Submitting to My Lycan Prince Mate

18 Have We Met Before?

This kiss was different from before.

It was gentle, hot, and lingering, like desire sparked under flickering candlelight. It wasn't scorching, yet it was enough to put me on a trace.

Prince Louis held me close, his tongue boldly invading my mouth. He invaded with a gentle but irresistible force, as if patrolling his private territory. I was initially intoxicated, but soon, as his tongue delved deeper, I gradually felt overwhelmed.

I could only make trembling moans from the depths of my throat, tilting my neck back, surrendering to his dominant kiss.

I didn't know how much time had passed, perhaps a few seconds or a few minutes, but the process felt unusually long and tormenting. My heart, which had settled down, started pounding vigorously again. By the time he mercifully released me, my head was already muddled and incapable of coherent thoughts.

I was utterly powerless, only able to rest my forehead against his shoulder, gasping for breath, even my shoulders trembling slightly.

The tears streaming down from the corners of my eyes dampened the expensive fabric of his custom-tailored suit. I could feel him embracing me tightly with his broad and powerful arms, gently stroking my spine as one would stroke a cat.

This made me feel a little better, and I even began to long for the warmth of this embrace once again.

I started to feel that I couldn't easily let go of the man in front of me. It wasn't just because of his excessively skilled kissing technique, but also because behind his domineering behavior, there hid a gentle and chivalrous side.

It must be said that this duality made him all the more charming.

Just as I hesitated, Prince Louis explained softly in my ear, "That nightgown belonged to my brother's wife, my sister-in-law. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. But if you want to know, she was indeed my fated mate before."

I stopped trembling and looked up at him curiously. "If she was your fated mate, how did she end up with your brother?"

I had heard about this matter before. The rumors described Prince Louis as a ruthless and unscrupulous person who would stop at nothing to obtain his mate.

However, after spending these past few days with him, I didn't think he was such a person.

"She betrayed me, just like your ex-boyfriend," Prince Louis said calmly, revealing a scandalous past that involved the royal family. "At that time, my brother was the first candidate to inherit the throne. She wanted to become the queen, so she chose him instead of me."

"I wanted to seek revenge, but my brother wasn't at fault. Moreover, he's already dead, so out of moral and familial duty, I have to take care of his wife. She occasionally stays in that villa, which is why the nightgown was there."

"Oh my God..."

I never expected that a Lycan like Prince Louis could also be abandoned by his mate!

But when he publicly announced me as his new mate, did this experience of betrayal also cause him to have moments of hesitation and retreat?

"So I say, I'm glad it's you."

Prince Louis's fingers moved through my hair. Unnoticed by me, he once again brought his face closer. "Claire, when I saw you, besides the long-lost happiness, I also felt fear of investing emotions once again. My wolf has been deeply wounded before, and you should understand that kind of pain. It's enough to tear apart a normal person completely."

I instinctively nodded.

"Before I met you, I also thought about using a new relationship to move on from those memories. But I was already exhausted. So, as they say, I fled the country and shut myself off for a long time."