I Bought A Male Escort, Turns Out He's The Lycan King (by lg savage) novel Chapter 110

TITLE: Leaves Falling Like Promises
By Amara Grant

Chapter 110

**ΚΑΤ**

There was a gnawing uncertainty in my gut. I couldn’t shake the feeling that that bastard might also have his sights set on April, but one thing was clear: I was firmly on his radar. My return to the world beyond these walls would have drawn him right to me. Mal had taught me that serial killers often followed a pattern, a disturbing rhythm to their madness. The girl from the gym, Shelley, had been just like me—a wolf on suppressants. But what did that make April? Just another loose end in a twisted game?

“What exactly did you see?” I pressed, my voice barely above a whisper, hoping to draw out the truth.

Her expression faltered, a shadow passing over her features before a smile flickered back to life, as if someone had whispered to her that sadness was not an option.

“I saw his face before he left the club with my friend,” she replied, her gaze still averted, as if the truth was too heavy to bear. “We found her when we went back to our dorm.”

I had read countless articles about such horrors, but it was only when Shelley was brutally murdered at the gym that I realized the darkness could seep into my life too. I had placed my faith in the Bureau, trusting they would catch him before he struck again.

“We couldn’t stay in the human world after that. But he found us here. I’m the only one left.”

Her voice held a tragic weight, but April’s reaction was not what I had anticipated. It was almost as if she had turned off the volume on her emotions, a muted response that felt profoundly unnatural.

I opened my mouth to ask more, to dig deeper into her pain, but before I could, a sharp knock reverberated through the room. My heart raced at the sound. Hunter? I inhaled deeply, only to feel the air grow heavy with Nathan’s pine-scented presence.

“I’ll head back to my room. Goodnight, Your Highness,” April said abruptly, her voice tinged with urgency as she sprang to her feet and darted toward the door.

There wasn’t much I could do about the investigation while I was confined to my room anyway. I trailed after her, catching Rivers’ lingering gaze on her as she slipped past him, fleeing into the night.

And then I heard Kostas’ voice, a thunderous growl that echoed down the hall.

“Get back here, you bastard. You have no right to be anywhere near her.”

His voice was a force of nature, booming with an intensity that shattered the stillness of the night. He didn’t care who he frightened or whose sleep he disturbed.

I had never witnessed Kostas lose control like that around me. Never. My wolf stirred within me, her instincts rising to the surface, only to retreat in fear, folding in on herself so quickly that it stole my breath. Anxiety gnawed at the edges of my mind, sending chills racing down my spine, forcing me to swallow back a whimper.

This was precisely why the human world felt safer. Here, I was away from those who would wield their dominant wolves against me, people who believed they had the right to own me.

“She’s mine, Nathan!” The growl that followed sent a shiver through my body, raising every hair on my skin.

I stepped back from the doorway, my pulse quickening with each passing moment. Would he attempt to force the mating? If I confessed that I had already chosen someone, would they compel me to reject him so their plans could unfold?

“He can’t hurt you,” Nathan said, stepping into the room with a calmness that contrasted sharply with the chaos outside.

“But I can hurt you, Nathan,” Kostas roared, his voice laced with fury. “Let me through, or I swear to the Goddess—”

Nathan shut the door, the sound muffled but not enough to block out the sheer force of Kostas’ presence. Even through the walls, his aura pressed against me, making me tremble. Could he breach the wards if he continued to push? The sense of safety I once felt in my own home was rapidly evaporating.

I took another step back, wrapping my arms around myself as if that would shield me from the storm brewing outside.

“He really can’t hurt you,” Nathan murmured, his hands finding my shoulders, rubbing gently until the panic began to loosen its grip. I felt a sliver of his aura, grounding me just enough to stave off the overwhelming dread.

“Why are you helping me?” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Tell me the truth, this time.”

He withdrew slightly, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. It was only then that I noticed the bruises marring his jawline, a dark mark that was already healing. I didn’t need to ask who had done this to him.

“I admit, I had selfish reasons at first,” he confessed, his gaze flickering over me, searching for understanding. “Now, I just want to stay alive.”

He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, clearly agitated.

“I’ve warded the whole castle, so sleep easy tonight. We’ll handle the rest tomorrow. I need to shower and then get some sleep.”

He remained silent, simply rubbing slow circles on my back. But it was enough. It calmed both my body and my mind. Perhaps it was the bond between us, or maybe it was because he was so much more dominant than I was.

“I’m still so weak. So useless,” I choked out, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.

His hand stilled, and I could feel the weight of his gaze on me.

“You’re not weak, Kitty,” he said, his voice soft and reassuring, reminiscent of the Hunter I had first met in the apartment—before I knew he was a Lycan and my boss.

“I’m an omega,” I whispered, the admission a painful truth. “I can’t even protect myself from a beta’s tantrums.”

“You’ve just shifted, and the bond is…” His voice trailed off, as if searching for the right words. “Give it time.”

I wiped my tear-streaked face before pushing the pillows away. My room was shrouded in darkness, but my vision had improved, even with my wolf hiding. I could make out the outline of his naked body as he sat on the edge of my bed.

“What do you mean?” I asked, curiosity mingling with my confusion.

“I mean, we bonded. You know what that means, right?” Hunter asked, his emotions spiking as he spoke. Was that anger I sensed? Or perhaps grief?

“When the bond settles, you’ll understand,” he said, his voice steady. “You’re stronger than you think.”

“Because you’re Lycan?”

I had never considered what bonding with him would mean for my wolf. My entire life had been filled with warnings that she would weaken any werewolf she claimed.

“No,” he said softly, his gaze steady. “Because you’re you.”

I sat up, frowning, trying to grasp the implications of his words.

“I still have to work,” he said suddenly, pushing off the bed as if it had burned him. Even in the dim light, I could see his clenched fists, feel the anger radiating off him.