Bought by the Beast King (Katerina and hunter) novel Chapter 57

**Leaves Falling Like Promises**
**By Amara Grant**
**Chapter 57**

**KAT**

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Everything around me felt like a chaotic whirlwind, a dizzying storm of overwhelming sounds and nauseating smells. My senses were assaulted by a barrage of details that I could only catch glimpses of if I dared to open my eyes. It all melded together into a suffocating haze that made my body tremble under the strain of it all.

Why was this madness not coming to an end?

In a desperate attempt to escape, I buried my face into something—someone?—and inhaled deeply, hoping that their scent would drown out the cacophony surrounding me. It was a welcome relief. He smelled wonderful, fresh, reminiscent of a forest after a gentle rain. I clung to him, pressing my nose against his skin, greedily drinking in that comforting aroma.

After what felt like an eternity trapped in that tumultuous state, the sounds began to fade. The pleasant scent completely overwhelmed the stench of sweat and blood that had permeated the arena. I didn’t dare to let go of him just yet; all I could hear were the synchronized beats of our heartbeats. And was that the distant hum of traffic I could hear?

Tentatively, I blinked my eyes open, testing the waters of reality. Aside from a slight ache from straining my eyes, everything seemed to return to a semblance of normalcy. The streetlights weren’t blinding, and the sounds of cars passing by felt muted and distant.

“Why aren’t you taking your suppressants?”

The question froze me in place. It was only then that I noticed the pristine white shirt I had been gripping as if it were a lifeline. My fingers loosened their hold, and I recoiled slightly, only to realize with a jolt that I was sitting on Mr. Rivers’s lap.

He had cradled me like a child.

As I tried to scramble away, his arms tightened around me, holding me in place and forcing me to meet his penetrating gaze.

“Why aren’t you taking your suppressants, Miss Munroe?” he repeated, his voice low and intense.

With a swift motion, he pulled the mask from my face, and I felt more exposed without it. His eyes were locked onto mine, and if it had been anyone else, I might have assumed he was genuinely concerned for my wellbeing. But this was Mr. Rivers. I was acutely aware that I had likely cost him money or disrupted his carefully orchestrated business dealings.

Yet his words sank in, and a sinking feeling settled in my stomach. I couldn’t recall the last time I had taken my dose. Ever since I discovered Hunter’s true identity, the days had bled together in a haze of confusion and fear; taking my medication had been the last thing on my mind.

“I forgot,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

His expression shifted dramatically. The coldness returned to his eyes, but beneath that icy exterior, I sensed something else brewing—something that didn’t quite fit. It terrified me because the only reason I was aware of it was that my wolf was stirring within me.

He wasn’t angry; he was scared.

“How could you forget?” he growled, his voice laced with an edge of desperation. “Do you have any idea how easy it will be for them to find you? Your scent will lead them right to you. Your wolf will long for her pack. You could wake up one day in the heart of Lordswood Castle. Or worse, you could go into heat at work. How could you be so irresponsible?”

“I… I’m sorry,” I stammered, my eyes wide with shock.

Who was this man before me?

I watched as his face shuttered once more, and he quickly released me from his grasp. To say I was bewildered would be an understatement. I adjusted the hoodie I was wearing, feeling the tension in my body as I looked out the window, trying to escape the charged atmosphere in the car.

“Take me back to my apartment,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

“So you can disappear again?” Mr. Rivers asked, a dry chuckle escaping his lips.

“So I can take my suppressants,” I replied firmly.

I wasted no time arguing with him. Bolting out of the car, I rushed towards the entrance. It wasn’t until Mr. Rivers’s car had disappeared from view that I realized I didn’t have my keys or my phone. I hadn’t even brought my wallet. And to top it all off, I was still clad in the ridiculous outfit I had worn in the arena.

Looking down, I cursed under my breath. It wasn’t just the outfit that would draw attention; I was also splattered with blood. A few pedestrians slowed down, whispering amongst themselves as they passed by, and I felt my face burn with embarrassment. I suddenly wished I had kept the mask on; at least that prickling sensation of being exposed would have been mitigated. Hunter must have given up the chase by now.

A couple emerged from the lobby, clearly engrossed in each other, and I silently thanked the Goddess that I hadn’t lingered too long. They were so wrapped up in their own world that they didn’t even notice me standing there. Watching them stirred something painful in my chest, but I pushed it down and slipped into the building.

Upon reaching my apartment, I instinctively tried the handle, even though I knew I had locked it. Kicking it in would be necessary, and I’d have to compensate the landlord later. But to my surprise, the door pushed open easily. Had I left it unlocked?

The apartment was just as dark as I had left it, papers strewn across the floor like forgotten memories. I didn’t bother picking any of it up; my only focus was getting to the bedroom, retrieving my suppressants, and heading out to the gym where I had left Mal’s car.

But the moment I opened the door to the bedroom, I realized I had made a grave mistake. I froze, my eyes locked onto the sliver of light shining beneath the ensuite door.

I should have known the moment I stepped through that front door. My gut twisted with dread. Hunter was here.

I had to run. He couldn’t find me; I was far too weak to resist him, even knowing what he was. Even now, the knot in my chest was loosening, and the pain I had endured for days was beginning to ease.

The door swung open, and there he was—the very man who haunted my thoughts, stepping out as if he had known all along that I was there. Of course, he knew. He was a Lycan.

With the light behind him, I couldn’t discern the expression on his face, but I could feel him. I could sense the pain, the longing, the same desperate yearning growing inside me. That magnetic pull.

As he approached me, I didn’t run. Even when I heard the low growl rumbling from his chest. Even when the air turned frigid, and my skin prickled with the danger that hung in the atmosphere.

“Why do you smell like Rivers?” he demanded, his voice low and menacing.