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."

stutters. His grip tightens. But I don't hear

finally swallows me

wake up to

beyond the edge of my

throat raw and scratchy, my body like dead weight against unfamiliar sheets. The scent of herbs and antiseptic clings to the air, burning

sluggishly. The room is dim,

I hear

Enoch.

locks up. My pulse

know what the conversation is

shut, forcing my breathing

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

scoff. Kallias. "Yeah, I

pause. Then the doctor hums. "And yet...

immediately. I picture him

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

wolf, too."

doctor chuckles. "Good. Then you won't

feeling coils in

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

like a box of chocolates, but

regret instead. Love isn't sweet; it's

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I was unwrapping

no-I got the emotional equivalent of biting

for warmth and comfort, and instead, you're

choices, your taste buds, and your

about love-it's

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inside jokes, at the way their nose scrunches when they're annoyed, at how they steal the covers.

there, but no one's left to hear it. You catch yourself smiling

paper cut-small, sharp, and stinging

like a punchline. But if you hold onto it long enough, it turns into

beside us, its endless rush

once sat,

he gave me my first kiss. Where he told me

now, and I feel

too tight, too

is raw, trembling, as if he's barely

I roll

His breath hitches.

permanent. A roadmap of every time he chose her over me. Every time he

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

hands tremble against

going.

when Seraphina burned me with a curling iron because she thought I was 'flirting with you. You

the faint scratch

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

for so long. The weight of it in my

past, from things I should

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Chapter 31

gave me in 2009, / murmur, pulling

The one thing I held onto, thinking it meant something

He looks at me like he's drowning. like he's finally realizing what he did. "Taryn. I-I'll change. I swear

necklace

the weight of

voice breaking, "No, you- you're not

to his knees. His arms wrap around my waist, holding

thing keeping him afloat. "Please,"

hair back gently, the way I used to. I let him think, for a second, that

the

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

realize

our hands, pressing our palms together

I drag the blade between them. Blood splatters, warm and vivid in

sharp inhale, staring at the crimson staining

skin.

he feels

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

by the Goddess Selene."

hands tremble in mine. His world is

I smile.

Kallias looks fucking horrified.

don't last longer when the

the bond would feel like tearing

ache,

so fucking

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

stomach twists. My vision swims. I taste blood before I realize

been slapped, but I barely

feeling is nothing

bond doesn't just

the inside out. Every cell rebels, screaming,

my fingers clawing at my chest, trying to hold

but it's useless.

can feel it. The

no

connection we once had, that stupid

Just... gone.

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Chapter 31

gurgled gasp forces its way from my

slams into me. I can't

"Taryn."

closer now. Shaking. Panicked. Hands grab

and suddenly I'm cradled in his lap, his scent surrounding

joke.

begs, pressing his forehead against

do?"

stroke my face, desperate, disbelieving, his breath coming

frantic bursts.

change," he promises, his voice cracking. "I swear to you, just-just

how to fix this."

out a wet, broken laugh, because of course. Now he

his arms, choking on

a trembling hand to his face, brushing my thumb against his cheek.

wide, rimmed with red.

about to say

I beat him to

"You're free now."

His grip tightens. But I don't

finally swallows

up

the edge of my consciousness. My

split open, my throat raw and scratchy,

of herbs and antiseptic clings to

nose.

The room