Chapter 186:
Makenna’s POV:
I looked up and saw that it was Clayton who had come to my rescue.
Of course, it was him—there wasn’t really anyone else who would dare to challenge Bryan and Dominic.
Clayton looked a bit worn around the edges, but he still managed to give me a gentle smile, his voice soft and reassuring. “It’s okay, I’m here. You don’t need to be afraid.”
He gently pulled me behind him, frowning as he turned to face the other two. “You shouldn’t be so rough with her.”
Standing behind Clayton, I could still feel the dull ache in my wrists from their iron grips, but my heart was filled with relief and gratitude.
Thank goodness, it was Clayton. Once again, he was here to protect me.
Bryan and Dominic didn’t seem pleased in the slightest, their gazes still fixed on me, brimming with unspoken tension.
Without giving them a chance to respond, Clayton took my hand, his touch both gentle and firm. “Let’s go.” He began to lead me away.
But before we could take a step, Bryan and Dominic stepped forward, blocking our path once again. Bryan, his expression darkening with fury, growled, “Clayton, haven’t I told you to stay out of my business?”
Dominic said nothing, but his stony expression made it clear he wasn’t about to let Clayton take me away without a fight.
Clayton didn’t bother with a reply, just kept that serene smile on his face as he stared them down.
I didn’t want to make things any harder for Clayton, so I was about to speak up when two men suddenly burst into the restaurant.
They were subordinates of Bryan and Dominic, whispering something urgent in their respective princes’ ears. Whatever they said made both Bryan’s and Dominic’s faces twist in anger, their eyes shooting daggers at Clayton.
With a final fierce glare, Bryan stormed out of the restaurant, Dominic giving us one last icy look before following suit.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝘄𝘄⸱𝗀𝖺𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝗍𝖊𝗅𝗌⧸ⅽ𝗈𝗺
As the tension in the restaurant dissipated, the other diners slowly returned to their meals, though the low buzz of gossip lingered in the air like an echo.
With no one left to stop us, Clayton guided me out of the restaurant. As we walked, he glanced at me with a warm smile.
“Did you manage to eat anything earlier?”
I was about to nod when, right on cue, my stomach let out a loud, grumbling protest.
I gave him an embarrassed smile, realizing that with all the tension between Bryan and Dominic, I hadn’t had the chance to eat much.
Clayton chuckled softly. “Come on, let’s head to my place. I’ll cook something for you.”
I didn’t hesitate, following him to his villa.
As we walked, curiosity got the better of me. “What happened back there? Why did they leave so suddenly?”
Clayton gave me a playful wink. “We princes of Lycan all have our own territories. I’ve stirred up a bit of trouble in theirs, so they had to rush off and deal with it. Looks like you’ll have some peace and quiet for a while.”
I nodded, only half understanding, but grateful nonetheless.
“Thank you. It seems like I’ll finally get a break from all this.”
Clayton’s warm smile faded into concern as he looked at me more closely.
“How have you been holding up? Has Bryan been giving you a hard time again?”
I thought back on everything that had happened over the past few days, but I didn’t want to burden Clayton with my troubles, so I just shook my head.
But Clayton didn’t seem convinced. His eyes were filled with deep concern as he looked at me.
“Makenna, I’ve been busy, but I’ve kept an eye on things. I know about the tension with your family. Have you been going through a lot?”
His words took me by surprise, and for a moment, I was too stunned to respond. The genuine worry in his eyes stirred something deep within me.
These past few days had been a whirlwind of torment from the Dunn family, manipulation from Bryan, and threats from Kristina. All the frustration, hurt, and fear I’d been bottling up suddenly overwhelmed me, and before I knew it, my nose began to sting.
Tears welled up in my eyes, spilling over in an unstoppable flood.
