The Betrayed Princess Rising (Lylah and Ezra) novel Chapter 156

Chapter 156

3rd Person’s POV

The sun was already sinking behind the jagged pine ridges when Ivar finally finished searching the southern territory of the Moonclaw Pack.

He had spent the entire day combing through the region–questioning officials, visiting outposts, and speaking with anyone who might know the girl he sought.

Yet the trail remained cold.

The daughter of his fallen students–the true blood of Jax and Vala Stillward–was nowhere to be found.

With a tired sigh, the old commander lowered himself beneath the shade of a towering pine. The scent of resin and earth filled the cool evening air as his assistant settled beside him.

“I thought this would be easy,” Ivar muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

His assistant reached into his satchel and pulled out a folded parchment.

“This arrived the night before we departed, sir,” he said, offering it over. “A letter from Lady Cora. You haven’t had time to read it.”

Ivar took the parchment and unfolded it.

His sharp eyes scanned the page, line after line of desperate ink scratching across the paper.

By the time he reached the final line, the parchment was already crumpling in his grip.

With a low growl, Ivar crushed the letter into a tight ball.

“What does it say, sir?” his assistant asked cautiously.

“She’s begging,” Ivar said bitterly. “Begging me to allow Rowan Blackfang to continue using those connections a little longer–until whatever ambition he’s chasing is achieved.” His jaw tightened. “And she asks me to remain silent. To keep the truth buried for now.”

A rough, humorless bark of laughter escaped him.

“Tell me,” he said, leaning his head back against the rough bark of the tree, “how am I supposed to stay silent after such betrayal?”

His voice hardened.

“Cora betrayed my trust.” His gaze darkened as it drifted toward the distant forest. “Perhaps… if I had stopped her when she ran off to Ironcrest back then and raised her myself, she might have grown into someone with proper dignity.”

The old wolf exhaled slowly.

“She would never beg like that. Let alone throw away her pride just to keep a man like Rowan Blackfang on his feet.”

Five Days Later – Moonclaw Estate

The fifth day in Moonclaw finally arrived. Though Lylah would have happily stayed longer, both her work at Lunar Grace and Ezra’s responsibilities in the research center could not be neglected indefinitely.

“Don’t worry,” she promised gently. “I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

Even with the cloth still covering the lower half of his face, she could see the smile crinkling in the corners of the old wolf’s eyes.

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