The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter Chapter 115: A New Search

Sebastian~

Cold.

That was the first thing I felt as I stirred awake. A chill that seeped into my bones, curling around like an unwelco embrace. Sothing had gone terribly wrong.

For a mont, I remained still, my mind groggy, my body oddly heavy. Again, sothing wasn’t right.

Then it hit .

She was gone.

The bed beside was cold. The scent of her—wild and intoxicating—lingered faintly, but she was no longer here.

And that was when I rembered.

The soft touches. The way she had whispered to . The slow, lingering kiss that had sent into unconsciousness.

"Son of a—" I shot up from the bed, my head spinning.

That sneaky little minx drugged !

I ran my tongue over my lips, searching for any lingering taste of the sedative she had used. I should have sensed it. I should have known! But no. I had been too caught up in her. Too addicted to the feel of her, the taste of her, the way her body fit against mine like we were crafted from the sa damn mold.

A sharp laugh escaped —bitter, breathless. "Damn, Brielle."

I raked a hand through my already-ssy black hair, exhaling hard. I should have been angry. Should have wanted to tear the room apart. But all I felt was—

Excitent.

Oh, sweetheart. You have no idea what you’ve just done.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, standing up too quickly and instantly regretting it. My body still felt sluggish from whatever she had given . That little traitor. I bet she thought this would keep away. That I would give up just because she slipped a sleeping potion and ran.

She really didn’t know at all, did she?

A slow smirk pulled at my lips. Ti to put this little gift from Fox to use. Stretching my senses, I reached into the mind link Fox had so generously bestowed upon Zane and , already preparing to summon my Zane.

And then I hesitated.

Zane was my best friend. My brother in every way that mattered. But he was also a dramatic bastard, and if I told him Brielle had drugged and run off, he would turn this into a full-scale hunt. Probably burn half the city down looking for her.

When ever Zane freaked out, people died.

Lots of people. That’s a story for another day.

No, no. This was sothing I had to handle on my own—for now. Besides, tracking down my runaway mate sounded like a challenge.

And I loved challenges.

I grabbed a clean shirt from the chair near my bed, tugging it over my head as I strode toward my office. If I was going to track Brielle down, I needed a plan. A damn good one.

Step one? Her picture.

I gathered my materials, rolling my shoulders as I sat down, the weight of determination settling over . The charcoal felt familiar in my grip, cool and smooth, before I dragged it across the parchnt in bold, precise strokes. Her lips—full and deceptively soft. Her cheekbones—sharp enough to cut. And her eyes—intense, knowing, the kind that could unravel a man with a single look.

Every movent was deliberate, my hand guided by mory and obsession. A few hours I had traced those features—under my fingers, against my lips. I knew them better than I knew my own damn reflection.

The picture was coming together perfectly, every detail capturing the essence of the woman who had drugged and disappeared into the night.

I should have been pissed. I should have been furious.

Instead, I grinned.

"Damn, Brielle," I muttered, shaking my head. "You really thought you could just vanish on ?"

Oh, sweetheart. You have no idea who you’re dealing with.

At so point in my ridiculously long life, I had taken up drawing and painting just because I was bored. Never thought it would co in handy like this, but here we were.

With the finished sketch in hand, I leaned back in my chair, surveying my work. It was perfect. Now, I just needed an army to help find her.

Good thing I had one.

My coven.

***********

The underground hideout in Vereth was one of my greatest accomplishnt. The entrance to my coven wasn’t marked by grand iron gates or ominous stone archways. No, it was hidden beneath the city of Vereth, tucked away in the labyrinth of tunnels that stretched for miles beneath the surface.

To the world above, Vereth was just another tropolis—sleek, modern, bustling. But down here? It was a different world entirely.

The tunnels gave way to an underground sanctuary—a sprawling network of chambers carved from the rock, bathed in the dim glow of enchanted lanterns. The air was thick with the scent of fresh blood, burning incense, and sothing undeniably... otherworldly.

This was my coven.

They weren’t just subordinates. They were my people. My family.

And unlike the bastards who left to burn under the sun, these vampires would do anything for .

The mont I stepped inside, heads turned. Conversations halted. A ripple of energy surged through the coven as my presence was noticed.

And then—

"My Lord!"

A dark-haired woman dropped to one knee, her head bowed. Others followed suit, their voices a hushed murmur of reverence.

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "We’ve been over this. Stop kneeling. It’s weird."

So of them chuckled. Others straightened up, smiling.

"Says the guy who literally saved us from starvation," a voice drawled from the shadows.

I turned, already smirking. "Luca."

Luca erged, his silver-white hair catching the soft glow of the lanterns. He was dressed in his usual all-black ensemble, looking every bit like the deadly second-in-command that he was.

Beside him, a woman leaned against the stone wall, arms crossed, dark eyes sharp and assessing. Alia. His mate. She had black hair so glossy it looked almost liquid in the light, and she was as fierce as she was beautiful.

"You’re... early." Luca said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

I quirked a brow. "Disappointed?"

Luca snorted. "Just shocked. You usually only co down when sothing’s on fire. Or about to be."

"Ah, well," I sighed dramatically, "consider this a preemptive visit before the chaos starts."

Several of my vampires exchanged glances, whispering among themselves. They weren’t wrong to assu chaos was coming. I was coming.

I stepped further inside, taking my usual seat in the high-backed chair that overlooked the room. "I need your help."

At once, silence fell.

Luca folded his arms. "This should be good."

"Oh, it is," I assured him with a grin. "I need to find soone. A woman. She’s beautiful, dangerous, and utterly infuriating."

Luca smirked. "Sounds like love."

"Sounds like insanity," another vampire muttered.

I ignored them. "Her na is Brielle Hector and I need to find her ASAP."

Luca sighed, shaking his head. "Of course. Co on."

I didn’t argue, I got up from my seat and followed him. He led into a private chamber, the VIP lounge of our underground haven. The room was lavish—plush velvet seating, a bar stocked with the finest blood reserves, walls lined with priceless art (most of which had been ’borrowed’ from human collectors).

Alia poured herself a drink and took a seat, watching over the rim of her glass. "Alright, Lord Sebastian. Let us have it."

I pulled the parchnt from my coat and placed it on the table between us.

Luca and Alia leaned forward.

Luca picked it up first, studying it with narrowed eyes. "You drew this?"

"Obviously."

Alia raised a brow. "Since when do you draw?"

Luca snorted. "He gets bored, rember?"

I rolled my eyes. "Can we focus? I need to find her."

Luca’s expression shifted from amusent to sothing more serious. He exchanged a glance with Alia, then looked back at the sketch. His fingers brushed over the edges of the parchnt, a strange tension settling in his shoulders.

I frowned. "What?"

Luca didn’t answer imdiately. Instead, he slowly placed the drawing back on the table, exhaling through his nose.

"This isn’t Brielle."

My blood ran cold. "What?"

Luca tapped the paper. "This woman... She’s not who you think she is."

I stared at him, my mind whirling. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Lucian leaned back, his silver eyes locking onto mine. "Her na is Cassandra. The Cassandra."

The na was like ice piercing through .

I swallowed hard. "You’re wrong."

Alia’s voice was quiet but firm. "No, he’s not."

I shook my head. "That doesn’t make any sense. She told her na was Brielle."

Luca sighed. "My Lord... every vampire knows Cassandra is dangerous. She’s a rogue werewolf and a vampire hunter."

I stilled.

Alia continued, her voice softer now. "She has strange dealings with demons. And if she was with you... that ans sothing is very, very wrong."

My grip tightened on the armrest of my chair.

"She wouldn’t—" I stopped myself. Wouldn’t what? Wouldn’t lie? Wouldn’t manipulate ?

Hadn’t she already done that?

Luca studied carefully. "You care about her."

It wasn’t a question.

I clenched my jaw. "She drugged ."

Alia smirked but you could see the shock on her face. "How the hell is that even possible?"

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. My mind was a storm. Brielle–Cassandra. A vampire hunter. A rogue. A woman working for a demon who had sent her to kill people like .

And yet...

She didn’t kill .

She ran.

Why?

Was it because we’re mates?

Luca’s voice was steady. "Lord Sebastian... you need to let this go."

I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Not a chance."

Alia groaned. "Of course."

Luca sighed. "Sir—"

I held up a hand. "She ran from for a reason. If she was really working for so demon, she would have killed the mont she had the chance. Instead, she ran."

Luca and Alia exchanged another look, sothing unspoken passing between them.

Finally, Luca nodded. "Alright."

Alia groaned again. "You’re actually going to help him?"

Luca smirked. "Of course. He’s our master."

I grinned. "That’s what I like to hear."

Luca picked up the drawing again, his expression thoughtful. "We’ll find her. But you better be ready for what cos next."

I t his gaze. "I always am."