Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

SAGE

Titus kept his promise.

He didn't let me sleep a wink last night. And I lost count of how many times I had slipped into unconsciousness, only to be pulled back into the fire by his relentless touch. Every time I thought I couldn't take any more, he proved me wrong, drawing out my pleasure until I was nothing but a trembling, breathless mess beneath him.

I had surrendered to him completely. Mind, body, and soul.

The first thing I noticed when I slowly opened my eyes was the unfamiliar ceiling above me.

I tried to shift, only to find myself trapped. Titus' heavy thighs were tangled with mine, pinning me to the bed. One of his arms was wrapped possessively around my waist, keeping me pressed against him, while his face was buried in the crook of my neck. His warm breath fanned across my skin, sending a soft shiver through

me.

For a moment, I lay still, allowing myself to indulge in the feeling. This rare, quiet moment where he wasn't domineering or demanding-where he simply held me as if he never wanted to let go.

It felt... nice.

Too nice.

A dangerous warmth bloomed in my chest, something fragile and terrifying all at once. Because I knew, deep down, that moments like this didn't last.

As the night fades, so does our insanity.

And in the daylight, reality always comes crashing back.

I moved cautiously, inch by inch, trying to slip out of his grasp without waking him, like I was handling a ticking time bomb. His arm, heavy and possessive, was draped over my waist, locking me in place. I held my breath, my fingers carefully prying at his grip. Just a little more, and I'd be free.

But before I could even make any real progress, his hold tightened.

In an instant, his arm pulled me flush against his chest, his muscular frame caging me in with no room for escape. His face pressed deeper into the crook of my neck.

"Hmmm..." He let out a deep, husky groan, the vibration of it sending a ripple of heat through my entire body.

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way his warmth seeped into me, the way my heart pounded traitorously against my ribs. The heat from his body was

intoxicating, a temptation I shouldn't even be entertaining.

Come on, Sage! Haven't you had enough already?! I scolded myself.

But my body wasn't listening. The fire he ignited last night still burned within me, dangerously close to rekindling with just the weight of his touch.

Determined, I tried again, shifting my body with painstaking slowness, hoping to slip away this time. But the result was the

same.

Titus' grip was unyielding, his powerful arms keeping me locked in place as if he had no intention of letting me go.

Panic shot through me like a lightning bolt when I heard a noise just outside his door. My heart pounded in my chest, and this time, I didn't bother being careful. I moved with urgency, my hands shaking as I tried to free myself from his grip.

Mon, 3

"Your Majesty, wake up!" I whispered urgently, my voice barely above a breath. But all I got in response was a deep, lazy groan.

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"Hmmm..." His body remained heavy against mine, his breathing slow and steady, completely unbothered by the situation.

1 gritted my teeth, frustration mixing with my rising fear. Why does he have to sleep like a damn rock?!

My stomach twisted in knots when I heard Harper and Cooper's voices right outside the door. My pulse spiked. What the hell are they doing here?

"Titus! Get up!" I hissed, shoving at his shoulder harder this time. Panic laced my voice as I scrambled to free myself from his grip.

He let out another groggy grunt, blinking at me in confusion. "Sage, what-"

"Get dressed! Now!" I cut him off, already reaching for my clothes in a frantic rush.

Something in my tone must have snapped him into focus because, for once, he didn't argue. Instead, he moved quickly, yanking on his pants with a furrowed brow, still half-asleep. "What the hell is going on?" he muttered, dragging a hand through his messy hair.

Before I could even think of an answer, I heard a small voice from outside the door.

"Mister, are you in there?" Harper's tiny voice called out, soft yet insistent.

My heart stopped.

Titus frowned, his head snapping toward me, confusion written all over his face. "What are they doing here?" he asked, his voice low.

I could only shrug, just as clueless as he was.

Harper spoke again, her voice filled with innocence. "I'm sorry to bother you, mister, but can you tell us where to get some food? We're kinda hungry."

My stomach dropped.

Oh no. Food.

Panic surged through me as my eyes darted toward the clock on the nightstand. It's past ten in the morning.

My kids hadn't had breakfast.

“Sh*t!” I gasped, scrambling out of bed. I yanked my clothes on in a hurry, my hands shaking with guilt. "Where the hell are the servants?! Didn't you tell them there were kids with us?" I snapped at Titus as I buttoned up my shirt.

Titus sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "We're the only ones left here. Everyone else went back to the palace this morning."

I froze, glaring at him. "And you didn't think to tell me that?"

"I had other things on my mind," he muttered, smirking slightly.

I shot him a look that could kill. "Titus, what kind of adults are we if we let children

go hungry?!"

Guilt flickered in his eyes, but before he could say anything, Harper knocked again. "Mister? Are you still there?"

Titus groaned, rubbing his temples. "I'll fix this."

12:34 Mon, 3

"There's no need for that," I huffed, already moving toward the door I take care of this?

I took a deep breath before pulling the door open.

The moment Harper and Cooper saw me standing there, their little eyes widened

in surprise. Their pins frket pos or landing on Titus still inside the room, before shifting back to me

I could see it, the silent questions swirling in their innocent eyes. But thankfully, they didn't ask

Harper blinked up at me before offering a small, polite smile. "Hi, miss," she greeted sweetly, playing ang with the plan had made earlier.

Relief washed over me. At least she still remembered to act as if we were strangers

I quickly stepped out, closing the door just enough to block their view of Titus. "Hey, little ones I said, kooring to t level. "You're hungry, aren't you?"

Cooper nodded eagerly. "Yes! We woke up, and no one was around, so we didn't know where so

Guilt stabbed at my chest. I had been so caught up with him that I completely forgot about their peeta

I reached out, gently tucking a strand of Harper's hair behind her ear. "I'm so sorry. That won't happen aga

Harper tilted her head, still studying me curiously. "Mister is in there with you," she

pointed out innocently.

My breath hitched.

Behind me, I could feel Titus smirking.

I forced a casual smile. "Yes, he was just helping me with something."

Harper and Cooper exchanged glances, clearly not convinced but also too hungry

to care at the moment

"Let's get you two something to eat, okay?" I quickly changed the subject, grabbing their little hands. "We'll find the kitchen and make the best breakfast

ever,"

We made our way through the house, taking a few wrong turns before finally stumbling upon the kitchen it was bigger fau I expected, with a long wooden table in the center and shelves lined with jars and spices.noveldrama

I turned to the kids and motioned for them to take a seat. "Alright, sit down while I

make breakfast," I said as I headed toward the pantry.

But instead of listening, both Harper and Cooper jumped up eagerly.

"We want to help!" Harper said, bouncing on her feet.

"Yeah! We can do it too!" Cooper added, puffing out his little chest with

determination.

I smiled at their enth

but I hesitated. "Are you sure? Cooking can be

messy," I warned, knowing how things usually turned out when kids got involved

in the kitchen.

"We don't mind!" Harper grinned. "It'll be fun!"

Just as I cracked an egg into a bowl, I heard footsteps behind me.

"What's going on here?" Titus' deep voice rumbled through the kitchen.

I turned to find him leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the scene before him with a raised brow. His hair was still slightly messy from sleep,

and the sight of him standing there so casually made my stomach do an odd little

12:34 Mon, 3 Mar

flip.

"We're making breakfast!" Harper announced proudly, holding up a wooden spoon like a trophy.

"Making a mess, you mean," I muttered under my breath as I surveyed the disaster around me. Flour dusted the counter, eggshells were scattered near the sink, and somehow, Cooper had gotten honey all over his fingers-and his shirt.

Titus smirked as he stepped into the room. "Looks like you need some help, sweetheart."

I shot him a look. "Unless you know how to cook, I'd rather you sit this one out.” Instead of listening, he rolled up his sleeves and came to stand beside me. "I can follow instructions," he said.

I gave him a doubtful glance. "Fine. Chop those vegetables."

Titus picked up the knife, and for a brief moment, I thought maybe he could

actually be useful. But then Harper and Cooper started arguing over who got to stir the pancake batter, knocking over the milk in the process. Titus, who had been slicing tomatoes, turned at the commotion and nearly sent the knife flying. "Okay, okay! That's enough!" I clapped my hands together, trying to take control of

the chaos before it got any worse. "The three of you, out of the kitchen!" I ordered, pointing toward the door.

Harper giggled, clearly enjoying the mess they had made, while Cooper pouted, his lower lip jutting out in disappointment. "But this is fun!" he whined.

I placed my hands on my hips and gave them a look. "It might be fun for you, but

I'm the one who has to clean this up."

"But we were helping!" Harper insisted, flashing me her sweetest smile.

I shook my head. "If by 'helping' you mean turning the kitchen into a disaster

zone, then yes, you helped a lot."

Titus, who had been watching with amusement, suddenly frowned when he

realized I was including him in the eviction. "Me? Why me?" he asked, pointing at himself in confusion.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Because you're just as bad as they are. I asked you

to chop vegetables, and you nearly sent the knife flying!"

He scoffed, crossing his arms. "That wasn't my fault! They startled me."

I gave him a pointed look. "You've been in countless battles, yet you get startled

by mere children?" I asked him, raising my eyebrow.

He pouted his lips, his expression shifting into something almost childlike. For a

moment, I couldn't help but stare, because in that instant, he looked so much like Cooper. The way his brows knitted together in mild frustration, the way his lower lip jutted out ever so slightly. It was uncanny.

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the resemblance. My heart squeezed in

my chest as a wave of emotions crashed over me. It was such a simple thing, yet

it left me breathless.

Titus noticed my lingering gaze and raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

I quickly shook my head, forcing a small smile. "Nothing," I murmured, though my mind was still spinning. "All of you. Out!" I ordered, trying to shift the mood. Harper and Cooper groaned but eventually shuffled out of the kitchen, laughing as

they went. Titus, on the other hand, remained standing there, clearly reluctant to

leave.

"You too, Your Majesty," I said, pushing him toward the door.

He smirked as he let me guide him out. "Bossy little thing, aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Well, this bossy little thing can't cook breakfast with all of you

getting in the way. Now, out!

His chuckle followed him out the door, leaving me shaking my head as I turned back to the mess in the kitchen.