The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter
Chapter 88: Change Of Plans

Chapter 88: Change Of Plans

Natalie~

I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing. The mind link call with Zane lingered in my thoughts, his voice heavy with concern. I knew him too well—he was probably pacing, thinking of a hundred different ways to intervene.

I sighed deeply.

Jasmine, my ever-unpredictable best friend, stirred inside me, her voice a mixture of exasperation and amusement. "If you’re going to stress this much, why did you even tell him the truth about Sebastian?"

I turned onto my side, clutching Zane’s pillow. His scent still lingered, wrapping around me like a safety net. I inhaled deeply before answering Jasmine. "Because if Zane left Golden City, came back to Paris, and later found out Sebastian had been attacked, it would devastate him. You know how he is. He acts like he doesn’t care, but Sebastian means more to him than he admits."

Jasmine hummed, considering my words. "Still, you know he’s going to try something reckless. That’s Zane. He has always been hotheaded and protective even when he was Frederick."

I groaned, burying my face in the pillow. "I know. But I had to warn him. If he’s going to be around Sebastian, then he’ll be a target too. I refuse to let him walk blindly into the crossfire." I paused, gripping the pillow tighter. "And... I don’t want to keep secrets from him, not about something this important."

Jasmine went quiet for a moment before whispering, "Then all you can do now is trust him."

I closed my eyes. That was the hardest part—trusting Zane not to throw himself into danger because of being desperate to help Sebastian. I hope Tiger and Fox keeps a close eye on both of them.

Before I could dwell on that thought, a vision flashed before my eyes.

It was Easter.

She was meeting me tomorrow, but she wouldn’t be alone. Her daughter—Rose—would be with her.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

At least that was one step in the right direction.

I turned off the bedside lamp, knowing I needed rest. Even with my memories back, even with my powers restored, I still wasn’t fully comfortable sleeping in a bed. The trauma of my past clung to me like a phantom, reminding me of the nights I spent curled on cold floors, unwanted and discarded. I hated Darius and the entire Silverfang Pack for that.

But Zane wanted me to use the bed. "You deserve comfort, Nat. You deserve warmth," he had whispered once, holding me against him.

It wasn’t even a full twenty-four hours since he left, yet I missed him like we’d been apart for years.

I curled around his pillow, inhaling his scent, and let it lull me into sleep.

The next morning, Roland drove me and Alexander to school. As we pulled up in front of his school, Alex unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned toward me. "Mummy Natalie, you’ll come pick me up later, right?"

I smiled, smoothing down his unruly curls. "Of course, baby. I promise."

He gave me a big, gap-toothed grin before hopping out of the car and running toward the entrance. I watched until he disappeared inside, my heart swelling with affection.

Roland then drove me to my college, pulling up in front of the main entrance. "Want me to wait for you?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

I shook my head. "No, I’m heading straight to the coffee shop. I’ll call if I need anything."

He gave me a look but didn’t argue. "Be careful, kid."

I smirked. "Always."

Stepping out of the car, I slung my bag over my shoulder and made a beeline for Drink Right, the cozy little coffee shop tucked away on the eastern side of campus. The moment I stepped inside, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around me, warm and familiar. The soft hum of conversation blended with the hiss of steaming milk, creating an atmosphere that felt like a comforting embrace.

I slid into a chair by the window, the cool glass at my back as I placed my order. The plan was simple—wait for Easter. And when she arrives, show her that life was far more that what she had been dealt.

But as the minutes dragged into an hour, unease crept up my spine.

Something wasn’t right.

I never liked prying into people’s lives without a damn good reason—but my instincts weren’t just nudging me, they were screaming that this was one of those times. No hesitation. No second-guessing.

I honed in on Easter, letting my power unfurl like wave. The world around me blurred, then snapped into razor-sharp clarity—like a blade slicing straight through my skull.

In an instant, I was inside her mind, seeing through her eyes.

Pain. Blood. Easter’s body folding under the force of a brutal blow.

Her husband’s fists slamming into her.

Rose’s terrified screams shattering the air.

The world around me dissolved, replaced by the suffocating weight of their suffering. My hands clenched into fists as the vision faded, but the rage it left behind was all too real.

Jasmine, snarled in the depths of my mind. "No more waiting."

I shot to my feet, barely aware of tossing cash onto the table before storming out. My breath came in sharp, controlled bursts as I reached through the mind link, searching for the one person who would understand exactly what needed to be done.

"Jacob."

His reply came instantly, smooth and laced with amusement. "Little Moon. What can I do for you?"

No hesitation. No doubt. Only cold, seething fury. "Something ruthlessly satisfying." I replied.

A deep, knowing chuckle escaped Jacob’s lips. "Now you have my attention."

Seconds later, I teleported, the familiar pull of my power depositing me outside Easter’s house. The morning air was thick, humming with tension. Beside me, Jacob materialized, his presence sending a ripple through the atmosphere, as if even the wind knew to fear him.

Inside the house, the sounds of violence echoed—a sickening rhythm of fists meeting flesh. A mother’s muffled sobs. A child’s helpless cries.

My pulse thundered. My vision turned sharp, edged with an unforgiving clarity. Jasmine clawed at my control, her hunger for justice as relentless as my own.

Jacob cracked his knuckles, his smirk dark and edged with anticipation. "How do you want to do this?"

I inhaled deeply, letting the fire within settle into something colder. Sharper. More dangerous.

"We do this my way."

His smirk widened. "Of course, dear sister."

And then, with a flick of my wrist, the front door exploded inward.

We moved.