THE LYCAN KING’S SECOND CHANCE MATE

If only I haven’t already. *** +15 BONUS “Are you sure you’ll be okay talking to her alone?” Asks Alpha Reagan as we step into the hallway that leads to Hayley’s cell. I look up at him with a frown on my face. “Of course I can. Stop treating me like I’m some hopeless, fragile creature.” I snap. He lifts both hands in the air, surrendering to me. “I’m sorry, Ma’am. You can go ahead.” “Thank you!” I flash him a tight smile and march forward. My heart rate increases as I draw closer to Hayley’s cell. I felt sorry for her when I saw her getting bullied by my sister because it was something I had experienced as well. Because of that, I let her in easily. We were friends for one week. We did almost everything together. I enjoyed every moment I spent with her. I trusted her with my life, but then, she did this. She drugged me. She planned with others to have me gang-raped by Lycan men. Do I even want to see her face right now? I don’t think I do, but I need to talk to her. I need to ask her why she did it and I want to see the look in her eyes when she tells me her reason for betraying me the way she did. “Ashanti!” Her familiar voice snaps me out of my thoughts and that’s when I realize I have arrived at her cell. I stop in my tracks and turn around stiffly, like a robot, to face her. She’s standing behind the barred door, tears in her eyes, looking like a hot mess. “Ashanti.” She calls my name again and I feel like ripping her tongue from her mouth so she will never be able to call me again. A tree of anger plants itself in the pit of my stomach, shooting its branc my spine, into my arms and legs. I clench my trembling hands into a fist and grit my teey body is vibrating with anger. feel “I took pity on you because you were bullied by Rhea. I made you my friend. I made your like you belonged in H e m just like everyone else yet you repay me by doing this?” “Ashanti I’m sorry!” She

cries bitterly. My eyes water as I watch the river of tears flowing down her cheeks. “Right now I regret what I did. I should’ve told you, but I was too scared of what they’d do to me if they found out that I ratted them out to you” “Who are they?” I ask calmly and she shakes her head. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you. If I do, they’ll kill me.” “Rhea and Alina. Are they the ones?” “I can’t say!” Then they are the ones. I suck in a deep breath to calm my raging nerves. I shouldn’t hate Hayley. She’s just a victim of circumstances. Even though I’m mad at her for betraying me, I understand why she did that. 1/2 +15 BONUS Alina alone is terrifying. She can intimidate you to the point where you cause your death, so I understand how Hayley felt. “Hayley. You have to call names. You don’t have to go down alone. Look.” I hold her hands through the bar and keep my eyes lucked in hers. “If you tell me the truth, I will keep you safe. Alpha Reagan himself will make sure nothing will happen to you, I promise. Whoever they are, they won’t be able to harm you. Please.” I beg her desperately but she keeps shaking her head in denial. “No, i can’t because you don’t know what they’ll do to me, but you have to believe me when I tell you that I had no idea the juice had been drugged. Please Ashanti…” Her voice drops in a whisper. “I don’t want to die.” She says with trembling lips. “I don’t want my parents to die either.” “You’re not going to die and neither will your parents. I can protect you, but you need to say who set you up to this.” I urge her, but she keeps shaking her head and she’s breathing frantic, looking left and right as though she can see a grim reaper walking towards her with and axe in his hand, ready to take her head. “It’s not safe here.” She whispers, her eyes burning deep into mine. I can get you somewhere safe, but you know what you have to do.” Hayley shakes her head yet again and I’m frustrated beyond explanation.

“She’s going to kill me the moment she finds out that I uttered her name. I can’t.” “Tell me something. Did you know about this g**g…” “No.” She quickly cuts me off. “I swear I had no idea that’s what they had planned. I know you won’t believe me right now, but Ashanti I would have told you if I had known. I swear I wasn’t involved. I didn’t even know the orange juice was drugged. Please believe me.” She cries in agony. My eyes bore deep into hers, searching for something and when I don’t find it, I feel all the anger asipate. As I stare at her right now, I feel sorry for her because she’s going to get punishe a crime she did not mastermind. She’s innocent. “I believe you,” I tell her quietly. “You do?” “Yes. And I’ll make sure you don’t get punished for something you didn’t do. Just hang in there for a while.” I turn on my heels and start walking away. I have to talk to Alpha Reagan. He has to know that Hayley is innocent.