The Lycan King’s Mark (Nevara) by Tiffanie L. Campbell novel Chapter 38

Gods help me–Michelle was going to scare her off.

Every time Nevara smiled, I felt a flicker of hope spark somewhere deep in my chest. But then Michelle would open her mouth again and I’d watch that smile tremble on the edge of retreat, like maybe she was

reconsidering all her life choices. Including me.

Not that Michelle was doing it on purpose.

No, this was Michelle. Bright. Loud. Catastrophically enthusiastic. A walking avalanche of affection and opinion. She didn’t come with brakes. Or filters. Or volume control.

She was also relentless when it came to embarrassing stories.

“Remember the spring festival?” she said, grinning like the wolf she wasn’t. “When you tried to climb that pine tree for Laria–gods, she had the worst fashion sense–and your pants ripped straight down the middle? That poor elder nearly had a heart attack.”

“Michelle,” I muttered.

She kept going. “Little Thoren mooning half the territory. What a day.”

I tried not to look at Nevara, but my eyes betrayed me.

Yep. She was smiling.

Correction–biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud.

Fantastic.

“Well,” I said dryly, “if we’re telling stories, maybe Nevara should hear about the time you tried to flirt your way into the guard barracks and got stuck climbing the fence in heels. You cried for twenty minutes because you thought your ankle was broken.”

Michelle gasped, mouth falling open. “That was one time! And I was sixteen!”

“And very determined,” I said, folding my arms. “They had to cut you out of the fence.”

Nevara actually snorted. Not a polite laugh–a real, snort–laugh. Gods, it was cute.

“I hate you,” Michelle said, glaring. “That was supposed to die in the vault.”

“You brought up the vault first.”

She stuck her tongue out at me.

I gave her a smug smile.

But even as I turned back to my plate, I caught it–a quick flick of her head, a subtle lean, and a soft

<CHAPTER 38 – Between Cousins and Chaos

murmur passed to the maid walking behind her.

I didn’t think anything of it.

+25 Points

Michelle was always whispering to someone. Making connections. Arranging things. Probably asking for extra cinnamon in her tea or seeing if they still had that pastry she liked from last season. Whatever it was.

I knew her well enough to know it wasn’t worth worrying about.

Besides, she’d just driven hours through wild roads to be here. She was hungry, chatty, and in prime gossip

mode.

“So,” she said, turning to Nevara with a mouthful of melon. “Thoren says you’re kicking ass in training.”

Nevara looked surprised. “He did?”

“She’s reading between the lines again,” I muttered.

“Chronic line–reader,” Michelle said proudly. “Certified.”

I let them talk for a bit, only half–listening as I sipped my tea–until Michelle narrowed her eyes and leaned

in conspiratorially.

“Is Kael still uptight? Or has he finally learned how to crack a joke?”

I said nothing.

Michelle grinned. “Right. Still uptight. Noted.”

“You leave that man alone,” I said, setting down my cup. “He’s got enough on his plate without having to

deal with you.”

She clutched her chest like I’d shot her. “What do you take me for? I would never interrupt a man at work.

Never be a distraction.”

I raised a brow. “Well, Hell. That’s news to me.”

Nevara nearly choked on her tea.

I reached out and gently thumped the back of her shoulder, then turned to her with a grin. “Michelle’s always had a thing for Kael. Since we were kids.”

Michelle groaned. “Don’t say it like that. I sound like a stalker.”

“Just a persistent one,” I said,

She rolled her eyes. “I admired his work ethic. That man has been trying to become a commander since he was twelve. Every spare second he wasn’t eating or sleeping, he was training. Focused. Disciplined. No time for anything or anyone. Including me.”

She gave a theatrical sigh and poked at her fruit.

“He never even gave me a second glance,” she added dramatically.

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< CHAPTER 38 – Between Cousins and Chaos

I leaned closer to Nevara and whispered, “Between you and me, I don’t think women are his thing.”

She blinked, then quickly covered her mouth with one hand, eyes wide.

Across the table, Michelle’s eyes narrowed.

“Oh. My. God,” she gasped. “That… that actually makes so much sense.”

Nevara let out a strangled little noise–somewhere between laughter and horror.

25 Points

Michelle threw her hands up. “It has to be that. That’s the only explanation. Because how in the world could a man resist all of this?”

She gestured dramatically to herself from head to toe.

“You’re impossible,” I said.

“I’m incredible,” she corrected. “And clearly too fabulous for his gay little heart.”

Nevara was absolutely losing it. Her shoulders shook silently, and I could see the effort it took not to laugh out loud again.

That warmth in my chest came back full force.

Not from Michelle. From her.

From the way her eyes sparkled. From the way she kept looking at me, like maybe–just maybe–she saw something worth staying for.

Gods help me, Michelle was going to scare her away.

But if she didn’t…

If Nevara stayed…

Then maybe this wild, ridiculous breakfast was exactly the kind of start we needed.

Michelle took another bite of fruit, still grinning like she had just solved one of the kingdom’s great mysteries. Nevara had finally stopped laughing–mostly–but her smile lingered as she sipped her tea.

I leaned back in my chair, watching the way the morning light caught in twist of her braid. Every part of me itched to reach for her, to steal more of these soft, unguarded moments while I had the chance.

She was here. Relaxed. Not running.

I didn’t want to waste it.

“So,” I said casually, “any plans for the rest of your day? Since training’s canceled and all.”

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