The Wrong Brother's Temptation novel Chapter 174

The Wrong Brother’s Temptation

Chapter 174

Sienna

Both statements were true.

59

5 vouchers

Once again, Connor managed to lock the full truth away behind them like treasure. The draught still punished the omission with one final, catastrophic wave that made his knees buckle and it took every ounce of my willpower to not run to him again.

He stayed in the chair only by pure, stubborn will, head bowed, breathing like a man who had just run for miles on broken legs.

The arena was dead silent except for the soft drip of water and the wet sound of Connor’s blood hitting stone.

I couldn’t move or breathe. Every partial shift had been a knife under my ribs, and the questions about my wolf had cut deepest because I still didn’t understand why they hurt him so badly.

All I knew was that he was bleeding for me in front of everyone who mattered and I was the reason the collar was locked around his throat in the first place.

Elder Johanson straightened, looking almost disappointed that Connor was still conscious.

I was almost certain he would love to continue this for hours but apparently he had run out of questions to torture Connor.

“The trial is concluded,” he announced in a very brittle voice. “The heirs will be informed of the elders’ assessment in due course.”

With that he walked to the elders and led them outside the arena.

Even after the trial was concluded, he offered no words of comfort, didn’t ask for a healer to tend to Connor’s wounds.

He simply cast a disgruntled look like we had foiled his plans of entertainment and left with a shrewd expression that told me he wasn’t done with us yet.

But he had left the arena for now.

So I ran back towards Connor again and fell to my knees, cupping his face with my hands.

“Connor, are you okay?” I asked with shaky breaths. “Look at me. Please.”

My stomach lurched.

Nobody had come forward to take the stupid thing off him.

I leaned in, fingers trembling so hard I could barely find the clasp. The metal was slick with blood and already cooling in the night air that drifted down from the open roof of the arena. Outside, the wind had picked up. It carried the sharp, clean chill of late autumn, the kind that sank straight into your bones and made every

1/4

12:27 Wed, Aug 26

The Wrong Brother’s Temptation

Chapter 174

Sienna

Both statements were true.

53

5 vouchers

Once again, Connor managed to lock the full truth away behind them like treasure. The draught still punished the omission with one final, catastrophic wave that made his knees buckle and it took every ounce of my willpower to not run to him again.

He stayed in the chair only by pure, stubborn will, head bowed, breathing like a man who had just run for miles on broken legs.

The arena was dead silent except for the soft drip of water and the wet sound of Connor’s blood hitting stone.

I couldn’t move or breathe. Every partial shift had been a knife under my ribs, and the questions about my wolf had cut deepest because I still didn’t understand why they hurt him so badly.

All I knew was that he was bleeding for me in front of everyone who mattered and I was the reason the collar was locked around his throat in the first place.

Elder Johanson straightened, looking almost disappointed that Connor was still conscious.

I was almost certain he would love to continue this for hours but apparently he had run out of questions to torture Connor.

“The trial is concluded,” he announced in a very brittle voice. “The heirs will be informed of the elders’ assessment in due course.”

With that he walked to the elders and led them outside the arena.

Even after the trial was concluded, he offered no words of comfort, didn’t ask for a healer to tend to Connor’s wounds.

He simply cast a disgruntled look like we had foiled his plans of entertainment and left with a shrewd expression that told me he wasn’t done with us yet.

But he had left the arena for now.

So I ran back towards Connor again and fell to my knees, cupping his face with my hands.

“Connor, are you okay?” I asked with shaky breaths. “Look at me. Please.”

My stomach lurched.

Nobody had come forward to take the stupid thing off him.

I leaned in, fingers trembling so hard I could barely find the clasp. The metal was slick with blood and already cooling in the night air that drifted down from the open roof of the arena. Outside, the wind had picked up. It carried the sharp, clean chill of late autumn, the kind that sank straight into your bones and made every

1/4

12:27 Wed, Aug 26

The Wrong Brother’s Temptation

injury feel worse.

:

“I’m going to take this off you,” I whispered, tears blurring my vision. “Stay still. Please.”

59

5 vouchers

He held onto the stone armrests tightly, wincing just a little when the spikes grazed him again as I worked the mechanism free. A soft, pained sound escaped him. It nearly undid me.

“Sorry. I’m sorry-”

The clasp finally gave. The collar came away with a wet, sickening sound. I threw it aside like it burned me and carefully pushed him back so he could lean against the chair. His eyes fluttered open. When they found mine, the gold flecks in them were dim, almost swallowed by pure exhaustion.

But the promise was still there.

I will not give you up. Even if it kills me.

Then his eyelids fluttered shut.

A scream tore out of my lungs before I could stop it.

“Help! Somebody help!” I shouted, spinning around. The arena was emptying fast. Most of the pack had already filed out, murmuring, avoiding looking at the blood. All the elders were gone. And near the entrance I saw Sandra dragging Aaron by the arm, her nails digging into his sleeve like claws.

“Aaron!!” My voice echoed off the stone, raw and desperate. “Help me, please!!”

Even from this distance I saw Sandra’s head whip around. She glared at him furiously, no doubt reminding him what was at stake.

This wasn’t just a competition to her but a game that she wanted to win no matter what the cost.

Aaron hesitated just for a second. His gaze flicked from her face to me, then to Connor’s still form.

“He is your brother, damnit!”

Something conflicted and ugly crossed his features. Then he muttered something low to her and freed his arm from her death-grip.

Sandra cast me a venomous look that could have curdled milk, then stalked away without a backward glance, heels clicking sharply against the stone.

Aaron came running and almost slipped on the same blood I had and caught himself on the back of the chair.

“Are you okay?” He reached for me, checking my arms and face like I was the one bleeding out. I slapped his hands away hard enough to sting.

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