The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter
Chapter 61: Many Blessings

Chapter 61: Many Blessings

Zane~

"Red, pinch me, I think I’m hallucinating."

"If you’re hallucinating, then I’m no better off."

I kept my forehead pressed against Natalie’s, our breaths mingling in the space between us. My chest rose and fell rapidly, my heart hammering like it was trying to break free from my ribs. I still couldn’t believe this was real—that she was here, in my arms, her soft body pressed against mine.

She was beautiful—light, fragile, innocent. Everything I wasn’t. Everything I never thought I’d deserve again.

I stared into her wide, shimmering eyes, taking in the way her lips were still slightly parted, swollen from our kiss. My fingers traced along her jaw, brushing against the delicate skin of her cheek. The thought of losing this—of losing her—was unbearable.

She was mine.

She was mine to love.

I was the luckiest man alive and I thanked the goddess for giving me another chance.

Without breaking the moment, I shifted, still holding her in my arms, and moved toward the bed. I sat down, pulling her effortlessly onto my lap, her legs draped over mine. She gasped slightly at the movement, gripping my shoulders as if afraid I would let her go.

I wouldn’t.

Not now. Not ever.

"Natalie..." My voice was hoarse, thick with emotions I could barely contain.

She bit her lip, a shy smile tugging at the corners. "Yes?"

I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I leaned in, capturing her lips again in a slow, deep kiss. She melted against me, her fingers tightening in my shirt, and I swallowed the soft giggle that escaped her.

My lips moved to her cheek, then her forehead, then back down to the tip of her nose. She laughed again, light and airy, and my chest lightened at the sound.

"You’re too cute," I murmured against her skin.

Natalie squirmed, still giggling. "Ah, stop! That tickles!"

I smirked, ignoring her weak protests as I pressed more kisses along her jaw, then down to her neck. She shivered in my arms, and I felt her fingers graze the back of my neck hesitantly before burying themselves in my hair.

My grip tightened around her waist.

"This doesn’t feel real," I admitted, my voice quiet. "I keep thinking I’ll wake up, and you’ll be gone."

Natalie’s smile softened, her hands moving to cradle my face. "I feel the same way," she said, her voice tinged with wonder. "I feel light-headed, but in a good way. My heart won’t stop racing. It’s like...it’s like it might explode."

I chuckled, pressing my lips to her temple. "That makes two of us."

I adjusted my position on the bed, leaning back against the headboard and pulling her snugly into my arms. She fit perfectly against me, as if she was made for this—for me.

As I held her close, I couldn’t resist peppering more kisses along her hairline, down the curve of her shoulder, even to the back of her hand as I intertwined our fingers.

We stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other’s warmth, until the comfortable silence was broken by a thought that had been lingering in my mind.

"I once had a mate." My voice was steady, but there was an unmistakable weight behind the words.

Natalie stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away. Instead, she waited patiently for me to continue.

"Her name was Emma," I said. "She was Alexander’s mother."

Natalie’s fingers curled against my chest, as if steadying herself.

"I loved her," I admitted, my throat tightening. "With everything I had. And then she died—giving birth to Alex. That day, I came to the sad realization that I would never love again. Because in our world, werewolves only have one mate. One love. For life."

Natalie’s breath hitched, and I tightened my grip around her.

"But then you came along," I whispered, my lips brushing against her hair. "And everything I thought I knew fell apart."

She lifted her head to look at me, her eyes wide with something I couldn’t read.

"I fought it," I admitted. "I told myself it was pity. That I just wanted to protect you. But it wasn’t that. It was never that."

I cupped her cheek, forcing her to see the truth in my eyes.

"Natalie, when I say I love you, it’s not out of obligation. It’s not because I feel sorry for you. It’s because I thought about it—long and hard. And no matter how many times I tried to deny it, my heart kept leading me back to you."

Natalie’s lips trembled, and for a moment, she didn’t say anything.

Then, to my absolute shock, her eyes filled with tears.

"Sir..." Her voice cracked. "I—I don’t remember what love feels like." She let out a shaky breath. "I only knew it when my parents were alive. It’s been so long...so long that I barely remember. But when I look at you..." Her fingers clutched at my shirt. "My heart tells me I’d do anything to see you smile. I’d do anything to stay by your side. And if that’s not love, then I don’t know what is."

A low growl rumbled in my chest, not out of anger, but out of pure, overwhelming emotion. I pulled her into another kiss—slow, deep, full of everything I felt but couldn’t put into words.

We stayed like that for what felt like forever, lips brushing, hands tangling, bodies pressed close.

Eventually, we shifted, simply holding each other. I ran my fingers through her silky hair as she rested against me, her head nestled against my chest. We had talked for hours, about everything and nothing at all. I had never been much of a talker, but with her, words came easily.

Then, my eyes drifted to the floor. A makeshift bed of blankets and pillows was spread out, carefully arranged like it was meant for sleeping. My brows furrowed.

I pulled back slightly, looking down at her. "Natalie."

"Hmm?" she murmured sleepily.

I brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Why do you prefer sleeping on the floor?"

She stiffened slightly in my arms but didn’t pull away.

I exhaled, tightening my hold on her. "I’ve noticed it a couple of times, but I didn’t want to pry." I lifted her chin gently, making her meet my gaze. "But I want to know now. Why do you prefer the floor when there’s a perfectly good bed for you?"

Natalie hesitated, biting her lower lip. A flicker of something—pain, fear—flashed in her eyes before she looked away.

I felt my stomach twist.

After what felt like an eternity, she sighed softly, fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns against my chest.

"It’s just...habit," she finally whispered.

Habit.

The word settled heavily in my chest.

"From when you were homeless?" I guessed.

She shook her head, looking away.

A sharp, protective instinct surged through me.

I cupped her face, pressing my forehead against hers again. "Please tell me," I begged softly.

Natalie looked into my eyes, there was hesitation in her eyes but after a short silence, she nodded and then resumed absent-mindedly tracing patterns on my chest.

"When I was in the pack," she began, voice small, "I was given an old bed to sleep in. It was so bad that my back ached every morning." She swallowed hard, as if the memories were bitter on her tongue. "When I complained, I was... punished. Severely. They told me I didn’t deserve nice things. That I should be grateful for what I had."

A growl rumbled deep in my chest. Red stirred in my head, his fury mirroring my own.

Natalie hugged herself, as if shrinking under an invisible weight. "After that, I stopped asking. I stopped expecting. I started sleeping on the floor because it was better than that awful bed. And since then... whenever I see a nice bed, it triggers that memory. It makes me afraid all over again."

I clenched my jaw so tightly it hurt.

She continued, her voice quivering, "I’ve tried to sleep in beds before, but I always end up having panic attacks. The floor feels safer."

Red snarled. "When we’re done with her former pack, they’ll beg for mercy. And there will be none to give."

"Agreed."

I pulled Natalie into my arms, pressing my lips to the top of her head. "I’m sorry," I murmured, my voice thick with held in emotions. "I’m so sorry for what they did to you. You didn’t deserve any of that." I kissed her forehead, "I’m here now, you will never go through that again."

Natalie smile at me, nodded and then melted into my embrace, her small hands clutching my shirt as if assuring herself as well. "Thank you." She said softly.

For a long while, we just held each other.

Then an idea struck me. I pulled back slightly, tilting her chin up to look at me.

"What if you tried sleeping on the bed... with me?"

Her eyes widened. "With you?" she asked shyly.

I smirked. "For research purposes, of course. And cuddling purposes." I shrugged. "We’d be killing two birds with one stone." I wiggled my brows.

A soft giggle escaped her lips, and my chest swelled at the sound.

"You’re ridiculous," she whispered, shaking her head.

"And yet, you’re smiling," I teased, brushing my nose against hers.

She sighed, a playful glint in her eyes. "Okay. I suppose I’m inclined to try it."

I grinned. "Good choice."

We laughed, falling into another round of easy conversation. Eventually, her eyelids grew heavy, her breathing soft and steady.

I watched her sleep for a while, mesmerized by the peaceful look on her face.

Then, with Natalie still safely tucked in my arms, I allowed myself to drift off too.

For the first time in years, I slept soundly.

**********

The next day, the morning light seeped through the heavy curtains, announcing the start of a new day for Natalie and I. The warmth of the sun didn’t bother me; in fact, nothing did at this moment. I lay still, my gaze fixed on the woman beside me. My sweet Natalie.

Her face was serene, framed by her wild wavy hair, lips slightly parted as she breathed in steady, peaceful rhythms. Her cheeks still held the faintest hint of pink from last night’s whispered confessions and lingering kisses. I had never seen her this content—this unguarded. It made my chest swell with an unfamiliar but welcome emotion.

I reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face before pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. She stirred slightly, a soft hum leaving her lips. Smiling, I trailed my lips to her cheek, then—just because I couldn’t help myself—to her lips. A chaste, gentle kiss.

Her lashes fluttered, and within seconds, her warm blue eyes peeked up at me in confusion before realization hit her. A deep blush spread across her cheeks like wildfire.

"Good morning, sweetheart," I murmured, my voice low, still rough from sleep.

She let out a shy squeak and immediately burrowed her face into my chest, her warm breath fanning against my skin. I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her waist, holding her close.

"Mmm... morning," she finally whispered, voice muffled against my shirt.

"I had the best night ever," I admitted, rubbing slow circles on her back.

She hesitated, her fingers timidly clutching at my shirt before whispering, "Me too... I—I didn’t have any bad dreams last night."

Happiness surged through me, and before she could hide her face again, I caught her chin, tilting her head up so I could kiss her properly. A slow, deep kiss—one that sent warmth flooding through me. When I pulled back, I caught sight of her dazed expression and kissed her again. Just because I could.

I would have happily stayed in bed with her all day, but reality had other plans.

"Alright, my love, time to get ready," I murmured against her lips.

Natalie made a dramatic whining noise, her brows furrowing adorably. "I don’t want to go to school today," she pouted. "I want to stay here. With you. All day."

I smirked, resisting the urge to tease her for how effortlessly she could make my heart soften. "You know I’d love nothing more, but you need your education, Natalie," I reasoned.

She groaned, flopping onto her back and covering her face with her hands. "Fine. But only because you begged."

I laughed, leaning down to press one last kiss to her lips before standing. "Get dressed and come downstairs for breakfast." Then, with one last glance at her flushed face, I walked out, my heart impossibly full.

Later that morning, after dropping Natalie and Alex off at school, I went to my new company to oversee how the work was progressing. I noticed it was surprisingly growing faster than I had anticipated and it made me extremely happy. Everything was just falling into place around me and I couldn’t help but feel extremely grateful to the goddess for all the blessings.

I sat in my office, my fingers crunching numbers on the computer that sat on my mahogany desk, when the silence was broken by a call from Sebastian.

The moment I picked up, his amused voice rang through the speaker.

"Well, well, well, if it isn’t Mr. I’m-Too-Emotionally-Scarred-For-Love himself."

I rolled my eyes. "Sebastian—"

"Oh, don’t even try. I want details, Zane. Tell me everything. Did you confess your undying love under the moonlight? Was there dramatic crying involved?"

I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temple. "I told her how I feel."

Sebastian’s voice softened. "And? How did she react?"

"She was happy. We both are," I admitted, a small smile forming at the memory of her shy confession.

Sebastian let out a loud whoop. "About damn time! You finally grew a pair!"

I sighed, shaking my head. "Are you done?"

"Nope. I need to enjoy this moment. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to stop brooding like some tragic Victorian ghost."

I was about to hang up when his tone shifted. "But, listen, I didn’t want to ruin your moment of happiness, but... the reason I called is to tell you that, I have a lead on the Celestial Princess."

My heart suddenly stilled. "You’re sure?"

"Not yet. But I’m getting close. Once I confirm, I’ll call you."

I nodded, gripping the phone tighter. "Alright. Let me know the moment you find something."

"Of course. Now go back to daydreaming about your girlfriend."

I groaned, ending the call while Sebastian’s laughter echoed through the line.

I didn’t really have much to do at the company, so I left the office early and returned home. But, the moment I stepped into the house, I was met with an ambush.

Jacob, Tiger, Bubble, Fox, and Eagle stood in a perfect line, arms crossed, eyes glinting with mischief.

Jacob was the first to speak, his grin wide and positively obnoxious. "So, lover boy, how’d it go yesterday?"

I blinked. "How did you—" Then I stopped, shaking my head. "Never mind. I forgot who I was dealing with."

Bubble practically vibrated with excitement. "So? What did she say?"

"She accepted me." The words felt warm, grounding. "We’re together now."

A chorus of cheers erupted, Jacob whistling loudly. "About damn time. I thought I’d have to smack some sense into you."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Are we done here?"

"Nope," Fox chimed in, smirking. "What’s the plan for the first date?"

I was about to tell him it wasn’t any of his business but instead, I shrugged. "I was thinking of taking her to a fancy restaurant—"

A collective groan cut me off.

Jacob facepalmed. "Ugh, how predictable."

Bubble dramatically flopped onto the couch. "Boring."

Fox shook his head. "Basic."

Tiger—who rarely spoke—gave me a judging look.

I raised a brow at their dramatic behaviors. "And you all have a better idea?"

They turned to look at each other before slowly shifting their gazes back to me, their expressions weirdly unified in amusement.

A shiver ran down my spine. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jacob grinned, his tone almost sinister. "Don’t worry, Your Highness. We’ve got you covered."

And just like that, I knew I was in trouble.

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