Tempted By my Evil Lycan Stepbrother novel Chapter 80

Chapter 80: A Good Match

Riley’s POV

“Stop!”

My voice came out sharper and louder than I expected.

But Ezra didn’t listen.

He had Leon by the front of his shirt now, his fist twisted in the expensive fabric, his whole body vibrating with rage. Leon thed to shove him off, but Ezra was stronger, faster, and far more willing to turn the hospital ward into a crime scene.

“Ezra, stop it!” I shouted again, trying to push myself upright despite the burning pain in my side.

The movement made the room tilt. Before I could swing my legs off the bed, the door flew open.

n

King Soren stormed in first, my mother right behind him, followed by two guards and one terrified healer. “What is going on?” the king thundered.

Ezra finally let go, but only enough to shove Leon backward hard. Leon stumbled into an overturned chair, one hand pressed to his bruised mouth, the bouquet he had brought me now crushed on the floor.

King Soren’s gaze swept over the room and took everything in at once-my half-risen body on the hospital bed, the blood at Leon’s lip, the flowers scattered like wreckage, Ezra standing there with murder still written all over his face.

His expression turned icy.

“Ezra,” he said, every syllable edged with fury, “let go of Leon.”

Ezra’s jaw tightened. He looked over at me, and probably because of the pain and worry he saw on my face, he slowly obeyed his

father’s order.

King Soren’s attention moved to me, and somehow that was worse.

I knew that look.

He wasn’t only angry at Ezra. He was more furious with me.

“So this is how you repay generosity,” he said coldly. “A decent young man is brought here to meet you, and you stab him in the garden like some goddamn criminal.”

My face burned. “I didn’t-”

“You hurt an innocent person,” he cut in, voice sharp as a blade. “And you dare call yourself a healer after this?”

That hit harder than I expected.

I gripped the blanket over my lap so tightly my fingers ached.

I wanted to tell him the truth. That I had not wanted to hurt anyone. That the fucking bond had turned my own body into prison.

But I couldn’t say any of it.

If I did, I would expose our matebond. If people found out, no one would blame Ezra. They’d turn all their anger on nie. King Soren would probably kick me out of this pack and make me a rougue without any hesitation. I couldn’t take that risk.

My voice came out small and bitter, “I didn’t mean it’

No one looked convinced.

+15 Bonus

My mother folded her arms over her chest and stared at me with tight, disappointed eyes. “I truly don’t know what’s gotten into you anymore, Riley. You used to be a loving and caring girl. What changed?”

I let out a shaky breath. Wronged didn’t even begin to cover what I felt. Everyone in that room was looking at me as if I had chosen cruelty for fun, as if I had woken up and decided to stab a stranger because I was difficult and spoiled.

Then Leon spoke.

“It’s not her fault.”

The whole room paused.

Even King Soren turned toward him.

Leon straightened slowly. There was blood on his lip and a bruise already darkening along his cheekbone, but his gaze when it met mine was steady and unexpectedly kind.

“I don’t want anyone blaming Riley,” he said. “Not for what happened today.”

Something in my chest tightened.

Leon glanced briefly at the bandage under his coat, then back at the king. “Riley just wasn’t ready. I don’t believe she meant me real harm. It’s not fair to blame her for anything.”

King Soren’s expression shifted. And my mother looked startled. As though she was shocked anyone would speak up for me.

Beside the bed, Ezra went very still. I didn’t need to look at him to feel the darkness coming off him in waves.

Leon kept speaking anyway.

“And I don’t want this family at odds because of me,” he said. “I certainly don’t want Riley condemned for a moment of

distress.”

My heart did something strange in my chest. Swelled, maybe.

Because for once someone was willing to stand in front of everyone and say I did not deserve to be torn apart. My mother didn’t do this for me. And certainly not Ezra.

King Soren’s anger didn’t disappear. He looked at me, then at Ezra, then back to Leon.

“Did she ask you to interfere?” he asked Ezra suddenly. “Was that it? She couldn’t get rid of Leon herself, so she sent you to do it for her?”

I rounded my eyes in shock. What the hell was he talking about?

“No,” I snapped. “I didn’t ask Ezra to do anything. It was all him!”

Before I could say anything else, Leon cut in over me.

“Please, Your Majesty. I’d rather no one blamed her at all.”

King Soren frowned slightly. Leon pressed on with a composure I honestly admired.

“I only ask for a little more time,” he said. “Time to get to know Lady Riley properly. Today clearly went bad, but I don’t think that means all hope is lost between us.”

Then he turned to me. A gentle smile spread across his face.

“Would that be all right with you?” he asked softly. “A little more time?”

I hesitated.

1 dudu’t have any feelings for him

But Leon just stood up forme in a room Where No one else had. And he still looked at ro

He was a gentleman. That much, at least, seemed real

ke faces a grue teed of a per

And if I was being honest with myself, I had already started thinking along the same lines last night. Mr Not with him. Not with anyone,

But getting to know him? Giving him a chance? Thanking him properly for defending, 07

That was different

So after a few seconds, I nodded,

“Yeah,” I said quietly. “That would be all right.”

There was a short silence after I said that

Then Ezra kicked the side table so hard it flipped over with a crash. Glass shattered across the floor. Everyone jumped

“Ezra!” King Soren roared. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?”

I looked at him, my body slightly shaking

His face was white with fury. Not the wild fury from earlier. This was colder and more dangerous. Like he was thinking doxx how to murder Leon right now.

His eyes slowly locked on mine. The look in them made my stomach drop.

Then he turned and strode out without a word.

The door slammed hard enough to rattle the walls.

King Soren watched it happen with an unreadable expression. Then he looked back at me and said, “Leon is generous enough to give you a second chance. So be good, Riley.”

Here’s my warning. Then he left too.

My mother hesitated, clearly wanting to say more. She stayed where she was while Leon took one careful step toward my bedside.

I tensed automatically.

He stopped at once.

“You don’t need to worry,” he said gently. “I’m not going to push you too hard.”

He took my hand instead, lifting it with surprising care, and pressed a kiss to my knuckles.

The touch was respectful. Almost old-fashioned.

“If you’ll allow it,” he said, “I’d like to take you out. Somewhere outside the palace. Are you free on Wednesday?”

I looked at him properly this time. He really was handsome. But more than that, there was steadiness in him. Nothing like Ezra’s consuming heat. When I was with Ezra, I always worried that I might get destroyed by his darkness and heat.

But not Leon Leon felt safer.

nodded. “All right.”

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