Babysitting The Amnesiac Lycan King

Chapter 79

Chapter 79

"I'm coming back."

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Kallias goes silent. I hear a sharp inhale, followed by a static crackle like he's covering the receiver. Then his voice comes back, tight with disbelief. "Taryn, what the fuck are you talking about?"

I don't answer. I don't have to.

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"You fought like hell to get out of this pack," he presses, his tone edging toward desperation. "You worked your ass off for this job, for your future-"

"I don't have a future here anymore." My own voice doesn't even sound like mine. It's flat. Distant. Like I've already left.

"The hell you don't," Kallias snaps. "You think quitting is gonna fix anything? You think crawling back here is the answer? If you-"

"I'm fired."

The silence this time is heavier.

Then, slower. "What?"

I drag a shaky breath in, gripping Zoe's phone tighter. "They're going to fire me, Kal. I just lost everything."

"Shut up

and turn on the TV," I cut him off, voice flat.

A pause.

Then the sound of rustling, a remote clicking. Silence.

It stretches long enough that I almost think he hung up. But then Kallias exhales sharply. "Shit."

Yeah. No kidding.

"This is bad," he mutters, his voice lower now, serious. "Like, really fucking bad." No shit, Sherlock.

open my mouth to respond, but before I can, Zoe practically yanks me off balance. "Taryn," she hisses, her grip tight around my wrist. "Liam's calling."

I shake her off. "I'm on the phone-"

"Liam. Is. Calling."

The words sink in like a cold slap.

Fuck.

I tighten my grip on Zoe's phone and exhale through my nose, steadying myself. "I gotta go," I say quickly into the receiver.

He exhales hard. "Taryn, you-"

I hang up.

Zoe shoves the phone at me like it's about to explode. "Answer it." Chapter 79

I do.

Zoe is vibrating with barely contained curiosity as she watches me swipe to answer. "Holy fuck, what is happening?" she whisper-screams.

I ignore her.

Press the phone to my ear.

Silence.

For a long, suffocating moment, neither of us speaks.

The tension stretches, thick and suffocating, wrapping around my throat like a noose.

The line is silent for a solid thirty seconds. I can feel Zoe's' stare boring into me, her mouth half-open like she's trying to eavesdrop through sheer willpower.

Then, finally-

and even. "This is your last

air leaves

grip tightens around the

My breath sucks in.

company?" he continues. "You want access to the archives, to your parents' records?"

around the phone.

up something controversial. Make it big." His tone

I can use, and you

I'm going to ruin his reputation..."

Taryn.

doesn't need to finish the

The call clicks off.

is a deafening thud in

in front of my

I don't move.

I just lost everything.`

Or-

have one last

Fuck.

Screaming. Throwing something at the wall. But I'm just...

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Chapter 79

stuck in a loop of what

Enoch or lose everything. My job, my shot at the

twists, bile rising in

out of it.

My mind scrambles for a response. Lying isn't my strong suit,

is too controlled. Not a lie, but

knit

can push, the air shifts. A weight settles in the room, thick and suffocating.

Then I smell him.

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His scent-dark woods and power-wraps around me before his arms do. His chest presses against mine, solid and

I freeze.

into my back, his breath fanning against my neck, inhaling me

fucking thing keeping him

uncomfortably beside

inches toward the door like she's

doesn't acknowledge her. He's too busy branding me with

he breathes against my skin, his voice low

his authority pressing against me like a second

dark-too dark. No hint of gold,

you do?"

fingers tighten on my shoulders. "Should we just

in-fuck off into the sunset and pretend none of this ever

Like he's already decided. Like nothing else matters except

And that's dangerous.

to cup his face, forcing his eyes to stay on mine. He stiffens under my touch, muscles taut like a wire about to snap. “You're a King

his

jaw clenches. "You think I give a fuck about that?" His voice is a low

fucking matters

I swallow hard. "Enoch-"

Chapter 79

53

he's trying

it." His voice is rough, frayed at the edges. "It's

breath shudders. "I would burn

Fuck.

to think fast. This man-this wolf-would rip apart everything for me, and

not a

about we don't set the world

fraction, his eyes narrowing like he's trying to figure out if

"A vacation?"

nod, keeping my expression as nonchalant as possible, even

Roulette with a

unemployed. Why not?"

A long, heavy silence.

Then-