Filed to story: The Lycan King's Treasured Luna (Narine & Sargis) Book PDF Free
I sighed, rubbing my face harshly. I see sense in what she was proposing, but I just couldn’t shake this gut feeling that my mate was out there waiting to be found. My pacing grew restless on the stone floor of my private chamber. I was a beast caged between two impossible choices, heart and crown. Frustration clawed at me until I couldn’t take it anymore. With a snarl, I slammed my fist into the brick wall. The stone cracked and caved under the blow. But it didn’t ease the fire burning through me. Nothing could.
I let out a heavy sigh. I had never been one to give in easily, but I knew deep down my mother was right. I had a kingdom to run. A kingdom that needed a Luna, a queen, and someone who could stand beside me, not just as my mate but as the anchor to my storm.
“Fine,” I muttered. “Have it your way, Mother. Arrange the ball and send out the invites.”
Her eyes sparkled with a rare flicker of joy, as if she had just won a battle, but I raised my hand before she could speak.
“However,” I continued. “Grant me until the end of this week. If by then I still haven’t found her, I will follow through with your plan with no objection.”
“Ordis (son),” she cooed. “You haven’t found her in five years. A week won’t change anything.”
I met her gaze with an intensity that would have burned lesser souls.
“Regardless of the outcome, this is what I want,” I reiterated. “And that’s the only way I will agree to your matchmaking schemes.”
“Alright, son. I truly wish you the best.”
With that, she turned and left, her footsteps echoed down the hallway as she disappeared into the distance.
I stood there for a moment longer, the weight of her words still pressed down on me like an iron shackle.
I turned slowly, my eyes falling on the large floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the setting sun. The golden light spilled across the room, casting a long shadow.
“I am Sargis Arevik Sargsyan,” I whispered to myself. “The one and only heir to the throne of Khragnir. An apex predator. The beast that strikes fear into every enemy who hears my name.”
I let the words hang in the air. I scoffed bitterly, even with all my power, wealth, and influence, there was one thing I could not control, fate.
I tightened my fingers around the edge of the windowsill as I stared into the horizon. My mind swirled with thoughts of what it meant to be a Lycan, a pure blooded one at that. Lycans, unlike werewolves, were destined to be with one person. The balance of the world itself depended on that pairing. A yin and yang. Two forces that needed each other to survive. It was a curse placed on us by Aeryna centuries ago as punishment for Lycans rejecting her lover.
And then there were other species, werewolves, faeries, nyx, sirens, vampires, and so on. They had choices. They could fall in love with anyone, any species, or creature. It was a luxury I didn’t have. And that thought gnawed at me.
What if my true mate had already fallen for someone else, someone who wasn’t me? The thought made my stomach twist, the cold, bitter grip of jealousy and rage slowly creeped up my spine. If that were the case, I wasn’t sure my beast could be contained. The rage, the need to possess her would consume me. I could feel it already, lurking beneath the surface, pushing me to madness. I wouldn’t hesitate. I would kill the man. No question. She was mine by right. And I would lay claim to her no matter the cost.
I shook my head violently, trying to clear the dark thought from my mind. I could not allow myself to think like that. I would not lose her to some other man. That thought alone was unbearable. But in the deepest corners of my soul, I feared the truth, feared that she might never show up, that I would be forever alone, waiting for a fate that might never come.
I had been searching for her since I turned eighteen. For five long years, I had traveled across kingdoms, fought battles, navigated politics, and still, there was no sign of her. I couldn’t give up, though. Not yet. Not until the end of this week. I had one last chance. And, If we don’t find each other by then… I would have to follow through with my mother’s plan.
I let out another heavy sigh as I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Lupercus, my prime enforcer. He was more than just an enforcer, he was my most trusted right-hand man, and second-in-command. If there was one person I could rely on above all others, it was Lupercus.
The phone rang a few times before his deep voice came through.
“Your royal highness,” he greeted.
“Prepare the car, Lupercus. I want to visit downtown today. Make sure you’re as inconspicuous as possible. I don’t want to make a fuss or draw unnecessary attention,” I instructed.
“Your bidding is done, Supreme Alpha.”
I ended the call and set the phone down on the bedside table. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. I turned away from the window toward the walk-in closet. I changed quickly, choosing a simple pair of joggers and a hoodie from the back of my closet. No need for royal attire today. I grabbed a pair of dark sunglasses and pulled a black mask from the drawer. I didn’t want anyone to recognize me, not that I feared being seen, but I wanted to move unnoticed. A face cap completed the look, and I slipped my feet into a pair of sneakers.
I made my way to the first-floor garage, where Lupercus was already waiting. As soon as he spotted me, he bowed low. His eyes never left mine as he opened the door to the car. Without a word, I slid inside the blue sedan, a car that was nearly indistinguishable from any other in the kingdom. Perfect for blending in.
Lupercus circled around to the driver’s side, slid into his seat, and ignited the engine with practiced ease. The soft hum of the engine filled the car as he put the vehicle in motion.
“Is there any pack in particular we’re going to?” he asked.
I leaned back in the seat, resting my head against the cool leather. I hadn’t been downtown, not since I was three years old.
“No, not really,” I replied distantly as my thoughts drifted to the task at hand. “I just want to take a look around, see what it looks like now, get a feel of what my people are up to… and also, hopefully, find my mate.” The last part slipped out softly, almost like a secret.
Lupercus said nothing for a moment, but I could feel his eyes briefly flicker toward me in the rear-view mirror. Without question, he simply nodded and continued driving.
SARGIS’ POV
I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the slow, throbbing pulse of an oncoming headache. It had been gnawing at me since the fifth pack visit today. I hadn’t nurtured high hopes of finding her, no, reality had long ago dulled that childish optimism, but despite myself, a hollow disappointment still chewed at my insides.
I leaned my forehead against the cool glass window, letting the scenery blur into a smear of dusky orange skies, skeletal tree limbs clawing at the heavens, and the occasional twinkling light of distant cabins tucked away. The sun was retreating, and with it, my already dwindling hope.
“How many more packs are left to visit, Lupercus?” I asked defeatedly.
“Seven more, Your Royal Highness,” he answered. “In fact, we’re pulling up to the next one.”
I hummed noncommittally, forcing my heavy limbs into action as the car rolled to a gentle stop. Before Lupercus could even reach for the door handle, I shoved it open and stepped into the cool evening air.
The moment my sneakers crunched against the gravel, I stilled.
Something… felt different here.
The air was thicker, almost buzzing against my skin, scented with damp earth and pine. A restless energy stirred within me, coiling low in my gut.
“This way, Your Majesty,” Lupercus uttered, nodding towards a winding trail that snaked through the dense trees.
I followed silently, though I needed no guide when I could easily utilize my senses. Trees bent low as if bowing in reverence, and birds flitted through the branches, calling out warnings to each other as we walked farther into the forest.
The clearing opened up like a secret oasis. Scattered cabins, haphazardly built from old timber and patched roofs, dotted the space. In the center stood a slightly larger structure, worn but sturdy, the alpha’s home, judging by the aura emanating from there.
We moved along the dirt path, the curious eyes of a few lingering pack members followed us. Their confusion was palpable, to them, I was just another face hidden behind designer shades, a mask, and casual clothing. My aura was pulled so tightly inward that even their heightened senses failed to register what I truly was.
Good.
Werewolves in human form were woefully oblivious compared to Lycans. Enhanced senses, yes, but without their wolves at the surface, they were barely more aware than regular humans. Unlike us, who lived in perfect, agonizing balance with our beasts.
At the alpha’s door, Lupercus rapped his knuckles thrice, his stance was wide and ready should anything untoward occur.
The door creaked open, and an older man peered out, thick blonde hair threaded heavily with gray, a coarse salt-and-pepper beard, and a body that spoke of past strength slowly being devoured by complacency. His sharp blue eyes widened the instant they landed on me, despite the layers I wore to conceal my identity. Recognition flared in his gaze.
He swung the door wide open in an instant, stepping back to allow us entry. It wasn’t surprising, in fact, it was expected. All the alphas in the kingdom knew me.
They had to. Every six months, without fail, they reported directly to me, face-to-face.
“Y-Your Highness,” the man stammered.
I barely spared him a glance, my patience was already hanging by a fraying thread. My attention shifted, trailing indifferently around the cramped, pathetic room. Family photos hung crookedly on the stained walls, some frames were cracked, and some images inside had faded with time. A rundown couch sagged in the center of the living room, littered with empty bottles of cheap alcohol and greasy wrappers.
The heavy stink of stale beer, sweat, and rot hung in the air like a suffocating shroud.
Pathetic.
The once noble duty of leadership reduced to this mess. Disgraceful.
“Your Highness, pardon the disarray,” Joe babbled, wringing his meaty hands as he scrambled to explain. “I am Joe, alpha of the Snow-wolf Pack. I wasn’t expecting someone of your caliber to visit suddenly. Moreover, I didn’t receive any royal decree informing-“
I lifted a hand, cutting off his pitiful excuses. I simply didn’t have the energy for it tonight.
“There’s no need for any explanation,” I dismissed coolly. “My presence here isn’t something to worry about… unless,” I let the word hang, heavy with warning, “you have some skeletons in your cupboard, Joe.”
I said his name slowly, deliberately, emphasizing each syllable with quiet menace.
Joe paled.
I peeled off my mask and sunglasses, letting him see my face, to see the predator lurking just beneath the civilized veneer.
He stumbled backward a step, almost tripping over his own feet.
