Chapter 501

Chapter 0501 Nicholas held me all through the night, until the storm finally ended and the sun began to once again creep in from between the tree limbs and leaves.

I was feeling better now, though still dingy and gross, especially when Nicholas helped me back into my swimsuit. Though he'd left it by the fire to dry, it was still damp and gross.

But, as it was the only clothing I owned at the moment, I had to make do.

Nicholas gave me his rain jacket to help cover me, but even then, I still felt dirty and exposed.

Off in the distance, I could hear people calling out, “Prince Nicholas!” They were searching for him then. Not

for me. That shouldn’t have hurt.

Nicholas, as a prince, was certainly more important than me. Still, it would have been nice to be considered.

“Ready?” Nicholas asked me. He gave me a once over.

I shrugged. This was as good as it was likely going to get.

He nodded, and together we stepped out from the cave.

Immediately, a familiar wolf bounded toward us. Julian shifted as soon as he reached us. Before Nicholas or I could react, he hurried forward and pulled us both into a hug.

Julian huffed a loud, relieved breath.

“Don’t worry me like that again. Either of you.” As he pulled back a look passed

between Nicholas and Julian. The two were usually at each other’s throats.

Even a few days back, they'd been willing to shift and have a werewolf fight in the middle of a small private plane.

Yet now, I can see the bond between them. Even brothers fight. But deep down, when it comes to life and death, they truly do care about each other.

I had seen this kind of care from Julian before, when he’d fought to save his brother from Jane and her dampening collar. It was nice to know that bond was not broken, not because of me and not because of Bridget.

After Bridget’s arrival, I had worried.

I Julian’s gaze shifted from his brother tome, “You scared us, Piper,

Disappearing like that.” «I fell in a hole,” I said.

“A trap,” Nicholas corrected.

Julian’s eyes narrowed a little. “A trap on this island.” He glanced at Nicholas as if for confirmation. Nicholas nodded.

“Later,” Nicholas said.

Julian agreed. “For now, let’s get you two out of this place.” He looked at us both. “You look and smell like shit.” Nicholas rolled his eyes.

I crossed my arms. “Iwas trapped in a pit. During a storm.” Julian grinned as he grabbed my arm and tugged me forward. “I’m not saying it isn’t warranted. I'm just

calling it like I see it.” Together, the three of us pressed through the jungle. Once we broke the tree line, returning to the beach, I had never in my life been so glad to be free of that place. Wherever the future took me, I was bound and determined to make sure jungle was no longer on my list.

Yet, three feet out onto the beach, all my good feelings sunk away again, because I saw Bridget jump from a boat. She trudged through the shallow water, and then rushed across the sand. She ran straight past me and Julian, and instead, leapt at Nicholas.

He caught her, but it could have been on reflex. His face was full of confusion.

calling it like I see it.” Together, the three of us pressed through the jungle. Once we broke the tree line, returning to the beach, I had never in my life been so glad to be free of that place. Wherever the future took me, I was bound and determined to make sure jungle was no longer on my list.

Yet, three feet out onto the beach, all my good feelings sunk away again, because I saw Bridget jump from a boat. She trudged through the shallow water, and then rushed across the sand. She ran straight past me and Julian, and instead, leapt at Nicholas.

He caught her, but it could have been on reflex. His face was full of confusion.

Bridget was openly crying.

It was a strange kind of scene. It looked { like a relieved girlfriend reuniting with her long lost lover who had been away at war or something.

Bridget leaned in to kiss Nicholas’s face, and that’s when he placed her down on the ground and backed away from her. The confusion had cleared from his face, though seemed passed to Bridget now. In its place, Nicholas looked furious, his eyes fiery and his mouth curved downward.

Bridget sniffled. “Aren’t you happy to see me?” Behind her, I noticed now, were cameras. One of the cameramen came in close to capture the scene.

Nicholas must have seen them now

too, even, like me, if he missed them before. But he did not ease his hard expression. He crossed his arms and glowered.

“Why didn’t you help Piper?” he asked.

“When you found her alone in that pit?” Bridget stilled for a quarter of a second, not enough to notice if you hadn’t already been looking. I had been looking. She slid her gaze to the left, eying the cameras.

“I don’t know what you're talking about,” she said, all doe-eyed innocence. If I hadn’t been the person she abandoned down in that pit, I might have even believed her. That was how convincing she was.

Her acting ability was dangerous. It was so difficult to tell when she was

lying and when she was telling the truth. Even now, I felt myself being gaslighted. I hadn’t hallucinated her; right? No. She was definitely there. She definitely abandoned me, potentially to die.

“That’s not going to work this time,” Nicholas said. A growl sat just beneath the surface of his voice, adding roughness. Danger. When he was like this, he was not to be fucked with.

Bridget must have known that. She crossed her own arms and raised her chin a little. “I'm telling you I don’t know what you mean.” Nicholas stepped closer. He towered about Bridget, and glared down at her.

“you could have helped her. You could have gone back like you told her you would. Instead, Veronica was alone on this beach trying to get help. You didn’t even mention Piper in that pit once.” “I didn’t know she was there. I didn’t see anything. Whose word are you going to believe? Me? Or poor Piper, who must have been so hungry and cold that she was delirious? I don’t know why she has it out for me by telling you such lies, but —” “Stop,” Nicholas said forcefully. The growl did escape him this time.

The camera came closer. But so too, did Nathan, rushing up the beach. He immediately placed himself between I the camera and Nicholas.

_ Nathan gave Nicholas a warning,

withering look, but Nicholas seemed to ignore it, choosing instead to glare his very hardest at Bridget.

“You need to return to the mansion at once,” Nathan said. “The King and Queen wish to speak with you via video call as soon as possible.” Nicholas finally broke eye contact with Bridget to look at Nathan.

“Surely they can wait?” Nathan shook his head. “It’s urgent.” Nicholas looked over at me.

None of us said a word as we started moving forward toward the boat. Julian did, however, keep his hand at the small of my back, guiding me.

Bridget seemed embarrassed, keeping

her head down.

Nicholas looked grim.

What could the King and Queen need to talk about with him that was so urgent? Was he going to be lectured for running off and endangering himself for my sake? €» Or was there something even worse going on? I didn’t want to think about it too much. Tensions within the kingdom had been running high for a while.

Bridget’s presence in the competition may have cooled things for now, but there was no guarantee that would work forever.

Eventually the reality of the dire world would find their way into our lives again,

I just hoped it wasn’t yet.

I'd had enough excitement for a while.

Yet I knew, trouble very rarely waited for you to be ready for it.