Lycan's Prey by Jessica Hall

Chapter 40

Everly POV

Yesterday was rough, last night even tougher. I didn’t get any sleep; my entire body was aching from tossing and turning. The mate bond grew stronger each time I saw him, and the pain of denying it was getting harder to ignore. I rolled out of bed and to the sound of soft murmurs. That meant Zoe was awake as I heard her trying to wake Casey in the room beside mine. Getting to my feet, I quickly opened my door to see her in all her bedhead glory. She yawns and smiles at me.

“Morning,” she says, turning her attention back to Casey’s open door before she does a double take. She steps away from me, and Casey goes to step out of her room when Zoe shoves her back inside the door and quickly shut it. Casey bangs on the door.

“Just a minute, sweetie,” Zoe says before gripping my arm.

“What happened? Did that bastard hurt you? I will fucking kill him,” she whispers with venom in her voice.

“Swear Jar,” Casey calls through the closed door while I try to figure out what had got into her.

“Huh?”

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1288 (Vouchers Zoe ushers me into the bathroom, turning me to look in the mirror, and I gasp at what I see. There’s blood smeared my face, and the dark rings under my eyes look like I got into a fight… no, lost a fight. I reach for a washcloth and quickly wash my face, but there is no bruising or sign of physical injuries.

“Must be a nosebleed,” I tell her, which was something that was becoming more frequent. Whenever I saw him, it seemed to me that something would get worse, headaches nosebleeds. I blink at my reflection before leaning in when I notice the discoloration of the whites around my eyes, no longer white but blood red.

“What the fuck?” I whisper.

“You need to figure out something soon, Everly.”

“It’s fine; I will go see a doctor,” I tell her, though I knew it was pointless.

“No, you need to see your mate. Or mark someone,” Zoe gasps, and I stare at her in the mirror. Her eyes were watery, and as she watched me, concerned.

“It’s been four and half years, Everly, and you are already deteriorating. What will it be like in another five years? How much worse?”

I shrug. I had no idea, but clearly, that wasn’t the answer she

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18 288 Vouchers was after because she stalked off down the hall. The moment I step out of the bathroom; I hear a shriek before her voice reaches my ears.

“The bodyguard right, geez, you scared the crap out me.”

Walking into the living room, I find Tatum sitting up. “You get many breaks–in to sleep on your uncomfortable sofa?” he groans, and I hear his back crack. He tosses the blanket aside before making his way to the kitchen and flicking the kettle

on.

her silky

toe socks, and in the wintertime, she even liked to wear them with her

other all their lives with Valarian’s excitement. At the same time, Tatum scooped

ages.

your father, kiddo,” Tatum says, placing him down. Valarian moves to the door and

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Chapter 40

of his

came back; you came back!!” he

11 788 4wkes

pinky promised, didn’t I?” Valen tells him, picking him up. He steps into the apartment, and the apartment

to Tatum before Tatum turns to

me.

eyes?” he says, shoving past the

I state as he grips my face with his huge sausage fingers. Zoe scoffs beside me, and he glances at her before raising an eyebrow at me when I swat his hands away. Valen comes over and

questions when Valarian suddenly speaks against

gets them all the time, and her nose bleeds. She gets a lot of nosebleeds,” Valarian says, and I press my lips in a line. Valen looks at me, and his lips part before he nods and looks at

mommy needs to see a doctor. I will take her,” he tells Valarian, and

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worth.

19 288 Nouchers

says, folding her arms across her chest, and I notice Tatum’s eyes dart to

going to a rogue center,” Valen states before realizing what he

hip. Oh, careful,

enough for rogues. It should be good enough for everybody, or are you admitting

a firecracker before her morning coffee. Never cross paths with Zoe if she is in a bad mood and hasn’t had her morning coffee yet. She may be small, but damn she got a good right hook. You

you ready for school Valarian?” asks Valen while walking off into his room down the small hall. Tatum hands me a coffee giving

“For the boss.”

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mate and Valarian. Stepping into the room, Valarian pulls his clothes out of the wardrobe while Valen

beside him, he takes his mug from my

not look like a kid’s room,”

mess,”

asks as he laid

Valarian eyes his father’s cup before going over to his little desk, pulling out two coasters, and sitting them on his

many times when he found something relaxing. Apparently, coasters are relaxing. Placing mine on the coaster, I move to his wardrobe, retrieving his shoes from the bottom and placing them beside his perfectly made bed. It was one of the first things

making Casey’s or remaking mine. That’s one of the reasons I made sure

I was more a roll–out of the bed every morning and made the bed before I climbed back in it sort

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collar when Valen suddenly started unbuttoning his shirt.

me.

necessary I ironed

feel it, I can feel it, I know it’s there,” Valarian cries as Valen

do it,” Valen tells him, giving him a worried look as

states, walking out before stopping in the hall. He

do you keep your ironing board and iron?”