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?”

0.00%

x+

4*

O

O

<

Chapter 40

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

10.21%

x+

|||

O

<

Chapter 40

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.

Zoe the once over. She is wearing her silky pajamas with kittens on them and rainbow

her socks, she had an entire collection of those toe socks, and in the wintertime, she even liked to wear them with her flip flops. She called them her winter editions flip

each other all their lives with Valarian’s excitement. At the same time, Tatum scooped him up, there was a knock on

ages.

down. Valarian moves to the door and swings it open before

21.55%

|||

O

Chapter 40

on the balls of his little feet.

came back; you came back!!”

11 788 4wkes

him up. He steps into the apartment, and the apartment suddenly feels smaller, with

Valen nods to Tatum before Tatum

me.

happened to your eyes?” he says, shoving past the table and knocking

me, and he glances at her before raising an eyebrow at me when I swat his hands away. Valen comes over and grips my

questions when Valarian

lot of nosebleeds,” Valarian says, and I press my lips in a line. Valen looks at me, and his lips part before

to see a doctor. I will take her,” he tells Valarian, and I go to object when Zoe adds her

34.99%

x+

||| O <

Chapter 40

worth.

19 288 Nouchers

the rogue center,” Zoe says, folding her arms across her chest, and I notice Tatum’s eyes dart to her cleavage. I glare at her.

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

why is that?” she says, dropping her hands to her waist and popping her hip. Oh, careful,

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

was 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

down the small hall. Tatum hands me a

“For the boss.”

45.70%

||| O

<

Chapter 40

288 Vouchers

find my mate and Valarian.

he takes his mug from my hand and

a kid’s room,” he mumbles to

mess,”

as he laid

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

I had seen his son do 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

made his bed. I had even caught him making Casey’s or remaking mine. That’s one of the reasons I made sure to shut my

became a little much. I was more a roll–out of the bed every morning and made the bed before I climbed

57.32%

K+

||| O

<

Chapter 40

12

while I gel my son’s hair and flatten his collar when Valen suddenly started unbuttoning his shirt. I just buttoned because Valarian whined about the

me.

isn’t necessary I ironed it the other

feel it, I know it’s there,” Valarian cries

giving him a worried look

Valen states, walking

ironing board and iron?” he