Babysitting The Amnesiac Lycan King

King Novel 31

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

They say love is like a box of chocolates, but whoever said that clearly never bit into one expecting caramel and got toothpaste-flavored regret instead. Love isn't sweet; it's misleading, sticky, and occasionally filled with nuts.

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Take me, for example. I thought I was unwrapping something decadent, rich, and satisfying. But no-I got the emotional equivalent of biting down on a surprise raisin in a cookie.

You think you've signed up for warmth and comfort, and instead, you're left questioning all your life choices, your taste buds, and your ability to trust baked goods.

But here's the thing about love-it's funny. Until it's not.

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One day you're laughing at inside jokes, at the way their nose scrunches when they're annoyed, at how they steal the covers. like it's an Olympic sport. You think, God, this is it. This is the good stuff.

Then suddenly, the laughter echoes in an empty room. The joke's still there, but no one's left to hear it. You catch yourself smiling at a memory that now feels like a paper cut-small, sharp, and stinging when you least expect it.

Love starts like a punchline. But if you hold onto it long enough, it turns into the punch.

The river gurgles beside us, its endless rush filling the empty space between me and Kallias.

The same river where we once sat, whispering about the future, about things we were too naïve to understand. Where he gave me my first kiss. Where he told me I was his forever.

I stare at him now, and I feel nothing. Not hate. Not sadness. Just exhaustion.

Kallias grips my shoulders, his touch too tight, too desperate. "You're not gonna do it, right?" His voice is raw, trembling, as if he's barely holding himself together.

I don't answer. Instead, I roll up my sleeve.

His breath hitches.

Scars. Raised, ugly, permanent. A roadmap of every time he chose her over me. Every time he let her rip me apart while he stood back and watched.

"You remember this one?" My voice is too steady, too calm, as I tap a pale line running down my forearm. "The night I was admitted to the hospital for blood loss? You never visited, by the way. Probably too busy with her-but you made sure I was the one who saved Seraphina when she needed a transfusion. Funny, huh? How my blood was good enough for her, but I never was."

His hands tremble against me. "Taryn-"

I keep going. I have to.

I lift the hem of my dress, just enough to show the thin, jagged scars littering my thighs. "These? From when Seraphina burned me with a curling iron because she thought I was 'flirting' with you. You never asked. Never noticed." My voice cracks, but I don't stop.

"And this one?" I trace the faint scratch over my collarbone. "The time she clawed me because my necklace was 'prettier than hers. But you made sure she got a better one, didn't you? A gemstone for her, while I got a simple pearl."

Kallias looks sick. His lips part like he wants to deny it, wants to spin some excuse, but he can't. He remembers.

I turn, my hands shaking as I reach for the box I kept hidden for so long. The weight of it in my hands feels unbearable, but I pry open the lid. Dust rises from the past, from things I should have thrown away years ago.

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Chapter 31

"The scarf you gave me in 2009, I murmur, pulling is our "The charm bracelets we made. The notebooks we studied from" 1 lift the necklace, the tiny prail catching the moonlight. "And this. The one thing I held onto, thinking it meant something

His breath shudders out of him. Nostalgia flickers in his eyes, a cruel trick of memory. He looks at me like he's drowning. like he's finally realizing what he did. "Taryn. I-I'll change. I swear to the Goddess, II-

1 place the necklace in his open palm.

He sucks in a sharp breath, as if the weight of it physically hurts him. "No" he chokes, his voice breaking, "No, you- you're not giving up on me."

Then, he drops to his knees. His arms wrap around my waist, holding on like I'm the only thing keeping him afloat. "Please," he whispers. "Don't do this,"

I lift my hand, brushing his hair back gently, the way I used to. I let him think, for a second, that I might stay.

Then I pull the dagger from my belt.

His eyes widen, but he doesn't move. He's too caught up in me, too lost in his regret, to realize what's coming

I entwine our hands, pressing our palms together like a prayer. Then, in one swift motion, I drag the blade between them. Blood splatters, warm and vivid in the moonlight.

Kallias jerks back with a sharp inhale, staring at the crimson staining both our skin.

I tighten my grip, making sure he feels it. Sealing the final wound. "I, Taryn Sinclair

of the Riverstone Pack, accept Kallias Morrigan's rejection to be my mate, chosen by the Goddess Selene."

His breath stutters. His hands tremble in mine. His world is falling apart.

I smile.

Kallias looks fucking horrified.

The mile don't last longer when the first wave of pain slithers in.

I thought breaking the bond would feel like tearing off a Band-Aid. A sharp sting, maybe a dull ache, and then blessed relief.

I was so fucking wrong.

It starts at the base of my spine, a slow crawl of fire that builds and builds until it explodes through my ribs, searing up my throat like I've swallowed acid. My lungs seize. My stomach twists. My vision swims. I taste blood before I realize I'm choking on it.

Kallias hisses like he's been slapped, but I barely register it. Because whatever pain he's feeling is nothing compared to this.

The bond doesn't just snap-it rips.

My veins burn like molten silver is being poured through them, my body convulsing under an invisible force that wants to crush me from the inside out. Every cell rebels, screaming, rejecting this reality. And my wolf-my poor, battered wolf-is howling in agony as something essential inside of us dies.

I hit my knees hard, my fingers clawing at my chest, trying to hold myself together, but it's useless.

I can feel it. The moment it happens.

Kallias is no longer mine.

The connection we once had, that stupid golden thread tying us together, is gone.

Just... gone.

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Chapter 31

A gurgled gasp forces its way from my throat, my body folding in on itself as another wave of pain slams into me. I can't fucking breathe. I can't-

"Taryn."

His voice is closer now. Shaking. Panicked. Hands grab my shoulders, pulling me

up, and suddenly I'm cradled in his lap, his scent surrounding me like a cruel

joke.

"Taryn, please," Kallias begs, pressing his forehead against mine. "What did you do?"

His fingers stroke my face, desperate, disbelieving, his breath coming in short, frantic bursts.

"I-I'll change," he promises, his voice cracking. "I swear to you, just-just tell me how to fix this."

I let out a wet, broken laugh, because of course. Now he wants to fix things. Now that I'm bleeding out in his arms, choking on my own fucking insides.

I lift a trembling hand to his face, brushing my thumb against his cheek. His blue eyes are blown wide, rimmed with red. terror twisting his features into something unrecognizable.

His lips part like he's about to say something else-maybe another plea, maybe another lie-but I beat him to it.

"You're free now."

breath stutters. His grip tightens. But I don't hear what he says next,

finally

up

of my consciousness. My head feels like

against unfamiliar sheets. The scent of herbs and antiseptic clings to the air,

room

then I hear his

Enoch.

up. My pulse

even know what the conversation is about yet, but I already

eyes shut, forcing my breathing to

says-calm, clinical. "She's lucky to

"Yeah, I

doctor hums. "And yet...

immediately. I picture him

he mutters after a beat, voice rough. "Bond or no bond.

wolf, too."

chuckles. "Good. Then you won't have to worry much

feeling coils in my

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

box of

regret instead. Love isn't sweet; it's misleading, sticky, and

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example. I thought I was unwrapping something decadent,

of biting down on a surprise

up for warmth and comfort, and instead,

taste buds, and your ability

about

+63)

nose scrunches when they're annoyed, at how they steal the covers. like it's an Olympic sport. You think, God, this is

one's left to hear it. You catch yourself smiling at

sharp, and stinging when you least expect

starts like a punchline. But if you hold

us, its endless rush filling the empty space between me

once sat,

to understand. Where he gave me my first

I feel nothing. Not

his touch too tight, too

raw, trembling, as if he's

Instead, I roll up

His breath hitches.

A roadmap of every time he chose her over me. Every time he let her rip me apart while

too calm, as I tap a pale line running down my forearm. "The night I was admitted to the hospital for blood loss? You never visited, by the

tremble

keep going.

littering my thighs. "These? From when Seraphina burned me

the faint scratch over my collarbone. "The

But you made sure she got a better one, didn't you? A gemstone for her, while I got

long. The weight of it in my hands feels unbearable, but I pry open the lid. Dust rises

I should have thrown away years

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Chapter 31

me in 2009, / murmur,

we studied from❞ 1 lift the necklace, the tiny prail catching the moonlight. "And this. The one thing I held onto, thinking it meant something His breath

realizing what he did. "Taryn. I-I'll change. I swear to

necklace

as if the weight of it physically hurts him.

breaking, "No, you- you're not giving up on

His arms wrap around

keeping him afloat. "Please," he

my hand, brushing his hair back gently, the way I used to. I let him

pull the dagger from

he doesn't move. He's too caught up in me, too lost

to realize

palms together like

between them. Blood

inhale, staring at the crimson staining both

skin.

grip, making sure he feels it. Sealing the

the Riverstone Pack, accept Kallias Morrigan's rejection to be

by the Goddess Selene."

stutters. His hands tremble in mine. His world is falling

I smile.

Kallias looks fucking horrified.

last longer when the first wave

breaking the bond would feel like tearing off a Band-Aid.

a dull ache, and then blessed

was so fucking

builds and builds until it

I taste

but

is nothing compared

doesn't just snap-it

under an invisible force that wants to crush me from the inside out. Every cell

my knees hard, my fingers clawing at my chest,

but it's useless.

feel it. The moment

is no

once had, that stupid

Just... gone.

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Chapter 31

from my throat, my body folding in

wave of pain slams into me. I can't fucking breathe. I

"Taryn."

voice is closer now. Shaking. Panicked. Hands grab my shoulders,

his lap,

joke.

his forehead against mine. "What did

do?"

stroke my face, desperate, disbelieving, his breath coming in

frantic bursts.

promises, his voice cracking. "I swear to you,

how to fix this."

a wet, broken laugh, because of course. Now he wants to

I'm bleeding out in his arms, choking on my own

to his face, brushing my thumb against

blown wide, rimmed with red. terror

about to say

I beat him

"You're free now."

I

darkness finally

up

the edge of my consciousness.

raw and scratchy, my body like dead weight

herbs and antiseptic clings to the air,

nose.

blink sluggishly. The room is dim,