CLAIMED

32

There is so much going through Kazan's head right now. For example, he needs to locate that bastard who created that poison elixir that almost killed him. Question him and severely punish him. Although the true masterminds of whom he has no doubts are Elder Alton and Richardson, they probably got rid of him.

Note that this is just a baseless accusation. There is no evidence for his claim against their elders. And even if Kazan did have proof, he's powerless to do anything to them.

Anyway, that's not the main issue on his mind. The thing that has occupied his thoughts the most ever since he left the hospital is that he's going to be a dad.

Well, Leah still hadn't even done a pregnancy test yet to confirm this was true. All he's working with is her ears being purple. Yeah, that sounds tacky, but

'I'm going to be a dad.' Kazan thought to himself as he lay back in his bathtub, smiling from ear to ear. Honestly, he's not ready to be a father yet. A bit intimidated, even. However, there is this overwhelming joy that he can't seem to contain. He and his mate—yes, his mate. Their unceremonious union has created something beautiful. A child.

Oh, crap! He left Leah alone with that prick, Nathaniel. Sure, the guy saved his life, but that sly guy can't be trusted around his woman. Yes, his woman. It seems they had some history together, and he doesn't like it.

But as much as he is against this, Kazan is afraid to confront Leah right now, though he wants to see her like crazy. But that crazy woman wants to transform him into an eunuch. And he won't allow it.

Ugh, what should he do?

A few minutes later, he ended his bath and entered his room to get dressed. And that's when Danica came barging in. Luckily, his back was turned to her, so she couldn't see his mark. He probably had to kill her for real this time.

"You're here." Danica was surprised to see him. She thought he was still unconscious in the hospital. After all, there was no news about him being released from the hospital. And thanks to elder Dorian, no one, not even her, was allowed to see him or know about his health status.

"What do you want, Danica?" Kazan hurrily got dressed in a trouser he took from his wardrobe.

"I was worried about you, that's all." Danica tried to get close to him, but he pulled away to avoid her touch. This, of course, greatly upset her. It's all that Stray's fault. Damn it! If her father hadn't strictly forbid her from killing that stray, she would kill that skank herself.

"As you can see, I'm alright. So your concern is needless."

"Are you going to tell me what's going on? Why were you in the hospital? Does this have anything to do with the claim-removing ritual? Is that stray spell on you broken?"

"Did your father send you here to ask these questions?" The displeased Kazan threw on a shirt.

"No. I doubt he even knows that you're out of the hospital. And as I said, I'm very concerned about you."

"Well, it's none of your business, so drop it."

"Well, I will be your wife in the next two days." Danica gloated. She can't wait for the day he becomes hers. "Therefore, your health and safety are my business."

Damn, he almost forgot about that. But now he's going to be a father. There is no way he's going through with this wedding. Well, that's an excuse. The truth is, he never planned to be with her from the moment he got claimed. But how to cancel this wedding without causing a huge political blowback? Without creating a strife between him and her father?

He guessed it was inevitable, and so he dropped the truth bomb on Danica. "Well, if that's the case, then I annulled our marriage proposal." And she didn't take it well.

"What?" Danica was losing her mind. "You can't do that."

"I can, and I just did."

"Your elders won't agree to this." Danica knows that Kazan is the sovereign, but the elders are the ones who really call the shot around here. Therefore, he won't go against their wishes, and they all want this wedding, including Elder Dorian, his strongest supporter.

"To hell with the elders." Kazan smile. "I've made my choice, and that's that."

"I will spill the beans about you being claimed by that filthy stray."

"Go right ahead." From the moment Kazan suspected that those elders had tried to kill him, he figured, more or less, that they were already aware of Leah's claim on him.

"Please don't do this!" Danica begged when she saw that she had any more leverage over him.

"Get out of my room, or I'll have you throw out again."

"You can't treat me like this. I'm the princess of the Sabre Red Pack. If you insult me like this, it won't end well for your pack."

"Well, love. That's a risk worth taking." Kazan then opened the door and gestured for her to leave. "Now go."

"No." She huffed.

"Alright, stay." Kazan stated, which made her feel a bit hopeful. Well, it didn't last long. "But I'm leaving." He fled the scene to meet up with Elder Dorian at his place—to inform him of his rash decision to reject the princess, of course.