The Betrayed Princess Rising (Lylah and Ezra) novel Chapter 290

Chapter 290

3rd Person’s POV

Finished

This was no trivial sum, no idle generosity meant to impress. The number inked across the check was staggering, the kind of wealth that could overturn a life in a single breath. Lylah could have purchased another estate in Lunaris outright with it.

The realization struck like lightning through her veins, leaving her utterly still.

“I told you,” Tiara’s voice rang triumphantly through the phone, bright and teasing. “You’re officially his favorite grandchild now!”

But Lylah barely heard her.

Her pulse stuttered as her fingers curled tighter around the paper. She could only stare, utterly stunned beneath the crushing weight of Vargan’s offering.

Far past midnight, Zyrelle finally opened her own gift. The amount did not disappoint. It never did.

And yet, satisfaction did little to quiet the prickle of curiosity curling beneath her skin.

‘How much had Lylah received?’

‘Was it the same… or something more?’

The question lingered, sharp and persistent.

She stood near the Moonclaw border when Damon finally arrived, the scent of distant territories clinging faintly to him-city smoke, steel, and something distinctly Lunaris.

“You’ve decided to grace us with your presence at last, Beta,” Zyrelle remarked, one brow lifting.

Damon inclined his head. “Lady Zyrelle. Sadly my duties delayed me. And I’ve missed the gift exchange.”

Her gaze sharpened slightly. “How do you know it’s already happened?”

“I…” Damon trailed off.

For a fleeting moment, the truth brushed against his thoughts-dim lights, the low hum of a Lunaris bar, and a female’s voice laced with pride as she boasted about her friend in Moonclaw receiving an outrageous sum from one of the elders. He hadn’t stayed long enough to see her face.

And he certainly wasn’t about to admit he’d been there.

He straightened slightly, composure slipping back into place with practiced case. “When I was walking through the streets, I overheard people talking,” he said instead, his tone smooth, unbothered. “Word must’ve spread from those who’ve visited Moonclaw.”

Zyrelle studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod.

Of course it did.

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13:01 Thu, Apr 16 MOD

Chapter 290

Finished

Lunaris wolves, in particular, had a habit of turning whispers into spectacle. Even the smallest matters could become grand tales under their tongues.

And this… this was no small matter.

As the night wore on, the thought refused to let go of its hold.

Ezra and his Luna lived in Lunaris now.

If the story had reached there…

A slow, deliberate smile curved along Zyrelle’s lips. An idea took root, curling through her mind with quiet intent. Without hesitation, Zyrelle reached for her phone and called her parents.

“Father. Mother.” Her voice carried lightly through the call, deceptively casual. “You haven’t sent anything for Ezra this year. And now my cousin has a mate. It would be improper not to send something for her as well.”

“Strange,” her mother replied, a note of amusement slipping through. “Since when do you concern yourself with sending gifts to Ezra? You used to sulk every time someone so much as favored him.”

Zyrelle let out a soft breath, a faint smile curving her lips: “Times change, mother,” she said lightly. “I’m not that petulant little pup anymore.”

Another silence-this one thoughtful.

“Send something,” she continued smoothly. “But deliver it to Grandfather. Let him present it to Ezra and Lylah tomorrow.”

The agreement came soon after.

When the call ended, Zyrelle leaned back, satisfaction settling warm in her chest.

Two gains, neatly secured.

First, Vargan and her parents would see her differently now-no longer the sulking pup who once bristled at Ezra receiving attention. And second… when Lylah inevitably shared the story with her friends, Zyrelle had little doubt her name would be woven into it.

The thought pleased her more than it should have.

There was no real malice in it, only a streak of mischief, playful and instinctive. A trait that had always lived in her, as natural as the wolf running through her veins, was shaped by her place as the younger cousin in a family.

That night, she slept with a faint smile playing on her lips.

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