The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter-Chapter 150: The Scent of Truth

Zane~

"Who is she?"

My father’s voice held an edge like it was made of ice and steel.

I froze, breath hitching. Slowly, I turned to face him, our eyes locking. The eerie yellow hue was gone now, replaced by his usual sharp blue. But there was no comfort in them—just a quiet storm of curiosity laced with a sharper edge... like he was calculating every move I made.

I didn’t answer.

Didn’t get the chance to.

Because his nostrils flared, and his gaze snapped toward Natalie like a hunting hound catching a scent.

"It’s her, isn’t it? Natalie," he said, his voice dropping to a raw, aching whisper—laced with betrayal, the kind of pain only someone who’s been hurt could understand.

My heart stopped.

Natalie straightened up, but unlike everyone else, she didn’t flinch. Instead, she raised her chin, her eyes locked on his like a silent dare—go ahead, say my name without respect. I dare you.

My father turned to me slowly, his jaw tight, eyes narrowing as they burned into mine.

"When you returned to the palace, I noticed it," he said, calm. Too calm. "A scent. Fresh. Not your own. I assumed it was nothing. A passing encounter. I told myself not to pry. I gave you privacy."

His tone darkened like thunder rolling in.

"You disobeyed me. I warned you, Zane. I told you to stay away from her."

"I—"

"But no," he snapped, cutting me off. "Not only did you not call it off, you marked her. You wear her scent like armor. You let her crawl all over you until it reeks off your skin."

Natalie gave a small, amused huff. "I don’t crawl. I straddle. Big difference."

"Natalie," I muttered, my palm covering my face.

My father’s expression turned thunderous.

"You think this is a joke?" he roared.

"No," I said, stepping forward, shielding her. "It’s not a joke. It’s not a game. This is real. She’s real. She’s my fated mate."

The air around us suddenly charged like it was filled with electricity. Even Red in my mind stirred, uneasy.

My father stared at me like I’d spoken in tongues.

"What did you just say?" he asked slowly.

"I said—"

"I heard what you said." His eyes bore into me. "But you already had a fated mate, Zane. Emma. She was the mother of your son. And she—she died."

"I know," I whispered.

My voice trembled without permission, just for a second. Emma’s name still did that to me.

"Then stop saying things that aren’t true," he snapped. "You don’t get two fated mates."

"It’s... complicated."

"I don’t care how complicated it is!" he barked. "The kingdom is on the brink of war, I’m preparing to walk into the lion’s den, and my son—the only heir to this throne—has been sneaking around with a wolfless woman? Have you lost your mind?"

"Don’t say that. She’s not just some woman," I growled. "She’s mine."

"Oh, you made that abundantly clear," he scoffed. "The entire west wing smells like her. I couldn’t even walk into the war room this morning without catching the scent of vanilla and insolence."

"Rude," Natalie muttered.

"Dad—"

"You’re selfish," he interrupted, pointing a rigid finger at my chest. "You think I’ve spent decades protecting your identity, shielding you from enemies, only for you to tie yourself to her? A wolfless woman?!"

He pointed now. At Natalie.

At my Natalie.

And she still didn’t flinch.

"I can’t believe you would be so careless, Zane. So reckless. What do you think the court will say? The nobles? The packs? That their future king has fallen for a wolfless girl from the streets?"

"She’s more than that," I said, my voice rising.

"To you, maybe," he spat. "But to them? She’s a curse waiting to happen. A scandal. A weakness."

"I am not weak," Natalie snapped, stepping around me.

She walked up to my father like she was facing down a hurricane.

"I am many things, but weak isn’t one of them. I have lost more than you could ever imagine. I’ve been beaten, rejected, thrown out like trash, and somehow, I’m still standing. So don’t you dare look at me like I’m the one who’ll ruin your precious son."

My father blinked at her. Shocked, maybe.

Natalie wasn’t done.

"And another thing," she said, leaning in slightly. "Your son didn’t fall for me because I’m a damsel in distress or convenient. He fell for me because I’m the one for him, the only one. It’s been written and rewritten through time. So if you want to insult me, fine. But do it knowing that I didn’t come here for your approval."

My heart thudded so loud I thought it might break out of my ribs and bow at her feet.

But my father—he was livid.

"You dare speak to me like that?" he snarled.

Natalie smirked, eyes sparkling. "You asked who I was. Now you know."

I reached for her hand before he exploded.

"She’s my fated mate," I said firmly. "Whether you accept it or not."

"You keep saying that," he hissed. "But it’s not possible. You had a mate."

"There’s more to this, Father. Things I can’t explain right now."

"Oh, you’ll explain," he growled. "Because if you think for a second I’m going to let my only son, the rightful heir to this kingdom, be claimed by a cursed girl with no wolf—"

"She has a wolf," I snapped. "Her wolf found her. Natalie’s not wolfless anymore."

He paused. Confusion flickered across his face.

"She what?"

"I said, she has a wolf now. A powerful one."

He shook his head, not wanting to hear it.

"No. No, I don’t believe this. This is madness."

"It’s the truth," I said. "You just don’t want to see it."

He glared at me like I’d betrayed him in the deepest way possible.

"You’re losing it, Zane. No wolfless werewolf past eighteen has ever gotten their wolf back—you know that." His voice was cold, almost cruel. "I told you what would happen if you got close to her. I warned you. Now your sanity is at stake."

"And I didn’t listen," I replied. "Because I love her. And if you would just calm down and listen to me, you’ll get to know who she really is."

Natalie’s hand tightened in mine.

My father’s eyes burned, not with fire—but with frost.

And then, slowly, he turned.

He faced her again, the fury in him barely held back.

"My son," he said, voice trembling with rage, "will never be yours. He cannot be tied to someone like you."

Natalie’s smile disappeared.

"I don’t care how clever you think you are, or how warm my son makes you feel. My son was born for war, for the crown, for legacy. And you?" He scoffed. "You were born for ruin."

I stepped forward, Red howling in my head.

"Dad please don’t say another word, you’ll regret it. Natalie is—"

But he held up a hand.

"I am deeply disappointed in you, Zane."

Then he turned and walked away.

Leaving a silence so heavy it weighed down on our lungs like a thousand pounds of stone.

Natalie didn’t cry. She didn’t speak. But her hand in mine trembled just once... before she pulled away.

"Don’t tell him who I am," she said, her voice low but fierce, eyes blazing. "If he can’t accept the wolfless, powerless version of me, then he sure as hell doesn’t get to claim the celestial princess—because I am both."

Natalie snapped her fingers. In an instant, the room—once drenched in blood and filled with dead wolves—was spotless, like there hadn’t been a brutal fight here just minutes ago. I glanced down at myself and saw that I was clean from head to toe. So were Abel and Roland.

"So you won’t have to clean," she said softly, her voice was only a whisper. Then, without waiting for a response or a thank you, she turned and teleported away.

Just like that... she was gone.

And I didn’t stop her. I couldn’t.

Natalie was furious—righteously so—and I was too stunned to even begin to form an apology. Even if my father offered her one now, I doubt she’d take it. Not now. Maybe not ever.