Chapter 199
Chapter 199
Darius pov
She was sleeping peacefully.
Her head rested on my chest, her arms wrapped around my waist as she cuddled against me, a blissful smile gracing her face. I watched her, my own lips curving into a soft smile, my hand gently stroking her hair. The room was quiet, not the hollow emptiness I had felt after her death. No, this was different.
It was peaceful. Nyssa’s slow, steady breathing filled the space, easing a void in my heart I hadn’t known could be soothed.
My gaze flicked to the brand on her neck, my mark. Etched into her skin, it glowed softly under the moonlight spilling through the curtains, highlighting her small, delicate figure. After what had happened in the study, she had been drenched from the marking, yet she hadn’t lost consciousness like she had as Liana. Perhaps it was because she was stronger now, bonded to a wolf, able to maintain control even in such an intense moment. It was a mark of a lycan king.
After I had made her officially my mate, I had carried her to my room. We had mated again, then taken the time to talk. We shared our experiences apart, though there wasn’t much to tell about my life, it had been the same after her death: I pushed everyone away, becoming heartless, indifferent, cruel. I had been utterly alone… until she returned to me as Nyssa.
Slowly, things began to change. Even though I had hated her as my mate at first, she brought warmth into my life. I was no longer so lonely. When I confessed this to her, she smiled and hugged me, promising she was here to stay and that I would never feel alone again. I could only smile back, knowing she was right. I would never let her leave.
Then she told me about her life. About being reborn twice as Nyssa. The first time, she had loved her ex- fiancé, married him, and given him all her trust. But in return, she received betrayal. He had been mated with the girl she had called her best friend, complicit in the rogue attack on her pack that killed her family. He had only been with her because of the Alpha’s position in the Emberfang pack.
Once he attained it, she was framed for infidelity, cast out of the pack while pregnant, and ultimately killed by my silver dagger. The goddess had granted her a second chance at life, returning her on the very day she married Kael.
She had told me all of this with a straight face, asking if I believed her, insisting I was the only one who could truly hear her. Despite how shocking her words were, I believed her. She was my mate; I would believe everything she said. If she could return as Liana, she could be reborn again as Nyssa.
When I told her this, a small smile bloomed on her face, her eyes glazing as she recounted everything that had happened to her. When she cried, I comforted her, holding her until she calmed, until she felt better. Only then did she finally drift off to sleep.
My smile widened as I watched her press her lips together, hugging herself tighter, murmuring sofily under her breath,
“Please… don’t leave me… believe me, okay?”
:
I chuckled softly, stroking her hair even more. Silas’s voice broke through my thoughts.
ers
“She looks really beautiful, Darius. I can’t believe she’s our mate. I’m glad you marked her, the bond between us is stronger now.”
I almost laughed at his words, but before I could, Cassian’s voice cut through the mindlink.
“M–my king, I apologize for disturbing your rest, but we have a problem here…”
He said, his voice gruff and serious, and my gaze immediately darkened. It must be urgent for Cassian to call me despite knowing I wouldn’t want to be disturbed.
“Okay. I’m coming,” I replied, cutting off the mindlink. My eyes flickered to Nyssa, still sleeping. Not wanting to wake her, I carefully rose from the bed. She stirred slightly, murmuring something incoherent as I gently placed her head back on the pillow.
Just as I turned to leave, her hand shot up, clutching mine.
I froze, then turned back to find her blinking at me through her haze, her eyes barely open. Her voice was so low I almost didn’t catch it.
“Where are you going, Darius?” she asked.
I couldn’t help but smile, clasping her hand gently before leaning in to press a soft kiss to her head.
“I’ll be right back, little mate. Go back to sleep,” I whispered.
Almost immediately, perhaps from exhaustion, she nodded and drifted back to sleep. My smile lingered for a moment as I turned and walked out, but the moment I left her room, it faded, and my gaze darkened. The maids and everyone who crossed my path bowed deeply.
I ignored them, my steps slow and steady as I entered my study. Cassian and Drake immediately rose as they
saw me.
“Greetings to the Lycan King,” they said.
I gave a casual nod before moving to my seat. Once seated, I fixed them with narrowed eyes.
“What happened? What was so urgent that you called me?” I asked.
They exchanged a brief glance before Cassian stepped forward, placing an envelope on my desk. My brow raised in confusion, but he spoke.
“I apologize deeply, my king, but Zayn–the pack doctor–has been missing for two days. We went to his quarters to check, and instead, we found this envelope on his table. When we read it… we-”
He faltered, unable to finish his words. I raised a brow, silently urging him on. He swallowed hard, avoiding my gaze. Without a word, I reached out, picked up the envelope, and withdrew the letter inside. As I read, my frown deepened, my expression growing colder, the air thick with tension.
Zayn: Hey everyone! If you’re reading this, it means I have left the pack and will not be returning. Such a
shame, really–I enjoyed this place, enjoyed deceiving and toying with everyone. But alas, I cannot stay. Don’t worry, though, we will meet again! Since I won’t be coming back, I’ll gladly reveal my secret and my identity. I am the man you’ve been looking for, Darius–the leader of the rogues and your… well, maybe that secret will be revealed later. For now, enjoy yourselves until we meet again.
My hands instinctively tightened around the paper as I read. Zayn, the leader of the rogues all along. But it wasn’t just that which made my blood boil. It was the handwriting. I had seen it before.
