Chapter 8
· Aubrey ·
I turn the tap on and splash cold water on my face, trying to calm the storm inside me. I can’t go back in there—not with Rhett sitting so close, not when everything feels like it’s unraveling.
However, when I step out of the bathroom after stalling as long as I can, he’s waiting.
Rhett grabs me by the arm and shoves me into a nearby corridor, his grip tight, his voice low and dangerous. “You’re coming home with me. You’re my mate, Bree. I won’t have you playing pretend with a king.”
Fear lances through me. “Rhett, let go.”
“You belong with me,” he growls, stepping closer, his breath hot on my face. “Not him. Is that where you’ve been hiding all this time with him, pretending to be your dead sister?”
“What did you expect after what you did?” I snap at him. “To watch you with Bianca? Fucking hurts, doesn’t it?” Rhett growls, and I try to jerk my arm from his grip.
Before I can push him away, Damian walks in. “Everything alright here?”
Rhett loosens his grip, his expression smooths over into something resembling calm. “Yes. Bree was lost. I was just showing her her way back.”
Damian narrows his eyes, gesturing for me to come to him. “I’ll take her from here.”
Rhett steps back, his eyes burning into me as I walk past him, my heart racing. Damian doesn’t ask me any more questions as we head back toward the conference room, but I can feel his suspicion.
When I return, the tension in the room has lessened slightly, however I can still feel the heaviness lingering.
Max looks up at me with his big, innocent eyes, a bright smile on his face as if the world isn’t falling apart around us.
I force a smile in return, ruffling his hair as I sit back down beside him.
“The meeting’s over,” Soren says softly, his eyes flicking to mine, searching for something. “You alright?”
“Yeah, just tired,” I lie, keeping my tone light. The last thing I need is for him to start asking questions, especially not here. Not with Rhett pretending like nothing is wrong, like he hasn’t just been plotting my fate.
Soren watches me for a moment longer, his gaze lingering before he nods. “Alright. Let’s get out of here, then. Max, ready to go to the movies?”
Max’s face lights up, and he jumps out of his seat, grabbing Soren’s hand. “Popcorn time!” he announces, and for a split second, his excitement manages to cut through the fog of fear clouding my mind.
We make our way out of the building, the cold air hitting my face as we step outside.
The sky is dimming, and the city’s lights flicker to life around us as we head toward the theater.
Max is practically bouncing beside us, chatting away about the movie, his small hands gesturing excitedly as he describes the scenes from the trailers he watched.
But I’m not really here. My mind is still back in that conference room, still tangled up in Rhett’s threats and the council’s concerns.
The idea that war between the packs could spill into the human world is terrifying.
I know how dangerous Rhett can be, how reckless he is.
And now, with the council breathing down his neck, it feels like everything is on the verge of falling apart.
We make it to the theater, and Soren buys our tickets while Max pulls me toward the concession stand, pointing out all the snacks he wants.
I try to focus, try to be present, but everything feels distant, like I’m moving through a haze.
I nod along to Max’s chatter, smile when I’m supposed to, yet inside, I’m unraveling.
We sit in the empty theater, Max between us with his arms full of popcorn and candy, while the king’s guards cover all the exits.
The lights dim, and the movie starts, but I can’t focus on the screen.
The images blur, the sounds fade away while I’m off in my own little world, and all I can think about is the punishment he’s promised if I don’t come back.
I know him too well. He won’t just let this go.
He’ll come after me—he’ll destroy everything if I don’t find a way to stop him.
Yet the idea of telling Soren I know will ruin things; either way I’m screwed.
The thought of losing Soren and Max, the life I have built with them is soul crushing.
I glance over at Soren, who’s watching the movie with a small smile on his face as Max laughs beside him.
Soren seems so at ease, so unaware of the storm brewing just beneath my surface.
Unaware of the guilt twisting in my stomach at having deceived him for so long.
Can someone be forgiven for deceiving the person they love?
Love, something I never thought I would feel after Rhett, yet I feel it with every fiber of my being when I look at him.
I should tell him the truth, but how? How can I admit I’m the thief Rhett framed, that I’m the one they’ve been discussing all day?
How can I admit that I’m the reason everything is falling apart?
“Bree?” Soren’s voice reaches me as I stare off into nothingness. I shake my head, snapping out of my thoughts, realizing Soren is looking at me, concern etched clearly on his face. “Are you okay? You seem a little… distant.”
I force a smile, nodding. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired.”
Soren watches me for a moment longer, his eyes searching mine, I hold the smile until he finally nods, turning back to the movie. I exhale quietly, relieved he didn’t push the issue while swallowing the lie I just told.
By the time we leave the theater, my exhaustion feels like a weight dragging me down. We pile back into the car, Max falling asleep almost immediately in the back seat, his head resting against the window.
Damian drives us home in comfortable silence, but I can feel Soren’s occasional glances in my direction. I lean my head against the window, the cool glass soothing against my heated skin.
When we get home, Soren carries Max to bed, and I slip into our room, closing the door behind me.
I pull out my phone and stare at the screen, not wanting to turn it on but curiosity getting the better of me.
I know Rhett; he’ll try to get hold of me, I need to speak to Soren first to explain my side.
Switching it on, I have a million missed calls and texts. But I only look at the last one he sent. Sent a few hours ago. A message from Rhett:
Come home. I’ll forgive you. If you don’t, I’ll make sure you regret it.
My hands tremble as I read, bile rising in my throat. I knew this was coming. I knew Rhett wouldn’t just let me go. He’ll never stop until he has me back, until I’m under his control again.
I swallow hard, closing the message and sinking onto the bed. My mind races, a thousand thoughts and fears swirling inside me. What am I going to do? How long can I keep running? How long can I keep this secret from Soren?
I sit there in the dark, clutching my phone, my pulse racing as the weight of Rhett’s threat presses down on me.
I don’t know how much longer I can handle this.
I’m getting out of the shower when Soren returns. Wrapping a towel around myself, I step into the bedroom to hear him sigh loudly.
“Are you okay?” I ask him and he glances at me. His eyes flicker, his Lycan coming to the surface as his gaze drinks me in.
“Yeah, it’s just a long day,” he comments, passing me to head into the shower himself.
Shaking off his strange mood, I quickly dress and lay down in bed.
When Soren finally climbs in bed, he still says nothing, just flicks the lamp off while I’m staring at the ceiling, unable to shake the feeling of dread tightening in my chest. Soren is next to me, his breathing steady, but I know he’s not asleep.
There’s a tension in the air, an unspoken weight hanging between us, and I can feel it pulling us into a conversation neither of us seems ready to start.
I turn my head, watching the rise and fall of his chest, the lines of his face softened in the dim light. He’s always so composed, so in control, but tonight there’s something different. A vulnerability that feels strange coming from him.
“Soren?” My voice is soft, hesitant, but it’s enough to break the silence.
He shifts slightly, turning to face me, his eyes searching mine. “Yeah?”
I take a deep breath, my fingers fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. “Are you okay? You’ve been… quiet tonight.”
He runs a hand through his hair, sighing softly. “I’m thinking about the council.”
I wait, giving him space to continue. The silence stretches between us, thick with unsaid words.
Finally, he says, “You know, being king isn’t just about ruling. It’s… constant pressure. Always making decisions, always weighing lives against one another. There are days when I can’t be bothered, that I don’t want to rule.” His voice is low, like he’s ashamed to admit it.
I blink, surprised by his honesty. Soren never lets his guard down like this. “You carry so much, but you’re only one person.”
He shakes his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips.
“It’s not that simple, Bree. I’ve made mistakes—big ones.
And they’ve cost me. I never should have vouched for Rhett, and now it’s caused this mess.
I’m worried it’s going to come back on me, on Max and you,” His voice falters, and I see the flicker of pain in his eyes.
“My last wife… I didn’t mark her. I thought we had time.
I kept putting it off, waiting for the right moment.
But that moment never came, and she was killed before I could save her. ”
I reach out instinctively, placing my hand on his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat. “I’m sorry, Soren.”
“Don’t be, I never would have met you otherwise. I loved my wife, but…”
He closes his eyes a moment, as if gathering himself. “That’s why I can’t wait with you, Bree. I don’t want to risk it again. If anything were to happen to you…” His voice breaks, and the weight of his fear presses down on me.
The idea of him turning me, of becoming like him, is something I’ve tried to avoid thinking about.
But now, hearing the pain in his voice, the fear of losing me like he lost his wife, I realize how much this means to him.
However, I’m still trapped by the lies I’m hiding, by the truth I can’t bring myself to tell him.
“I understand,” I whisper, though my throat feels tight. “But we still have time, right?”
He nods, though his jaw is tense, his eyes fixed on mine.
“The council has been asking questions. They’re worried about the pack tensions, about the possibility of war.
I worry about this causing wars, not just with the packs.
And…” He pauses, searching my face. “They’ve mentioned not being able to find any records of you.
It’s strange for someone not to be registered with any pack or territory even if you are rogue. ”
My heart skips a beat, and I have to force myself to keep my expression neutral. I knew this moment would come, the questions about my past, about where I came from. I still don’t have the courage to tell him the full truth.
“I was never registered,” I lie, my voice steady even though guilt is eating me alive. “My family… we kept to ourselves. There are no records of me because, in the system, I don’t exist.”
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.
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.
My mind questioning 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? It’s only a matter of time before it all comes crashing down, or Rhett comes for me.