The Lycan King's Defiant Surrogate
Defiant Surrogate 70

Chapter 70

I flush the note down the toilet

When I leave the bathroom, Caleb is there in the hallway just outside the door, as if he's been waiting for me.

"Where is it?" he demands, a growl in his voice.

"What are you talking about?" I tell him.

He storms toward me, anger in his eyes. "You think I'm an idiot? You think I don't have you followed: You think I'm so ignorant that I wouldn't notice the moment you plot against mé

"I haven't plotted against you," I tell him.

He grabs me harshly by the shoulder. "Then where is it. Harper Where is the note that bastard passed you?!"

"I don't have any note," I tell him, calm in the face of his anger. I feel so defeated.

"Maybe not now," he says. "Where did you stash it?"

"There isn't a note, I say again. I just feel so tired, like I could sleep for a thousand years. Let him yell at me if he wants. Let him hate me. Whatever it takes to end this misery and allows me to return to sleep.

Caleb, still clutching my shoulders, hacks up a bit to look at me more fully. "What the hell is the matter with you?" he asks. "Why are you acting so detached? Where is your usual defiance

His eyes narrow with rage. "Is this new weakness because of your feelings for that weak-minded Alpha that you love?!"

With fury, he grabs me by the wrist and drags me down the hallway. We storm past curious onlookers hanging around. outside the Hall. Around the comer and through the guards who are set to block people from entering. He drags me straight into my room. Fortunately Bethany isn't there. I wouldn't want her to see him like this, caught in his rage

He throws me forward and stumbling. I fall down onto the ground

"Til kill him, you know," Caleb says. "If you even think about plotting against me with him. I will tear his throat out. You'll never succeed"

"Don't kill him," I say. "He's not plotting anything. He's given everything to his wife. He has nothing left to give to me."

"Then why do you act so pathetically?"

Rushing toward me, he grabs me off the ground and yanks me upright.

"I'm not," I say, trying to show some of my usual annoyance.

"Bullshit," he growls. Then, he glances down at the length of my body. "Perhaps what you need is a good fucking. Mind-blowing pleasure might help restart your passions."

He grabs the front of my dress and yanks it free, down past my waist. With nothing to catch on, it falls down to my feet. I'm wearing panties but no bra. I don't bother trying to hide myself

He's looking at me with fire in his eyes, but all I feel is cold inside

After scenting the air, he frowns at me. The red hue to his eyes quickly dies away as if it was never there at all.

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51 Thu. Nov 21

Chapter 70

He releases me. My leg give out and I fall to the floor again

Then, he turns his back to me and storms out the door.

Only then, do I start to feel things again. Abandonment. Rejection. Cold. So much damn cold.

I cover my face with my hands and I start to cry.

A few moments pass. I don't know how many, before Bethany comes through the door, sees me, and rushes to my side.

"Harper? Are you alright? Did the King hurt you?"

"No." I tell her. I'm still confused by his reaction. In the past, he would have forced me, taking what he wanted. But this time. Could he tell I felt nothing? Was that why he scented the air! I don't know but he didn't stick around for me to figure it out. And for that. I'm glad.

Bethany stands first, then heads into the closet. She returns with my robe and drapes it over my shoulders. I push my arms through the holes.

"Let's get you cleaned up," Bethany says and helps me to my feet Carrying some of my weight, she leads me into the bathroom. Escrapped my knees falling down the few times I had in clean

In the bathroom. I sit down on top of the toilet while Bethany retrieves the first aid kit. Wordlessly, she kneels down to my knees. I'm incredibly grateful for her.

She doesn't ask what happened. I wonder how much she already knows, from listening to the other servants talk.

"Your sister had a necklace" she says eventually.

Ali, so the servants have even pieced together some of the reason for my upset. That used to be mine. Samuel gave it to me to indicate that he intended to marry me. I guess he decided to give it to my sister"

Bethany nods. She moves to the other knee, cleaning it with disinfectant. I hiss, feeling the sting. It still doesn't hurt as mugh as my heart does.

"And the note?" she asks, lifting her gaze briefly to me. From the shouting in the hallway, likely the whole kingdom suspected as Caleb did that Samuel had passed me a note. The same servants Bethany received her information from might be the ones who told Caleb about the note to begin with

"It's not what Caleb thinks" I say, sighing. "Samuel doesn't want to lure me into some kind of plot to endanger the King or overthrow him, or whatever else he thinks."

"How do you know?" she asks. "What did the note say?"

"It was just a location," I say. "And a time."

"He could be plotting."

"No," I say "Samuel isn't like that. The only thing he could want to speak to me about is what happened today. Maybe he wants to throw it in my face. My chest aches so much, I clutch it with my hand.

I hate this feeling, just as I hate Samuel. Or, at least, I want to hate him for making me feel this way,

Taking away the past as he has. I feel so bereft.

Everything hurts. How could he ever do this to me?

Bethany presses her lips hard together. I can see that she wants to say something, but she's holding herself back

HI

Thu, Nov 21 b

Chapter 70

"You can tell me anything, I tell her. "We're friends."

That seems to make her even more conflicted and she huffs out a breath.

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"I don't know if this is my place," she says. "It doesn't seem like i And if we weren't friends, I wouldn't bring this up at all. Even as friends, I'm not sure I should, because I don't think that bastard deserves anymore of your time and energy." "Which bastard?" She could mean either Samuel or the King. I'less than pleased with both at the moment.

"Samuel," she clarities.

1 frown deeper and give her a strange look. "What are you trying to say?"

"It doesn't seem to me like he wants to meet you to rub it in your face, Harper. And if you don't think he's capable of plotting against the king, that really only leaves one option." ""Which is?" I ask.

Bethany takes her time putting away the first aid kit.

"Bethany, please," I push.

She looks back at me. "A secret rendezvous, Harper. The only option left is he wants to meet you is to apologize and make up."