The Lycan King's Second Chance Mate: Rise of the Traitor's Daughter-Chapter 34: The Moonstone’s Light

Zane~

I strode down the hallway, my footsteps sharp and deliberate against the marble floors. My phone was still warm in my grip, Sebastian’s urgent words ringing in my ears. There was no time to waste.

I pushed open the study door and stepped inside, immediately drawing Natalie and Jacob’s attention. Whatever conversation they’d been having died the moment they saw me.

Natalie’s eyes flickered with concern—she could probably sense the shift in my demeanor from earlier. Jacob, on the other hand, studied me with quiet curiosity, his usual relaxed posture tightening ever so slightly.

"I need to head out for a bit," I said, my tone sounded clipped but not in a bad way. My gaze focused on Natalie for a moment before flicking to Jacob. "Nora and Charlie will keep an eye on things while I’m gone."

Jacob leaned forward, his brows knitting together in concern, almost like a worried son sizing up his father. "Everything okay? Where are you off to, Mr. Lucky?" His voice carried both curiosity and unease.

I exhaled sharply, barely resisting the urge to roll my eyes. "Nowhere you need to concern yourself with," I replied. Then, narrowing my gaze slightly, I added, "Just make sure you behave. And when that lecture of yours is over, don’t linger."

Jacob stretched out on the couch with mock arrogance, folding his arms behind his head. "You sound like an overprotective dad, Mr Lucky. Should I start calling you ’sir’ now?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose, groaning. "Don’t push it, Jacob. I don’t have time to argue with a teenager."

"Be safe Sir," Natalie added as if I was going off to war; but somehow, it warmed my heart greatly. I gave her a warm smile and replied, "I will."

With that, I turned on my heel, already moving toward the door. Behind me, I could hear Jacob chuckling under his breath, but I ignored him. I had bigger things to handle. I’ll deal with that disrespectful kid later.

My car engine roared to life as I sped down the empty road, my thoughts racing faster than the car. Sebastian’s words kept echoing in my mind.

The Moonstone. The key to finding the celestial princess—or so his vampire friend said. If this lead was real, if it truly held the answers we’d been chasing for years, then maybe, just maybe, I could do something that mattered. Something my father would finally be proud of.

"Please, Goddess," I whispered, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Let this be the one."

Sebastian’s house loomed ahead, a striking blend of old-world elegance and modern luxury. The sprawling estate was a testament to his taste—dark stone walls, large windows, and ornate iron gates. It was the kind of place only a vampire with centuries of wealth could call home.

As I pulled into the driveway, Sebastian was already waiting for me, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet like an excited child. His jet-black hair gleamed under the moonlight, and his sharp suit was, as always, impeccably tailored.

"Finally!" he called out as I parked. "You took your sweet time."

I stepped out of the car, and my eyes were immediately drawn to the small glass box in his hands. Inside it rested a diamond the size of a child’s fist, its surface shimmering with an otherworldly light. A delicate white beam of light pulsed from the diamond, pointing out of Sebastian’s gate like a lesser compass.

The Moonstone.

It was mesmerizing, radiating an energy that felt both ancient and powerful.

Sebastian grinned, holding it up for me to see. "Isn’t it the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?"

"It’s... stunning," I admitted, unable to look away.

He smirked, clearly proud of himself. "Getting it wasn’t easy, you know. I had to kill more than a few people to get my hands on this. You should be grateful."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Should I reward you then?"

Sebastian’s smile faltered, replaced by a skeptical look. "What are you talking about?"

Before he could step back, I wrapped him in a tight hug.

"Off! OFF!" he yelled, squirming like a cat in water. "Warm bodies—I hate warm bodies!"

I couldn’t help but laugh harder, finally releasing him. "You’re ridiculous, Sebastian."

He straightened his suit, muttering under his breath. "Know this, if you’re not food, don’t touch me."

"Noted, Dracula."

We both sobered as I gestured toward the car. "Let’s get moving. We need to track this thing before the trail goes cold."

Sebastian climbed into the passenger seat, cradling the glass box in his lap like it was something dangerous. The glow of the Moonstone inside pulsed softly, drawing crystal patterns across his face. His usual playful smirk was gone, replaced by something rare: concern.

"I’ve already tried tracking the beam," he said, his voice quiet but firm. He turned his gaze toward me, sharp and hard. "It’s heading toward your house, Zane. I would have brought it to you myself but I wanted you to be the one to track it."

I frowned, my grip tightening on the steering wheel. "My house?"

Sebastian just nodded. "Drive. You’ll see."

I didn’t like this. Not one bit. But I started the car, the hum of the engine doing little to drown out the growing unease curling in my chest. The drive felt longer than usual, every turn tightening the coil of tension in my gut. When I finally pulled into my driveway, I exchanged a glance with Sebastian. His expression mirrored my own—confused, worried.

"This doesn’t make sense, how can the bodyguard be in my house and I don’t know?" I muttered, stepping out.

Sebastian adjusted his grip on the box and gave me a look. "Only one way to find out."

We moved cautiously, slipping into the house without a sound. The beam from the Moonstone remained steady, a guiding light leading us through the hallways. My heartbeat drummed in my ears as we followed it to its destination—Alexander’s room; then suddenly, the moonstone beam went off.

Sebastian and I froze outside the door. My stomach twisted.

"Come on, this is ridiculous," I whispered.

"Shh," Sebastian shot me a glare. "Just open it before someone shows up and interrupts us."

Taking a breath, I pushed the door open slowly. The room was a bit dark but it was bright enough for us. Everything was neatly arranged—Alex’s bed made perfectly, his stuffed animals lined up in an orderly row like they were standing at attention. But Alex himself? Nowhere to be seen.

"Nothing," I muttered, frustration creeping into my voice. "This was a waste of time. You sure this stone is even real?"

Sebastian frowned, his grip tightening on the box. "No... there’s something we’re missing. There has to be."

We stood there for a long moment, staring into the room, lost in thought. Then, all at once, Sebastian’s eyes widened, his entire posture shifting as realization struck.

"The bodyguard," he said, his voice a whisper. "The vampire told me—it can become anything. Even inanimate objects."

A chill ran down my spine. "So, you think it’s here? In my son’s room?"

Sebastian nodded slowly. "If the Moonstone led us here, then yes. It’s here."

I swallowed hard, my gaze sweeping over the room again. "Think, Zane," Sebastian urged. "Does anything in here seem... off?"

I shook my head, frustrated. "I don’t know! It all looks normal to me." freewebnσvel.cѳm

Sebastian exhaled sharply and moved in a blur, using his speed to check every corner, lifting toys, flipping over furniture, running his fingers over every inch of the space. Every few seconds, he’d hold something up.

"This?"

"No."

"This?"

"No."

It was ridiculous. And yet, the gnawing feeling in my gut wouldn’t go away.

Then, as I scanned the room for the hundredth time, my eyes landed on something that made my breath hitch—a large green stuffed animal sitting right in the center of the bed. The same one Alexander had been hugging this morning in Natalie’s room. My chest tightened. I remembered now that I hadn’t bought that for Alex. Where the hell had he gotten it?

"That," I said, pointing. "That’s the most suspicious thing in here."

The moment the word left my mouth, the toy vanished.

One second, it was there.

The next, it simply wasn’t. It was like Harry Potter’s magic.

Sebastian and I stood frozen, staring at the empty spot where it had been. My pulse thundered in my ears, disbelief tangling with something much worse—fear.

"What the hell just happened?" I whispered.

Sebastian’s grin was slow, sharp, and just a little bit wicked.

"Well, Your Highness, I think we just found our bodyguard."