Lycan's Prey by Jessica Hall

Chapter 19

Everly POV

I watch Zoe blow out her candles. Today is her 21st birthday, and I feel blessed to call her one of my best friends. She is more like a sister to me. Zoe and Macey fill the places where my family should have been, but now I am happy with how far we all have come. We didn’t need anyone; we only needed each other.

“Happy 21st,” I whisper to her, giving her a hug after setting the cake down.

“Oh, we need napkins,” I tell Zoe before rushing off back to the kitchen. I go into the storeroom, grabbing a box of refills down and pulling a handful out before placing the box on the shelf. Just as I walk back out, Zoe rushes into the kitchen, her face pale, and a look of horror on her face. She smacks straight into me before grabbing my arms.

“What is it? What happened?” I ask her, looking around for what scared her. When she didn’t answer, I went to walk past her to investigate myself. It must be bad for her to not be able to tell me. Zoe feared nothing these days, she had come out of her shell, but something happened for her to be such a

nervous wreck.

“You can’t go out there,” she blurts, gripping my arms and pulling me away from the door just as I was about to step out

Chapter 19

268 Wouchers

into the Restaurant. I hear Macey talking behind me in the

restaurant.

“Sir, you can’t go back there,” I hear her call to someone.

“What happened?” I ask her.

“Zoe?” I grip her arms when her eyes go wide as she stares over my shoulder. I get the strange feeling that who she feared is right behind me. I stand up straight, his scent wafting to me, and Zoe’s eyes dart to mine.

My face must mirror the same horror hers do because she grabs my hands, squeezing them tight. I close my eyes, willing myself to not break. He will not break me. He does that nearly every night, and somehow, I’ve learned to live with it. I won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing it.

“Your name is Everly, right?” he says, his voice soft and

serious.

I fight the urge to shiver hearing his voice. Fucking mate bond, it’s bad enough it tortures me; why does it have to affect me this way, every piece of me wanting to throw myself in his arms despite the fact he nearly ruined me. The bond wants that, not me. I am in control, I fought it this long, and I didn’t work this hard for everything to unravel right now.

“Yes, how may I help you, Alpha Valen?” I ask, turning around. My lungs compress at the sight of him, he was gorgeous, and

11.98%

Chapter 19

288 Vouchers

he fucking knew he was, which just enraged me. Tall, dark, and handsome. What is it with men? They grow older, manlier, and more handsome while women just fucking age? Damn, my inner monologue is out of whack today. Fuck was taking up a good chunk of my vocabulary.

“You know my name and who I am?” he asks.

“I also know what you are too, so how may I help you?” I ask him. I am impressed with how calm I sound, despite screaming internally and wanting to run.

He blows out a breath and runs a hand through his hair before scratching his neck. He looks back out to the restaurant.

“How old are you?” he asks.

are my mate if that’s what you are wondering,” I tell

hung up when I tried to tell him I was pregnant and laughed at me, saying he would never fuck a seventeen–year–old. Well, fucker, you did! And she raised your son herself, not that I would tell him that. Valarian is my world, and we don’t

in our

24.17%

Chapter 19

288 Moschers”

step past him and back into the restaurant, managing to

we talk?” he asks. He looks nervous. I got the inkling that he didn’t struggle

I tell him, pointing to Macey while I checked

this came as a bit of

I would run off into the sunset with you, be dying for you to mark me, ah no thanks. Door is just behind you, if you just turn around, you shouldn’t miss it, but in case you do, there is a green sign above it saying EXIT,”

you are a real piece of fucking work,” he snaps,

here for a specific reason that isn’t about

draw half the restaurant’s attention, though we talked rather quietly. I know it must be from his aura. As soon

35.96%

Chapter 19

17.200 vouchers

about holding the annual Alpha meeting here,” he says before pulling a brochure

hotels to do that at?”

to hold

we are fully booked,”

even give you the date,”

but whatever date it is, the place is fully booked, and if it isn’t, I will make sure it is,” I tell him, placing the cutting knife and napkins on the table next to Zoe’s birthday cake.

་་།

speak to the manager,” he

to her,” I tell him, clearing a table and walking back out to the kitchen. I scraped the plates before placing them in the sink and turning around, only to almost run into him

want to speak to

at her,” I tell

47.31%

1228 Vouchers

Chapter 19

place?” he scoffs.

a rogue woman could outdo you, I bet that is the real reason you’re here; you finally

he doesn’t finish, and instead

isn’t it?”

check out the competition; I wasn’t expecting to find my mate though,”

will excuse

are you being like

what, Alpha Valen?”

am your mate!”

am well aware.”

stop, just let me take you out or something, go somewhere with less of an audience,” he says, glancing around at the chefs.

Chapter 19

288 Vouchers

“No, thank you.”

you got a boyfriend, is that

to fuck everything in

roll my eyes, trying to step around him when he blocks me again

to do, please move,”

make you submit. Our laws state Alpha’s can mark their