Page 20 of Loved By The King

Finally, he says, “You know, being king isn’t just about ruling. It’s… constant pressure. Always making decisions, always weighing lives against one another. There are days when I can’t be bothered, that I don’t want to rule.” His voice is low, like he’s ashamed to admit it.

I blink, surprised by his honesty. Soren never lets his guard down like this. “You carry so much, but you’re only one person.”

He shakes his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. “It’s not that simple, Bree. I’ve made mistakes—big ones. And they’ve cost me. I never should have vouched for Rhett, and now it’s caused this mess. I’m worried it’s going to come back on me, on Max and you,” His voice falters, and I see the flicker of pain in his eyes. “My last wife… I didn’t mark her. I thought we had time. I kept putting it off, waiting for the right moment. But that moment never came, and she was killed before I could save her.”

I reach out instinctively, placing my hand on his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat. “I’m sorry, Soren.”

“Don’t be, I never would have met you otherwise. I loved my wife, but…”

He closes his eyes a moment, as if gathering himself. “That’s why I can’t wait with you, Bree. I don’t want to risk it again. If anything were to happen to you…” His voice breaks, and the weight of his fear presses down on me.

The idea of him turning me, of becoming like him, is something I’ve tried to avoid thinking about. But now, hearing the pain in his voice, the fear of losing me like he lost his wife, I realize how much this means to him. However, I’m still trapped by the lies I’m hiding, by the truth I can’t bring myself to tell him.

“I understand,” I whisper, though my throat feels tight. “But we still have time, right?”

He nods, though his jaw is tense, his eyes fixed on mine. “The council has been asking questions. They’re worried about the pack tensions, about the possibility of war. I worry about this causing wars, not just with the packs. And…” He pauses, searching my face. “They’ve mentioned not being able to find any records of you. It’s strange for someone not to be registered with any pack or territory even if you are rogue.”

My heart skips a beat, and I have to force myself to keep my expression neutral. I knew this moment would come, the questions about my past, about where I came from. I still don’t have the courage to tell him the full truth.

“I was never registered,” I lie, my voice steady even though guilt is eating me alive. “My family… we kept to ourselves. There are no records of me because, in the system, I don’t exist.”

Soren watches me carefully, his brow furrowed. “That’s dangerous, Bree. Without any records, if something happens, the council won’t be able to protect you.”

I nod, forcing a small smile. “I know. But I’m here now, with you. That’s what matters, right?”

He exhales, his shoulders relaxing just a little. “Yeah, that’s what matters.” He pulls me closer, wrapping his arm around me, and for a moment, the tension between us fades, replaced by our quiet breathing. “I just want you to be safe.”

“I will be, I’m not going anywhere,” I murmur, resting my head on his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat comforting me. But the guilt is still there, gnawing at me. I’ve lied to him again, held back the truth about who I am, about my connection to Rhett, about everything that happened before I came into his life.

As the minutes pass, the silence between us grows warmer, more comfortable. But deep down, I know this closeness is built on a lie. And every day, the secrets threaten to unravel everything.

My mind questioning how much longer I can keep this up. How much longer can I keep pretending everything is fine when the truth could tear us apart? It’s only a matter of time before it all comes crashing down, or Rhett comes for me.

Chapter 9

• Aubrey •

The next week passes in a blur. Soren is always busy, up before the sun rises and coming back well after I’ve already fallen asleep. Every night, I wait for him, hoping we’ll get a few moments to talk, but he’s exhausted by the time he walks through the door if I do catch him. And every morning, the space beside me is cold, the bed already empty.

I keep telling myself I’ll find the right time to tell him everything about Rhett, about the truth I’ve been hiding—but the days slip by, and I still haven’t found that moment. Or maybe I’m just too scared to face what will happen when I finally do.

Soren’s been completely consumed by the meetings, trying to prevent a full-scale conflict between the packs and trying to stop the human councils from getting involved. I can see the strain on his face, the exhaustion in his eyes whenever I do catch a glimpse of him. The tension between Rhett’s Pack and my father’s is growing, and it feels like war is inevitable.

But it’s not just the meetings. Something shifted last week, right after that conversation with Rhett. Soren’s become increasingly protective, almost overbearing, in a way I’ve never seen before. He’s added more security around the castle, guards posted at every entrance, extra patrols at night. Even when Max and I are inside, I feel eyes on us constantly. It’s like he’s waiting for something, or someone, to make a move.

And then there’s the engagement, which was somehow leaked. It’s all over the papers now. It’s strange seeing our names plastered across headlines, my face next to his in grainy shots while reporters try to figure out who the new lady is on his arm. No one besides Rhett knew outside the castle, but suddenly, everyone’s talking about it.

Soren wasn’t happy when he found out. I still remember the look on his face when he saw the first article. “How did this get leaked?” he’d asked, his voice tight, as if he was barely holding back his frustration. “I haven’t even announced it yet. The council doesn’t even know.”

I get ready for bed by myself once again. Max is asleep in the room next door, Soren had his room moved closer and the castle is quiet, the only sound is the faint hum of the wind outside. I pull the curtains shut, wrapping my arms around myself.

I hear the door creak open behind me, and for a second, I think maybe it’s Soren finally coming to bed early, but it’s just one of the guards checking the hall. He nods at me briefly before continuing his rounds. I sigh, turning back to the window, the view of the darkened grounds hidden behind the thick curtains.

I need to tell Soren. Every day I spend lying to him feels like another piece of myself is breaking away. And now, with our engagement out in the open, I feel like I’m drowning in a web of lies that I don’t know how to untangle.

I want to believe everything will be okay, that Soren will find a way to stop the war before it starts, that Rhett will back off and leave me alone. I know better. Things are spiraling out of control, and I’m at the center of it.

Chapter 10