Page 101 of Lycan’s Hunt

Chapter 42

• Aubrey •

Max’s soft snores fill the quiet of his room as I gently pull the blanket up over his small shoulders. His toy soldier is still clutched tightly in his hand, even in sleep, his little fingers curled protectively around it. His cheeks are streaked with the remnants of tears, and his eyelashes are still damp. My heart clenches as I lean down to press a kiss to his temple.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” I whisper, my voice barely audible, afraid to disturb the fragile peace of his sleep. He shifts slightly, nuzzling into his pillow, and I smooth a hand over his dark curls before standing.

The soft light from his bedside lamp casts a warm glow over the room, but it feels heavy in here. Suffocating, almost. As if the weight of everything that just happened still lingers, curling in the corners like shadows. I flick off the lamp and quietly slip out, leaving the door cracked just enough to hear him if he calls out in the night.

The hallways are silent as I make my way back to our room. My bare feet make no sound on the cool stone floor, but my mind is anything but quiet. I can still hear Max’s desperate sobs, his cries for Soren not to hurt Mavis. The memory makes my chest ache.

I push open the door to our room and step inside, closing it softly behind me. The dim light from the bedside lamp illuminates Soren sitting on the edge of the bed, his broad shoulders hunched, his head in his hands. His usually commanding presence is gone, replaced by a man who looks… broken.

The sight of him like this sends a pang of sadness through me. Soren, who always seems so unshakable, so strong, looks like he’s carrying the weight of the entire world—and in many ways, he is.

I move toward him quietly, my feet barely making a sound against the plush carpet. He doesn’t look up as I approach, his fingers digging into his hair, his elbows braced on his knees. His entire posture screams off for the man I know, and it breaks something inside me to see him like this.

Reaching out, I run my fingers gently through his hair, letting my nails scrape lightly against his scalp. His entire body tenses under my touch, his shoulders stiffening as if he’s trying to hold himself together.

“Soren,” I whisper softly.

He slowly lifts his head, and when his eyes meet mine, my breath catches. I’ve never seen him like this. His blue eyes, usually so clear and focused, are rimmed red, glassy with unshed tears. His jaw is tight, his lips pressed into a thin line. The way he’s looking at me—like he’s barely holding himself together—makes my heart ache.

Before I can say anything, he reaches for me, his hands gripping my waist as he pulls me into him. His arms wrap around me tightly, and his face buries into my chest as he finally breaks.

A harsh, guttural sob tears from his throat, and I feel his entire body shake against me. My arms move, wrapping around his shoulders as I hold him close. My fingers continue to comb through his hair, and I rest my chin lightly on top of his head, whispering words I’m not even sure he can hear.

His grip on me tightens, as if he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go. His tears soak into the fabric of my shirt, but I don’t care. All I care about is him, about being here for him when he needs me.

“You couldn’t have known,” I tell him.

“She… she killed herself,” he chokes out finally, his voice muffled against me.

I freeze, the weight of his words hitting me like a physical blow. “Mavis?” I whisper, pulling back slightly to peek down at him.

He nods, his face still pressed against me. “She said she loved me and couldn’t let her death be on my conscience,” his voice cracks, and he shakes his head, his fingers digging into my hips.

“Oh, Soren,” I breathe, my heart breaking for him. He pulls back just enough to peer up at me, his face a mix of anguish and guilt. “She said she didn’t realize what she’d done. But it doesn’t matter, does it? Whether she knew or not, she let him in and still helped them. She betrayed Jacinta. She betrayed Max…” He trails off, his voice thick with emotion.

“You didn’t have a choice,” I tell him firmly, cupping his face in my hands. “Soren, look at me.”

His eyes meet mine, and I see the torment there, the self-loathing he’s trying so hard to hide.

“You did what you had to do to protect your staff, to protect your family,” I say, my voice steady. “She made her choices, Soren. Not you. This isn’t your fault.”

He shakes his head, his jaw clenching. “She helped raise Max. She was a part of this family, Aubrey. It feels wrong. Jacinta loved her, Max loved her, everyone did. They all saw, all of them. Mary may never forgive me.”

I kneel in front of him, taking his hands in mine. “She’s gone because she made a terrible mistake, and she knew that. She just made sure you didn’t live with the consequences of killing her,” I say gently. “You’ve done everything possible to protect this kingdom, Soren. And sometimes that means making impossible choices. But you did the right thing.”

His eyes search mine. Slowly, he nods, but I can see the weight of it all still pressing down on him.

I lean forward, pressing lips to his forehead.

“Max won’t forgive me.”

“I think that is the main reason she did it; it wasn’t just for you, it was for everyone here. She was atoning for what she did.”

His arms wrap around me again, pulling me close, and I let him hold me, let him draw whatever comfort he can from me.