Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 168: We’re not returning to the palace tonight.

Chapter 168: We’re not returning to the palace tonight.

"Happy birthday, Sorayah," Dimitri said softly.

Sorayah stood frozen, utterly shocked and speechless. Her gaze remained fixed on Dimitri, who still had a warm smile plastered on his lips. In his outstretched hand, he held the necklace, glittering with her name.

"H....How... how do you know that?" she finally managed to ask, her voice trembling with disbelief. Her eyes widened as she stepped back slightly, confusion etched across her face. "No wonder you’ve been buying everything in the market..."

Dimitri chuckled lightly, though there was a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Well..."

He reached into his robes and pulled out a small, familiar pouch....the very same one he had picked up from the floor earlier. But before he could speak another word, Sorayah snatched the pouch from his hand with unbelievable speed and quickly tucked it beneath the folds of her gown, pressing it close to her chest.

"The inner lining had your name embroidered on it," Dimitri explained gently. "Alongside your date of birth. It wasn’t hidden. It was easy to find."

"How did you get this?!" Sorayah demanded, her voice laced with both fury and heartbreak. Her grip on the pouch tightened, her entire frame trembling. "How did it end up in your hand ?!"

"You dropped it," Dimitri replied with a heavy sigh, lowering his gaze as if burdened by guilt. "I simply picked it up. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy."

He paused before continuing, his voice softer now. "The star cake was coated in blue... because of you. I wanted to celebrate your birthday, even if just in the smallest way. I know your kingdom... was ruined on this very day. That pouch.....it was your last birthday gift, wasn’t it? From your personal maid. The date stitched inside must have been from last year."

"You..." Sorayah whispered, but the rest of her words were lost as tears welled in her eyes, then spilled freely down her cheeks. Her body trembled, shoulders heaving as emotion overcame her.

Without uttering another word, she turned abruptly and rose from her seat. Dimitri, startled, stood up as well, but she was already walking away briskly, her gown fluttering behind her as she moved deeper into the capital city’s winding streets.

"Sorayah!" Dimitri called, already chasing after her.

The festive sounds of the city....laughter, music, and chatter echoed around them, but they faded into the background as storm clouds gathered overhead. The air thickened, the sky growing darker with each passing second. A low rumble of thunder warned of the approaching rain, prompting merchants to quickly begin packing up their goods. Still, Sorayah didn’t stop. She ran, tears still streaming, and Dimitri never stopped running behind her.

She eventually reached the inn where they had been staying. She rushed inside, ascended the stairs in a blur, and reached their room. Just as she was about to slam the door shut and lock him out, Dimitri threw his hand against it, halting the motion. He pushed it open gently, stepping inside before quietly closing and locking it behind him.

"Let’s return to the palace, Your Highness," Sorayah said at last, her voice thick with emotion, every word coated in grief and exhaustion. Tears still shimmered in her eyes, and she refused to meet his gaze. "And as for the gifts... I don’t want them. I don’t need any gifts from you, Your Highness. Please return everything to the shops you purchased them from. I’m sure they’ll be willing to offer a refund."

She turned away from him, her shoulders tense, her hands still clutching the pouch protectively. To her, the Werewolves’ hands had no business touching what once belonged to Lily... or to her parents. No matter where she lived, what she wore, or what she ate those memories, those treasures were sacred. And to her, allowing a Werewolf to lay claim to them was the deepest form of betrayal.

"You think I bought all those gifts just to return them and get a refund later?" Dimitri raised a brow as he let out a scoff, his tone sharp with disbelief. Without another word, he reached up and ripped off his mask, revealing the face he rarely showed....especially not so openly.

Sorayah couldn’t help but swallow hard. Her breath hitched the moment her eyes met his....those piercing emerald eyes that held nothing but sincerity.

"I’m sorry," Dimitri said at last, his voice quieter now, heavy with something raw. "I’m sorry if it hurt you... that I touched Lily’s pouch. I’m sorry if I shouldn’t have celebrated your birthday. But I did, because I believe you deserve to have a beautiful day. A day to feel remembered. A day to feel loved. A day that someone, even if it’s only me, celebrates you because the people who used to... can’t anymore."

"If you’re really sorry," Sorayah whispered, her voice breaking as tears once again spilled from her eyes, "then you’ll return all those gifts. Every single one. I don’t want them."

She turned her back to him, trembling as she continued, "My birthdays used to be happy days. My people rejoiced, my family smiled, and I... I laughed. But now? Now it’s the worst day of my life. A cursed memory I want to forget. The same day I was born is the same day everything was destroyed. You giving me all these gifts... it just hurts even more."

"You are not responsible for your parents’ deaths, Sorayah," Dimitri said firmly, stepping closer to her. "And you’re not to blame for the fall of your kingdom either. You need to stop carrying this weight alone."

He paused, searching her face. "I know you hate this day. But what if we rewrote what it meant? What if, starting today, we made it into something better....something worth remembering again? You are closer than ever to taking back what’s yours. Closer to crushing the ones who wronged you. That alone is reason to celebrate."

"Are you done?" Sorayah asked coldly, raising an arched brow. Her tone was distant, curt. "If so, let’s return to the palace."

She turned toward the door and began walking past him, her steps swift and filled with purpose. But just as her hand touched the door handle, Dimitri moved. In one smooth motion, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her backward with controlled strength. Caught off-guard, she stumbled slightly and landed on the edge of the bed with a soft thud. Dimitri followed, hovering just above her, his presence overwhelming and intense.

"What are you doing, Your Highness?!" Sorayah asked, panic flashing across her features, her heart hammering in her chest.

"We’re not returning to the palace tonight," Dimitri replied, his voice low and unyielding. "Not until tomorrow morning. Tonight... is supposed to be a special night. A warm night. And I’ll make sure you feel something other than pain, even if only for a moment."

"You can’t be serious, Dimitri!" Sorayah exclaimed, placing her palm firmly against his chest in an attempt to push him off. But he didn’t budge. She could feel his heartbeat....steady, calm...beneath the fabric of his shirt.

Then, to her utter disbelief, he began to undo the buttons of his shirt, one by one.

"What are you trying to do?!" she shouted, her voice filled with both shock and alarm. "Get off me!"

She continued to struggle beneath him, but he calmly finished removing his shirt, revealing a broad, well-toned chest. His skin was smooth, and his physique spoke of discipline, power... and control. He leaned down again, his face now inches from hers, lips slightly parted.

The proximity, the scent of him, the heat radiating from his body....it all rendered Sorayah speechless. She could barely breathe, let alone speak.

"Calm down, noble consort," Dimitri murmured, his warm breath brushing against the sensitive skin of her neck. "I wouldn’t lay a hand on you in that way....not unless you truly wanted me to. Not like this. Not when you’re hurting. I’m not a man who forces himself on the woman he treasures."

Sorayah swallowed hard, blinking in silence as her heart slowly steadied. Then, just as quickly as he’d overpowered her, Dimitri got off the bed and turned to retrieve a new shirt from a hanger behind the bedpost.

"We should rest early," he said casually while slipping the new shirt on, as though nothing had happened. "If we sleep now, we’ll rise early and return to the palace on time."

Without saying another word, he moved toward the bed....her side of the bed, no less and began to settle in, clearly intending to sleep beside her.

Sorayah was quick to scoot to the far edge, keeping as much distance between them as she could manage. Her blood was boiling, her face hot with embarrassment and confusion.

"You should sleep now, Sorayah," Dimitri added with a small, knowing smile on his face. He was fully aware of the chaos he had caused within her, and he found her reactions... adorable.

To the world, Sorayah was a fierce lioness....untamed, sharp-tongued, and fiery in spirit. But to Dimitri, at moments like this, she was nothing more than a startled cat with its claws out.

"Goodnight, Your Highness," Sorayah finally said, her voice quiet, subdued, as she stared at the far wall. Her pride was wounded, her emotions scrambled, and yet... she had no choice. It wasn’t as if she could make her way back to the palace on her own tonight.