Chapter 8

I barely noticed the murmurs of the crowd as I dragged Finn and Luna away, their small hands clutched tightly in mine. My heart pounded in my ears, drowning out the sounds of the bustling fair. All I could focus on was getting as far from those men as possible.

Rachel rushed after me, calling out, “Briar, wait up!”

I ignored her, my mind spinning. How did they know? How could they be so sure? No, they were wrong. They had to be.

It wasn't possible that I had slept with them and have their children. 

But everything I was thinking was against logic. Yes it was possible. I had slept with multiple men that night. But I was scared to admit it. 

By the time we reached the car, I was shaking. I helped Finn and Luna into the backseat, my hands trembling as I buckled them in.

Rachel finally caught up, her face flushed from running. “What the hell just happened?” she asked, breathless and wide-eyed. “The Lycan kings and you…”

I slammed the car door shut and whirled on her, my voice sharp. “I don’t want to talk about it, okay? Just… just drive.”

She blinked, startled by my outburst, but nodded without pressing further. Rachel climbed into the driver’s seat, and we sped away from the fair, leaving the three brothers—and the town’s curious stares—behind.

The kids chattered in the backseat, oblivious to the tension between Rachel and me. I stared out the window, biting my lip to keep my emotions in check. I couldn’t afford to break down. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.

When we arrived back home, I ushered the kids inside quickly, locking the door behind us. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see multiple messages—some from the other moms at school, others from random numbers I didn’t recognize.

What’s going on with the you and the Lycan king? Did you see those three hotties at the fair?

Are they really the father of your children?

I cursed under my breath, tossing the phone onto the counter. The whole town was talking about it already.

Rachel stood in the doorway, watching me carefully. “Briar, you have to tell me what’s going on. Why were the Lycan kings after you? It's as if they came here to Crimsgrove for you.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Those people, the scammers, well they were the Lycan kings.” Her eyes widened. “They think they’re the fathers of my kids.”

Rachel’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what? Are you serious? How would they even know about Finn and Luna?”

“I don’t know,” I muttered, pacing the kitchen. “But they seemed pretty damn sure of it.”

Rachel leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “Do you think there’s any truth to it?”

I stopped in my tracks, turning to face her. “No. Absolutely not. They can’t be. It’s impossible. Three men? No…no…no...”

Rachel didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push further. “Okay… but what are you going to do if they don’t leave you alone? I mean, it sounds like they’re serious. And you know the Lycan kings, whatever they want, they get. And going into their world? It's like a death sentence. They have enemies, constant war, and most of all the rumored curse.”

“The curse of the eternal bond?”

Rachel nodded. “The curse where they turn into a beast during the full moon and kill whoever is on site. Imagine you were there.”

I rubbed my temples, trying to fend off the headache that was creeping in. “Thanks Rachel for the imagination. I just want this to be over. I can’t deal with this right now. ”

She nodded slowly, her expression softening. “Okay. I’ll help you any way I can.”

I forced a smile. “Thanks.”

****

Later that evening, I made my way to my other job at the local clinic. It was a small-town facility, but I liked the work. It kept me busy and grounded. My role was a pediatric nurse allowed me to focus on caring for children, giving me a sense of purpose outside of the chaos of my personal life. The clinic was always bustling, filled with parents bringing their kids in for routine check-ups, vaccines, and the occasional sprained ankle.

I spent the first hour of my shift checking vitals and chatting with the kids, trying to keep my mind off the day’s earlier events. But no matter how hard I tried to focus, the image of Kai, Kylan, and Kieran wouldn’t leave my head. Their confident voices, their intense stares—it all lingered, and I hated how unsettled it made me feel.

Then, just as I was about to step into another exam room, I heard a commotion near the front of the clinic. My heart skipped a beat, and I hurried toward the noise, a sinking feeling already growing in my stomach.

Sure enough, when I rounded the corner, there they were. The brothers. Standing right in the lobby of the clinic like they owned the place.

My breath hitched, and I froze, staring at them in disbelief. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Kai stepped forward. “We thought we might visit you here at work since you decided to make a fool of us earlier.”

“I’m at work,” I snapped, trying to keep my voice low so as not to draw attention. But it was too late—people were already staring. I saw a few of my colleagues whispering to each other, their curious gazes bouncing between the brothers and me.

Kylan smirked, his arms crossed over his chest. “We’ll wait.”

“You can’t just show up here like this,” I hissed, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. “This is completely inappropriate.”

Kieran tilted his head, his gaze softening slightly. “We’re not trying to make things difficult for you, Briar. But you need to hear us out. You won't understand unless we explain.”

Before I could respond, I saw a flash—someone had taken a picture. My stomach dropped. I glanced around and spotted a couple of people with their phones out, snapping photos of the scene.

“Are you kidding me?” I muttered under my breath. “Look–”

Boom!!

It happened so quickly. I didn't have enough time to breath when another book was heard. 

 The ground beneath my feet trembled, and I heard a loud book from outside.

My blood ran cold as the building shook. Panic spread through the clinic like wildfire. Patients screamed, nurses rushed to secure the area, and the front entrance was suddenly blocked by debris.

I turned back to the brothers, my heart racing. “What the hell is happening?”

Kylan’s eyes darkened, and he stepped closer, his voice low and urgent. “It’s an attack.”

“An attack?” I echoed, my mind spinning.

Before I could ask anything else, the fire alarm blared, and chaos erupted around us.

I felt a hand grab mine—Kai’s—and before I knew what was happening, he was pulling me toward the back of the clinic.

“We need to get you out of here. Now!”