Page 45 of Lycan Prey
“Fiancé? What’s a fiancé?” Max’s question cuts through the air, his innocence adding to the complexity of the moment.
“Your father is marrying Brielle, Max. How do you not know?” my mother explains, her voice filled with joy.
“Pardon, I’m—”
Brielle starts to protest, but I silence her by turning her slightly and kissing her, a bold move that surprises us both. My arms wrapped securely around her are the only things that stop her from running; I can feel it in how tense she is. I bite down on her bottom lip, demanding entrance, she makes a sound between a moan and a whimper. But I take advantage of her parted lips, sweeping my tongue across hers to silence her. Brielle’s body tenses under my strong embrace, and I can feel her heart racing against mine.
Oh she is going to kill me. I know that much because she bites me, hard on the bottom lip making me jerk back. Mygaze holds hers and her eyes are blazing, yet she must see the desperation in my eyes because when I dip my face back to hers to peck her lips she doesn’t pull away, but also doesn’t kiss me back.
My attention is pulled from Brielle when Max’s excited squeal adds to the surreal nature of the moment. Pulling away from her, she looks at me in alarm, and I’m glad I turned her so my parents can’t see her reaction.
I sweep her hair behind her ear. “We just haven’t had a chance to tell Max, yet, isn’t that right, love?” I ask her, my gaze holding hers. Her eyes widen but she seems to get the message and she forces herself to relax in my hold.
“We wanted to surprise him,” she murmurs, her gaze not leaving mine and I can tell she is furious at being put on the spot, but a mask slips in place as she turns back to face my parents with a small smile.
Max looks between us both. “You’re really getting married? I’m going to have a mom?” Max squeals, Bree flinches at the word, and Max rushes over to wrap his arms around her legs. She stiffens slightly at hearing him say that, but my fingers squeeze her hip. She nods, staring down at him and hugging him back. I can tell it hurts her to lie to him and I know I won’t be prepared for the tongue lashing I receive from her because my lips still tingle from where she bit me.
“Yep, and you’re going to be the best man,” I add, trying to lighten the tension. Max’s eyes light up at being included, and he bounces with excitement. She glances at me, and I see a flash of anger in her eyes before she masks it with a smile - the same fake smile she gives me whenever I’ve truly pissed her off.
I evade her gaze, I can’t bring myself to look at her just yet, so I focus on my parents. My mother claps her hands together in delight, wiping a tear of joy from the corner of her eye.
“Oh, we’ll have to start planning right away! This is going to be such a beautiful wedding! I have so many ideas already!” she exclaims, already lost in a world of flower arrangements and seating plans.
My father studies me carefully. He may not say anything aloud but his gaze says it all; he warns me that there is more to discuss later and he knows something is amiss and now I need to convince him there isn’t. But for now, he steps forward and congratulates us, giving Bree a warm hug while subtly studying her reactions.
Every so often, I catch a glimpse of Bree’s icy stare piercing through me from the corner of my eye; however, she keeps up the ruse with an impressively convincing façade of a doting soon-to-be wife.
After the initial greetings, we sit, the atmosphere filled with a mix of celebration and confusion. My parents are full of questions, and I find myself weaving a story that feels both true and false at the same time.
“Brielle, tell us about yourself,” my mother urges, her eyes warm and inviting.
Brielle shares bits and pieces of her life, her words careful yet genuine. She takes great care in not revealing anything about herself. I watch her with gratitude and guilt mingling within me. She’s playing her part perfectly, though I know the emotional toll it must be taking on her.
As the day progresses, the pretense of our engagement feels increasingly real, especially once dinner is called for. Dinner is a blur of small talk and forced laughter.
Max is ecstatic. His enthusiasm is infectious, and it’s hard not to smile at his innocent excitement. He chatters on about what he hopes our wedding will be like, his eyes shining bright with anticipation.
There’s laughter and a sense of family I hadn’t realized I missed.
As night falls and my parents retire to their room, I find myself alone with Brielle. The weight of our act hangs heavily between us, a barrier and a bridge all at once as she glares at me.
After what feels like an eternity, we finally manage to escape to the privacy of my study. The moment we step into the room Brielle rounds on me like a typhoon.
“What the hell was that?” she hisses, her whisper harsh but filled with restrained fury. Her eyes are ablaze in betrayal and disbelief.
Without uttering a word, I quietly lock the door behind us. The soft click emphasizes the gravity of my following words as I turn to meet her stern gaze.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper softly, sincerely. The apology seems inadequate for what I’ve just put her through, but it’s all I have for now.
“Well, you can take your sorry and shove it up your ass,” she retorts angrily. “What were you thinking, Soren? You can’t just rope someone into a fake engagement without their consent!”
I flinch at the venom in her words, but she’s right, so I hold my tongue and let her vent.
“Did you ever consider how this might affect me? Or Max, for that matter? You’ve just set us up for a world of heartache when everything comes crashing down!”
She’s right, but it felt like the only viable option at the time. And now, standing in front of her, facing the consequences of my impulsive decision, I realize how deeply I’ve wounded her trust.
“I know,” I start but falter under the weight of my own guilt. “I didn’t think it through… I’m sorry...”
