Stolen by the Beastly Lycan King-Chapter 99: The Act

Rhaegar’s words barely had time to register in Naveen’s mind before he loosed the arrow. It streaked through the air with lethal precision, embedding itself in the crown prince’s shoulder.

Kai cried out in pain, toppling from his horse. The prince hit the ground with a heavy thud, writhing as blood seeped through his tunic. One of his attendants scrambled to his side, his trembling, bloodied hands fumbling toward the arrow, while Kai rolled on the dirt, his anguished cries echoing through the forest.

"This should keep him out of the fight for a while... perhaps forever," Rhaegar said coldly, his gaze burning with detest.

With a firm tug on the reins, he urged his horse forward. "Let’s move. Back to the campsite."

The two dark stallions surged through the forest, their hooves pounding against the earth like rolling thunder. The urgency of their gallop was fueled by a potent mix of frustration and fury. Rhaegar wasn’t entirely sure what his next move would be, but for the first time, he was certain of his purpose.

As they reached the forest’s edge, the horses skidded to a halt. The scene before them confirmed their prediction. Chaos reigned at the campsite. Nobles ran in every direction, their panicked cries cutting through the air as they struggled to hide from the feral figures cloaked in animal pelts.

The knights struggled to fend off the attackers, their arrows flying wide and their swords clashing futilely. It was clear the spell had disrupted their ability to protect the camp effectively.

’It’s not because she cares about sparing innocent lives,’ Rhaegar thought grimly. ’She needs this chaos to serve as her distraction... while she waits for me.’

He exhaled sharply, his glare hardening as his amber eyes swept over the campsite, scanning for any sign of the queen or the princess. Yet, no matter how intently he searched, their figures remained hidden. Worse still, Lorelai’s scent was lost amidst the suffocating miasma of panic and fear that clung to every corner of the area.

Then, something different—a faint trace of something raw and primal—snagged his senses. The scent was unmistakable, cutting through the stench of human despair like a blade.

It was pure, unfiltered beastly emotion, a mix of duty, loyalty, and unbridled rage. It was a feeling Rhaegar knew all too well.

"The dogs," he murmured, his voice cold and edged with certainty. Tugging sharply on his horse’s reins, he turned toward the source. "It must be that black dog she’s so fond of."

He urged his stallion forward with a sharp kick, the rhythm of its pounding hooves matching the frantic beat of his heart. As he closed the distance, the scent grew stronger, unmistakable now—a faint, sweet fragrance that seeped from every pore of his mate’s skin.

"Lorelai!"

At the sound of his voice, the princess flinched, her golden hair trembling as she whipped her head around. Wide green eyes, glistening with unshed tears, met his. Her already pale complexion had turned ghostly, drained of all color.

"Your... Majesty!"

Her trembling arms dropped from their protective stance over her head, revealing the black hunting dog at her side. The beast, its fierce amber eyes mirroring Rhaegar’s, circled her protectively, snapping and lunging at the disguised attackers who dared come close.

"Lorelai, don’t move!" Rhaegar’s command thundered across the chaos, firm and unyielding. "Stay calm! I’m coming to you!"

He leaped from his horse without hesitation, the blade of his sword flashing in the dim light as he charged toward her. Behind him, Naveen followed with swift determination, a gleaming silver dagger gripped tightly in her hand.

They knew the queen was watching, so they had to tread carefully, every move calculated.

Pretending to be under her spell like the others, Rhaegar and Naveen launched themselves into the fray, mimicking the ferocity of those affected. They attacked the disguised humans as if they were real beasts, but instead of delivering fatal blows, they merely incapacitated their targets, knocking them unconscious and clearing a path through the chaos.

The battle unfolded in a blur, a frenzied haze of motion and instinct. By the time Rhaegar’s senses returned, he found himself standing over Lorelai, his intense amber eyes locking with her wide, shocked gaze.

"Are you alright? Were you hurt?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly gentle. The sharp edges of his expression softened, a stark contrast to the deadly aura he had exuded just moments earlier.

"N-no," Lorelai stammered, shaking her head. Her arms instinctively wound around Rhaegar’s neck as he scooped her up effortlessly into his powerful embrace. "The dog... it protected me."

Her eyes drifted down to the black hunting dog standing nearby, its amber gaze unyielding. For a fleeting moment, she saw something uncanny in its eyes—something that reminded her of Rhaegar himself.

The king let out a low sigh, his forehead brushing against hers as he cradled her securely. "Good. Good... Let’s get you out of here."

Rhaegar turned to look at Naveen, but his gaze quickly shifted behind the witch’s shoulder as he noticed someone approaching them, surprisingly calm.

"King Rhaegar!" Althea shouted, her voice trembling as she feigned fear. "How—what are you doing here?"

I was right. She’s been watching the princess, waiting for our arrival. Too bad for her—I won’t let her uncover the truth just yet.

Rhaegar quickly adopted a concerned expression, putting on an act of his own. "Your Majesty! What are you doing out here, wandering defenseless like this? Naveen! Protect the queen!"

He jerked his chin in Althea’s direction, and the witch swiftly moved to stand behind the queen, forming an imposing barrier.

"We don’t know what happened," Rhaegar continued, his voice tinged with false alarm. "The forest beasts suddenly went mad and began attacking the hunters. I saw several of them running in this direction. Once we ensured the remaining hunters could handle themselves, we rushed here to protect the royal family!"

"Oh..." The only sound Althea could muster was a breathless exhale. She looked lost and confused, and Rhaegar allowed himself a small, satisfied grin, pleased with his acting skills.

"We cannot stay here, Your Majesty," the king continued, helping Lorelai mount the horse. "Let us take you away from here. The rest of my men will arrive shortly to assist others as well."

"Yes..." the queen mumbled, her voice shaky, as Naveen helped her onto the horse. "What about Kai? What about the crown prince?" She suddenly shouted, her eyes wide with panic.

"Do not worry. He will live," Rhaegar replied coldly, not even bothering to glance back at her.

Unfortunately, for now.