TRADING MY CHEATING HUSBAND FOR THE LYCAN KING novel Chapter 122

CHAPTER 81: THE CHOICE IS YOURS

EMBER’S POV

“We’ll consider it,” Knox says, and his voice is smooth as glass. Perfectly unreadable. “Thank you for the invitation.”

“My pleasure.” Rafael inclines his head. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

He melts back into the crowd, leaving destruction in his wake.

Knox doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t even look at me as he releases my hand and moves toward the bar with a measured stride that tells me exactly how not–fine this is.

I follow, my heart sinking with every step.

“Knox-”

“Not here.” His voice is quiet but firm. “Not in front of everyone.”

He orders a whiskey. Neat. Drinks half of it in one swallow.

I stand beside him, watching the tension coil through his shoulders, trying to find the right words.

“I was going to tell you,” I say softly.

“When?”

“Tonight. After the ceremony. I just… there was so much happening, and I didn’t want to add another thing to worry about, and-”

“You ran into Rafael.” He’s still not looking at me. “Alone. And he invited you to dinner. And you didn’t think

that was worth mentioning immediately?”

“It wasn’t like that. I bumped into him in the hallway and he was… he caught me off guard, and then he brought up the invitation, and I said no, and he said to bring you, and I just needed time to figure out how

to-”

“How to what?” Now he does look at me, and his eyes are guarded. Old wounds. Old scars. “How to tell

me? Or how to hide it?”

“I wasn’t hiding anything.”

“Then why am I hearing about it from him?”

The question lands like a blow.

Because I don’t have a good answer. Because the truth is, I don’t fully understand why I didn’t tell him immediately.

Maybe because of how the encounter ended, with Rafael’s wolf slipping free and my back against the wall.

CHAPTER 1 THE CHOICE IS YOURS

Maybe because some part of me knew Knox would react exactly like this, and I was too tired for another battle.

“I’m sorry,” I say, and it sounds inadequate even to my own ears. “You’re right. I should have told you right away.”

Knox finishes his whiskey, and he sets the glass down with careful precision.

“What else happened?” His voice is too calm. “When you ran into him. What aren’t you telling me?”

Everything. Nothing. The way he crowded me against the wall. The gold flickering in his eyes.

‘You’re making it very hard to stay noble, querida.’

“Nothing,” I say, and the lie tastes like ash. “He was just… Rafael. Charming and annoying and pushing boundaries. I handled it.”

Knox studies me for a long moment. I can’t tell if he believes me or not.

“Ember-”

“Excuse me.”

The voice cuts through our tension.

We both turn, and my breath catches.

Harrison Crawford stands before us, immaculate in a dark suit that probably costs more than most

people’s cars.

His graying hair is swept back from a face that looks incapable of emotions – all hardened granite and

cold authority.

He’s not particularly tall, but he carries himself like a man who’s never been challenged in his life.

The last time I saw him, I was walking down an aisle toward his son. He didn’t smile then either.

“Your Majesty.” Harrison inclines his head toward Knox, the gesture respectful but without the usual ass–kissing. “Miss… Aragon now, is it? I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Crawford.” Knox’s voice has gone formal. Political. “I received your invitation.”

J

“And I received your acceptance. I wanted to confirm the details personally.” Harrison’s gaze shifts to me, assessing. “Dinner will be at seven. Private dining room at the Eclate. I trust that’s acceptable?”

“Perfectly.”

“Excellent.” Harrison pauses, something flickering across his stone–carved features. “I should mention I’ve arranged for all relevant parties to attend. I believe in addressing conflicts directly, with everyone present.”

A chill runs down my spine.

CHAPTER 2 THE CHOICE IS YOURS

“All relevant parties?” Knox repeats slowly.

Yes.” Harrison meets his eyes without flinching. “I’ve arranged for my son to join us. Gale will be escorted from custody for the evening. His attention shifts back to me, and there’s something unreadable in his expression. “I thought it appropriate. One last dinner as a family, before the bonds are formally severed.”

The floor seems to tilt under my feet.

Gale. At dinner. Tonight.

I’m going to be in the same room as the man who broke me. Who killed my baby. Who spent eight years teaching me that I was worthless and unlovable and deserving of every bruise he gave me.

“That’s not happening.” Knox’s voice has gone deadly quiet. “I won’t allow-”

“With respect, Your Majesty.” Harrison’s tone doesn’t waver. “This Is a Crawford family matter. Ember was my son’s wife for eight years. Whatever comes next, I believe she deserves the chance to face him one final time. With your protection, of course.”

He turns to me, and for the first time, something almost human flickers in his cold eyes.

“Unless you’d prefer to decline, Miss Aragon. The choice is yours.”

The choice is mine.

I think about running. About hiding. About spending the rest of my life flinching at shadows because I

never learned to face the monster who created them.

I think about what I said to Knox earlier.

“I’ll be there,” I hear myself say. “We both will.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify