Instead of being angry, the crazy prick just smirked. "You're breathing, aren't you?" His voice was casual, as if we weren’t in the middle of one of the most humiliating moments of my life.
I blinked at him, my eyebrows drawing together in confusion. And then, it hit me. He knew exactly what he was doing. He kissed me not to be an arrogant, overbearing Alpha but to stop my panic attack. The kiss was a distraction—a calculated move to snap me out of my spiraling. Of course, he would think of something like that. His ego probably couldn’t stand me not breathing without his permission.
I could feel my face heating up, the blush spreading across my cheeks. "Uh... well, yeah," I mumbled, avoiding his eyes like they were a spotlight shining right on my embarrassment. My gaze darted anywhere but to the smirk that played on his lips, the one that told me he knew how flustered I was. It made me want to disappear into the floor. Why did this man always have the ability to make me feel vulnerable and exposed in the worst possible ways?
His stare lingered on me, intense and hot, making my skin tingle. It wasn’t fair that someone so infuriating could also make my heart race in ways I didn't understand. I tried to focus on anything else, but the weight of his presence made it difficult to think straight.
Suddenly, someone cleared their throat, exaggerated and loud enough to shake me out of my thoughts. Both Jake and I turned towards Bryan. Oh. Right. Bryan. I had almost forgotten he was still there. His presence brought me crashing back to reality—the painful reality where my best friend had lied to me.
Bryan’s ears had turned a familiar shade of crimson. He always did that when he was nervous. His tell. The one I used to find endearing. But now? Now it just made me feel angry. Betrayed. How could someone I trusted so much keep such a massive secret from me?
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, a nervous habit I knew well. "I... just wanted to say I’m sorry things had to turn out this way, Prisca. You’re still my best friend, and I love yo—"
Before he could finish, a deep, threatening growl reverberated through the room, cutting him off. The sound was primal, and I could feel the tension radiating off Jake in waves. His stance had shifted, rigid and hostile, as he glared daggers at Bryan. But Bryan wasn’t one to be easily intimidated—at least, not when it came to me.
He shrugged off Jake’s warning like it was nothing and pressed on. "—as I was saying, I really love—"
Another growl, this one even more menacing. It sent a chill down my spine, but I was too caught up in my emotions to care. This time, I whipped around to face Jake, my glare matching his. “Are you serious right now?” I snapped.
Bryan quickly raised his hands, as if surrendering to the rising tension in the room. "I love you as a *friend,* Prisca! Just as a friend!" He hurried to clarify, sending a cautious glance in Jake’s direction, though I could tell he was trying hard not to show his fear.
The air between the three of us felt thick with unspoken words and unresolved issues. Bryan’s voice softened, and for the first time, he looked truly vulnerable. "I don’t wanna lose you, Prisca. You’re the most honest, crazy, caring, and genuinely loving friend I’ve ever had. I’ll give you time to think about... all of this. But I really hope you forgive me. I... don’t think I could live without your forgiveness."
His voice cracked slightly at the end, and he looked down, his usual bravado fading as guilt and shame overtook him. The weight of his words hung between us, and I could feel the sincerity in his tone. He regretted keeping this from me, I could tell. But that didn’t mean the pain of his betrayal was any less.
I took a deep breath, my throat tight from the swirl of emotions inside me. “You’re right, Bryan. I do need time to think about... this whole situation.” My voice came out quieter than I expected, as if the words themselves were too heavy to speak. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, but right now? I’m really disappointed in you. It hurts that you’re among the people who’ve hurt me the most.”
My voice wavered at the end, and I hated that it made me sound weak. But it was true. The pain of betrayal from someone you trust cuts deeper than anything else. It wasn’t just about finding out Bryan was part of this world of wolves and secrets. It was the fact that, for years, he had been lying to my face. Pretending like everything was normal when my entire life was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.
I wiped away the stray tears that had escaped, frustrated at how easily they fell. I didn’t want to cry in front of them—not Jake, and definitely not Bryan. They didn’t deserve my tears. But I couldn’t stop them. The weight of everything was crushing me, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep it all inside.
Bryan nodded, understanding that I needed space. Without another word, he walked out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with Jake. The silence that followed was deafening. Jake hadn’t moved. He still stood there, watching me with those piercing eyes that never seemed to miss anything. For a moment, I thought he might say something—something comforting, maybe even apologetic for his role in all of this. But Jake wasn’t the kind of person to offer comfort.
Instead, he walked toward me, stopping just inches away, his presence suffocating. "You’re stronger than you think, Prisca," he said softly, his voice surprisingly gentle for someone who had been growling and threatening Bryan a minute ago. "And whether you like it or not, you’re part of this world now. There’s no running from it."
His words, though meant to be comforting, felt like chains being wrapped around me, pulling me deeper into the unknown. My heart pounded as I tried to process everything—my entire life, rewritten in the span of a few days. Jake, Bryan, my parents… everything I thought I knew had crumbled beneath my feet.
I didn’t respond to Jake. I couldn’t. There were no words that could express the whirlwind of emotions raging inside me. All I knew was that my world had changed forever, and there was no going back.
---