The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter
Chapter 247: Trusting

Chapter 247: Trusting

Natalie~

The moonlight had barely faded from the room when the last traces of my mother—the Moon Goddess herself—disappeared. Gone in a breath, a flicker of divine smoke that vanished before I could reach for it.

And there I stood, rooted to the floor like my bones were made of stone, staring at the spot where she had vanished. My heart was hammering. My palms were slick with sweat. My thoughts? Utter chaos.

Jasmine’s voice broke through the chaos in my head—flat, dry, and sharp like the edge of a cracked mirror.

"Well, what now, Mara?"

I groaned, dragging both hands down my face, still staring at Zane like he’d vanish next. He lay sprawled across the bed, his skin deathly pale, soaked in sweat. His breathing was too shallow, too uneven. And underneath it all, I could feel it. The Shadow. Writhing beneath his skin like smoke with a mind of its own.

My jaw clenched. We were out of time.

I shut my eyes and reached for the bond—the mind-link I shared with my brothers. Tiger. Eagle. Fox. Bubble. My voice cut through the link sharp and demanding.

"I need you. Now. Zane’s room. No time to explain."

Fox was the first to respond, his tone already defensive.

"If this is about the soul sucker again, I swear I’ve been trying to catch it—"

"Just get here," I barked, already pacing.

Seconds later, they began to arrive—each one announcing themselves with a flash of their element.

Tiger emerged first, stepping out of the shadows between the curtains, tall and watchful, his eyes burning with intensity. Eagle followed, diving in through the open window in a gust of wind, his silver wings dissolving into the air behind him. Fox exploded into the room like a literal fireball—his hair ablaze, eyes glowing gold, barefoot and unbothered. And finally, Bubble shimmered into the corner in a wave of watery blue light, his presence calm and strangely comforting.

Bubble’s grin was wide. "Emergency party, huh?" He took one look at Zane and sobered instantly. "Never mind. Not a party."

The atmosphere shifted. Jokes and sarcasm vanished. Silence stretched tight.

They saw Zane.

Then they saw me.

And just like that, the air changed—like something unseen had stepped into the room with us. Everything went still. Every instinct on edge.

Tiger’s voice was the first to break the silence. Low. Controlled. Deadly calm. "What happened?"

I swallowed hard, fists trembling at my sides.

"Shadow happened." The word came out like venom. "He has a grip on Zane and Griffin and he’s getting stronger. Zane’s barely hanging on. Griffin hasn’t moved in over twenty-four hours. And every time I close my eyes, I’m back in the dreamworld fighting Kalmia. Over and over. She’s not letting go. It’s like she’s digging claws into my soul."

Tiger gripped the back of a chair, his fingers tightening until claws pushed through his skin.

"If that demon touches you—" he growled, voice raw with fury.

"She already has," I cut in. "But listen. Mother came to me."

The room went still.

"She came here," I whispered. "She said there’s a way to stop this. A way to trap the Shadow and Kalmia all at once."

Bubble frowned. "What kind of trap?"

My voice was barely a breath. "She wants me to... let them in."

Eagle blinked slowly. "Come again?"

I lifted my chin. "She said I have to invite Kalmia into my body. And stop fighting Shadow from taking over Zane’s. That’s how we trap them."

The silence that followed could’ve cut glass.

Tiger stepped forward, eyes sharp. "You want to let two of the most ancient and dangerous forces into your bodies—on purpose?"

"I don’t want to," I hissed. "But if there’s a way to end this madness, I’m taking it. Mother said it’ll work. I trust her."

Fox let out a long breath, running a hand through his fiery hair. "Did she tell you what happens once they’re inside?"

I hesitated. "No."

They all stared at me.

Jasmine sighed inside my mind. > "Don’t get me wrong, I trust mother with all my heart but that doesn’t stop this from feeling like a suicide mission. ’Step one: summon eldritch horrors. Step two: ???’"

"I know it’s insane," I said aloud. "But she said I have the power to handle it. That I’m not supposed to lean on Jacob anymore. That it’s my fight now."

Bubble tilted his head. "You’re saying you’ll let Kalmia in. Fully. Just... possess you?"

"I won’t be possessed," I said, steely. "I’ll be the prison."

Tiger crossed his arms. "And what about Zane?"

My eyes fell to him—my heart, my storm, my impossible love—splayed out on the bed like a fading ember.

"I don’t know how his body will react. Or mine. That’s why I need your help."

Fox’s jaw ticked. "What do you need us to do?"

"I need you to get us out of here. Zane. Me. Griffin. Move our bodies to the estate. Quietly. No one can know we’re gone."

Bubble raised a brow. "You’re planning to... do this while unconscious?"

"Yes." I looked each of them in the eye. "Tonight. When I fall asleep, I’m letting Kalmia in. I don’t want anyone to see what happens to me. To Zane. I don’t even know if we’ll wake up the same."

Eagle’s eyes narrowed, sharp and calculating. "So you’re really asking us to risk losing you?"

"I’m asking you to trust Mother," I said softly. "The same way I’m trusting her now."

Fox’s fingers sparked with flickers of flame, his temper never far behind his loyalty. "And if she’s wrong?" he growled, voice low.

"I’m still doing it," I said, steady.

"Fox," Tiger cut in, stepping between us. "You know Mother is never wrong." His voice was calm, firm. Unshakable.

Fox let out a long sigh, the heat dimming at his fingertips. He nodded, reluctant but resigned.

No one said anything after that. They didn’t need to.

These were my brothers — not just by blood, but by the kind of bond that’s forged in fire and sealed in loyalty. And when I looked at them, I saw it clearly:

Trust.

Determination.

And beneath it all... fear.

Tiger moved first. He walked over and rested a solid hand on my shoulder. His touch was grounding. "We’ll get you out," he said. "And once you’re gone, I’ll make sure no one suspects a thing."

Fox stretched his fingers and cracked his knuckles, mischief glinting in his eyes. "I’ll cause a little chaos. Maybe a spontaneous kitchen fire. Classic misdirection."

Eagle rolled his eyes, deadpan. "Because fire is always your solution."

Bubble stepped forward next, his voice soft but sure. "I’ll handle this wing. Seal it with a cloak so thick no one will even sense the space exists."

Tiger turned to the group and nodded. "No more distractions. No more gimmicks. The cleanest way is to make it look like Natalie and Zane never left. Eagle and I will stay behind. We’ll pose as them until it’s over."

A knot formed in my throat as I looked at each of them, my voice barely a whisper. "Please... take care of Alex. He can’t see me like this."

Fox’s expression softened, a crooked grin curling his lips. "He’s my godson. I’ll keep him busy. Maybe teach him how to make lava cakes. Keep him distracted.

That night, as darkness cloaked the palace, the room filled with quiet tension. We had cleared it of guards and servants under the guise of Zane and I wanting to be alone. Bubble held a hand to the door, whispering spells in a language older than time. Tiger stood sentinel. Eagle perched by the window, wings folded. Fox hovered near me, his fire dimmed but ready.

Zane lay still—barely breathing, his skin pale and slick with cold sweat.

I crawled into the bed beside him, my heart aching.

His face was so peaceful now. Like he wasn’t hosting a war in his soul. I brushed a lock of hair from his forehead.

"I’m sorry, my love," I whispered. "But I have to do this. For both of us."

Fox approached and knelt beside the bed. "You sure about this, troublemaker?"

I nodded, a trembling breath escaping my lips. "I’ve never been more terrified."

He smirked. "Good. Means you’re about to do something legendary."

I gave them one last look.

And then I closed my eyes.

Sleep came quicker than I expected.

And with it... her.

Kalmia.

She didn’t knock. She tore into my dreams like a storm of thorns and shadow. The dreamscape twisted—clouds bleeding black, stars shattering. She stood there, barefoot on an ocean of ash, her eyes gleaming with cruelty.

"Come to play again, little moon rat?" she hissed.

But this time, I didn’t raise a weapon. Didn’t summon fire or wind or light.

I stood still.

Kalmia cocked her head. "Giving up already? Where’s the feisty brat with the wolf?"

I smiled.

"Come in," I whispered.

She froze.

"What?"

"I said, come in. No more fighting. No more games. Enter me, Kalmia. I’m not running."

Her laughter was slow and cold. "You’re bluffing."

Jasmine muttered in my mind, "Please tell me you know what you’re doing."

"Nope." I responded silently. "Not at all."

Kalmia narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"Because I want to end you," I said, voice trembling. "From the inside out."

She lunged.

Darkness poured from her mouth, her chest, her hands. The world around us shattered. And I—

—I let her in.

She rushed at me like a tidal wave of fire and poison, slamming into my chest, crashing into every vein, every cell.

It was agony. It was blinding.

It was done.

And then...

It was quiet.

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