The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter-Chapter 27: The Confrontation

Natalie~

Time seemed to stop. My breath hitched, and an icy wave of panic washed over me. The air in the gallery grew heavier, almost choking me, as if his presence alone could rob the room of oxygen. Surrounded by vibrant paintings and murmuring voices, I felt utterly trapped. The man who had destroyed my life was here.

I tried to turn, to blend into the crowd, but it was already too late. His cold black eyes locked onto mine, scary and void of emotions. His nostrils flared slightly, as though he could sense my fear—or worse, my scent. My blood ran cold, and a shiver cascaded down my spine.

No matter how much I scrubbed my body during every bath, his scent clung to me like a curse, buried deep in my blood—a cruel reminder of the day he marked me and shattered my world. I hated him with every fiber of my being. I cursed him every single day for stealing the life I had once dreamed of, for reducing my future to ashes.

As if the universe wanted to twist the knife further, Griffin’s gaze flickered toward me. For a moment, surprise danced in his gray eyes before it vanished behind a practiced indifference. The woman beside him tugged his sleeve, pointing at a painting. He turned away, pretending I didn’t exist.

Griffin’s life was perfect. At nineteen—just a year older than me—he had everything. He was admired by a lot of people, respected, and destined to lead a pack someday; his strength was a beacon to others. The comparison was a jagged knife in my chest. If Darius hadn’t killed my parents and obliterated my world, could I have been someone like Griffin? Would I have mattered, even as a wolfless werewolf?

The envy burned, raw and shameful, tangled with a bitterness that refused to leave me.

Darius leaned down to whisper something to his mate, Luna Gabriella, who responded with a dazzling smile before gliding down one of the gallery halls. My heart sank to my stomach when his sharp gaze locked onto me again.

He began walking toward me.

The walls seemed to close in as panic gripped me. My eyes darted around the room, searching desperately for Zane, for anyone really. But he was nowhere to be found. Of course, he wasn’t. So much for his promise that this would be a simple, uneventful evening and that he’d stick by my side. Now, his words had turned to smoke, leaving me stranded—alone, as always.

Summoning what little courage I had left, I drew in a shaky breath and braced myself. No one could protect me but me.

Darius stopped in front of me, his towering frame overshadowing mine. His cold, calculating eyes bore into me, stripping me of my fragile defenses.

"What are you doing here, Natalie?" His voice was low, edged with menace. "This is an invitation-only event. How did you sneak in?"

I refused to answer, my gaze fixed on the painting beside me, as if its swirling colors could shield me from the devil himself.

"Have you forgotten your manners, girl?" His tone darkened, sharp, and cutting. "No matter. I’ll remind you."

My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms, the sting grounding me in the moment.

Darius leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "After this event, you’re coming back to the pack with me. I’ve revoked your banishment."

A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "You think you can just decide that? I’m not your property, Darius."

His jaw tightened, and his black eyes darkened like storm clouds. "Watch your tone, wolfless," he warned, his voice a low growl. "I’ll explain everything later, but for now, you’ll come with me. That’s not up for discussion."

His hand shot out, grabbing my arm with a grip that promised bruises.

"Don’t touch me!" I snapped, jerking my arm free. My voice rang out, drawing a few curious glances from the crowd. But when they saw Darius, they all quickly averted their eyes, fear evident in their retreat.

His expression hardened further, his voice icy and dripping with anger. "You’re testing my patience, Natalie. Come with me quietly, or I promise you, you’ll regret it."

"I’m not part of your pack anymore," I spat. "You have no right to order me around. Get lost."

Something shifted in his gaze, a dangerous glint that made my stomach churn. He leaned closer, his voice a venomous whisper. "I don’t know what’s making you so bold to challenge me like this, but if you don’t want everyone here knowing your father was a traitor and that you’re a wolfless whore, you’ll do as I say."

The mention of my father from his lips struck me hard, too hard, leaving me reeling. The room blurred as white-hot rage surged through me.

"How dare you?" My voice trembled with fury. He dared to speak of my father—the man he had broken, the man he had turned into a traitor by forcing impossible choices. Darius had destroyed my family, and now he had the audacity to smear my father’s name?

I didn’t think. I acted.

My hand flew, slapping his cheek with every ounce of strength I had. The sharp crack echoed through the gallery, silencing the murmur of conversations.

Every head turned, eyes wide with shock.

Darius’s head snapped to the side, his cheek reddening where my hand had landed. Slowly, he turned back to me, his gaze ablaze with fury and disbelief.

But I wasn’t done.

"Don’t you dare, in your miserable life, speak of my father with your filthy mouth ever again," I hissed, my voice steady even as my body trembled.

This wasn’t the old me—the scared girl who cowered under Darius’s shadow. That girl was gone.

I had endured too much, lost too much. If standing up to him meant my death, so be it. I would leave this world on my own terms.

The room was silent, all eyes on me. The tension was suffocating and painful. But I didn’t care.

Let them all watch.