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

Chapter 286: Might Have Been a Bad Choice

Jacob~

I just stood there, frozen, staring back at Natalie as her gaze burned into me. She looked so small in the darkness, with her tangled hair catching bits of moonlight, but her eyes—those eyes—were blazing with a fury so raw it made my chest ache. Behind that anger, though, I saw it: heartbreak. Deep and jagged.

My words hovered between us like a curse I couldn’t take back. I’d told her about wiping Easter’s memories. Now it felt like the world was holding its breath, waiting for her reaction to shatter everything.

"You did what?" Her voice echoed in the quiet around us, ringing out into the empty night. She took a step toward me, her fists clenched so hard I thought she might draw blood. Under the silvery glow of the moon, her knuckles gleamed like polished bone.

I could feel her aura swirling around her like a living thing, thrumming with Jasmine’s power. It buzzed in the air between us, itching at my skin, and I knew she was barely holding it back. Any second now, it could burst free and tear me apart.

"Jacob, how could you?" Her voice cracked, and her whole body trembled with rage and fear. "Mirabel? Seriously? Mirabel?" She laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and broken. "That Dream Weaver is out of her mind, and you know it! She’s just as likely to trap Easter in an endless nightmare as she is to actually help her!".

I flinched, the heaviness of her words sinking into me like claws. My throat tightened, and I rubbed the back of my neck, my fingers tangling in my already tousled hair from earlier when Easter’s hand ran through it. "You don’t understand, Nat," I said, my voice low, raw with desperation. "Easter was suffering. Night after night, she was screaming, trapped in those nightmares. The blood, the bodies—she saw it all. Zane’s estate..." I trailed off, my chest aching as the memories flooded back. The barrier I’d woven around the estate, a shimmering cage of ancient magic meant to stop my sister from running wild, had trapped Easter inside with the carnage. I’d forgotten her, left her there, drowning in terror while I raced to Natalie’s side. "It was my fault," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I put up that barrier. I didn’t think... I didn’t remember her until it was too late."

Natalie’s eyes softened for a moment, but the fire in them didn’t fade. She took a step closer, her bare feet scuffing against the stone path. "Jacob, you’re not the only one carrying that guilt," she said, her voice trembling now, thick with unshed tears. "I’m the one who brought that chaos to Zane’s estate. All those people... died because of me. Because I couldn’t control my emotions and couldn’t control the situation with the king." She swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to the ground, where a stray rose petal lay crushed under her foot. "Easter was caught in the crossfire, and I’ll never forgive myself for that. But wiping her memories? That’s not fixing it, Jacob. That’s running away."

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words died on my tongue. She was right, and the truth of it burned like wolfsbane in my veins. I’d been so consumed with protecting Natalie, with being the big brother who never failed, that I’d left Easter alone in my house, her heart bruised and her mind fractured. The memory of her face—those emerald-green eyes wide with confusion and sadness, her freckled cheeks stained with tears—haunted me. I’d kissed her, felt the warmth of her beneath me, her breath mingling with mine in a moment that had felt like salvation. And then the vision had struck, a bolt of lightning through my soul, showing me Natalie, Zane, and Alex in danger. I’d bolted without a word, teleporting to Alex’s side, leaving Easter behind like she was nothing.

"I didn’t know what else to do," I admitted, my voice voice came out small. I met Natalie’s gaze, my eyes pleading for her to understand. "The nightmares were killing her, Nat. And the baby..." My voice cracked at the thought of Easter’s unborn child, so small, so fragile, caught in the crossfire of her trauma. "Every scream, every tear... it was hurting them both. Mirabel was my only option. She wove a new reality for Easter—one where she’s safe, where she doesn’t remember the blood or the bodies. Where she can sleep without fear."

Natalie’s expression softened, but her eyes still blazed with concern. She crossed her arms, her red hair catching the starlight like a halo. "Jacob, you can’t just rewrite someone’s life like that. Easter deserves to know the truth, to face it with you. And leaving her like that? Without a word? That’s not you. That’s not my brother." She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a fierce whisper. "You’re the Wolf Spirit, the father of us all. You’re supposed to be better than this."

Her words hit me like a punch to the stomach, and I staggered back, my back brushing against the ivy-covered trellis. "I know I messed up," I said, my voice hoarse. "I was so focused on you, on making sure you were safe, that I... I lost sight of her. But you’re okay now, Nat. You’re strong, you’ve got Zane and Alex, and Jasmine’s power is unstoppable. You don’t need me hovering anymore."

Natalie’s eyes glistened, and she grabbed my hands, squeezing them so tightly it hurt. "Don’t you dare say that," she said, her voice breaking. "You’re my big brother, Jacob. I’ll always need you. But you need to stop worrying about me and focus on Easter. She’s pregnant, she’s scared, and you left her alone in your house after... after that? You have to fix this. You have to go to her. Apologize. Make it right."

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak. She was right. Easter deserved better. I’d let my duty to Natalie blind me to the woman who’d started to carve a place in my heart, her quiet strength and shy smiles drawing me in despite the centuries I’d spent keeping others at arm’s length. "I’ll go," I said finally, my voice steadying. "I’ll find her."

Natalie gave me a small, encouraging smile, but her eyes were still fierce. "Good. And don’t you dare leave her again."

********

The moment I teleported back to my house in Paris, the silence hit me like a physical blow. The air in the room was stale, the faint scent of Easter’s perfume lingering like a ghost. My heart pounded as I scanned the room, my enhanced senses picking up the absence of her warmth, her heartbeat. She was gone. Her cat, Donut, was gone too. Panic clawed at my chest, and I stumbled forward, my boots echoing on the hardwood floor.

That’s when I saw it—a small, folded note tucked beside the door, its edges slightly crumpled. My hands trembled as I picked it up, the paper soft against my calloused fingers. I unfolded it, and Easter’s delicate handwriting stared back at me, each word a dagger to my heart.

Jacob,

I’ve taken your cat with me so he won’t starve. The spare key is under your foot mat. Please don’t look for us. I just need some time to think. I will bring him back, I promise. – Easter

The note slipped from my fingers, fluttering to the floor like a dying leaf. My chest tightened, guilt and longing twisting together until I could barely breathe. She’d left because of me. Because I’d abandoned her in the heat of that moment, her lips still warm from mine, her body trembling beneath me. I’d run without a word, leaving her to feel awkward, alone, confused, and hurt.

I sank to my knees, my hands raking through my hair as I fought the urge to trash my living room. The flow of powers in me stirred, restless and angry, but I forced it down. I had to find her. Closing my eyes, I reached out with my powers, the ancient magic of Mist pulsing through me like a second heartbeat. I searched for her essence, that unique spark of light that was Easter—wild curls, emerald eyes, and a heart that had somehow survived so much pain.

There. A faint pull, like a thread tugging at my soul. She was close. A hotel, not far from here, hidden in the heart of Paris. I teleported without hesitation, the world blurring around me until I materialized in a poorly lit hallway, the scent of old carpet and cheap air freshener assaulting my senses. My heart raced as I followed the pull to a door at the end of the hall, room 304. noveldrama

I raised my hand to knock but froze, my breath catching as I sensed her inside. Easter, curled up on a narrow bed, her daughter Rose nestled against her, both of them wrapped in a threadbare blanket. Donut, her fat cat, was sprawled across her lap, purring softly. Easter’s face was pale, her freckles stark against her skin, and her emerald eyes were red-rimmed, glistening with unshed tears. She looked so small, so fragile, yet so beautiful it stole the air from my lungs.

I pressed my forehead against the door, my heart aching with the need to hold her, to beg for her forgiveness. But her note echoed in my mind: Please don’t look for us. She needed space, time to heal from the wounds I’d inflicted. Forcing myself to step back, I whispered a promise to the night. "I’ll wait for you, Easter. As long as it takes."