The Lycan King and His Dark Temptation by Luna Nova

Chapter 19 THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS VALERIA I glanced to the side, noticing the Alphas daughter had also stepped outside.

Well, His Majesty takes protecting his pack very seriously, I replied with my best loyal and diplomatic servant voice.

She started chatting withcasually, young and carefree .

Excitedly, she talked about a night market held in the town square, where they sold local specialties.

The fact that she wasnt staring atstrangely or treatingdifferently because of my scars earned her a point in my favor.

It sounds really interesting.

Id love to go, but I cant leave His Majestys side.

Im sorry You can go with her if you want, Aldrics voice rumbled behind me.

Ill be tied up here for a while.

You can explore the market but dont go too far.

Ill catch up with you both soon.

I turned to see him digging into his pocket, already guessing what he was about to do.

Thank you, sir, I replied quickly, practically dragging the girl away withto escape.

Wait, Valeria.

He caught my arm, stoppingand forcingto face him, Take this.

Buy whatever you want.

I dont care if you spend it all I brought more.

He tried pressing the heavy pouch of coins into my hand, but I pulled back, clutching it to my chest.

I have my own money, Your Majesty my wages.

III pay for my personal things.

If f you needto buy something for you... No, its for you.

Buy dresses, makeup ... I dont know, whatever you like, he insisted, stepping closer, still holding out the pouch.

Its not necessary, King Lycan .

I already received my payment this month for my service as a maid.

I refused outright, full of defiance.

Before he could react, I walked away, leaving him standing on the porch.

His burning gaze lingered on my back, but I straightened it with pride.

Im just your servant, King Aldric.

Stop confusingwith your mixed signals, I snapped silently to myself.

With all this rebellion, will I even make it to tomorrow with my head still on my shoulders? I wondered, half joking, having no idea of the stormy night awaitingor the dangers I would soon face.

Look, Valeria ! These bracelets are so pretty! Adele practically draggedfrom stall to stall around the market At last, this gloomy pack seemed to show slife.

Paper lanterns floated overhead, casting a warm glow across the bustling square.

# 25 BONUS THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS I got distracted examining smedicinal creams.

I hadn given up hope of finding a miracle that could help speed up my healing.

But when I turned back around Adele was gone.

I scanned the crowd, finally spotting her near the end of the square.

She was speaking to someone in the shadows of a dark alley The moment they noticedwatching, the figure slipped away into the darkness, and Adele returned.

Her face looked different.

Even though she tried to smile, something was clearly bothering her.

Im so sorry, Valeria... Something cup with my mate.

My parents dont really approve of him.

She sounded distressed.

I need to go for a little while, okay? Of course, I told her it wasnt a problem.

It was obvious she had usedas an excuse to leave the house and meet him secretly.

I watched her disappear into that sdark alley and returned to the market, but I couldnt focus anymore.

A raven cawed loudly above me, circling in the night sky.

I looked up thoughtfully.

I didnt know why, but I felt strangely connected to those birds like they had savedmore than once. Now, something was calling to me, stirring in the depths of this pack.

My heartbeat quickened as the ravens cries grew louder, guidingas it flew in a specific direction.

I followed it without thinking drawn by a powerful instinct .

Through narrow streets, into the shadows of old houses, I emerged into the wild forest beyond the town.

The voice whispered softly in my mind: Cto me, my daughter... Cto me.

I reached a clearing with ancient stone ruins, a place that felt sacred like an abandoned temple to the Moon Goddess.

At the center, beneath a massive weeping willow, stood a stone altar.

Moss covered the cracks in the ancient rock, yet intricate carvings were still visible and above the cube No shaped altar, a crescent moon was sculpted with the delicate face of a woman etched along its inner curve.

The power radiating from the monument was undeniable mystical and intense.

A strange, addictive scent filled the air.

Something about this place felt ... familiar .

Memories tried to surface, flashes of another temple like this one.

Could this be where the stolen artifacts cfrom? THE ALTAR OF THE GODDESS The raven perched atop the stone moon, watchingclosely.

1 stepped forward, climbing the worn steps, brushing aside ivy and inoss until I revealed something beneath.

Symbols.

What I had first thought were just decorative patterns were actually letters.

An ancient script, carved deep into the stone. It was confusing, but I felt like I was starting to understand leaned in closer, drawn to decipher the meaning, desperate to see what it said... Can you read whats written there? A voice broke the silence behind me, makingjump. Adele.

She had appeared out of nowhere, staring atwith wide, curious eyes too curious.

Why did she seem so interested in whether I could read these symbols? too? The Couldn't she see them too? The raven cawed again, taking flight as my unease grew stronger. L... I dont know what you mean.

They just look like strange decorations to me, I lied, my instincts screaming that my survival depended on it. Now I just needed her to believe me.

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