Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

Chapter 143 Chapter 143

SAGE

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Relief washed over me the moment the door closed behind Titus. I waited a beat, holding my breath to make sure he was truly gone. Silence settled over the room, a comforting sound from the suffocating intensity of his presence. Whatever reason he had for leaving, I didn't care. What mattered was that I had time to figure out how to get this cursed charm off my thigh.

I sat on the edge of the bed and lifted my skirt, revealing the intricate band clinging stubbornly to my skin. Its faintly glowing runes pulsed softly, like a heartbeat mocking my desperation. I tugged at it, trying to slide it down toward my ankle, but it wouldn't budge. The damn thing was fused to me, stubborn as the man who put it there.

My frustration bubbled over. I needed to try something else.

Scanning the room, my eyes landed on the wooden drawer by the bedside. Hope flickered. There had to be something useful inside. I strode over, yanking the drawer open and rifling through its contents.

A glint of silver caught my eye-a pair of scissors

That'll do.

Grabbing them, I hurried back to the bed, propping my foot up on the edge for better access. The charm's delicate lace-like pattern was deceptively elegant, hiding the sinister magic woven into its design. "I'll cut you off if it's the last thing I do," I muttered under my breath.

I wedged the blades between the charm and my skin, squeezing the scissors tightly. The metal bit down, but instead of cutting through, the charm responded violently, constricting around my thigh like a living serpent.

"Fck!" I hissed, pain shooting through my leg as the band tightened mercilessly. My thigh throbbed; the blood flow was nearly cut off. The sharp edges of the scissors were cutting through my skin. I dropped the scissors with a clatter, my hands flying to the charm in a desperate attempt to pry it loose.

The pressure only grew worse, my skin burning under the strain. Panic clawed at my chest as numbness crept through my leg.

"Damn you, Titus," I spat through gritted teeth, tears stinging my eyes.

The charm finally loosened, easing its tight grip around my leg and settling back into place as if mocking my failed attempt to remove it. My chest heaved, my breathing rough from the effort. A sharp pain shot through my thigh, and when I glanced down, my stomach churned.

A deep red line cut across my skin, just above the charm-a wound from my desperate struggle to cut it off. Blood welled up from the gash, trickling down my leg in thin, stubborn lines. I hissed through clenched teeth, the pain fueling my anger.

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I pressed shaky fingers against the wound to stop the bleeding, but all I did was smear the blood across my skin. The charm pulsed faintly, its eerie glow seeming to mock me for even trying.

My fury burned hotter than the pain. My legs wobbled as I forced myself toward the bathroom. Turning on the faucet, I splashed cold water over the wound, sucking in a sharp breath as the sting hit me.

I noticed a faint shimmer around its edges, making my skin crawl. Was it the charm's doing? I ran my fingers near it, unease creeping up my

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Chapter 143

thoughts. I

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bleeding slowed, but my anger didn't. If I couldn't break this charm by force, I'd have to find another way-and outwit Titus in the process. A promise

of heavy footsteps echoed outside the door, making my pulse spike. I forced

he was. Titus. His eyes immediately landed on my leg, darkening as they caught

since he

bleeding," he said calmly, stepping into

to back down. "So much for stating the obvious,"

flicked to the wound on my thigh, the towel soaked with my blood. His expression darkened, confusion mingling with something sharper. "That can't be.

he had forgotten about that part, but he didn't. Titus knew

me as though I never had it. Until now, I don't exactly

came out shaky. "Guess I'm not as invincible as everyone thinks," I said

"You're hiding something," he said before he looked at me straight

widened in fear. I quickly gather every strength

He took a slow, deliberate step toward me, his towering presence suffocating. "You're

defiance I had left. "I'm not. It's not my problem if

taking the space separating us. Before I could stop him, he closed the distance between us, dropping to one knee. His hand wrapped around my calf, firm but strangely gentle as

protested, trying to pull away. "What are

commanded, his voice leaving no

stiffened as his warm hand gripped my leg, sending an unwelcome shiver down my spine. With deliberate care, he peeled back the towel from my thigh, revealing the gash. Blood trickled down in dark streaks, staining my skin. His jaw tightened, and his brows furrowed

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Chapter 143

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the room thickened as his sharp gaze landed on the bloodstained scissors lying on the floor. He bent down. picked them up, and straightened to his

warm brush of his mint-scented breath against my cheek. My heart raced, but I

stubborn," he said, his voice low but firm, holding up

defiant despite the pain throbbing

charm can only be removed by me. Nothing else will work. All you're going to do is hurt

intimidated. "I'm afraid I can't do that," I said firmly, defiance

face, though his eyes remained dark with something far more dangerous. Without another word, Titus turned and walked to the door. He pulled it open with a slow, deliberate