Abandoned by My Three Adopted Brothers, the Lycan King Came for Me

As I walked away, Caleb let out a long sigh of relief.

Daisy, nestled in his arms, opened her eyes weakly. Her voice was a fragile, pitiful whisper.

"Was… was someone just here?"

The impatience in Caleb's voice vanished, replaced by an impossible gentleness.

"Just someone unimportant. Shhh, close your eyes and rest."

"I'll stay right here with you."

Noah brushed past me, carrying a bowl of freshly brewed medicine, frowning in a hurry.

Just as I was about to step out of the room, he suddenly called my name. "Evie."

My heart leaped. I turned back, a desperate flicker of hope stirring in my chest.

But Noah grabbed my arm, his voice a frustrated warning.

"Your constant presence around Daisy is upsetting her. She feels like you're trying to take us away from her, and she's very insecure right now."

"I'm begging you, just leave her alone. Once she's feeling better, we'll find some time to come back to the manor and see you."

A sharp pain lanced through my chest, and I blinked hard to hold back my tears.

In the two years since they brought Daisy into our lives, the times they had returned to the manor to be with me could be counted on one hand.

When I was burning with a fever, too weak to get out of bed, they were on a tropical island with Daisy.

When I called them crying after a serious car accident, they were all gathered around Daisy, taking her shopping and making her laugh.

And on Christmas Eve, they promised they would come home to be with me, and even had the kitchen prepare a feast.

In the end, that dinner became a cozy reunion for the three of them and Daisy.

The affection that was once so freely given was now a luxury I couldn't even beg for.

The last ember of hope in my heart was finally extinguished.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I spoke softly.

"You don't have to come back for me."

"The Lycan King is coming to fulfill his promise tonight. I'm never coming back."

A cold laugh came from above me. I looked up and met Liam's icy gaze.

"Evie, we never said we wouldn't marry you," he said, his voice laced with exhaustion.

"Do you really have to use that monster, that ridiculous lie, to try and force our hand?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but looking at the identical, mocking expressions on all three of their faces, I suddenly felt exhausted.

I knew then that no matter what I said, they would only see me as a jealous girl using cheap tricks to trap one of them in marriage.

Tears splashed onto the carpet as I quickened my pace, not looking back.

Behind me, I heard their casual conversation drift over.

"Her temper is getting worse. Can you believe the look she just gave us?"

"Let's ignore her for a while. We need to knock that spoiled princess attitude out of her before she bullies Daisy again."

I traced the ugly scar on my palm, my teeth biting into my tongue so hard the pain made me flinch.

I remembered when Daisy first came to the manor. I had genuinely treated her like a sister.

I let her try on the expensive jewelry first, let her have first pick of the limited-edition couture.

But the night I finally worked up the courage to discuss a wedding date with the brothers, she suddenly shoved a crystal vase straight at me.

I flinched back instinctively, and Daisy immediately threw herself to the floor, screaming that I had scared her.

Before I could even process what had happened, she was already sobbing.

The brothers didn't even ask what happened. They immediately started yelling at me for bringing up the wedding in front of her, saying I had upset her "fragile nerves."

They cooed over a startled Daisy, their eyes full of pity for her. Not one of them glanced down to see that in my attempt to catch the vase, my palm had been sliced open by the shards, blood trickling through my fingers.

I finally understood. The affection they poured into Daisy had already far surpassed any they'd ever had for me.