I Bought A Male Escort, Turns Out He's The Lycan King (by lg savage) novel Chapter 35

**Leaves Falling Like Promises**

**By Amara Grant**

**Chapter 35**

The moment I finished summarizing my report from the alleyway, I hit send and felt the weight of a dozen eyes on me. Again. Bree had been observing me all morning, not with the idle curiosity of gossipers, but with an intensity that felt invasive, as if she were peeling back the layers of my soul. It made me feel exposed, vulnerable, and utterly uncomfortable.

Damn wolves.

“Kat, are you ready for lunch?” Edward’s voice cut through the tension like a lifeline. He was the only one who hadn’t shifted his demeanor towards me after everything that had happened. Just yesterday, the Director had been my ally, my confidant, but today, I felt like a marked woman—a target painted with the words “office snitch” and “traitor.”

“Yeah, sure,” I replied, forcing a smile as I locked my screen and grabbed my bag.

We had barely made it halfway down the hallway when Bree’s voice sliced through the air like a knife. “Kathrine. Can we talk?”

I hesitated. I really didn’t want to delve into whatever had been brewing in her mind. I was already drowning in enough drama, and I had no intention of adding to it.

“Sure,” I said, managing a smile that felt more like a grimace.

“I’ll wait at the elevator,” Edward offered, stepping ahead of us, his presence a comforting barrier against the tension.

Once he was out of earshot, Bree’s demeanor shifted. She locked her gaze onto me, her expression unreadable. I noticed her nostrils flaring slightly, and a flush crept up my cheeks. Did she sense Hunter’s lingering scent on me? Her eyes flickered to my throat, and instinctively, my hand shot up to cover the love bite he had left, but then I remembered I had concealed it. The reflex was telling, and Bree took a step back, as if she had stumbled upon a secret she wasn’t meant to see.

“Um… What did you need?” I stammered, feeling increasingly uneasy.

Before she could respond, the elevator chimed, and I glanced down the hallway to see Edward, who had stepped aside, his head bowed in a show of respect. Bree’s body tensed, her eyes widening in a way that made my heart race. For a fleeting moment, I thought she might bolt.

Who in this world could scare Bree?

But as the elevator doors slid shut with a soft swoosh, the tension in the air dissipated. Edward rushed back towards us, his expression a mix of excitement and apprehension.

“That was the Director,” he whispered, and I could see from Bree’s reaction that she had already pieced that together.

Understanding dawned on me. The Director rarely made appearances among the lower ranks; I had never even seen his photograph.

“Did you need something?” I repeated, trying to keep my tone steady.

Bree blinked at me, momentarily lost in thought as if my presence had slipped her mind entirely.

“Nothing. Forget it,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, before turning on her heel and walking briskly back towards the office, her movements a bit unsteady.

What was going on? Was the Director truly that intimidating?

Edward guided me to the cafeteria, but as soon as we entered, I regretted my decision. The whispers resumed, the murmurs swirling around me like a storm. Eyes tracked my every movement, and I could feel the weight of their judgment.

“It must be true. She’s sleeping with someone at the top.”

Fury ignited within me, and before I could stop myself, I slammed my cutlery onto the table, the sound echoing through the room. Silence fell like a heavy blanket, and I grimaced at the unwanted attention. This was the last thing I needed. My face was plastered all over the city, and if these people looked closely, it would spell disaster for me.

Abandoning my lunch, I left Edward behind and retreated back to the safety of my office. As I settled into my chair, my phone lit up with a notification. An unknown number. Mr. Rivers.

“I have a proposition. If you agree, I’ll keep your secret.”

A chill slithered down my spine, and my heart raced. I slumped back in my chair, the panic I had felt when leaving that restaurant threatening to resurface. My eyes scanned the office, but only Bree was watching me, her gaze intense.

My phone buzzed again, jolting me from my thoughts.

“I’m parked outside.”

“Well,” he drawled, “you’ve put me in a rather tight spot.”

“How?”

“I’m down a fighter for my next event.”

My brow furrowed, the image of Dax’s bloodied face flashing through my mind. This was not the conversation I had anticipated.

“And?” I prompted, my curiosity piqued.

“You’ll take his spot.”

A bubble of laughter escaped me before I could contain it. I quickly composed myself, throwing a cautious glance at the wolf who could snap my neck in an instant if I disrespected him. He still hadn’t revealed his true intentions. What the hell did he know about me?

“Why would I do that, Mr. Rivers?” I challenged.

“Because I think we can work well together. As a sign of goodwill, I’ll stop coming after your gym.”

My ears perked up at that. If he wanted to collaborate with me, then maybe he didn’t know the secret I feared the most.

“Not that you could have gotten the gym,” I retorted, “but get to the point.”

He smirked, his gaze drifting out the window. I followed his line of sight and saw Mal stepping out, his eyes locked onto the car. My anxiety spiked, and I knew he must have noticed because a smile crept onto his lips, a grin that reminded me why he was an alpha—sharp teeth and bad intentions.

“Do you know your brother is in town?” he asked, his tone casual, but the impact of his words hit me like a punch to the gut.

My heart plummeted, dread pooling in my stomach.