FreeNovel
Chapter 72: Just Passing By
"Ready to go?" Warren asked me, poking his head into the bathroom.
I tightened the drawstrings of my hoodie, pulling it snug around my head.
"I'm ready. Don't you clean up nice?" I asked, turning to smirk at him.
Warren held his arms out and turned from side to side. "I suppose I don't look so bad."
"She doesn't stand a chance," I teased, sticking my tongue out.
It was the night of Warren's date with the fake Ciana, but I didn't want to sit around the house waiting
for him to get back. I needed to see and hear what was going on first hand since I missed part of it last
time.
While he spiffed up his hair and put on a nice outfit, I ruffled my hair into a mess and applied some
disguise makeup.
I didn't want anyone to be able to recognize me, so I used some makeup to make my eyebrows look
thicker and added a little "shadow" to my chin that would look like facial hair in the darkness.
I covered my head in a hoodie and wore baggy pants.
Hopefully, I wouldn't be seen at all, but this way, I was covered just in case.
"You better get going if you're going to find a hiding place before she shows up," Warren suggested,
shaking his head at me.
I left my parents' place and went to the packhouse backyard ahead of Warren. This garden was much
bigger than the one at home, which made it even easier for me to hide.
It didn't take long for Warren and fake Ciana to show up. She had her arm looped through his and they
were walking together looking very friendly.
If Sophia could see them, she'd be so pissed!
I shook my head and focused on listening to what they were saying. I had to strain my ears a little
because of how far away they were.
"I know I was at the castle for your brother, but I never felt like I had a connection to him. I wish it had
been you I'd been sent to the castle for," fake Ciana said, her cheeks turning red in the strong lights
that lit up the garden.
"I won't deny wishing that, too," Warren admitted in a friendly, gentle tone.
He was so good at being the "good guy." What else did I expect? When I'd met him when we were
younger, he'd done a huge favor for me, getting that Sun Blossom. I always thought it made me special
but maybe Warren was just like that with everyone.
"You're so nice to me. Why are you so nice to me?" she asked, resting her head on Warren's shoulder
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtfor a moment as they walked through the garden path.
They got to a stone bench and I ducked around the tree to get a closer look at them as they sat down
together.
Warren put his arm around her and she leaned against him. Her eyes were lit up and she kept smiling.
I wondered who she really was. What kind of girl would pretend to be someone else? What was her
real name? Did she even know who I was?
Why did she want to hurt my pack?
"You know the answer to that. I've felt like we share something special, ever since you reminded me of
our past," Warren explained soothingly.
He was being careful not to give her too much information but just enough to allow her to keep
pretending to be me. That was smart. If he made it seem like he suspected she wasn't the real me, this
would go bad.
"Warren, have to confess something to you."
"Should I be concerned?" He arched his brow.
She lifted her eyes to his. "I'm in love with you."
For a moment, I thought Warren was going to blow his cover. His brow creased and I could see how
tense he was from where I was hiding. The next minute, he was smiling and hugging the fake Ciana
closer.
"I'm so glad you showed up when you did. Being back in the pack has been... hard," she admitted in a
defeated tone.
I rolled my eyes.
"I thought you wanted to come back home," Warren said.
He was testing her responses now.
"I did," fake Ciana said quickly, raising her head. "I thought it was what I needed. But there has been so
much pressure on me since I came back. Not to mention Hawke."
"Hawke, you mean Beta Raymond's son?" Warren asked.
"Yes! He is always hanging around. Half the time, he seems mad at me and like he wants to hurt me.
Other times, he makes me uncomfortable with his dirty language," she explained, shaking her head
and sighed.
"That does sound rough," Warren admitted.
She took his hands in hers and held them to her chest. "Do you think you could help me escape from
him?"
I strained my ears to keep listening but the rancid scent of alcohol and the one person I didn't want to
see filled my nostrils. My stomach turned and I was distracted from my * eavesdropping.
"What're you doing ou'herr?" Hawke slurred as he came over to me.
I moved away from him but he dropped down on the ground beside me.
"None of your business," I hissed, making my voice lower and deeper. I hoped I sounded like a boy to
him, but as drunk as he was, he probably wouldn't notice.
"Hmm... der I kno'youuu?" he asked, his unfocused eyes roaming over my body.
"No," I insisted in a low whisper.
Hawke sniffed the air, then he leaned closer and sniffed me.
I stayed as still as possible, despite the revulsion rising in my throat like bile. If I made a scene, it would
just draw attention to us and that was the last thing I wanted. I needed to make sure Warren had
enough time to be with the fake Ciana tonight.
"Youuu don't smell like a... guy," Hawke said, chuckling and covering his mouth like he was
embarrassed. "Oh no. You smell like a sexy, fuckable bitch in heat."
"Excuse me?" I snarled in a harsh whisper.
He leaned closer to me, his arms in casts from Theo's last visit.
"You heard me. Mmm, that sweet bitch scent makes me so horny. I could take you right here, right
now," Hawke muttered, licking his lips and smirking at me.
I leaned away from him, as much as I could without exposing myself around the hedge.
"You're really twisted if you think a guy smells like a woman,” I hissed with a sharp snort.
Hawke's eyes widened for a moment and then he wrinkled his nose. "Your voice... you sound f-f-
familer." His voice was still heavy with drink.
With any luck, I could get away from him and he'd think it was all some drunken dream.
"We've never met. I'm just here as Prince Warren's squire," I assured, keeping my voice deep.
"No, no, no," Hawke insisted. "Not a squire, a ripe, sweet cherry that is ready to be picked."
He wiggled his eyebrows at me and panted heavily. His hot breath bathed my face, smelling sickly
sweet with alcohol.
My stomach churned and I felt nauseated. I looped an arm around myself and tried to push him away.
Hawke grunted and leaned forward, pressing his nose to my arm and inhaling deeply, sniffing me
again.
"Mmm," he groaned. His left hand, which he seemed to have some control of, grabbed the bulge of his
crotch. "I'm going to fuck your tight little ass. I don't care who or what you are. You smell sooo gooood."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Swallowing hard, I scampered backward, using my hands to pull me across the ground so the hedges
kept me hidden. My heart hammered in my chest.
A flash of Hawke leaning over me while his cronies held me down flew through my mind. How he'd
pulled his pants down and gone for my skirt.
My arms trembled as I hurried away from him, not taking my eyes off him. Even though he was drunk, I
knew he could do some damage.
"Hey! Where d'you think urr goin?" Hawke slurred, crawling on his knees toward me. "I haven't gotten a
taste of your sweet cherry yet."
He grinned, showing me all his teeth, the smile twisting his face.
Suddenly, the sound of flesh slamming into flesh rang in my ears and Hawke froze. He teetered on his
knees for a moment and then gasped, falling forward and landing face first in the dirt. He didn't move
and after a moment, he started snoring.
Behind Hawke stood a figure completely hidden by the shadow of the tree. Slowly, I rose to my feet so I
could see who had come to my rescue.
The man looked familiar.
"The... Tallis?" I asked, correcting myself when I saw he was wearing one of the carnival uniforms.
Quickly, I darted my eyes toward the garden and made sure that Warren and fake Ciana were still
talking. It didn't look like they'd heard anything or suspected anything.
"What of it?" he growled coldly.
"You just knocked him out," I muttered, pointing at Hawke.
Tallis shrugged. "Would you have preferred that I left him awake?"
"No," I said, shaking my head quickly. "I'm grateful for the help. Thank you."
Was it just a coincidence that Tallis had come to my rescue? It was another very Theo-like thing to do.
It seemed that every time I was in danger, he'd somehow show up.
"What are you doing here?" I questioned.
"Hmph," Tallis muttered, tossing his head back dismissively.
"You weren't... were you keeping an eye on me?" I asked, biting my lip and looking down.
Tallis snorted and crossed his arms. "I was just passing by and I heard a commotion."
"That's all? You weren't worried about me or anything?" | pressed, testing him again. I still didn't believe
Tallis was who he said he was.
"I was just passing by." he snapped. "There's nothing to read into, no hidden motive. Now, if you really
are grateful, stop pestering me about these fantasies of yours!"
I bit my tongue to hold back my retort and I took a half step back. Tallis snorted and stormed off.
What was going on with him? One minute he was saving me, the next he was back to being surly and
rude.
I couldn't figure him out-just like I was never able to figure out Theo.
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