I Bought A Male Escort, Turns Out He's The Lycan King novel Chapter 96

**Leaves Falling Like Promises**
**By Amara Grant**
**Chapter 96**

**KAT**

I stood groggily beneath the shower’s cascade, the cool water enveloping me like a gentle embrace, trying to wash away the remnants of a restless night. The heat and sweat had pulled me from the depths of sleep, but even the soothing spray wasn’t enough to restore my energy. I felt as if I had run a marathon in my dreams and now needed a week of uninterrupted rest to recover.

As I stepped out, I spotted a plush robe hanging on the door, its soft fabric beckoning to me. Without a second thought, I slipped it on, not bothering to dry my damp hair or skin. A faint scent of pine wafted from the robe, grounding me in the moment. I craved a cooler spot, perhaps the porch, where I could sink back into a peaceful slumber.

Once outside, the refreshing night air hit me, but it was the sight of Nathan lounging in one of the chairs that jolted me back to reality. His bare chest gleamed with sweat, and in that instant, memories flooded back. How could I have let it slip from my mind? It felt as if my wolf had been tucking away everything, only allowing me to focus on the most pressing needs.

Yet, as I stood there, it became painfully clear that my most urgent need was not sleep at all.

My gaze lingered on his sculpted chest, and I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look away. A wave of conflicting emotions surged within me—a strange blend of revulsion and undeniable desire.

“You should eat something and then go back to sleep,” Nathan suggested, his eyes still fixed on the woods, avoiding my gaze.

I stole a quick look at him, noticing the deep lines etched on his face, far more pronounced than they had been earlier that day. He seemed to carry the weight of exhaustion, a heavy aura surrounding him, as if he, too, had been wrestling with sleepless nights. He swirled a drink in his glass, his demeanor calm, yet I could see the tension in his grip—the white knuckles betraying his facade.

And then I noticed the bruises on his face and the scratches on his shoulder, remnants of the morning’s chaos. My heart sank as the memory of Kostas’s attack resurfaced.

“Kostas hurt you?” I asked, the realization hitting me like a cold wave.

Nathan snorted, a smirk creeping onto his lips as he finally turned to meet my gaze. His eyes flickered with a golden hue, and I could see his nostrils flare slightly, as if he were trying to suppress something primal.

“Kostas can’t hurt me,” he replied, his voice gruff.

But if that were true, why was he still nursing these wounds a full day later?

“Where is he now?” I pressed, anxiety bubbling up inside me. The thought of my parents storming the castle in search of me filled my mind, but the idea of facing them so soon was unbearable, especially now that…

My eyes drifted back to his abs, and I felt a stirring within me. My wolf shifted, sending a rush of heat through my body, and some of that earlier revulsion began to dissipate. I squeezed my eyes shut, suppressing an annoyed huff. This was the beginning of my worst nightmare, and Hunter was nowhere in sight.

A familiar ache bloomed in my chest, as if the pain of losing Hunter had been tucked away, only to resurface now. It irritated me further—how could I allow a creature driven solely by instinct to dictate the course of my life?

“I took him outside my boundary. He won’t find us again until I’m ready,” Nathan said, his tone firm.

The magic surrounding us was powerful, then. Would it also keep Hunter at bay? Did that mean Nathan was all I had left?

My gaze drifted once more, lingering on him longer than before. I could understand why so many women found him irresistible. I could even fathom why that one woman had lost her mind over him.

Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming weight settle upon me. The worries that had clouded my mind began to fade like wisps of smoke. I sank into the chair beside him, adjusting my robe—or perhaps I deliberately parted it, inviting the cool air to caress my bare skin.

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