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.”
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His words are like a dagger to my heart. I want that too, more. than anything.
“I want that too,” I whisper, my voice trembling slightly.
As I lie 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 can I keep pretending everything is fine when the truth could tear us apart?
I close my eyes, letting myself sink into his warmth for a moment, but deep down, I know that the lies are slowly consuming me. It’s only a matter of time before it all comes crashing down, or Rhett comes for me.
Aubrey
A week Later
The next week passes in a blur. Soren is always busy, up before the sun rises and coming back well after I’ve already fallen asleep. Every night, I 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 is cold, the bed already empty.
I’ve barely seen him. 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 I finally do.
Soren’s been completely consumed by the meetings, trying to
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prevent a full–scale conflict between the packs and trying to stop the human councils from getting involved. I can see the strain in his face, the exhaustion in his eyes whenever I do catch a glimpse of him. He doesn’t talk much about what’s happening in those meetings, but I know enough. The tension between Rhett’s Pack and my father’s pack is growing, and it feels like war is inevitable. I don’t know how Soren manages to hold it altogether.
But it’s not just the meetings. Something shifted last week, right after that conversation with Rhett. Soren’s become increasingly protective, almost overbearing, in a way I’ve never seen before. He’s added more security around the castle–guards posted at every entrance, extra patrols at night. Even when Max and I are inside, I feel eyes on us constantly. It’s like he’s waiting for something, or someone, to make a move.
And then there’s the engagement, which was somehow. leaked. It’s all over the papers now–Soren and I, engaged to be married. It’s strange seeing our names plastered across headlines, my face next to his in grainy shots while reporters try to figure out who the new lady is on his arm. No one besides Rhett knew outside the castle a few select people Soren trusted, and a few people helping organize the wedding who were commanded not to mention it, but suddenly, everyone’s talking about it.
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