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LYRIC
Despite his efforts and involving some of the guards around the perimeter, they still weren’t able to get Caden.
It was frightening to know he could easily penetrate the Pack without being noticed. How was any of us safe?
How was I safe?
Adrenaline had been saving me while I was in that restroom with him. Now that I was finally out, I could feel the entire fear my brain had been trying to protect me from.
The monster who had tortured me for hours almost laid his hands on me today again.
Kael drove us home while Jaris and I stayed in the backseat, his hand holding mine firmly.
“You’re safe, Lyric. He’s gone.” He kept saying assuring words to me, probably because he could still see how shaken I was.
I couldn’t utter a word. And when we got home and he led me to my room, a new fear settled in my guts.
The things Caden had said about him. Did he mean them? Did Jaris really kill his ex? And did he make me wear rid lipstick cause it was her favorite?
Caden made him look like a dangerous person, and I didn’t even know what to think.
“Would you like to sleep in mine instead?” Jaris asked when I sat on my bed, my arms wrapped around myself.
I shook my head. “I–I just want to be alone.”
“Okay. But do you need anything?”
I shook my head.
“There will be two guards stationed outside your window the entire night. You and I know you won’t be needing them, they‘ re just there to make you feel better. Will that make you feel better?”
I nodded even if I barely understood what he said. My head was a mess and I just wanted him to leave already.
He gave a clip nod and exited the room. I could see he was also pissed and was only trying to keep calm around me.
As soon as he left, I rushed in and locked the door. I wasn’t scared of him–hell no. But I just didn’t want to be around anyone at the moment.
Alone at last, I finally let the tears flow.
***********
JARIS
This was all fucked up.
Something in my guts kept telling me the asshole might find a way to sneak into the Pack one day, but I just didn’t want to believe he could get past the new security without being seen.
I guess I underestimated how slimy he could be.
After making sure Lyric was safe in her room, I drove out of the pack, driving around and hoping to miraculously run into him. I hoped that somehow, he was around somewhere. If I could lay my hands on him….
Unfortunately, after driving for hours, there was no luck. I tried to check for Lyric again only to discover she had locked her door.
I couldn’t blame her, and I hated the asshole for traumatizing her this way.
I took a cold bath before retiring to bed. The sleep wasn’t forthcoming, not when my mind wouldn’t stop replaying different scenarios of what I could do to Caden.
My head started to ache, and eventually, the sleep did come.
It was pleasant at first, until it wasn’t.
I had a dream. One I was never supposed to have.
One that only meant trouble whenever I had it back then.
I was feeding off of someone.
I’d split their wrist with my claw and was sucking from it.
It was the best meal I’d had in years. Despite being a dream, the blood tasted real. Smelt reel.
It was juicy, and I could hear every sound I made while I sucked off of it. The person’s pained moan was quite obvious too. Everything was heightened.
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I should stop You’re only supposed to take a sip and stop.
Except I couldn’t.
Not when it was the best thing I’d had and the best thing I’d been trying so hard to bury Why have I been running away from this? In what world was it right?
I didn’t stop.
Until it was too late.
Until the victim dropped dead to the ground.
I woke up to a fog of pain swirling in my head, an aching throat, and my arms and legs feeling like they had run a marathon in the night.
The first thing I did was reach out to the men to know if there had been any sign of Caden or his people. Unfortunately. there was no luck.
It wasn’t until I was brushing my teeth that the memory of the dream came to me, and I froze immediately, trying to recall all of it.
What the hell?
Strangely enough, I could still feel the taste of blood on my tongue.
It wasn’t normal, and it bothered the hell out of me.
Fully dressed and ready for work, I stopped by Lyric’s room. She opened up when I knocked, still wearing her pyjamas. She was on afternoon shift.
Well, yes. I knew her schedules.
“Hey,” I leaned against the doorframe, my hands in my pocket. “Slept well?”
“Y–Yeah. Good morning.”
Her hand was holding the door, her eyes barely meeting mine.
“Do you feel better?”
Tguess so.”
There was a pause. “I think I’d assign a guard to assist Jace in keeping you company for the day.”
She nodded.
Woah. She didn’t even try to object or anything. She must be damn scared.
I should probably go. But I couldn’t help noticing there was something wrong with her. She didn’t look comfortable around
- me.
“Is there something you need to tell me, Lyric?”
She kept quiet.
“Lyric?”
She crossed her arms, her eyes dancing on the floor and unable to meet mine.
“I uh…I just have a question, that’s all.” She looked nervous.
“What is it?”
This time, she met my gaze. “Did you ask me to wear a red lipstick because it used to be Etta’s favorite?”
There was a long pause.
One where for a long time, I was speechless.
Nothing in the world could’ve prepared me for the question Lyric threw at me.
I stood unblinking for some seconds, my head playing around scenarios.
Oh, Caden. How could he?
“No.” I squared my jaw.
“But was it her favorite?” There was a slight tremor in her voice. She looked really hurt and betrayed. What the hell?
“If it was, then there’s no way you can tell me you didn’t miss it on her, hence the reason you liked it on me.”
“Lyric, stop this.” My voice was harsher than I intended.
“Did you kill her?”
By the hunts, damn it!
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“Was she the one Maddy had been talking about? She–She mentioned you killing a past lover. Goodness, she had been right all along. You did kill someone.”
She brushed her fingers into her hair, appearing so paranoid. The sight broke me.
“Listen, we’ll have this conversation some other time when you’re calmer. I can’t deal with this right now.”
I tried walking away.
“Why don’t you just tell me! Huh? Tell me the truth, Jaris. Did you kill your ex–lover? Is that what you do?”
“It’s ‘Alpha Jaris!” I growled at her, my eyes glowing red.
My voice was thick and echoed through the space. It drew a deep shiver from her, her eyes round with fear.
I realized my mistake as soon as it was over.
I used my Alpha voice on her, bringing my beast to the surface. It was the first time I was using it in years because I knew the effect it always had on people. I couldn’t believe I just terrified Lyric with it.
She took a step back, her hand shaking slightly on the door.
I didn’t know the right words to say to her in that moment. So, I watched quietly as she retreated into the room. “I–I should go inside,” she mumbled before slamming the door shut.
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