Pregnant, Rejected, and Exiled by the Lycan king

Imogen’s POV I was standing outside my stepfather’s bedroom, wondering if I had finally lost my mind. In my trembling hands was a small velvet box containing the diamond necklace my mother had worn on her wedding day. Three years. It had been three years since Queen Helena Jilam died, leaving me alone in a palace that had never truly felt like home. And for those three years, I had been hiding a terrible secret. I was in love with her husband. King Lucian Draven. My stepfather. The most powerful man in the Lycan Kingdom. And the one man I could never have. I swallowed nervously and raised my hand to knock. “Come in.” His deep voice sent a familiar shiver down my spine. I pushed open the heavy wooden door. Lucian sat beside the fireplace, holding a glass of whiskey. His black shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and his dark hair looked slightly disheveled. At thirty-nine, he was still the most handsome man I had ever seen. His sharp jaw, broad shoulders, and piercing gray eyes made even the strongest Alpha warriors nervous. But tonight, he looked tired. His gaze was fixed on my mother’s portrait hanging above the fireplace. “Imogen.” He looked surprised. “What are you doing here?” I tightened my grip on the velvet box. “I found something that belonged to Mother.” His expression changed. I approached him and placed the box on the table. He opened it slowly. For several seconds, he said nothing. “Her wedding necklace,” he murmured. I nodded. “I thought you might want to keep it.” Lucian picked up the necklace. The diamonds sparkled beneath the warm light. “She loved this necklace.” “I know.” Silence settled between us. I looked toward my mother’s portrait. She was smiling in the painting, looking beautiful and happy. “Do you miss her?” I asked. Lucian took another drink. “Of course.” “Did you love her?” His hand stopped halfway to his mouth. “That’s a strange question.” “Is it?” He placed his glass down. “Your mother was a remarkable woman.” “That’s not what I asked.” His gray eyes met mine. “Why are you asking me this tonight?” I looked away. “Because everyone always talks about your perfect marriage. They say you were deeply in love.” Lucian gave a humorless laugh. “People believe whatever makes a beautiful story.” My heart skipped. “What does that mean?” He leaned back in his chair. “Your mother and I married because our families wanted an alliance. It was a political arrangement.” I stared at him. “An arranged marriage?” “Yes.” “But you were together for years.” “We respected each other, Imogen. We fulfilled our responsibilities.” I struggled to understand. “So you never loved her?” Lucian looked at the portrait. “Not in the way you mean.” Something twisted painfully inside my chest. All these years, I had believed my mother possessed the one thing I secretly wanted. Lucian’s heart. “Did she know?” I whispered. “Yes.” I sat on the sofa opposite him. “That must have been lonely.” “It was.” His honesty surprised me. Lucian rarely spoke about his feelings. He was a man who gave orders, not explanations. For a while, neither of us spoke. Then I asked the question I should have kept to myself. “Have you ever truly loved anyone?” Lucian’s eyes darkened. “Imogen.” “Just answer me.” He stood abruptly. “It’s late. You should go.” My heart sank. “Why won’t you answer?” “Because some questions are better left unanswered.” I stood too. “You’re always doing this.” “Doing what?” “Pushing me away whenever we get close.” His jaw tightened. “We shouldn’t be close.” “Why?” “You know why.” I laughed bitterly. “Because you were married to my mother?” “Yes.” “She’s been gone for three years, Lucian.” His expression hardened. “Don’t.” “Don’t what? Say the truth?” “You’re crossing a line.” “Maybe I’m tired of pretending the line doesn’t exist!” The words escaped before I could stop them. Lucian stared at me. My face burned. I wanted the floor to swallow me. “I should leave,” I whispered. I turned toward the door. “Imogen.” I froze. His voice sounded different. Rougher. Almost desperate. “Look at me.” Slowly, I turned. Lucian stood near the fireplace, his hands clenched at his sides. “Do you think I haven’t noticed?” My breathing stopped. “Noticed what?” “The way you look at me.” I couldn’t speak. “The way you avoid being alone with me. The way you blush whenever I touch your hand.” Tears filled my eyes. “Then why do you keep pretending?” He closed his eyes briefly. “Because I know what will happen if I stop.” My heart hammered. “Lucian…” “You think this is easy for me?” He took a step closer. “I have spent years convincing myself that what I feel is nothing more than concern.” I stared at him. “But lately, every time you enter a room, I forget what I was doing.” My lips parted. He continued quietly. “When another man makes you laugh, I hate how jealous I become.” “Then you feel it too?” His expression filled with anguish. “More than I should.” I stepped toward him. “Then stop fighting it.” “Imogen, I’m thirty-nine. You’re twenty-three.” “I know how old we are.” “I was married to your mother.” “I know that too.” “People will never understand.” “Do you think I don’t know?” My voice cracked. “I’ve hated myself for loving you.” His face softened. “Don’t say that.” “It’s true.” A tear slipped down my cheek. “I’ve tried everything, Lucian. I’ve avoided you. I’ve told myself you’re only my stepfather. I’ve even gone on dates with other men.” His jaw tightened. “I remember.” “None of it worked.” He reached out and wiped away my tear. His touch was gentle. Too gentle for a man everyone feared. “Imogen, we shouldn’t do this.” “Then tell me you don’t want me.” He remained silent. “Look into my eyes and tell me.” His gaze dropped to my lips. “I can’t.” Before I could respond, he pulled me into his arms. His mouth crashed against mine. For one beautiful moment, nothing else existed. Not the palace. Not the kingdom. Not the terrible truth about who we were. Only Lucian. The man I loved. I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him back. Then he suddenly pulled away. “No.” He stepped backward, breathing heavily. “This is wrong.” My lips trembled. “Lucian…” “I was your mother’s husband.” “But you’re not married anymore.” “You don’t understand what this could do to us.” “I understand that I love you.” He froze. The confession hung between us. I had never said those words aloud before. “I love you, Lucian,” I repeated. His expression crumbled. “God help me,” he whispered. Then he pulled me close again. This kiss was slower. Deeper. Filled with everything we had spent years refusing to acknowledge. When he finally rested his forehead against mine, his voice shook. “Are you certain?” I nodded. “I’m not a child, Lucian. I know what I want.” He searched my face. “You can still walk away.” “I don’t want to.” For several seconds, he simply held me. Then he kissed my forehead and took my hand. We moved toward his bed together. That night, we stopped pretending our feelings did not exist. For the first time, I believed the man I loved might love me too. And when I fell asleep in his arms, I thought my impossible dream had finally come true. Morning sunlight woke me. I smiled and reached across the bed. “Lucian?” My hand touched an empty pillow. I opened my eyes. He was gone. The room was silent. His clothes were missing from the chair. I sat up slowly, pulling the blanket around myself. “Lucian?” No answer. Then I noticed a folded piece of paper on the bedside table. My name was written across it. A strange feeling settled in my stomach. I picked it up. The message contained only two sentences. What happened last night was a mistake. It must never happen again. My fingers went numb. I read the words again. And again. The happiness I had felt only moments earlier disappeared. A mistake? Was that all I meant to him? I pressed the note against my chest as tears rolled down my cheeks. Last night, Lucian had kissed me like I was the only woman in his world. This morning, he couldn’t even face me. I stared at the empty space beside me. And for the first time, I understood something terrifying. I had given my heart to the Lycan King. And he had already decided to break it.