Vanished Sisters The Lycan King's Slave Island novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Natasha’s POV

“Suspected. There’s a difference.” He tilted his head, studying me. “But now I know for sure.”

“Are you-” I could barely form words. “Are you going to tell them?”

Before he could answer, Marcus’s voice echoed from upstream.

“Finn! Where are you? We need to go!”

My heart lurched into my throat.

He’s going to call out. He’s going to tell them. This is it. This is how I die.

Finn glanced back toward the voice. Then he looked at me again.

For a long, terrible moment, he said nothing.

Then he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted back.

“I’m fine! Just taking a piss! Give me a minute!”

I nearly collapsed with relief.

“Thank you,” I sobbed. “Thank you so much-”

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“Don’t thank me yet.” Finn’s expression was serious now. “You know how much danger you’re in, right? If anyone else finds out what you are-”

“I know. I know. That’s why I-” My voice broke. “That’s why I’m hiding it.”

“How did you even end up here?” he asked. “Disguised as a boy?”

“It’s complicated. I can’t-I can’t explain right now.”

Finn nodded slowly. “Fair enough. But I need to know something. Are you alone? Or is there someone else here? Someone you’re tryin protect?”

I hesitated, my instincts screaming not to reveal anything.

But something in his eyes-something genuine, almost kind-made me answer.

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Chapter 63

“My sister,” I whispered. ‘She’s here somewhere. I don’t know where. I’ve been searching for her but-

“Fuck. Finn ran a hand through his wet hair. “That’s even worse.”

“Why? What do you mean?”

He looked at me intently. “Because if you get discovered, they won’t just kill you. They’ll find everyone connected to you. Your sister

included.”

Cold dread flooded through me. “I know. That’s why I have to be careful. That’s why-

“Finn!” Marcus called again, closer now. “Seriously, where the fuck are you?”

“Shit.” Finn glanced back. “He’s coming. You need to get dressed. Now.”

“But-but what are you going to-”

“I’m not going to tell anyone,” he said firmly. “Your secret is safe with me.”

“Why?” The question burst out of me. “Why would you help me? You don’t even know me.”

Finn’s expression softened. “You want the truth?”

I nodded. .

“Because tomorrow night, we’re all going to suffer,” he said quietly. “Every single one of us. We’re going to be used and violated and humiliated by those Lycan bastards while they watch slaves kill each other for fun.”

His jaw tightened.

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“And I can’t stop that,” he continued. “I can’t protect any of us from what’s coming. But this- He gestured at me. -this one small thing I can do. I can keep your secret. I can help you survive a little longer.”

He took a step closer, his voice dropping even lower.

“We’re all human here,” he said. “All of us slaves. Male, female, whatever we’re pretending to be. We’re all just trying to survive in this nightmare. And if we don’t help each other-” He shook his head. “-then what’s the point? Why keep fighting at all?”

Tears blurred my vision. ‘I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. Just be more careful.” His expression became stern. ‘You almost gave yourself away just now. If I could find you,

others could too.”

“I will. I promise.”

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Chapter 63

…

“Finn!” Marcus’s voice was right on the other side of the bushes now. “I swear to God, if you fell in and drowned-

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“I’m coming!” Finn called back. He looked at me one more time. “Get dressed. Fast. And when we get back to the fortress, stay away from me in public. Don’t acknowledge me. Don’t even look at me.”

“Why?”

“Because if people think we’re friends, they’ll wonder what we talked about. They’ll get suspicious. He started to turn away. “Your secret is safe with me. But you need to keep it safe from everyone else.”

“Wait- I grabbed his arm. “Thank you. Really. I don’t know why you’re doing this, but-thank you.”

Finn smiled-a sad, tired smile. “Just stay alive, Nathan. Or whatever your real name is. Stay alive. Whatever it takes.”

“Natasha,” I whispered. “My real name is Natasha.”

“Natasha.” He tested the name. “Pretty. Suits you better than Nathan.”

He gently pulled his arm free and disappeared back through the bushes.

I heard him and Marcus talking in low voices, then their footsteps fading.

For a moment, I just stood there, naked and shaking, trying to process what had just happened.

He knows. He knows everything.

But he’s not going to tell.

Why? Why would he risk helping me?

But I already knew the answer.

Because we’re all human. Because we have to help each other.

Because that’s all we have left.

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