The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter-Chapter 139: Silent Storms

Jacob~

As Natalie and I stepped through the door, the warm scent of cinnamon and honey hit us like a gentle embrace. The soft crackle of the fireplace echoed from the living room, and somewhere in the back, I heard the faint clatter of dishes—Fox, probably testing out that "quiet cooking" spell he’d insisted was foolproof. Spoiler: it wasn’t.

Just as I was about to ask Natalie if she smelled the burnt marshmallows too, a pair of tiny feet skidded across the shiny marble floors.

"Mommy Natalie!" Alex’s voice rang out like a bell as he rounded the corner, holding a pencil in one hand and a crumpled worksheet in the other. His oversized sweater nearly swallowed him whole, sleeves flapping as he charged at Natalie like a tiny warrior on a mission.

Natalie beamed instantly, eyes lighting up with that soft, fierce love she always had for him. "Hey, my little genius! What’s this?"

"My math homework! Bubble says he can’t help ’cause he’s allergic to numbers." He frowned. "And Fox says he burned math when he was a kid."

Natalie laughed, crouching to meet him. "Well, lucky for you, I’m immune to math and drama. Let’s go solve the mystery of the disappearing fractions."

"You’re the best, Mommy" Alex said, wrapping his arms around her neck. She picked him up with ease, tickling his side until he squealed.

I stood there for a moment, smiling at them, feeling...warm. Whole. Like this—these quiet moments—were what all our storms were for.

"Don’t use up all your brain cells before dinner," I called after them.

"No promises!" Natalie called over her shoulder as she and Alex disappeared down the hallway.

I chuckled softly, but the sound died in my throat the moment I turned toward the living room.

There, in the far corner of the room, partially tucked beneath the golden shadows of the fireplace light, sat her.

Easter.

She was curled on the couch, wearing a soft cream sweater that slipped slightly off one shoulder, her bare legs tucked underneath her. Her dark curls were loose tonight, tumbling down her back. She was laughing—softly—at something Tiger had said. And Tiger... Tiger, the stoic earth god who hardly ever smiled, was gently massaging her feet like it was something he did everyday.

My jaw tensed.

The smile I’d worn just moments ago vanished like mist under sunlight. I wasn’t even sure why—why it hit me like that. But it did. Something about the sight of them sitting that close... talking that quietly... him touching her so intimately—it made something twist in my chest, sharp and unfamiliar.

Was it Jealousy?

For a human?

No. That wasn’t it. It couldn’t be.

I shook the thought away and forced a casual smile onto my face as I made my way toward them.

Tiger looked up first. The moment his green eyes met mine, his hands stilled on Easter’s foot. Easter followed his gaze, her laugh fading, replaced by a subtle tension that crept into her shoulders. She pulled her legs slightly closer to herself as if to put space between them.

"Hey," I said, feigning lightness. "What’s the party about?"

Tiger leaned back against the arm of the couch, expression even "Easter’s got a full day of classes tomorrow—morning and afternoon. I’m taking her. We were just scheming how to get her through the day without that tiny rebel in her belly throwing a tantrum."

There was nothing strange in his tone. Calm. Steady. As always. But I couldn’t shake the way my instincts clawed at me like wild dogs, screaming that something was off. My lips curved into a polite smile, though it felt foreign on my face.

"Hm," I said slowly, shifting my eyes to Easter. "Is that so?"

Easter blinked. "Yeah. Tiger offered to help and also take me. I thought it was very thoughtful of him."

I nodded, eyes narrowing slightly before I caught myself. Don’t be obvious, Jacob. "Well, there’s no need for him to do that," I said, slipping my hands into my pockets. "I’ll take you tomorrow; and I’ll also make sure your baby is happy and content in there."

Both of them stilled.

Easter tilted her head. "You will?"

"Of course," I said. "In fact, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something anyway. Your divorce lawyer finally wrapped up the paperwork. Everything’s ready. I’ve just been caught up with some other things and haven’t had the time to bring you in to sign it. But... I can take you after your classes tomorrow."

Easter’s lips parted slightly, surprise flickering across her features. "You mean... it’s done? Just like that?"

"Just like that," I confirmed, my voice softer now.

Tiger rose slowly, brushing off his jeans as if the moment hadn’t shifted. "Alright then, I’ll make sure Rose arrives safely at daycare tomorrow," he said simply, his green eyes lingering on Easter before he gave me a small nod and walked out of the room.

I watched him go, something heavy twisting in my stomach. I didn’t understand it. Tiger was my beloved brother. He was Earth. Loyal. Steady. Yet watching him touch Easter’s skin, hearing her laugh so freely with him—it did something to me. Like someone had yanked a thread loose in my chest and now everything was unraveling.

I turned back to her. "I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just... thought it’d be better if I was the one to take you."

She looked at me for a long beat. Her emerald eyes held something I couldn’t quite decipher—curiosity, maybe. Doubt. Hope?

"You sure you’re not too busy?" she asked softly, pulling the sleeves of her sweater over her hands like she always did when she was nervous.

I stepped closer, sitting on the armrest of the couch beside her. "Easter," I said gently, "if I thought you were anything less than a priority, I wouldn’t be here right now."

She stared at me. Really stared.

Then, as if something inside her gave way, she let out a breath and nodded. "Okay. I’ll go with you."

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The fire crackled in the hearth. Outside, a gentle wind whispered against the glass windows. Somewhere down the hall, I could hear Natalie and Alex giggling about fractions.

"I’m sorry if... I made things weird just now," she said suddenly.

My brows lifted. "Weird?"

"With Tiger. I didn’t think it was anything strange, but..." She bit her bottom lip. "You looked like you’d seen something you didn’t like."

I tilted my head, choosing my words carefully. "It’s not that I didn’t like it. I just didn’t expect it. You and Tiger seem... close."

Her cheeks flushed. "He’s easy to talk to."

"I bet." I tried to smile again, but it came out wrong.

She watched me quietly. "You know," she said, voice sounding shy, "I’m glad you’ll be taking me tomorrow."

My heart skipped.

Skipped!

"I will always be available to take you anywhere you need to go," I said, my voice lower now. "All you need do is ask."

A beat passed between us. Tense. Charged. Electric.

"Thank you. I should go rest," she said finally, rising from the couch. "If I want to survive tomorrow’s classes."

I stood with her. "I’ll be by your door bright and early tomorrow. Be ready."

She nodded, and for a moment, I thought she might say something more. But she just gave me a small, knowing smile and turned away.

As I watched her walk toward the hallway, her figure slowly disappearing into the darken corridor, I realized something I didn’t want to admit out loud:

I didn’t want her to find comfort in anyone else’s hands but mine.

And that... that terrified me.