Lucas’ POV

"You've drawn Prince Lucas' card!"

As I was about to round a corner, I heard Gamma Andrew's voice. Then I saw a group of trembling women and a few palace guards with their backs to me.

This is my girlfriend and my brother's mating ceremony. Packs affiliated with the Huntington royal family have all come to present their gifts. They must have been slaves offered by the packs to the royal house.

The main entrance was crowded and chaotic. I didn't want to hear anything related to my brothers or my ex-girlfriends, so I chose a secluded path.

I heard my name in Andrew's mouth, and then they fell silent. Clearly, my cold and ruthless reputation had taken root in their minds. They must have thought I was a cruel beast who enjoyed torturing slaves and killed without a second thought. If they drew my card, they probably thought they were doomed.

And as it turned out, this unlucky Omega slave had drawn my card.

Gamma Andrew sensed my presence and quickly circled around the wall to greet me.

"Your Highness, we are distributing this batch of slaves. One Omega has happened to draw your card. The Moon Goddess has sent her to your side. Perhaps you would like to see her? You can take her with you directly."

Drawing cards? It seems this damned tradition is still being carried on. They love exploiting people, all while disguising it under the guise of "freedom" and the "will of the Moon Goddess."

I knew exactly what drawing my card meant—they would be sent to serve as my sex slaves.

Ridiculous. Only the eldest prince enjoys sex slaves.

The Lycan King sent them to me as compensation, a way to make up for the crime of mating my girlfriend with my brother. He knows I have never been interested in sex slaves.

I hate the Lycan King, and I loathe the so-called will of the Moon Goddess even more.

“I don't want anyone who draws my card,” I declared loudly, infusing my words with the command of a Lycan Prince. "Your Highness..." Andrew tried to persuade me, "Are you going to defy the prince's orders?" the look in my eyes made him lower his head.

“Your Highness, I will send another batch of those who didn’t draw your card,” he obediently responded.

I scoffed and turned away without another word. As I walked away, I could still hear Andrew's voice, "All Omegas who draw Prince Lucas' card will be sent to the Queen's palace..."

I don’t care about slaves. I don’t care where they come from or where they’re going.

Right now, what I need most is alcohol—I need to numb myself with it.

I hide away in my room, refusing to see anyone.

"Cheers to my stepbrother and my ex-girlfriend."

I stretched my legs out, holding a bottle of alcohol in my hand, adjusting it on my thigh.

"Huh!" I took a big sip, anger surging through me again. Life has been quite unfair to me. I suppose the Moon Goddess enjoys watching me suffer as she throws obstacles in my path.

First, my mother was taken from me too soon, and now my girlfriend as well. My mother was the chosen queen of the lycan king. After she gave birth to me, she found out my father had found and accepted his fated mate.

By the time my poor mother discovered this, my father had already fathered two sons with his fated mate. It's quite ironic—I'm the first son of the first queen, yet I already have two older step-brothers.

It killed my mother. It was true, she died of heartbreak.

And now, my girlfriend has chosen to mate with my brother, because they believe my brother has a better chance of becoming the next Lycan King than I do.

My father has agreed, as this is exactly what he wants to see as a way to solidify the Huntington royal family's prestige since my girlfriend is a great Gamma warrior.

My father told me that she has the right to choose the one with more potential to become the Alpha King. Yeah, even though she's still dating me. Screw that!

There he was, the typical Lycan king, loving his other sons more because their mother was his fated mate.

"I fucking hate fated mates. They think they're above everyone, so whatever rules they break seem justified to them," I hissed under my breath, rubbing my face in my hands.

I would never pick a fated mate. I would go for a chosen mate and show everyone that once hearts are connected, titles don't matter.

It was quiet outside, the annoying noise had finally disappeared. They all went to the front hall to set up my brother’s mating ceremony. I picked up an empty bottle and smashed it against the window. The once slightly open window now swung wide open, revealing the round moon hanging in the sky.

Tsk! Tonight is a full moon night.

"Damn moon goddess!" I cursed, pointing at the moon. The room was pitch black. I staggered up from the floor, starting to feel my way towards the bed.

"Ugh!" A groan heaved across my lips, and I began to walk toward my bed when a sudden intoxicating scent hit me against my will.

"What the—" I scrunched my nose, wondering what smelled so good.

I couldn't help but walk towards the smell. I closed my eyes, letting the gentle breeze carry the scent inside to me. It was a fragrance that seemed to capture the very essence of grace and beauty.

I followed the scent and unknowingly walked outside. Something soft bumped into my chest. I raised my hand to touch what it was and felt something warm and soft. "So... sorry, I got lost."

I realized I had bumped into an unknown passerby, but soon I became aware of the seriousness of the situation. Damn, she exuded a captivating scent that I couldn't resist. Each whiff was a delicate symphony of blooming jasmine and soft vanilla, interwoven with a hint of fresh rain. It reminded me of moonlit gardens and serene, starry nights.

There was only one thought in my mind: She is mine! Take her!

There was no time to think about what this meant.

I instantly grabbed the passerby and pulled them into my room, locking the door after us.

"Ah!" I gasped when I saw a young woman standing before me. I couldn't make out her features due to the darkness, but her silhouette told me she had to be majestic. I felt my wolf stir up even after being so intoxicated. There was this urge to absorb this scent or the majestic beauty to whom it belonged.

"I was just—" she began in her beautiful voice but didn't get to finish her sentence as I cupped her face and crashed my lips against hers.

“No...Please...” She begged.

Her body shuddered under my touch, and a little resistance made me pull away. She had her tiny hands on my chest, her breathing erratic.

As she stood before me, her body close to mine, I made another attempt to kiss her.

My tongue longed for entry into her mouth, she tried to resist, but it was useless.

My hand cupped her cheek, my thumb tracing the curve of her jawline. My lips moved hungrily against hers, exploring and claiming with deep intensity. The kiss was a blend of urgency and tenderness, our tongues dancing in a rhythm.

My hands groped her ass, kneading it firmly and eliciting little yelps into my mouth from her. My hard dick was pressed against her vagina, with our clothes as the only barrier.

Her body leaned back desperately, causing her neck to arch backward, allowing me to lick and kiss her skin. I didn't know how it was possible, but she tasted better than any wine and more delectable than any fruit. My lips traveled to her cleavage, exciting me even more. I pulled her dress off her shoulders, exposing her breasts, and didn't wait before taking her nipple into my mouth.

"Uhmmm! No!" Her moan was so electric that my hand slipped under her dress without my knowledge. Her body's little shudders made me crave her more.

My tongue danced around her areola, savoring a cherry-like taste. I reached a point where I could no longer resist the urge to take things further with her.

I rose and carried her, tossing her onto my bed and crawling on top of her. Her body bounced against mine, my hands exploring between her legs. Her dress kept getting in the way, becoming a shield against my affection. I grabbed her dress from her cleavage with my teeth and then the hem with my hand and tore it apart, leaving her naked. Her skin was soft like a cloud.

Spreading her legs, I quickly unzipped my pants and laid on top of her.

“No, no, no! You can't!” she cried out loudly, and a sliver of my sanity returned.

Because of her resistance, I stopped and didn’t slip into her, but then her scent hit me hard.

I buried my face in her neck and, without realizing it, started to lick her skin.

Her taste was impeccable, her scent like a fruit—a fruit I would love to bite into.

“Mate!” It was me who said that word, and then my canines popped out.

The next thing I knew, my teeth were deep within her neck.