Chapter 257: How dare you!!!
[ Old world - Blackmoon Pack ]
Lyla reluctantly completed the rest of her journey back home.
Her heart felt heavier than her body could carry, and her head spun with a million tangled thoughts.
"Why does it feel like every choice I make only breeds more sorrow? Everything I do... every step I take...every breath feels wrong!!! "
She closed her eyes briefly as her attendants bowed once she reached her chambers...their worried gazes travelled all over her exhausted form...their unspoken words grazed her ears like whispers she could not endure.
She lifted a hand, dismissing them with a faint wave.
"No more tonight...inform Beta Dax...He should follow up with the Alpha and his injuries...do not trouble me anymore...I just want to rest a little...and sleep...may be...," she murmured, her voice softer than usual, frayed at the edges.
The maids bowed and immediately scattered.
The moment the corridor emptied....her body gave away...she slouched...bending down...her fingers trembled as she slipped off her heels.
They clattered faintly against the floor, abandoned like discarded armor. Barefoot, she let herself walk faster...almost rushing...straight towards her girls’ room.
Her heart squeezed. "At least with them...I can breathe. With them, nothing else matters."
Before entering, she schooled her face, smoothing away the frown that weighed her down, forcing her lips into a smile.
She whispered to herself, as if practicing, "They cannot see my pain. They will only see their mother smiling and happy..."
And then she pushed the door open.
Her eyes softened at once. The nursery lay bathed in the warm golden glow of the hearth and their favourite star light that hung in the centre.
She expected them to be fast asleep. She just wanted to lay beside them... cuddling their soft little bodies.
But the lights still being on told her the little mischievous ones were having their own party.
So she spread her arms wide, voice bright with the false cheer she had perfected.
"Mama’s here, my darlings!" She laughed, the sound trembling but warm. "Who’s ready for kisses?"
She leapt forward with playful energy, as she always did, expecting little feet to rush to her, little giggles to rise and meet her like music.
But... all that greeted her was silence.
Her arms stilled midair. No laughter. No bouncing footsteps.
Only the quiet hush of the room.
Her smile faltered. Slowly, her gaze swept across the chamber, searching for them. And then... Her eyes landed on Willa.
The little girl was curled into the farthest corner, crouched low, shoulders shaking. Her small whimpers filled the silence, breaking it into shards that cut through Lyla’s chest.
Lyla’s smile collapsed. Her heart dropped so violently, she staggered forward.
"Willa..." she whispered, kneeling before her child, reaching out. "Baby, what happened?"
The moment her voice touched her, Willa broke completely.
The girl lunged forward, burying her tiny, trembling body into her mother’s arms. Her sobs spilled out raw and uncontained, wetting Lyla’s dress in moments.
"Ma...Mamaaaa..." Her words stuttered, broken by hiccups and tears. "Bad man...bad man came to get us..."
Lyla froze.
Her blood went cold. Her hand stilled on her daughter’s back.
"Bad man?"
Willa’s breath came in ragged gasps as she clutched Lyla tighter, desperate.
"Freya..." Her voice cracked into a wail. "Freya hid me here...she said don’t move...she said she would kill the bad man..."
Lyla’s arms tightened around her. Her body trembled though she tried to stay steady, whispering over and over, "Shh...shh, it’s alright, it’s alright, Mama’s here."
But inside, her world was splintering.
"Freya...my brave girl...no, no, no...she’s just a child."
Willa pulled back enough to look at her mother, her tear streaked face blotchy and desperate.
"Mama...she isn’t back yet."
Her small hands fisted in Lyla’s dress, tugging, pleading.
"Mama, go save Freya. Please...Mama, please..." Then her voice broke into a scream of grief. " Mama...Pleeeeease!"
Lyla’s heart tore in two.
The walls seemed to close in, pressing the air from her lungs. She pulled Willa close again, whispering into her hair with shaking lips...half to calm her daughter, half to stop herself from shattering.
"I will. I promise you, I will."
But the words were trembling lies, or prayers, or both.
"Goddess, let me not be too late..."
Lyla cupped Willa’s tear streaked face, kissing her damp cheeks again and again. Her voice cracked as she whispered, "Listen to Mama. Stay here. Don’t go anywhere,alright? Just stay here like you did. Do you hear me, baby?"
Willa hiccupped, nodding, though her little fists clung to Lyla’s sleeve as if they would never let go.
Lyla pried them gently free, her heart screaming in protest at the act. "I will bring Freya back," she swore, her voice low, fierce, breaking. "I swear it on my life."
She stumbled to her feet, half running, half reeling as she burst from the chamber.
Her breath came in sharp, uneven bursts. She needed to inform the pack...she needed help as well.
But there was no time...Dax was probably tending to the matter of Kieran’s injuries...alerting the hive’s pack emergency was the best option.Who ever was free would come to her aid...in the meanwhile she would take the lead...there was no time to waste.
Yes, that was the right thing. That was what a Luna should do.
But... halfway down the corridor, she froze.
A smell.
Thick, cloying, unmistakable.
The stench of rot hit her face.
It coiled through the air like a snake, worming into her nostrils, into her chest, into her memories.
Her knees weakened. She gripped the wall, bile burning her throat.
"...NOOOO..." The word slipped out, strangled, horrified.
Her vile father?! Roanoke??!!!
Of course. Of course it would be him. Who else would dare come so close? Who else would sink their filth rotted claws into her children?
Her chest caved in as shame roared through her ..burning, suffocating.
"This is my sin. My bloodline’s curse. I brought this upon Freya."
Her hand trembled violently as she reached for the hive emergency pack link embedded inside her head. Her voice cracked as she left her message. "This is Luna Lyla Blackmoon. Emergency pack code...Alpha tier.Princess Freya has been taken. Repeat, Princess Freya Blackmoon has been taken. Mobilize all sentries. Lock down the inner fortress. Prepare for pursuit.I am following the trail. Possible suspect Roanoke Curzon!!!"
" This is game over,father! I can save you no more!!!" Lyla gulped...swallowing her words.
The message shot through the hive like wildfire.
She should have ideally waited.Reinforcements would come. She should have stood her ground, guarded Willa, waited for someone...but the stench was already moving. Fading, winding out towards the wilds.
Every beat of hesitation screamed at her. Every thud of her heart sounded like Freya’s cry for help.
"No... I can’t wait..." Her hands shook as she pressed them against her chest. "If I wait, I will lose her forever."
She turned, her steps stumbling, then steadier, then desperate.
Her breath hissed through her teeth as she plunged down the hall, following that vile, rotting trail.
"Father...you vile old man...you pushed way too far..." The words was venom. "You dare touch my daughter? You dare..."
Her vision blurred as tears clawed at her eyes, but she could not.
"Goddess forgive me," she whispered as she ran, her bare feet slapping against stone. "But I won’t forgive him. I won’t forgive myself if I fail them again.Please save my Freya...please..."
And so she chased the rot into the night.