Ch. my mate gambled me away to the lycan King 11 my mate gambled me away to the lycan King 11

Chapter 11 

Neither of us spoke. 

46 

Alaric looked at me like I was the first sunrise after a thousand years of night. His voice came out rough. “Lyra. Do you-” 

“Yes,” I breathed. “I feel it.” 

He let out a breath that sounded like it had been trapped in his chest for twelve years. 

But he didn’t kiss me. He didn’t pull me close. He just lifted my scarred hand and pressed his lips to my palm, right where I’d cut myself saving him. 

“Then I’ll wait a little longer,” he said. “Until you’re ready. I’m very good at waiting.” 

I didn’t sleep that night. I’m not sure I wanted to. 

By sunrise, the story was everywhere. Acting Alpha gambles away secret mate. Mate turns out to be the true heir. Mate rejects HIM. Wolves in four states were sharing the photo of Bianca’s face in the pig cake. 

Kane had become the joke of the entire continent. 

My phone was flooded with messages from new numbers. 

[Lyra please. I can’t breathe. The rejection is killing me.] 

[I’ll do anything. ANYTHING.] 

[I love you. I always loved you. I was scared.] 

Then an anonymous email arrived. No name, but I knew exactly who’d sent it. 

It contained a folder of photos. Kane and Bianca, two years ago, wrapped around each other in his truck. Kane and Bianca at a cabin. Dates on every one. All during the time he’d been holding my hand under the 

dinner table. 

The message read: He was never yours. He was always mine. Don’t you dare try to take him back. 

I laughed out loud. 

I forwarded every photo to the Elder Council with one line: Evidence of the Acting Alpha’s conduct during 

his stewardship. Then I blocked both of them forever. 

When I opened my door, Kane was on my porch. 

11:28 Wed, Oct 21 

< Chapter 11 

He looked terrible. Gray skin. Hollow eyes. Sweat soaking his shirt. The rejection sickness had hit him 

hard. 

“Lyra.” He dropped to his knees on the welcome mat. “Please. Accept me back. Just say the words. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.” 

I looked down at him for a long moment. 

I remembered the porch at three in the morning. His sleeve wiping my tears. You’re beautiful. 

None of it had been real. 

“You told me some girls never get out of bed after a rejection,” I said. “I hope you’re one of the strong ones, 

Kane.” 

I stepped over him. 

At the bottom of the steps, three black SUVs were parked in a perfect line. Alaric leaned against the first one, holding a cup. 

He handed it to me. Iced chocolate milk. Light ice. Extra whipped cream. 

My exact order since I was a kid. 

I stared at him. “How did you know that?” 

He looked away, trying very hard to look like the most dangerous man in North America. The tips of his 

ears turned pink. 

“I’ve always known,” he said quietly, and opened the car door for me. 

My phone buzzed. A message from the head of the Elder Council. 

[Alpha Lyra. Urgent. Kane Mercer’s Beta and twelve warriors left the territory last night. They took weapons from the armory.] 

A second message arrived before I could breathe. 

[Bianca Vale is with them. And our scouts say they’re heading toward the rogue lands.] 

11:28 Wed, Oct 21 

<Chapter 12