Babysitting The Amnesiac Lycan King

CHAPTER 114

The walls of Enoch tilt, the ceiling stretches out like it's trying to crush me, and my hands... fuck, I can't even feel my hands anymore.

I can't hear anything.

Not Enoch shouting, not the pounding of my own goddamn heart. Nothing but this high-pitched ringing that scrapes the inside of my skull raw.

My wolf slams her walls up so fast it sucker punches me in the ribs. Cuts me off. Leaves me choking on this panic with no way to shift, no way to fight, no way to scream. Just frozen. Burning from the inside out.

Across the room, Enoch's chest heaves like he's about to break something-me, the walls, himself, maybe all of it—but he doesn't move toward me. Maybe he knows if he does, I'll shatter. Maybe he doesn't give a shit.

I can't fucking tell anymore.

Then-

Bang.

The door swings so hard it bounces off the wall.

Zoe barrels through first, hair a wild mess, cheeks flushed like she sprinted up five flights of stairs just to get here. Jacob's right behind her, way calmer, but the tension snapping off him could slice a damn jugular.

"Taryn!" Zoe shrieks, her voice slicing through the fog clouding my brain.

I blink. Once. Twice.

I must look bad because Zoe's whole face crumples as she runs to me, grabbing my hands-to which I immediately hisses to as she looks down on it. It's burnt crisp. "Holy

shit, how did this happen?"

1 flinch. My fingers twitch. That's about all I can manage. "H-how..." She turns to Enoch. "She must have touched something far too hot." Jacob answers in his stead. We can't afford Zoe knowing about our species.

"Hey. Hey. Look at me," she says, voice low and sharp enough to slice me out of the freeze. Her brown eyes are wild, scared, furious. "It's okay to be mad. It's okay to be messy. Just say it. Say what's choking you."

I try.

I swear, I fucking try.

But my throat closes up. I can't even make a sound. My lip trembles instead- pathetic and furious all at once. Who did Brooke put to ruin us again? Why is she so adamant? Just why can't we live peacefully?

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CHAPTER 114

I can smell her goddamn

leans in, voice dropping low and fierce. "He can take it. You hear me? That big scary asshole can fucking take it.

edge of the chaos, eyes locked on Enoch as if he's daring him to make one wrong move. His

on, Zo," Jacob mutters. "Let

thumb over the

last time, her whisper punching straight through my cracked chest. "Rip his heart out if you have to. Just don't stay silent." The door shuts behind them with a soft

kill armies without blinking. The man

of a

curl. Uncurl. Curl again. Then he does something I'm not ready for.

rattles something loose inside my

against my thigh, and his whole body shudders as though he's fighting not to fall apart right

shaky breath. His scent slams into me-pine needles, smoke, home- and it physically hurts

fucking weakness?" Enoch rasps against my skin, voice raw

move. I

my skin. He doesn't wait for me to answer. "It's you.

his eyes are wrecked. Bloodshot, glassy, like he's bleeding on the inside where

away," he says, voice breaking down

and slowly,

from the angry bust

die, Taryn." His voice finally snaps apart, shattering like a brittle bone.

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CHAPTER 114

he's baring himself for an execution, as though I'm the one holding

worst part is I believe

His voice cracks, and for once, he doesn't try to hide it. "I'm scared

falling to his sides, palms up, wide open. Vulnerable in

He's not the warrior or the weapon or the boy I

out for me to

builds and

me.

that feels heavier than anything Brooke or

suck in a breath so shaky it rattles my

voice claws

it comes out small.

still. His whole body locks up like a loaded

my

next word.

"I'm scared