Babysitting The Amnesiac Lycan King

Chapter 90

Chapter 90

The palace gates slam shut behind me.

0

Not metaphorically. Not in a poetic, symbolic way. No, they literally fucking slam. Cold iron. Loud clang. And me, standing outside as some kicked-out groupie who dared to dream too high.

Fuck.

My ears are ringing too loud from how hard I was sobbing just seconds ago. My knees are shaking, gravel biting into my skin. as I finally stand. I don't even brush myself off. What's the fucking point?

Sobbing on the palace steps though a goddamn idiot while two oversized wolves watched with blank expressions. One of them finally tells me, "Your things will be sent to your company. You should leave before you draw more attention."

Right. Because getting thrown out as a piece of trash wasn't humiliating enough-I should also worry about how I look.

I wipe my nose on the back of my hand. I taste blood in my mouth-I must've bitten my lip when I hit the ground. My throat's raw, as if I swallowed glass, and there's still that lump in there that won't go away no matter how many times I swallow.

I push myself up. My palms are dirty. Dress wrinkled. I'm trembling, but I smile like I'm not dying inside. Because that's what we do, right? We perform. We survive. We fake it.

Inside my head, something shifts.

I hear her.

Eris.

My wolf, the only one who's ever stood by me, the one who let me cling to her when I had no one else. She's quiet for a beat, and I stupidly think maybe she's gonna comfort me or say something vaguely helpful.

She doesn't.

"I can't believe you did that to him."

Her voice is laced with disappointment so sharp I flinch.

"Eris-"

"He was right,” she says bitterly. "Mates don't do that shit to each other."

And just like that, she's gone. Her presence flickers and disappears as someone

shut off a switch. Nothing. Not even static. She's blocked me out.

I'm alone.

Again.

More alone than I've ever been.

I swallow the lump in my throat so hard it burns.

I take a taxi back. Not even sure how I remembered to call one or where I found

the goddamn strength to climb in. I must look like shit because the driver doesn't talk. Good. I'm not in the mood to pretend I'm holding it together.

"WolfNet Media HQ," I whisper.

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God, I should run. Hide. Dig a hole and rot in it. But I don't. Because I'm a journalist. And journalists show up-even when their world is burning.

The moment the automatic doors to the company building slide open, I get hit with-

Confetti.

Fucking confetti.

“YOU GUYS! SHE'S HERE!” someone yells from the other side of the lobby. I blink, confused, as a bunch of my coworkers flood toward me as though I'm some war hero returning from battle.

There's champagne being poured, cupcakes on desks, and a big-ass sign that says CONGRATS ON GOING VIRAL, QUEEN!

My blood runs cold.

No. No fucking way.

Liam appears in the middle of it all, his tie loose around his neck, blazer half-on like he got dragged into the celebration five minutes before I arrived. He spots me

and smiles, the first genuine grin I've ever seen on that man's face.

"Well, well," he says, raising a glass in my direction. "The star of the show arrives."

I don't move.

I can't.

Liam's voice cuts through the chaos. "The genius behind the most talked-about exposé of the year." His smile is smug, arms wide like he's about to hand me an Oscar. "Taryn fucking Sinclair. Holy shit, you've made us a fortune."

I'm frozen there on the welcome mat while coworkers I barely know start crowding around, clapping me on the back, handing me drinks, spewing praise as though I didn't just burn down my whole life.

I barely catch the glass of champagne someone pushes into my hand. I don't drink it.

My fingers are numb.

"That article," one guy gushes-Josh, I think? From finance? "It's fucking everywhere! Front page on three national werewolf outlets. Hell, even some

brand deals sniffing around, ad revenue tripled

I can't breathe.

get enough. The Lycan King's camera trauma? His media blackout? The meltdown at the Maldives hotel? All of it. You gave the world

mouth is dry.

I nod.

else am I supposed to

all dragging is the

version of the article, and I would give anything-anything-to take

Yeah. Didn't think so.

the room and spot

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Chapter 90

disapproving line.

does sanile. She doesn't

shudes her bead-slow, disappointed-and

it guts t

Because she knows

like a damn puppy. When he pressed kisses to my jaw and trand to build me a damn blanket fort. She saw how he looked

she thinks 1 betrayed him.

Maybe I did

with the article on the screen. I glance at

The Lycan King's Media Terror

By Taryn Sinclair.

the front like a fucking

deleted

written it

their viral metrics and champagne up their asses. But my voice is

get that info?" another coworker asks, awe in her voice. "It's like you

I don't answer.

I can't

family. I knew he couldn't sleep unless he heard my heartbeat. I knew

And I used it.

to-even if the version

words to destroy him.

tablet. The

to throw

the champagne down,

air. I

Fuck.

I need to

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ter 90

the city can be until I'm

apartment.

in it yet. I'm just standing in front of the damn

the knob, trying not to cry in front of Liam fucking Calloway, who

bag on the welcome mat of my tiny apartment unit. His sleeves are rolled up, his hair messy from the wind, and his shirt clings to his chest from the three shots he definitely should not have taken before offering

trauma.

good?" he asks, watching me like I might disintegrate right there on the concrete

lie through my

"You look like you're about to crawl into that

worst idea I've ever

get inside before someone mistakes you for my

daddy."

my palm, and I push the door open.

My welcome mat still says Bite

last time I was here, I was still

bed hair and

it was the only word he

remembers everything except

of the bags inside, ignoring how my throat closes up when I

at the top-black,

like a goddamn

God, I'm pathetic.

blink up fast, refusing to let the

me like I

I'd snap if she

didn't want to talk either. Just sat

when Liam offered me the promotion of a lifetime like it was a consolation prize for being dumped

voice too soft,

hurt more

now, stepping in behind me

"Don't tell me you didn't pay your bill

being emotionally manipulated and borderline kidnapped.

the lights with one hand while the other

for someone I once thought was an absolute dick when we first

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Chapter 90

my bags and staying late

why I'm on

He does sarcasm

wither plants. This version of him- quiet, helpful,

off.

toss my coat on the couch and stumble to the fridge, opening it just to

Empty. Of course. Just

"Wine?" Liam asks.

I look like I need wine

the bottle. "Too