TRADING MY CHEATING HUSBAND FOR THE LYCAN KING novel Chapter 145

CHAPTER 96: SKIP THE PRETENSE–2

Harrison pauses, meeting my eyes.

“I’m more concerned by what the people think.”

“And what do the people think?”

His gaze slides to Gale – bleeding, sobbing, pinged to the table like a gutted animal – and the disgust on

his face is visceral.

“A whimp,” he whispers, seething. “I am here to correct that mistake. I am here to save the face of the Crawfords and end this nonsense once and for all.”

“And where does Ember fit into this narrative?”

Harrison’s expression doesn’t change, but something flickers in his eyes.

“Your girlfriend has my respect. She handled herself admirably tonight. I have no quarrel with her, and I wish you both well in your relationship.”

“How generous.”

“I am a practical man, Your Majesty. I bear no grudges against those who haven’t wronged me. Ember was a victim of my son’s failures, nothing more. She owes me nothing, and I owe her nothing.” He shrugs. “Our families‘ paths need never cross again after tonight.”

It sounds reasonable. Diplomatic. Exactly the kind of thing a man like Harrison would say to lull an enemy into complacency.

I don’t believe a word of it.

“Then I suppose we’re finished here,” I say, pushing back from the table.

“Almost.” Harrison’s eyes slide to the clock on the wall. “Would you look at that. It’s nearly midnight. Gale will need to be returned to custody.”

As if on cue, the rumble of engines sounds from outside. Headlights sweep across the windows. Car doors slam, followed by the heavy footsteps of multiple guards.

Something prickles at the back of my neck.

This is too smooth. Too rehearsed. Harrison has been watching that clock all night, timing this moment precisely.

Why?

My eyes move to Logan, who has gone very still, his face pale and drawn.

Then to Harrison, who looks openly amused, like a man watching a play he’s seen a hundred times before.

Then to Gale, still slumped and bleeding and muttering apologies to no one in particular.

< CHAPTER 96 SHIP THE PRETENSE

Then back to Harrison.

Very well,” I say, keeping my voice neutral.

The doors swing open and council guards flood into the room, their faces impassive and professional

Two of them move toward Gale, hauling him upright, and he immediately starts struggling.

“No,” he gasps, his voice raw from screaming. “No, please, I don’t want to go. Logan! LOGAN!”

Logan lunges forward but two more guards block his path, holding him back as Gale is dragged toward the

door.

“Please!” Gale shrieks, and there’s nothing left of the cruel, smug man who terrorized Ember for eight

years. He’s just a terrified animal now, wild–eyed and desperate. “I can’t go to prison! They’ll kill me! Logan, please, do something! SAVE ME!”

販

“Gale!” Logan struggles against the guards, tears streaming down his face. “Let me go! Let me–”

“LOGAN!”

They pass by me, and doors swing shut behind them, cutting off Gale’s screams, and the silence that follows is deafening.

Ember appears in the hallway at that moment, emerging from wherever she’d been hiding, her face pale and tear–streaked. She witnessed it. Watched them drag Gale away like a rabid dog being taken to be put

down.

Good. She deserves to know he’ll never hurt her again.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify