Babysitting The Amnesiac Lycan King

King Novel 38

10:33 Fri, 21 Mar

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

I should not be here.

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I don't mean to eavesdrop, but when the Alpha and Gamma are going at it like a couple about to sign divorce papers, I'd be stupid not to listen. Especially when I hear a name that shouldn't be spoken so freely.

Enoch.

The door is cracked open. Just enough for me to hear everything.

"This is insanity," Gamma Abel snaps, voice sharp like a blade against stone. "You'd surrender him for a fucking bounty? Have you lost your damn mind?"

"The bounty on his head could wipe out our debts. Do you know what that means? No more groveling for trade deals. No more rationing supplies. Our pack is bleeding, and this is our salvation."

I clamp a hand over my mouth. My stomach churns as the reality sinks in. They're talking about Enoch like he's a fucking lottery ticket. Like he's not a living, breathing person who just barely survived whatever hell landed him in our territory.

A cold weight drops in my stomach, and suddenly, the air in this hallway feels suffocating.

They want to turn him in.

Abel isn't convinced. "And what do you think the Imperial Family will do? Welcome him back with open arms? You think this doesn't reek of a setup? The rightful Lycan King disappears in an 'accident,' and no one even attempts to search for

his body? That's not an accident, Alpha. That's an assassination."

A slow, nauseating dread slithers up my spine. Enoch's arrival wasn't an accident.

Of course, it wasn't.

I should leave. I should turn around, pretend I never heard any of this. But my feet won't fucking move.

"Bullshit, a carriage accident is a carriage accident." the Alpha growls. "I don't care about conspiracies. I care about this pack. And I care about getting rid of that man before someone realizes we've been harboring him."

"A carriage accident where no one looked for the missing heir?" Abel snaps. "Where the first pack expected to launch a search didn't lift a damn finger? The Imperial Pack isn't stupid, and neither am I. Someone wanted him dead."

I bite my lip so hard I taste blood. He's right.

The whole situation never made sense to me either. If Enoch was so important, why didn't anyone try harder to find him? Why was it so easy for me to stumble upon him, half-dead and memory-wiped, like he'd been conveniently erased from existence?

I shift my weight, and my elbow grazes something cold and smooth. I don't even get a chance to react before-

Crash.

The vase shatters at my feet.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

Footsteps inside stop.

I bolt before my dumbass curiosity gets me killed. But I don't make it far before someone steps into my path.

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Fri, 21 Mar

Chapter 38

Seraphina

Oh, for fuck's sake.

She's just reached the top of the stairs, her brows furrowing when she sees me. "What the hell are you doing-"

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I don't let her finish. My hand shoots out, clamping over her mouth as I yank her into the nearest shadowed alcove. She thrashes in protest, nails digging into my arm, but I tighten my grip, silently begging her to shut the fuck up. If she screams my name, we're both screwed.

Seraphina thrashes immediately, heels clicking against the marble as she fights to break free. "Mmmph!"

“Shut up.” I hiss into her ear. "Unless you want Abel to catch both of us and explain why we're eavesdropping on the Alpha discussing treason.*

That shuts her up. Mostly.

I press my back against the wall, muscles locking tight as Gamma Abel stops near the door. He scans the hallway, his gaze briefly sweeping over our hiding spot. For a second, I swear he's going to see us. My pulse thrashes against my ribs, my breath caught somewhere between my throat and my lungs.

The Gamma's gaze lingers on the broken vase before he exhales sharply and turns back inside. The door doesn't close all the way, leaving the conversation wide open.

I exhale. Fuck, that was so close.

Seraphina exhales louder, and I glare at her. "Would you-

for dragging me,"

ever

in the shin, the argument inside flares back

you're doing, Alpha," Gamma Abel says, his voice

"The Imperial Family already played a role in his downfall once. You think they'll reward us for bringing

touch us. Their

out like a

wronged our pack once. We both know he killed

My blood runs cold.

Killed.

my ears. Enoch... Enoch really did

counters. "We both know the Imperial Pack won't act recklessly," the Alpha continues.

catches in

head toward me,

of my face.

the Alpha finally says, sealing my fucking

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10:34 Fri, 21 Mar

Chapter 38

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finally risk a glance at Seraphina. Her expression is unreadable for exactly two seconds before

realization.

flick back toward the office, then back to me again. Connecting dots, Drawing conditions.

And something nastier

Disgust.

"You," she mouths.

move. Don't

say right now that would

better.

I think I'm just realizing, for the first time,

know Enoch at

***

in a thick, uneasy atmosphere that

humidity before a

packed, bodies shifting uncomfortably as they try to make sense

Alpha never makes announcements himself.

is, standing on the raised stage with an unreadable expression,

dominance. The murmurs start slow, then roll through the crowd like wildfire, picking up theories and assumptions along

few days, has it not? I want to call someone on

Enoch. Come

Even the wolves who had been trying to

weren't nervous around the Lycan King suddenly look like they want to melt into the

hot from across the way, sharp enough that

doesn't react right away. Instead, he turns to me, those dark forest eyes searching my face as if asking for permission. It's almost childlike,

My throat tightens.

Alpha is playing at, but my gut

nod. "Go," I murmur.

Enoch moves.

changes. His spine stiffens, his hands clasp behind his back, and he barely tries to hide the fact that he's

don't think I've ever seen this man act so respectful toward anyone, let alone an amnesiac stray who had nearly broken his son in half just a few days ago. But I get it. He sees the opportunity. If Enoch ever remembers who he is,

that it

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Chapter 38

Alpha's voice

will be treated with the respect he

his mate,

Silence.

come, thick

I freeze.

says, but how the hell does the Alpha know that? Enoch doesn't

he's trying to understand, but he doesn't look particularly concerned.

them will answer to me," the

are already finding loopholes. But mostly, they're just relieved, because

he did

Speaking of-

still watching

while I pretend I don't notice the way the omegas carefully avoid me.

but it's unsettling. The silence of it. The isolation. All

table when

his face still bruised from where Enoch pummeled

which makes sense considering his father left him to die

well, considering my so-called boyfriend was the one who

slow my steps.

eyes flicker with something I can't place.

you..." I swallow, "Are

sharply, as though he can't believe I just asked

neck where the Alpha's dagger had

he

before we