The Betrayed Princess Rising (Lylah and Ezra) novel Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Cora’s POV

The call from Gavriel shattered my world.

Rowan had been rushed to the hospital.

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I abandoned every obligation without hesitation and went straight there, my wolf pacing inside my chest, restless and frantic. The moment the door to his private room slid open, my heart plunged.

‘Rowan!” I rushed to his bedside.

He lay still, face ashen, his powerful presence dimmed to a fragile flicker.

I spun on Gavriel, fury rising with my wolf.

‘You are his Beta! How could you let him poison himself with alcohol when he hadn’t eaten for days?!”

‘Lady Cora, I tried,” Gavriel said tightly. “But Alpha Rowan wouldn’t listen to anyone. He was beyond angry after the dinner with Archer West.”

My jaw clenched. “What happened?”

‘He was certain Corlis Prime’s offer would succeed. No one had ever dared refuse our cooperation before.” Gavriel hesitated. “But it failed. Badly.”

‘Archer West rejected the offer?” I asked, stunned.

‘Yes. And worse, his chief engineer, Riven. A ruthless and sharp man. He dissected the proposal in minutes and exposed its weaknesses to everyone. Alpha Rowan was humiliated.”

Humiliation was a wound deeper than any blade for an Alpha.

No wonder Rowan had spiraled,

“Leave us,” I said quietly. “I’ll stay with him.”

Gavriel bowed his head and withdrew.

I took Rowan’s hand, his skin cold beneath my fingers. I stayed for hours, listening to the machines, feeling his weakened bond signature flicker against mine.

Then,

“L–Lylah…” Rowan murmured.

My breath caught.

“I’m here,” I whispered. “Rowan. It’s me.”

His eyes fluttered open. Red–rimmed. Unfocused. He pressed a hand to his head, and when I moved to

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Chapter 61

help, he shoved me away.

“Why are you here? Where is Lylah? I want her. I need her here.”

The words cut deeper than claws.

“Rowan, I’m your mate,” I said softly, my voice trembling. “Lylah already has a husband-”

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“Go, Cora.” His gaze hardened, cold and distant in a way I had never seen before. “I don’t want to see you. Leave me.”

My claws slid from my fingertips, piercing my palm. Blood welled, but I welcomed the pain. It grounded me. It kept me from breaking.

Without another word, I turned and walked out.

Outside, the night wind tore at my coat as I hailed a taxi and gave an address on the outskirts of Lunaris.

“Rowan,” I whispered to myself, my wolf snarling low, “you will regret choosing Lylah over me.”

Two hours later, we reached the border of Whitepine Pack territory. I continued on foot, the familiar landscape pressing in around me. The last time I had walked these grounds, I was fifteen.

At The Rest of Whitepine, the gravekeeper looked up sharply.

“Which graves are you looking for, young lady?”

“Jax and Vala Stillward,” I said. “Warriors of Whitepine.”

Her

eyes widened. “Oh Selene, finally,” she breathed. “Come. I will take you to them.”

I followed her in silence.

I knelt before the burial mound. White roses lay fresh on the stone.

Someone had been here recently.

My fingers curled, my wolf urging me to tear the flowers apart, to rip the earth itself open. If I had known their biological daughter–that shameless bitch–would become such a persistent obstacle, I would have eliminated her years ago.

I lowered my voice to a whisper.

“Jax. Vala. Watch from beyond as I destroy your precious daughter,” I whispered. “You were useful to me once. But I would never tolerated anything that stands in my way.”

I forced the tears out and let my shoulders tremble, the act perfected over the years. I rose just as a hand tapped my shoulder.

I turned, expecting the gravekeeper.

Instead, a tall man stood behind me, broad–shouldered, radiating authority. His Modern Healing laboratory coat was pristine, decorated with rows of prestigious badges.

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