Tempted By my Evil Lycan Stepbrother novel Chapter 44

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Riley’s POV

“With all due respect, my King, I don’t think any of this is my fault,” I said, holding back my anger.

“It’s not?” Soren’s expression grew even sterner. “Then tell me who had trouble with my cabinet member’s daughter? And who stirred up the whole school so much that students couldn’t even attend classes?”

I gripped the bedsheet tighter. “åSomeone put a silver needle in my shoe. My foot is bleeding right now as we speak. Was I supposed to just do nothing and say nothing?”

“You’re not supposed to cause such a massive disruption, if that’s what you’re asking,” he said icily.

This was ridiculous! I gritted, “Ezra made that call. I didn’t ask for any of this-”

“Ezra isn’t the most even–tempered person in the world, but he’s never acted this extreme before. I’d very much like to hear how you manipulated my son into doing these crazy things.”

I looked at him in disbelief.

God, how did my mother put up with this guy? I’d never met anyone so dictatorial and unreasonable! I felt like I was just knowing him for the first time today.

“Then I guess you don’t know me well enough, Father “Ezra stood beside me with his arms crossed, smirking. “I just like doing all sorts of crazy things. It’s in my fucking nature. Maybe I got it from you.”

“That’s enough!” An angry vein bulged on the King’s forehead. “I will not tolerate this kind of madness. Have your men pull out of the school right now!”

Ezra shot his father an even more provocative look. “Isn’t it kind of pathetic that even my men don’t listen to your orders? And none of them leave until they find the person who hurt Riley.”

Soren looked like someone had just slapped him across the face.

“Everly.” He hissed.

Mom swallowed hard, then turned to me. “Riley, listen to your father right now. Stop making more trouble.”

I felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on my head.

After a short pause, I spoke up, my voice trembling slightly. “My father is a farmer in Pebble Creek, not the Lycan King. And I’m sure that if my real father were here, he’d be worried about my injury instead of scolding me for causing rouble.”

“And now you’re talking back to me!” Mom looked even more flustered. She took a deep breath, then turned to Ezra. “May I speak to my daughter alone for a moment?”

Ezra looked at me. I nodded at him, and he turned and left the room.

King Soren shot my mother a warning look before following him out.

Finally, it was just the two of us in the ward.

“Why is Ezra helping you so much? I thought he hated you!” she blurted out as soon as we were alone.

“Really, Mom? That’s the first question you want to ask?” I looked at her coldly.

She took a deep breath. “Riley, you can’t go against Soren. I know you’re having a hard time at school, but sometimes it might be wiser to just-”

“What? Suck it up? Let people bully me?” I snapped.

Chapter 14-1567 Cought

“Choose to get along peacefully with your classmates!” Mom raised her voice too, talking over me. “I’m doing this for your own good. Your classmates are all Lycan nobles. What good does it do you to offered them?”

“Really, Mom? Are you doing this for me or for yourself? Because me clashing with King Soren might interfere with your plans to make your precious heir?!”

I was so angry that I couldn’t stop shaking. Hot tears welled in my eyes, threatening to fall.

“You haven’t asked a single word about my injury since you got here. Do you even care about my wound? Or are you just mad at me for angering the King?” I wiped my eyes hard, looking at her with red eyes. “Would it kill you to take two seconds to ask me why there was a nail in my shoe? What I’ve been through lately?!”

She looked at me silently, expressionless, like a pale, beautiful statue.

“I don’t need to ask,” she said after a while. “You’ve never had a good temper since you were a child. This isn’t the first time you’ve been in conflict with others.”

That was it.

That was the final nail in the coffin.

“Fix things with Ezra,” she murmured, then quickly left the room.

I was so stupid to expect her to take my side.

Compared to the power and money she craved, I meant nothing to her. I should have known that long ago. Should have known it when she walked out of our house and abandoned me ten years ago.

The door opened again. Ezra walked in.

“Didn’t go well with your mom?” he asked.

I quickly wiped my eyes. “And with your father?”

“He can’t control me,” he scoffed.

He came to my bedside, grabbed my chin forcefully, and turned me toward him. I struggled slightly, and he only tightened his grip. I couldn’t hide my red eyes.

“Hey.” His voice was low and husky and… surprisingly gentle. “You still have me. I’m going to find that person for you, okay?”

My stomach flipped, like someone had just released a thousand butterflies inside me.

“I know,” I whispered. “It’s so ironic…”

“Ironic how?” he raised an eyebrow.

Ironic because when I first got here, I thought I was here to hold my mom’s hand against him.

I never imagined that when something real happened, it would be my enemy standing behind me.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to cry again.” He cupped my face. His voice was teasing, but his tone was gentler.

“When have I ever cried?”

“Don’t be stubborn.” His thumb gently traced my cheek “My shoulder is here for you. Just don’t hide your feelings from me.”

Magically, those burning tears disappeared. Even my intense emotions settled down.

“You should pull your soldiers out of the school,” I said.

He narrowed his eyes. “Why? Don’t tell me you were bullied into submission by my father.”

2/4

Chapter 14 Get Caught

“Uf course not. But I do agree that those soldiers are disrupting classes for innocent students, and that’s not fair to them. Whoever hurt me definitely wanted to ruin my chances in the Hunting Season. When they see I’m fine, they’ll act again and slip up. We can catch them then.”

He stared at me. Just when I thought he’d argue with me arrogantly again, he nodded. “Fine. But first, we have to heal your leg.”

“And is that even fucking possible?!” a sharp voice said behind us.

I looked up and saw Olivia storming into the room, followed by Silas and Odin. Both of them looked worried.

“We came as soon as we heard,” Odin said, reaching out to look at my wound. “God…”

Ezra immediately slapped his hand away. “Keep your hands to yourself.”

“Who did this?” Silas said with a tight frown. “I heard they expelled Layla, but she insisted she had nothing to do with it?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but Olivia started screaming first:

“Who cares who did it? The point is she’s hurt, and now we won’t have a healer for the Hunting Season!”

“Olivia, don’t…” Odin said.

“Don’t shush me. I’ve held my tongue long enough!” she squeaked. “We should have never teamed up with her. Look at how much trouble she’s caused us! She made us targets for the whole school, and now she’s dropping out, leaving us in a shit hole? GOD!”

“Come on, Olivia, it’s not that bad-” Silas started.

“IT IS that bad! We’re going to be the only team without a healer! And we-”

BANG.

Ezra slammed his hand against the table, and Olivia immediately shut her mouth.

“This is a fucking hospital. Shout again, and I’ll have my soldiers throw you out.” His green eyes were cold as ice.

Olivia shivered in fear. She shot me another look, still full of resentment.

“I promise I’ll be there for the Hunting Season. And we’ll win the championship,” I said to my teammates.

Olivia snorted loudly. Silas smiled at me. Odin said nothing.

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