it might split. I opened my mouth to protest, to fabricate some denial, but my voice had abandoned me.

"The signs were unmistakable," Fergus went on. "Yet somehow the truth kept eluding me, slipping through my fingers each time I came close. Do you understand why?"

I managed only a weak shake of my head.

"Because the notion of a woman existing within Howling Citadel—within the Girl's Hell itself—never crossed my mind. Not once. That a female could survive under our very noses, beneath my own protection, masquerading as male, living as male, successfully convincing every last one of us she was a boy when she was... anything but."

The final words hung between us like an executioner's blade.

"My lord, please—" I pressed myself back against the chair, but he eliminated the distance with two purposeful strides.

"Once that piece slots into place, the rest becomes obvious," he said, his voice descending to a threatening rumble. "Your constant refusal to disrobe. The endless excuses, the perpetual need for privacy. Your build—slight, graceful, unblemished skin, delicate features. Remarkably comely for a supposed boy. Yet there it was, right before our eyes, and we saw nothing. I never imagined anyone would attempt such an elaborate deception. Not here. Not within these walls."

My breathing came in shallow gasps now, spine pressed flat against the chair back as he towered over me.

His hand lashed out, talons emerging with a sharp hiss. A whimper escaped my throat and I clenched my eyes shut, preparing for the killing blow.

Instead, I felt a violent jerk at my shoulder. Fabric tore with a harsh ripping sound as his claws shredded through my work dress, reducing it to ribbons.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, he seized the destroyed garment and wrenched it aside, revealing the cloth strips wound tight around my torso.

"A girl," he snarled, the word reverberating through my skeleton.

I barely registered his movement before his face was mere inches from mine. He buried his nose against the curve where my neck met my shoulder and drew in a deep breath.

A guttural sound rumbled from deep in his chest, followed by two words that turned my blood to ice.

"An Endurer, no less."

He understood. Lord Fergus had uncovered everything.

The room tilted sickeningly, shadows encroaching on my peripheral vision. Part of me yearned for that darkness, craved the escape of unconsciousness rather than confronting what came next. If losing consciousness offered the only exit from this waking nightmare, I'd welcome it with open arms.

But awareness clung stubbornly, forcing me to experience every agonizing second.

Fergus withdrew, those predatory yellow eyes examining me as one might study an unusual insect.

"So you're female," he stated, all warmth drained from his voice. "Nathan isn't your real name, is it?"

"N-no, my lord," I managed to whisper. "I'm called Natasha."

"You've made fools of us. Every single one."

My knees buckled and I collapsed from the chair to the floor, clutching the shredded dress against my chest. "My lord, I swear I never meant to—"

"You comprehend what happens to slaves who harbor secrets?" He cut me off, his tone ice-cold. "You're familiar with the penalty for such deception?"

A tear traced down my face. "Yes, my lord."

"Yet you proceeded regardless. Fully aware that the punishment is death—for human and Lycan alike—you still chose to deceive us."

"When they first captured us, revealing my sex wasn't an option," I said frantically, words spilling out. "I was petrified. I knew what fate awaited women dragged to the Maiden's Hell. Only one outcome exists—being fucked to death by the King. How could I possibly admit the truth? And later, once time had passed, confession became impossible because acknowledging the deception would guarantee my execution."

I lifted my shoulders helplessly, brushing away another tear. "My lord, impose whatever punishment you deem appropriate. I'll accept it."

Heavy silence blanketed the room.

"Your sister knows what you are, doesn't she?" The question came eventually.

Panic widened my eyes.