Craved by the Wrong Volkov Chapter 207: Know your prey

Lucien’s POV

I fired the bullet on instinct because whoever was able to break into my place without triggering my alarm system was dangerous and I was right.

The bullet was already fired before I saw who the intruder was clearly. Luckily for the bastard, he reacted faster than I, pulling out his gun to knock out my weapon from my hand, changing the trajectory of the bullet.

The bullet shot straight for a picture fra shattering the glass imdiately. Luckily, my house was made with concrete walls, which held the bullet from escaping the wall.

The shot faded with a sharp sound. My gaze was locked on the figure sitting on my couch, casually sipping my whiskey like he wasn’t almost shot seconds ago.

"Who welcos family with bullets?" Ivan lazily sneered sipping his drinking dangling his gun with the other hand

Recognition hit like a punch to the gut. My jaw clenched, I was in a shitty mood for Ivan’s tactics. The stomach twisted either way, I knew one thing for sure. Ivan wasn’t the type to casually pay his cousin a visit.

He had a purpose. It was sothing I didn’t like for soone like him to take his sweet ti to visit .

"What the hell are you doing here?" I barked, my voice sharp and laced with obvious irritation. "How did you break in?"

I wasn’t expecting visitors from the Orlov family. What do those vipers want?

Ivan rolled his eyes then kept his weapon. "Stop talking like I want to be here. Your whiskey tastes weird," he comnted. I hissed and then walked towards him.

"Then why are you here dear cousin?" I asked, my impatience was pretty much obvious. Ivan set his cup aside, his gaze studied .

"I am here to warn you." He casually said. My brows knitted together.

"I advise you to take a seat. You look like you had an awfully long day playing house with your nephew’s wife. How long do you plan on hiding your true self from them?" He spoke casually, as if it were all a ga

I clicked my tongue and took a seat. Ivan offered a cigarette. I arched a brow at him. "I thought you quit smoking." I couldn’t help but ask. I could also notice the subtle changes in him. He still held his dominant presence and that smug confidence but sothing was off.

He looked too tired for soone who wasn’t 30 yet. Ivan sighed. "I tried quitting, but life is a bitch." He said. He definitely had serious problems, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was related to his wife.

I shook off those thoughts. His problems weren’t my problem. "How did you get in? I might change my security system because of this."

He shrugged. "You forgot I know the security company. It was child’s play breaking in." My smile stiffened

I released a sigh. All the pressure from earlier seed to be crashing on . "What do you want to warn about?" I got back on track.

He smiled at . "The only reason I am telling you this is because I see you are pretty invested in that Braelyn girl." He said and my stomach dropped.

This was about Braelyn. I imdiately rembered the failed assassination attempts tied to the Orlov family. What did they want from Viper?

Ivan got serious, noticing the sharp change in mood. "What does this have to do with Braelyn?" I blurted out, straightening my posture.

Ivan dropped his cup on the table then intertwined his fingers. His dark erald eyes t my hazel ones. "I know you have been snooping around. You are probably aware that Nana was the one behind the kidnapping situation," he revealed

"Even a few days ago, you confronted her, but she didn’t say a word." My gaze flickered rembering the night I had to leave Braelyn in a hurry after leaving the hospital

Sothing had co up and that sothing was my grandmother. Nadia’s mother

"She wants to ditch the Volkov family and fully accept the Orlov na.." I said, gritting my teeth.

"She thought Braelyn was important to and wanted to use her to coerce ." I spouted out.

"Do you think it is that simple?" Ivan asked . I have thought the sa. Although I was aware of how dangerous the Orlovs were. To them, Braelyn’s life probably didn’t seem worth much, but I couldn’t help the feeling that there was sothing more soone wasn’t telling .

"Why don’t you tell ?" I retorted. He smiled.

"You are an interesting person Ivan. Why did you refuse her offer? She can legitimize your na, and they stop calling you the bastard Volkov, after all, they don’t want you, and Aunt Nadia was never married to that family. " Ivan said, staring straight into my eyes.

I smiled at him, "The ti isn’t right yet. I still have so things to figure out."

"You are delaying because of her," he pointed out, reading through like I was transparent.

"It’s not that easy, and yes, she is part of the plan," I admitted, sothing sparkled in his eyes.

"You are playing a dangerous long ga, but before you mark your prey, you should know more about them. "

My eyes went cold, "I know everything there is to know about Braelyn. "I said carefully then added forcing a lump down my throat

"Including the true reason Nana is after her. The excuse of forcing to officially join the family was just part of it." I said confidently.

"Are you sure you know everything?" He drawled, narrowing his eyes on . "Including the fact that her mother was directly involved in that accident. "

I felt my heart squeeze, " I know." I admitted. After seeing Avelina’s tombstone, I did my finding, although it was closely hidden, but I know enough.

Ivan laughed, leaving puzzled. "How sure are you?" He drawled again. Was there sothing I didn’t know?.

"What I would say is know your prey well before the ga gets too deep. Braelyn Alderheim isn’t that simple," he said, leaving puzzled. Ivan stood up checking his wrist watch. He clicked his tongue.

"You don’t even know why your mother, a promising heiress of the Orlov family, decided to be a mistress, and you are certain you know everything about Braelyn. " Ivan hinted.

"If there is sothing I don’t know, why don’t you tell directly?"

Ivan went silent. He walked toward the exit, then stopped. "I am not certain, but I have heard a few rumours. One being, Aunt Nadia, didn’t beco Gregor’s mistress for love...it was sothing deeper, and Braelyn’s parents were tied up in the ss." He revealed leaving stunned.

Honestly, I didn’t know much about my mother. Information about her was deliberately hidden.

"A ssy situation is about to start and your best bet is drawing the line between prey and lover," Ivan said in a final tone before leaving more confused than I was originally.

The door closed behind him, the sound echoing through the villa like a warning shot. Silence swallowed the room.

I stayed seated for a long mont, staring at the empty glass on the table, Ivan’s words replaying in my head like a slow poison.

Braelyn Alderheim isn’t that simple.

I exhaled sharply and finally stood, walking toward the shattered picture fra on the wall. The glass lay scattered on the floor, fractured and distorted just like the truth everyone seed intent on hiding.

If there was more to her... if she was tied to this ss deeper than I’d thought... My lips curved slowly. Then this was no longer just a ga of possession.

It was a hunt.

And whether she realised it or not ..

Braelyn was already at the centre of my crosshairs.