Chapter 186


    Chapter 0186


    +15 BONUS


    I couldn’t give up. There had to be a way out of this. I nced around, desperate, but no one was


    looking at me anymore. Even if they did see me, they wouldn’t notice Terry pressing himself against me


    from the way he was so closely angled to my back.


    I felt hopeless, powerless. I missed my wolf now more than ever, though I knew that even if I had a


    wolf,


    I couldn’tsh out at the Queen’s brother without consequence. I’d take the consequence if it kept this


    asshole away from me.


    The only thing I could do now was struggle and make a scene. I devised a n. I’d be shamed, maybe


    even disqualified, but I’d be away from Terry, at least for now.


    Though if I was disqualified and cast back onto the street, no cameras would follow me. It would be so


    easy for Terry to find me and snatch me up without anyone knowing.


    That alone stilled the elbow that I had nned to throw back into his gut. I’ve dealt with these kind of


    assaults before. If I just stayed very still, maybe it would be over quickly. Maybe I could escape when


    he


    was done.


    “Piper! There you are!” Julian called. He and Nichs, with Susie following closely behind, were


    walking


    quickly toward me.


    I could have cried seeing them. My friends. My saviors.


    “Uncle, thank you for keeping Piperpany, but we will take her off your hands now.” Julian gave


    Terry


    a too–sharp smile. His brows were low, his eyes angry.


    Nichs, his face all stern lines, reached for me and physically tugged me away from Terry and to his


    own side. He kept his arm around me as I let out a shaky breath.


    “Boys.” Terry grit his teeth. “Your timing as always remains most unfortunate. I take it the little songbird


    is to me this time” His gazended on Susie.


    The geoped and hid behind Julian


    un tnted his head. Fortune, misfortune. It’s all rtive, isn’t it? Let’s not forget that Piper is part of


    thispaction, so she has other duties. Duties pertaining mainly to us, her suitors and not to you, an


    derme you undertalled”


    Terry’s hoped fully get res face. Rabe what i want Julian You should know that by now


    ale


    I


    tus for senectus said, once so ow was nearly a grow boaned further into the warnt: toporbat nd tea o p


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    +15 BONUS


    Terry narrowed his eyes at Nichs. Then he shrugged, faking nonchnce. “Time will tell.” It was a


    threat. We all knew it. But he made no furtherment and simply walked away.


    With Terry’s departure I could breathe again, and think again. I looked at my position, tucked into


    Nichs’s side, clutching his suit coat with my hands, and my face burned with embarrassment.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Instantly, I stepped back from Nichs. He let me go, returning his arm to his side, though he gave me


    a


    curious nce.


    I couldn’t face him, even after thanking him for saving me. This was all too much. I was overwhelmed.


    So I turned to Julian instead. “Prince Julian, we must speak privately at once. I have so much to tell


    you.”


    Julian wagged his eyebrows. “Privately,‘ eh?”


    I rolled my eyes. “You know what I mean.”


    Nichs started to growl in earnest. His face was even more severe than when we’d talked with Terry.


    His whole body was tense. He red at his brother, but his eyes softened when he looked at me.


    “It would be rude without dancing with me first,” he said. “Since I was one of the princes who chose


    you.”


    That made sense. What would it look like for me to disappear with Julian, abandoning Nichs?


    These political games made my head spin.


    Nichs held up his hand for me. “Dance with me, Piper.”


    I half–wanted to run away, embarrassed by my desires for Nichs, but the bigger half of me wanted to


    be near him, no matter what we were doing.


    So I ced my hand on his and let him pull me to the dance floor.


    Behind us, Julianughed andughed.