A Luna for the Lycan King by JM Snap

Ivy POV

I stood frozen, the truth of my mate's betrayal sinking into my bones like a deadly poison. My breath came in short, shallow gasps, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the scene unfolding before me.

There he was- Dorian, my mate- locked in an embrace with another woman. His lips were pressed to hers with a hunger that I had once thought belonged to me. His hands caressed her body with a tenderness I had only ever known in the privacy of our shared moments. The woman, with her long dark hair cascading down her back, seemed to melt into his touch as if they had always belonged together.

The sharp pang in my chest mirrored the sting of betrayal. My mate. The man I had trusted. The man I had given my heart to without question, without hesitation. But this... this was unforgivable.

I stumbled backward, my heart hammering in my chest as my legs threatened to give way beneath me. How long had it been going on? How long had he been lying to me?

"Ivy," a voice called from behind me, pulling me from my thoughts.

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. My closest friend, Serena, had been with me from the beginning. Her presence, a steady comfort, should have made me feel safer. Instead, it only deepened the ache inside me.

She moved quickly to my side, concern etched into her features as she studied me. "You saw, didn't you?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice. My emotions swirled in a chaotic whirlwind. Anger, betrayal, hurt-all of them mingling together to form a storm I wasn't sure I could control.

"We need to go," Serena said, her voice low and urgent. "Before anyone notices you here."

But I didn't move. I couldn't. Every part of me was paralyzed by the shock of it all. The man I had once believed would protect me had shattered that illusion in the most painful way imaginable. How could I have been so blind?

"I never thought he would do this..." My voice was barely above a whisper, the weight of my words pressing heavily on my chest. "He was my mate."

Serena placed a hand on my shoulder, her touch grounding me as the reality of what had just happened settled in. "I know, Ivy. I know."

The images of Dorian with her-touching her, kissing her-flashed in my mind again. The betrayal cut deeper with every second that passed.

But then, something shifted. A presence. A coldness that seeped into the air like a tangible force. My heart skipped a beat, and I turned to find the source of that unnerving energy.

Standing at the edge of the clearing, his eyes locked on me with an intensity that made my breath catch, was King Cassian.

The Lycan King.

His presence alone seemed to freeze the world around us. The very air seemed to grow heavier, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

Ivy.

His deep voice rang in my mind like a warning, sharp and commanding, yet oddly familiar. My heart skipped again, but this time, it wasn't from fear. It was something else-something darker.

"Your presence is required," he said, his tone unwavering, his gaze never leaving mine.

Serena stiffened beside me. "We need to leave, Ivy. The king..." She trailed off, uncertainty filling her voice.

The king took a step forward, his gaze unwavering. He was the embodiment of power, the ruler of all Lycans, and he could destroy me with a mere word.