The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter Chapter 15: Adorable Friend

Natalie~

The door clicked shut, and the cold, quiet room closed in around . My knees buckled, and I sank onto the bed, hugging my arms tightly around my body. The gravity of my situation wrapped around my chest like a cold snake. Zane's accusations, his icy glare, and the sharpness of his words all replayed in the back of my mind like a haunting lullaby, one that wasn't ant for sleeping.

I couldn't hold back my tears any longer as they spilled over, hot and heavy, streaming down my cheeks as I buried my face in my hands.

Why ? Why was the goddess doing this to ? What wrong did I do? My crying filled the room, raw and unstoppable, bouncing against the walls like tennis balls.

I think hours passed—or maybe it was minutes; I couldn't tell; ti felt aningless to . My throat ached from crying, and my eyes burned, but my tears wouldn't stop falling. Every attempt to collect myself, to think straight, it all failed, and the fear gnawed at relentlessly.

The sound of a key turning in the lock of the bedroom door startled . My head snapped up in the direction as the door creaked open, revealing Zane's mother, Nora. She stepped inside carefully, carrying a silver tray filled to the brim with food. The aroma hit imdiately—roasted chicken glistening with golden skin, creamy mashed potatoes drizzled with gravy, vegetables, and a slice of fresh-baked bread still steaming. A glass of sparkling water completed the spread.

Nora placed the tray on a small table near the bed and gave a tentative smile, her eyes soft but sad. "I brought you sothing to eat," she said, her voice gentle but firm.

I barely glanced at the food. "Please," I begged, my voice cracking. "Let go. I swear I've done nothing wrong. You have to believe !"

Her expression faltered, and for a mont, I thought she might relent. But she shook her head, the sadness deepening in her gaze. "I can't," she whispered. "Zane hasn't given the order. I'm sorry."

"Please," I tried again, desperation clawing at my voice. "You seem kind. You must know I'm innocent!"

Nora looked away, avoiding my gaze. "It's not my place," she murmured. "I can't help you."

"What ti is it?" I asked, my voice trembling.

She glanced at the watch on her wrist. "A little past five," she said softly before stepping back toward the door. "Try to eat sothing," she added, though her tone suggested she didn't expect to.

The door clicked shut behind her, and the lock slid into place again.

I didn't touch the food. The sight of it only reminded of my captivity. Instead, I curled up on the bed, hugging my knees to my chest as fresh tears welled up. The minutes stretched into an eternity, my mind racing with hopeless thoughts.

It was almost an hour later when the lock clicked again. This ti, the door swung open slowly, revealing a small boy. He couldn't have been older than six or seven. His blonde hair was wild and unruly, and to my shock, he was completely naked.

I bolted upright, stunned. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice hushed and wary.

The boy didn't answer. Instead, he ran toward , flinging his tiny arms around my waist. His body was cold against mine, and he shivered uncontrollably.

"Wait—" I stamred, completely thrown off. My instinct to protect took over, and I grabbed a small blanket from the bed, wrapping it around him. He snuggled into the warmth, still clinging to like his life depended on it.

"Are you okay?" I asked, gently brushing his hair back. "What's your na?"

He didn't respond, his silence unnerving. Instead, he grabbed my hand and tugged toward the door.

"You want to go with you?" I asked, confused.

He nodded, his grip insistent. Against my better judgnt, I followed him, half-expecting Zane or one of his n to appear and drag back. But the corridor was shockingly empty.

The boy paused at the doorway, peeking outside before pulling along. At one point, he stopped and tapped my leg, raising his arms as if asking to be carried. His large, pleading eyes left no choice.

I lifted him into my arms, and he snuggled against , the blanket trailing behind us. He directed through a maze of hallways and turns, his tiny finger pointing the way. Finally, we reached what looked like a wine storage room.

The boy squird out of my arms and pushed an empty barrel aside with surprising strength, revealing a small trapdoor. He opened it and crawled through, turning back to gesture for to follow.

I hesitated for a mont before squeezing through the narrow space. The chill of the evening air hit instantly, and I realized we were outside. The boy pointed toward a narrow trail that led into a sprawling garden.

"Thank you," I whispered, crouching to his level. I cupped his face gently, my heart aching as I kissed his forehead. "But I can't take you with . It's too dangerous."

His eyes filled with tears, and he clung to my leg. "Mommy," he whimpered, his voice breaking for the first ti. "Don't leave ."

His words were so sad and it broke my heart. "I'm not your mommy," I said softly, though my chest tightened at the thought. "I wish I could stay with you, but I can't. If the owner of this house is your father... he'll surely punish if I take you with ."

The boy sobbed harder, his small fra trembling. I hugged him tightly, fighting back my tears. "Listen to ," I said, pulling back to look into his tear-streaked face. "Go back inside and find sothing warm to wear. It's too cold out here for you. Please dear. I promise if I can help it, we will et again."

He nodded reluctantly, his tears still flowing. I kissed his forehead one last ti and gently nudged him back toward the trapdoor. He crawled through, looking back at one final ti before disappearing.

The mont he was gone, I turned to my heels and ran.

The trail wound through the garden and led to a fence lined with barbed wire. I found a small break in the tal and squeezed through, scraping my arms in the process. The city lights shimred in the distance, and I sprinted toward them, my breath ragged and my legs aching.

By the ti I reached the bustling streets, exhaustion had set in. I had no idea where I was or where to go. My stomach growled, and the cold seeped into my bones.

I stopped a few passersby, asking for directions to the nearest holess shelter but they all ignored except one kind-looking woman. She hesitated before pointing down the road. "It's a bit far," she said. "You'd better hurry before it gets too dark."

I thanked her and set off, my feet heavy but determined.

As I walked passed an alley behind a club or was it a bar, I heard the unmistakable sounds of a scuffle. My instincts scread at to keep moving, but sothing about the scene made pause. A group of n was beating soone rcilessly.

I turned to leave, but a voice stopped cold in my tracks.

"Hey, wolfless!."

I froze, dread pooling in my stomach. That voice... I knew it.

Slowly, I turned to face the man who had said that. Standing there, his smirk as cold and nacing as ever, was Timothy—Alpha Darius's Beta.

My blood turned to ice.

Without a word, I bolted down the alley, my heart pounding in terror. But Timothy was fast—too fast. As his footsteps echoed behind , I knew I couldn't escape.