Chapter 65 065
~LYKA~
I looked at the flimsy girl’s outstretched hand, her fingers delicate and waiting, but instead of taking it, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her in a sudden embrace. It wasn’t friendliness that drove me...it was instinct. The moment I got close, a scent brushed against my senses, sharp and unmistakably familiar, slipping into my lungs and settling deep within me like a memory I couldn’t escape.
‘This scent… doesn’t it belong to someone we know?’ Elysia purred inside me, her voice low, almost dangerous.
My vision blurred slightly, not from confusion but from the rush of realization. Of course, I knew exactly who that scent belonged to. My nose flared subtly as anger coiled within me, rising fast and hot. There was no mistake. No possibility of doubt.
This woman...standing here, smiling so innocently...carried Derrick’s scent on her.
Not faint. Not accidental.
It was fresh.
Which meant only one thing.
She had been close to him. Close enough to embrace him. Close enough for his scent to cling to her skin so boldly.
And what unsettled me even more was not just that she had touched him… but that he had allowed it.
Or worse...
Had he wanted it?
“Oh, I like you already. You’re friendly,” the lady...Amaris, as she had introduced herself...said brightly, her arms still wrapped around me as though we were old friends reunited.
I didn’t return the warmth. I didn’t even acknowledge it. My attention had already shifted, locked onto the man standing a few steps away. Derrick.
He wasn’t looking at me.
He was avoiding my gaze entirely.
That alone felt like betrayal.
Slowly, I pulled away from Amaris, my movements controlled, but my thoughts anything but calm. Her smile lingered, wide and unbothered, and for some reason, it irritated me more than anything else. It wasn’t just the smile...it was how effortless it looked, like she had no reason in the world to feel threatened or unsettled.
It made my chest tighten.
“Why are you here?” I asked, my voice flat, as though I hadn’t heard her earlier introduction. As though I didn’t already know the answer.
But I didn’t care.
I wanted her to say it again.
“I believe I already introduced myself,” she began, her tone polite but laced with something sharper underneath. “But if you want me to repeat it, I will. I am Derrick’s betrothal, and I don’t think you have...”
“So?” I cut in coldly.
She paused, clearly taken aback, before scoffing softly.
Even I didn’t fully understand why I was acting this way, why my words carried such edge, but deep down, I knew. Elysia was restless. Agitated.
She could feel it too.
Her mate’s scent on another woman.
“Don’t you think it’s a little impolite,” Amaris continued after a moment, her composure returning, “to know my name and not offer yours?”
I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, my gaze drifted past her, landing on Zuri, who stood nearby with a look that could burn holes through anyone foolish enough to meet it.
Interesting.
They clearly didn’t get along.
And for some reason… that worked in my favor.
“Can you all leave us alone?” Derrick’s voice suddenly cut through the tension.
It was the first thing he had said since I walked into the room.
I glanced at him briefly, noting the slight hollowness of his face, the exhaustion etched into his features. He looked… off. Not like himself.
But I pushed that thought aside.
If he was the one who called his betrothal here, then why did he look so miserable?
Had I done something wrong?
The thought flickered briefly in my mind, but I dismissed it almost immediately. I wasn’t going to dwell on something like that.
“Fine,” I said with a small snort. “I’ll leave since it’s clear my presence isn’t appreciated.”
I turned and walked toward the door, my steps steady, my expression unreadable.
“Why are you still standing there, Zuri? Didn’t you hear me?” Derrick’s voice came again, colder this time, though there was a hoarseness beneath it that hinted at fatigue.
I paused for only a fraction of a second before continuing out.
What is wrong with me?
The question lingered, but I didn’t stop.
Zuri brushed past me as she exited as well, muttering under her breath, her irritation barely concealed. I didn’t bother asking what she said. I didn’t care enough to.
As I pulled the door shut behind me, Amaris’s voice drifted faintly through the closing gap...something about not liking “my guy.”
And Derrick…
He didn’t respond.
That silence settled heavily in my chest.
“Don’t you just hate her?” Zuri’s voice broke through my thoughts as we stood in the hallway.
I rolled my eyes slightly. She wasn’t trying to bond with me...anyone could see that.
‘What is this play? The enemy of my enemy is my friend?’ I mused internally, but quickly shook the thought away.
I had no interest in alliances like that.
What I wanted was to hear what was happening behind that door. But with Zuri hovering around, it was clear that wasn’t going to happen.
So, I turned away, deciding to leave the hallway entirely.
“You should be scared,” Zuri said suddenly.
I stopped, glancing back at her with a frown.
“Why should I be scared? Is she going to kill me?” I asked dryly.
Zuri shrugged.
“Then what did you mean?” I pressed, narrowing my eyes slightly.
“I can help you get rid of her,” she began, stepping closer, her voice lowering conspiratorially. “And you are going to...”
I cut her off before she could finish.
“I know what you’re trying to do.”
She blinked, clearly surprised.
“You’re not helping me,” I continued calmly. “You’re trying to use me.”
A scoff escaped her lips almost immediately.
“You must think very highly of yourself, rogue,” she sneered. “What you don’t realize is that you’re not even worth using. What’s the point of using trash if it’s just going to litter the floor?”
Her words stung. Of course they did.
I felt my face heat up, anger bubbling beneath the surface, but I forced myself to stay calm. I refused to lose control in front of her. I refused to give her that satisfaction.
“I’m not interested in your games,” I said firmly. “I’d rather go back to my room.”
I turned again, ready to leave, but her voice stopped me once more.
“Because you can’t beat her.”
I raised a brow slowly, turning back to face her.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked. “Did I ever say I was competing with her?”
But even as I spoke, I could tell there was more behind her words. Something she wasn’t saying outright.
“Has anyone ever tried to beat her before?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. “Who?”
Zuri smiled then...a slow, knowing smile...as she stepped closer, leaning in until her lips were near my ear.
“Are you curious now?” she whispered.
I didn’t respond, but she didn’t need me to.
“It’s Morgan,” she continued softly. “The former Luna.”
My eyes sharpened immediately.
“And have you ever wondered why she’s not here anymore?” she added.
I didn’t answer her. Not because I didn’t hear...but because my thoughts had already shifted elsewhere.
If Derrick’s first mate had tried… and failed…
Then what did that mean for anyone else?