The Dragon’s Lycan Princess

Chapter 9: Arlen's POV

After the blonde ran like her ass was on fire, I was left in the same room as my mate.

“Jealousy is a good look on you,” he smirked, making me roll my eyes.

Was I jealous? Perhaps, but I would rather take my eyes out than admit that.

“Please, and I know she didn’t do anything,” I said. “I confronted her because I hate people who lie looking at me straight in the eye.”

Varian’s smirk faltered, replaced by a look of genuine surprise. “You… you knew she was lying?”

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms over my chest. “Of course I did. I’m not an i***t, Varian. If you two had actually done anything, I would’ve felt the cheating pains. And trust me, I’d know.”

He winced, his expression softening with guilt. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I mean, I shouldn’t be joking about you getting jealous when I almost—“

He suddenly stopped.

What was he going to say? Why did he stop?

“Uhh, ask?”

“Uhh, no.”

“Why? Talking solves things.”

“Yes, but it is clear he doesn’t want to tell me about it.”

Keila rolled her eyes. “Obviously, but are you going to continue this stupid game?”

“Yes,” I replied making her huff. “Only until I have more information.”

Of course, Keila didn’t agree with my approach, but if I asked for any clarification right now, I wouldn’t be able to tell if he was lying to me or not.

Alix had been of great help so far, but she had to flee with Vaelir came to the castle.

To say that he wasn’t thrilled because the castle was missing part of a wall, would be an understatement.

I had to lie and tell him I punched the wall when I was mad, and it broke.

He didn’t believe me of course, but then another dragon appeared. He had light blonde hair and blue eyes.

Quite a charmer, if I may add, and he saved my ass.

He told me his name was Tristan, and convinced me to come to the castle. According to him, Varian missed me, and I was foolish enough to believe that.

Varianlir may have told the blonde to leave, but he still hasn’t apologized for kissing her earlier.

“So, are you going to keep staring at me? Or are you going to finish your last sentence?” I asked with an arched eyebrow.

Varian’s jaw tightened, his purple eyes flickering with something I couldn’t quite place—guilt, maybe, or hesitation. He ran a hand through his dark hair, the motion agitated, and let out a low sigh.

“I just, I don’t understand what you are doing to me.”

Me? What the f**k did I do?

“I’m not supposed to be like this. Dragons are supposed to have multiple mates. " Now, he was talking to himself, and what he was saying did not make Keila happy.

Multiple mates are not something common among wolves, but it seems that dragons are different.

“My father has multiple mates, even after my mother died, he took another mate,” his mother died? That’s sad. “What was my father thinking? This realm is not supposed to have a Queen.”

Okay… now I am confused.

Then what was that treaty I signed?

“I would love to let you spill all your secrets before me in a rant, but,” I stopped Varian, placing my hand on his arm. The tingles instantly spread all over my body, making me gasp and his eyes darken.

Focus, Arlen. You came here for answers, and you are going to get them.

I cleared my throat and removed my hand. “So, uh, yes. What do you mean when you say this realm is not supposed to have a Queen?”

I mean, even if she is just for the show, they should have a Queen.

Right?

“I know you signed a treaty about marrying me, but dragons don’t have one mate; at least, it is not common,” he began explaining. “My father doesn’t have one mate, and he was sure I wouldn’t have one either.”

Okay, now I am getting mad, again.

“So I fell into a trap? Is that what you are telling me?” I was furious.

I left my family and my realm. I thought I wouldn’t have the possibility of finding my mate because now I had to marry someone else, and here he was, telling me that this was all a charade.

“Arlen, baby, please calm down,” the sweetness in his voice did nothing to calm me down, in fact, it seemed it fueled my anger.

“Baby?” scoffed, stepping back as if his words physically burned me. "Don’t ‘baby’ me, Varian. You don’t get to stand there and act like this is nothing. You knew. You knew what this was, a trap for my family, you are probably trying to kill me, aren’t you? Gosh, I am so stupid, and my poor family was so sad for me."

Varian’s jaw clenched. "I didn’t—"

"Didn’t what? Didn’t think I deserved to know? Didn’t care enough to tell me?" I crossed my arms, forcing myself to keep my breathing steady. "Or were you just enjoying watching me fall into this little trap?"

His eyes flashed with something dark—anger, maybe, but not at me. "I was going to tell you," he said. "But I—"

"But what?" I cut in, my voice sharp. "Got too distracted kissing some blonde?" I didn’t care that I sounded bitter. I was bitter.

Angry.

Jealous, and all in between.

Varian exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair again. "If you would just let me speak I could—“

“So you can feed me up more lies? Na-ah, I think—“

“ENOUGH!” Holly. That growl, it made the whole castle shake. I liked it. “Enough, Arlen. I get that you are mad, but I am trying to tell you that I never agreed to this marriage.”

What? He never agreed?

“I don’t understand, I saw the agreement, it was sent by your father, and it stated—“

“That I was in full knowledge of it,” he cut me off. “I know, my father told me about it, but I never agreed. I wanted to find my fated mate, but I never expected it to be you.”

It pains me a little, because if I wasn’t his mate, this sacrifice would have been in vain.

Now that I am, though, what does it mean for us?

He is clearly hiding something from me, and I have no idea what it is.

The room fell silent after Varian’s outburst, the air thick with tension. His growl still echoed in my ears, sending a shiver down my spine. I hated how much I liked it—how much his dominance stirred something primal in me. But I wasn’t about to let him off the hook that easily.

“So, let me get this straight,” I said, my voice icy. “You never agreed to this marriage, but your father went ahead and arranged it anyway. And now that I’m here, you’re telling me you didn’t expect me to be your mate. What exactly does that mean for us, Varian? Are you going to tell your father that you agree to his marriage now? Am I going to stay in that isolated and clearly abandoned palace?”

He flinched, his purple eyes darkening with frustration. “It’s not like that, Arlen. I never wanted an arranged marriage. When I was younger, I was able to tell my father to f**k off, and that was it. I wanted to wait for my fated mate, but then years passed and I still hadn’t found her.”

Yeah, I was in another realm.

“My father took advantage of that and convinced the council that I was not fit to rule. He should have given me the throne centuries ago.”

Wait… centuries? How old is my mate?

“Years passed, my father’s plan had worked, and everyone believed I was not worthy because the gods hadn’t given me a mate.”

Wow, that sounds like Father of the Year.

“Yeah, with a trophy and everything,” Keila agreed.

“This marriage was planned by my father, and the moment you, uh, appeared out of nowhere.”

“When you were sucking someone else’s face you mean,” I interrupted.

Varian’s jaw tightened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “If you want to put it like that then fine, when I was sucking someone else’s face, I was telling my father that I would never agree to his stupid marriage.”

“So what now? Are you going to tell him that you are accepting the marriage?” I asked.

Varian’s jaw twitched, his purple eyes burning with a mix of defiance and desperation. “If I accept the marriage now, it gives my father exactly what he wants: control. Over me, over you, over the throne. I can never accept this marriage, Arlen.”

He seemed apologetic, but, what was he afraid of?

Why didn’t he trust me?

“Just as you are trusting him?” Keila scolded.

She was not happy with my handling of things, but to be fair, Varian had the upper hand.

I am in his realm, alone, with no one to turn to. He is the future King.

Crazy father or not, he could still take control of the realm and put an end to his father’s tyranny, and yet he chooses not to do anything.

Something isn’t adding up, and as I said before, he is hiding something.

“Okay, fine, so do I return to my realm?” I wouldn’t, but I wanted to see his reaction.

“I—“ he sighed. “I don’t know, Arlen; all I can tell you is that I won’t be able to marry you. You can do as you wish.”

Just like that, he is ready to let me go just like that.

I wanted to hurt him, I was so angry, and disappointed that my mate was not willing to do everything to keep me by his side, that I did something stupid.

“Perfect, then perhaps I should find that Tristan guy that I met, he looks like someone I should have some fun with, after all, I could—“

Before I finished speaking, I felt Varianlir push me into the closest wall. When I looked up at him… his eyes were completely purple, and scales covered part of his body.

I think I awoke the beast.