Stolen by the Beastly Lycan King-Chapter 66: The Gladiator Fight, Part III

"If that slave has never mated before," Alim continued, "along with the stimulants mixed with his blood, his rut has probably already turned him into a soulless monster."

Rhaegar scoffed and shifted his amber eyes up to Lorelai who had been watching him silently all this time, her chest heaving nervously, her tiny hands fisted at the sides of her dress.

'Her scent is fading again... I could use some of it to make me feel better, though. But I guess it might be for the best.'

He smiled and the princess flinched, a strong blush coloring her pale cheeks in an instant.

"Lead the way," the lycan king said to one of the duke's knights, throwing one last quick glance at Lorelai.

The knight nodded and escorted the man down from the spectators' lounge, while the rest of the crowd watched his every move with almost suffocating anticipation.

Lorelai took back her seat, her hands trembling as she hid them under the flowing lace of her skirt. 'I should have warned him... The moment I received that note from Queen Althea, I should have known that this was what they really had in mind. How could I be so stupid?'

But there was no point in beating herself up right now. The fight was about to begin and Lorelai had no choice but to watch it too.

'I hope he wins,' she prayed silently. 'I just... won't be able to stand that smug look on the old pervert's face.'

The gate of the arena was open and Rhaegar was led right into its center, dozens of curious glares still firmly glued to him.

The guardian knight brought a long, thick sword similar to the one offered to the slave, but Rhaegar shook his head and motioned for the man to take the weapon away.

"I will use my own sword," he declared, unsheathing the sword hanging from the wide leather belt around his hips.

A hushed yet stunned gasp rippled through the crowd.

The lycan king's sword was not as big as the one he was offered but it looked impressive nonetheless.

The black weapon gleams with a dark, almost sinister luster, its blade forged from a rare obsidian-like metal that absorbed light rather than reflected it. Intricate, swirling golden engravings coiled along the edge, shimmering faintly with the mysterious meaning of ancient, tribal writings.

Its wide hilt was wrapped in dark leather, sleek and firm, designed for a precise, powerful grip of someone as strong as the king of lycans.

Duke Kalder leaned back in his seat, his bushy eyebrows furrowing as he continued to watch the king. "So what?" he spat nervously, "That sword might look menacing but it's still no rival to the gladiator's blade!"

The nobles sitting next to him nodded, silently agreeing with his words. Kai, too, smirked, his green eyes shifting toward his sister. "Are you excited?" He asked, his voice laced with arrogance. "I don't think the prideful king will let his humiliation last long. I wonder how soon he will give up and beg for the fight to be over."

Lorelai gritted her teeth, her fingernails digging into the soft skin of her sweaty palms.

'No matter what happens, Rhaegar's men will not let him get killed. This will definitely complicate the situation, but... Ugh, what am I even thinking? He will win. There is no way he won't.'

The air around the arena shook as the loud horns signaled for the spectators' attention.

The princess held her breath while two strong, armored guards stood before the giant cage, getting ready to unlock it.

The lycan inside it grabbed his large sword, his narrow eyes glowing with a blend of anger and excitement. Perhaps it was Rhaegar's scent or the general anticipation of the imminent fight, but his blood boiled almost instantly, his large muscles building, ready to rip his skin apart.

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Rhaegar tightened his grip around his own sword, his amber eyes fixed on his opponent.

The overbearing smell of animosity made his lungs shrink but his inner beast was roaring back at him, his sharp claws scratching at his very heart.

'Finally,' his wolf growled in his head. 'I haven't had this kind of fun in a very long time.'