Stolen by the Beastly Lycan King-Chapter 90: The Color I Hate

The royal hunt was indeed a grand event, a long-standing tradition held but once a year.

High-ranking nobles were invited to the royal forest to hunt alongside the male members of the royal family, competing for the glory of bringing back the carcass of a rogue beast or a magical creature, both specifically prepared for the occasion.

The hunt was as much a demonstration of skill as it was an assertion of power, a spectacle that upheld the kingdom’s hierarchy while providing entertainment for the elite.

Because of its inherent dangers, women were strictly prohibited from participating in the hunt itself. However, this did not mean they were entirely excluded from the event. They were expected to observe, admire, and contribute in their own traditional way.

Unmarried women, in particular, upheld an old custom of embroidering silk ribbons, which they would gift to their chosen suitors as tokens of good fortune.

These ribbons were symbolic gestures of favor, hushed promises of devotion, and blessings for success. Year after year, the crown prince received dozens of such ribbons. Yet, curiously, Kai had never tied even a single one to his sword, not even out of politeness.

It was as if no gift ever met his standards, or perhaps he simply found no joy in the sentiment behind them.

Lorelai, on the other hand, had never been asked to participate in this tradition.

Her early engagement to Duke Vincent Kadler had exempted her from the practice, removing her name from the list of eligible noblewomen. There was no need for her to embroider a ribbon when her future was already decided.

Besides, her aging fiancé, with his frail frame and preference for comfort over exertion, had never once attended the royal hunt. The duke had no inclination to spend hours astride a horse chasing dangerous prey, and no one expected otherwise.

So why now?

Why had she suddenly been invited this year?

And, more perplexingly, why had Kai insisted she give him her ribbon?

Especially since Duke Kadler isn’t attending the hunt... Lorelai thought, a knot of unease twisting in her chest. What in the world is Kai planning by asking me to gift my ribbon to him?

No matter how much she tried to puzzle it out, the answer remained just out of reach.

It had to be some sort of elaborate scheme.

Kai’s cunning nature made it impossible for her to dismiss the idea. Perhaps this was yet another ploy to mock the lycan king and his men. Yet how would a single ribbon, gifted to the crown prince, accomplish such a thing?

And then there was the duke himself.

Duke Kadler was a jealous man, possessive to the point of paranoia. Despite his advanced age and lack of vigor, he clung tightly to his claim over Lorelai, often treating her less like a fiancée and more like a prized possession. The fact that he had seemingly allowed her to give her ribbon to Kai was both baffling and unsettling.

No one would question it, she admitted to herself. If my fiancé is absent, it’s perfectly reasonable for me to give my brother the ribbon. But still...

Her hands clenched into fists on her lap, her nails biting into her palms. The anxious feeling in her chest refused to subside.

I don’t like this. Not one bit.

***

"Her Majesty has granted me permission to attend the hunt as well," Lucia announced, letting her sheer green nightgown slip to the floor. She began moving toward Kai’s bed, her big blue eyes gleaming with an unspoken invitation in the dim flicker of candlelight.

"Really?" Kai murmured, his voice devoid of enthusiasm. He swirled the crimson wine in his large silver goblet, watching the liquid catch the faint glow of the candles. "How benevolent of her."

The crown prince’s detached, almost icy response made Lucia pause, her lips tightening into a frown she quickly smoothed over.

"Aren’t you happy?" she insisted in a sweet voice, "I could give you a ribbon too. I’m exceptionally good at embroidery, you know. Ask anyone––the ladies-in-waiting will tell you how jealous they are of my skill."

She stepped closer, draping her hands over his broad shoulders. Her fingers began kneading his tense muscles in slow, practiced motions, seeking to draw his attention. But Kai remained unmoved, his eyes distant, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.

Lucia’s anger simmered beneath her carefully composed exterior. She hated being ignored, especially after lowering herself to this level of servitude. But she couldn’t afford to let that frustration slip through. Not here. Not now.

She’d learned her lesson the hard way. The last time she dared to show her true emotions, she had pushed too far, and Kai’s reaction had been swift and brutal.

His fingers around her throat, the cold fury in his green eyes, the terrifying realization that he could crush her without a second thought—all of it had seared itself into her memory. She would not make that mistake again.

Still, Lucia knew she couldn’t afford to keep tiptoeing around him. Subtlety had gotten her nowhere, and time was slipping through her fingers like sand. If she ever hoped to claim the title of the crown prince’s betrothed, she had to act boldly.

"Let me show you something!" she exclaimed suddenly, her eyes bright with enthusiasm.

She dashed to the bedside table, retrieving a small velvet pouch she had carefully placed there earlier. Her hands trembled slightly as she pulled out a long ribbon of exquisite green silk, its surface decorated with intricate embroidery of pink tulips and roses.

Beaming with pride, she returned to Kai, holding the ribbon out for him to see.

"This is just an example," she explained, almost pleading for approval. "I can make you something even more beautiful if you’d like."

For the first time that evening, she managed to catch his attention. Kai’s green eyes shifted from his wine goblet to the ribbon, narrowing slightly as they took in the delicate craftsmanship.

Without a word, his fingers reached out and plucked the ribbon from her hands. He wrapped the silk around his palm with an air of indifference, examining it as if it were some curious trinket.

"Green silk," he murmured softly.

Lucia’s face lit up, encouraged by his reaction. "Yes! Like your eyes! Do you like it?"

But the faint glimmer of hope she felt was short-lived.

Kai suddenly chuckled, the sound low and cold. It wasn’t a laugh of amusement or appreciation—it was something darker, sharper, a blade hidden within the folds of velvet.

Before she could react, his hands shot forward, the ribbon still wrapped around his palm. In one swift, unyielding motion, he looped the ribbon around her neck and pulled it tight, choking the air out of her throat.

"Green?!" He shouted as he forced himself inside her, delivering even more pain to the woman. "Green is the only color I hate, Lucia!"

Kai started laughing again, watching as heavy tears rolled down Lucia’s reddened face. It thrilled him. It excited him even more.

His hips started moving fast, ramming deeper inside her while his hands continued to strangle her neck under the ribbon.

If she could cry, she would have done it, but all she could manage were desperate gasps for air mixed with raspy sounds.

"Don’t you dare to shove your dirty ribbons in my face, you filthy slut!" the crown prince warned her as he continued to move between her hips. "This is the last time. Pray to survive tonight, Lucia."