Lycan's Prey by Jessica Hall

Chapter 14

Everly POV

It always comes out of nowhere. One minute I am sleeping; the next, I am awoken by agonizing pain. I feel my heart pumping in my chest erratically and my stomach cramping terribly. I clutch my stomach and bite down on my lip to stop from screaming. I don’t want to wake Zoe. I know I keep her up at night, and she always hovers worriedly. Usually, it wasn’t too bad, but tonight it is the worst it has been in two months.

I know he is sleeping with someone. I can tell by the pain ratio. Usually, it’s just like an upset tummy, but tonight I feel like my heart is being pulverized and my stomach twists in knots. I cry out in pain. I can’t help it. I toss and turn until the lights flick on. Zoe isn’t going to keep believing it was just period pain. Not after tonight.

“Everly, Everly,” she shrieks, shaking me, but all I can do is cry out and grit my teeth while clutching my stomach. The pain is crippling.

“Should I call an ambulance? I don’t know what to do. I will get Valarie.”

“No, I am fine,” I gasp before sweat starts beading on my forehead. I feel a draft hit me, and cold air sweeps into the room. Please don’t last long; please stop. I beg the Moon Goddess to make it go away.

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How am I expected to handle this for the rest of my life? Would it always be this bad? I start sobbing, big fat tears rolling down my cheeks. I hate that Zoe would have to see me this way, hate that he made me feel this, hate him for what he made me endure nearly every night on some level, but this is worse because I know he is actually having sex this time, not just fooling around. He is with another woman, and that woman isn’t me. Why did I have to be punished for his actions?

Warm hands rub up and down my arms before Valarie’s scent wafts to me; the pain grows worse with each second that goes past, making me scream. How did Valarie survive this shit for decades?

“I know sweetie, Just breathe, Everly,” Valarie tells me, and I try to focus on her voice to distract from the intense pain.

“I think we should call an ambulance. Her pain is worse this time. What if something is seriously wrong with her?” Zoe asks Valarie.

“She will be fine; it will be over soon.”

“What will be over soon?” Zoe stutters, and I can hear the concern in her voice as I writhe in pain.

“The mate bond, he is with someone, and it is causing her pain,” Valarie explains to her. I would usually be mad if anyone else spilled my secrets without asking, but I can’t be mad at

Chapter 14

Valarie after everything she has done to help us.

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“She met her mate?” Zoe says, her voice soft as a murmur.

“Who do you think Valarian’s father is? He is her mate.”

“But why is she a rogue whore then, and why would he do that?” Zoe says, and I see her cringe over the word we all hated so much. I blink back tears, nausea bubbling in my stomach.

“She didn’t know when she fell pregnant, and I am afraid her parents would hate her more if they knew who the father was,” Valarie explains.

Valarie and I have no secrets; she knows everything now. I trust her more than anyone. She has become like a mother to me. She supported us through everything, and she never turned me away in the two months I have been here. I am closer to her than I ever was with my own mother.

“Breathe, Everly, deep breaths, and try to sit up for me,” Valarie says. I groan, and she helps me up. She hands me my bottle of water off the nightstand, cracking the lid for me before thrusting pills in my hands.

“They will take the edge off,” she tells me, and I rock back and forth. My hands are shaking, and I spill water all over me. Zoe grabs the bottle from my hands, and I shove the pills in my mouth, not even questioning what they are. I trust Valarie

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life. Zoe brings the bottle to my lips, and I sip it, swallowing the

one under my kitchen

can’t do this, I can’t keep living like this,” I cry to

is, but you will get through this, you have got through

I am

on you too,” Valarie says. I find her words

me.

returns with a hot water bottle and places it

The pain eases off again, and I pray it stays away. Please

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than usual. Zoe and Valarie let me sleep in after last night. Sitting up, I spot Zoe sitting on the floor on the rug with Valarian and Casey, her daughter. She has one in each arm while she

I chuckle, and she nods, looking up at me

didn’t you tell me? It makes so much sense now,”

it; I don’t like talking about his father. He didn’t recognize me and tossed me away,” I tell her, feeling pain at the very memory. I tried going back to tell him a couple of weeks ago. Valarie told me to try to speak with him again,

more. What if he tried to take Valarian from me like her mate did to her? I have no title anymore, my

became to shift before she no longer could. Being rogue also didn’t help, it makes us weaker prey and easy pickings

don’t know how she has endured this torture for years. One

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her mate. I never caught a glimpse of his face, but last week I saw his BMW pull up and watched him sneak into the office with his own key. Then the next morning, I watched him leave again; I hated what he did to her. I saw

of her life affected her more profoundly than she was willing to admit. Each time though, I noticed she grew weaker. Each time he left; her mind became fragile for

Do you want some?” I ask, and Zoe nods her head, and I turn to our small kitchenette. Our room is now completely functional, floors are re–stained and polished, the room repainted, curtains removed, and blinds put in their place. Thanks to Macey’s brother, the rickety old pipes had been fixed, and in the last two months, we had stripped and fixed all the rooms on the top floor. We are far from done, but each passing day showed progress, and the smile on

today if you

keep my mind off him,” I tell her. She

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I hate seeing the sadness in her eyes when she looks at me. I know she is worried, but it makes

have our village,” Zoe says. Valarie told Zoe the same thing, we were building our village. The more work we got done, I believed she was right. We were building something, a place to call home. A purpose. We just had to remember not to give up. But

am the forgotten child, one who longer existed in their world, no longer had a place in their lives. I cried for a good hour when that realization

can’t see how amazing you are,” Valarie says. She

on you, so don’t waste your tears on them; they don’t deserve them,” she

before reaching down and taking Valarian from Zoe. She looks at me

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we won’t judge, I swear,” Macey says, and I knew they wouldn’t, but

deserve to know. It kind of felt like a relief and made the following words leave my lips easier,

I came from. I knew all their secrets, but I was ashamed of mine for some reason. They noticed my Alpha aura dwindling, and now it

want me.