The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter Chapter 33: Impossible Emotions

Zane~

The first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains as I stirred awake. Mornings had always been quiet monts of reflection for , though not always peaceful. It was Saturday, a day that should have allowed to sleep in, but my body was already wired to wake up early. I stretched, exhaling deeply before sitting up.

The house was quiet, which wasn’t surprising. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, rubbing my temples before standing. My first instinct was to check on Alexander. Ever since he developed the habit of running away from ho, that instinct developed in too. But recently, Alexander had a new habit of sneaking out of his room in the middle of the night, and more often than not, I’d find him curled up sowhere else. With Natalie.

It wasn’t uncommon to find my son glued to her side, especially during the nights. He adored her, saw her as the mother he never had, and I was very grateful to the goddess for that. As I reached Natalie’s door, I hesitated, hand hovering over the knob. A part of wanted to retreat, to let them enjoy their mont of peace, but curiosity won out. Slowly, I turned the handle and pushed the door open.

My eyes instinctively landed on the bed, but the bed was empty, its pristine state confirming no one had touched it all night.

I sighed. Again?

My gaze shifted, following the soft sound of breathing to the other side of the bed. And there they were.

Natalie was curled up on the floor, a thin blanket barely covering her, holding Alexander tightly against her chest. Alex, in turn, clutched a ridiculously bright green stuffed animal almost as big as his little body. I didn’t rember getting him that one, but Alexander had so many toys that it was hard to keep track.

A pang of guilt shot through as I recalled how Alexander had told the other day that Natalie was scared of "fancy beds." Whatever that ant, I couldn’t comprehend why she chose the floor over comfort. Yet, seeing her now—peaceful, protective, vulnerable—it struck sothing deep within .

Stepping inside, I crouched down, careful not to wake either of them. My hands moved on autopilot as I gently slid Alexander out of Natalie’s arms, blanket and stuffed toy included. His tiny body shifted slightly, but he didn’t stir. I placed him on the bed, arranging him in a way I hoped looked comfortable. Then, I turned back to Natalie.

Her expression was serene, a stark contrast to the wariness she wore during the day. For a mont, I hesitated. She’d always kept at arm’s length, her secrets buried deep, but here she looked so open, so unguarded. Shaking off the strange sensation, I slid my arms beneath her, lifting her as gently as I could.

Her body was impossibly light, and as I placed her on the bed beside Alex, I noticed how fragile she looked. Too fragile for the world she’d been thrown into. I pulled a clean blanket from her wardrobe, draping it over them both, ensuring they were warm.

I should have left. I should have.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I found myself sitting on the edge of the bed, drawn to her in a way I couldn’t explain. My gaze lingered on her features—the soft curve of her lips, the way her hair spilled across the pillow like red silk.

Before I realized it, my hand moved of its own accord. A strand of hair clung stubbornly to her cheek, and I brushed it back, my fingers grazing her skin. She was warm, impossibly soft. My thumb traced the delicate line of her jaw, lingering longer than it should have.

My breath hitched.

The scent of her wrapped around —wildflowers mingled with sothing sweet and almost intoxicating, like strawberries kissed by the sun. My hand slid lower, cupping her cheek, my thumb ghosting over her lips. They looked so inviting, so utterly perfect.

What are you doing, Zane?

The question echoed in my mind, but it was drowned out by the hamring of my heart. Slowly, almost involuntarily, I leaned in. The world seed to narrow, and all I could focus on was her. The curve of her lips. The warmth radiating from her skin.

Her breath mingled with mine, and the space between us shrank until there was nothing but a whisper of air separating us. My heart pounded louder, urging forward.

I was so close. So close to crossing a line I didn’t fully understand.

And then reality hit, sharp and unrelenting, snapping out of the haze.

I jerked back as though burned, my heart slamming against my ribs. What in the goddess’s na was I doing?

I stumbled to my feet, my movents jerky, the air thick with tension I’d created. Without looking back, I slipped out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind as though it could sohow erase the mont.

But it couldn’t.

Back in the sanctuary of my own room, I leaned against the door, breathing heavily.

"What the hell, Red?" I demanded, addressing the constant voice in my head.

Red stirred, his tone unusually calm. "What do you an? You’re the one who did it."

"You didn’t stop !" I accused, pacing back and forth.

"I didn’t know what to say. She’s beautiful," Red admitted, sounding unapologetic.

"She’s young! Eighteen, Red. I’m twenty-six. She’s practically a child compared to ."

"She’s an adult, Zane. Legally, there’s nothing wrong—"

"I didn’t ask for a debate!" I cut him off, running a hand through my hair. "This isn’t about logic. It’s about the fact that this shouldn’t even be possible. I had a mate, Red. We loved once. Werewolves don’t love twice. It’s not possible."

"Maybe you’re right," Red conceded after a pause. "Maybe you’re just tired. Let’s not overthink this."

"Agreed." I sank onto the edge of my bed, resolving then and there that this would never happen again.

The afternoon rolled around, and Jacob arrived right on ti for Natalie’s tutoring session at exactly 1: 00 pm. I had spent the entire morning convincing myself that my emotions were firmly under control and I wouldn’t lose grip on myself again. Yet, the mont Jacob walked through the door, all my composure unraveled.

He was too young, too smug, and far too comfortable around Natalie for my liking.

From the study room, I could hear their easy banter as they worked through the lesson. My irritation simred beneath the surface, bubbling over when I found myself interrupting for the third ti.

I crossed my arms, leaning against the doorfra. "I still can’t convince myself that you’re qualified to teach her."

Jacob smirked at . "Certificates don’t lie."

"I’m just saying," I continued, "I got top grades in this subject. I could have taught her myself. But, you know, I’m just so busy."

Jacob smirked. "Of course. Being a brooding CEO must be exhausting."

Natalie giggled.

I scowled. "I don’t brood."

"You do, though," Jacob replied. "A lot."

I cleared my throat and changed the subject. "Do you guys need snacks? I can get snacks."

Natalie looked amused. "We’re fine."

Five minutes later, I walked in with snacks anyway.

Another ten minutes passed, and I found another excuse to enter.

"How’s the lesson going?"

Jacob sighed. "It was going great before you walked in."

Natalie laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I’m just supervising," I said, grabbing a chair. "Making sure you’re not filling her head with nonsense."

Jacob leaned back with a knowing smirk. "You’re jealous."

I scoffed. "Of what?"

"That I’m teaching her and not you."

I huffed. "Don’t be ridiculous."

Natalie said nothing, but the amused glint in her eyes gave her away. She was clearly enjoying this.

Jacob, on the other hand, had no rcy.

"You’re really going to sit there and let roast you like this, Mr Lucky?" he teased, grinning like a cat that had just cornered a mouse. "Co on, don’t you have sothing important to do?"

I shot him a flat look. "It’s a Saturday, so no. And besides, I think my presence here makes your boring lectures more interesting."

"Oh, absolutely," Jacob said, leaning back with a smug expression. "This is the best entertainnt I’ve had all week." I could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

Natalie chuckled but didn’t jump to my defense. Traitor.

Despite my irritation, I couldn’t deny the warmth in the room. It had been a while since things felt this light—easy, even in my ho. There was sothing about their laughter, the casual teasing, that made forget, even for just a mont, that there was a world beyond these walls filled with shadows waiting to creep in.

Then my phone buzzed.

The sound shattered the mont like glass.

I pulled it from my pocket, glancing at the screen. Sebastian.

The teasing faded into the background as I stood, stepping into the hallway before answering.

"Sebastian," I greeted, already bracing myself.

"Zane!" His voice ca fast and urgent, his excitent barely contained. "You won’t believe this. I’ve got the Moonstone. You need to get to my house right now."

My grip on the phone tightened. "That was quick. I thought it would be harder. Anyway, can’t you bring it over? What’s going on?"

"It’s not just the stone," Sebastian said, his tone dipping into sothing almost... uneasy. "It’s where the tracker is pointing. I swear, you won’t believe it."

A chill ran down my spine.

"I’m on my way," I said, hanging up.