Lycan's Prey by Jessica Hall

Chapter 121

Soren watches me carefully, his brow furrowed. “That’s dangerous, Bree. Without any records, if something happens, the council won’t be able to protect you.”

I nod, forcing a small smile. “I know. But I’m here now, with you. That’s what matters, right?”

He exhales, his shoulders relaxing just a little. “Yeah, that’s what matters.” He pulls me closer, wrapping his arm around me, and for a moment, the tension between us fades, replaced by our quiet breathing. “I just want you to be safe.”

“I will be, I’m not going anywhere,” I murmur, resting my head on his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat comforting me. But the guilt is still there, gnawing at me. I’ve lied to him again, held back the truth about who I am, about my connection to Rhett, about everything that happened before I came into his life. And now, the weight of those secrets feels heavier than ever.

As the minutes pass, the silence between us grows warmer, more comfortable. But deep down, I know this closeness is built on a lie. And every day, the secrets threaten to unravel everything.

Soren’s hand strokes my hair gently, and I close my eyes, willing myself to relax, to forget the lies I’m carrying for just a little while. “I know things have been intense lately,” he murmurs. “But I want us to have a future together. A real future. I don’t want anything to come between that.”

O

O

Chapter 121

are like a dagger to my heart. I

that too,” I whisper, my voice

there in his arms, the guilt gnawing at me even harder now, I wonder how much longer I can keep this up. How much longer

but deep down, I know that the lies are slowly consuming me. It’s only a matter of time before it all comes crashing

Aubrey

A week Later

wait for him, hoping we’ll get a few moments to talk, but he’s exhausted by the time he walks through the door if I do catch him. And every morning, the space beside me

I keep telling myself that I’ll find the right time to tell him everything–about Rhett, about the truth I’ve been hiding–but the days slip by, and I still haven’t found that moment. Or maybe I’m just too scared to face what will happen when

consumed by the meetings,

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