Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 252

Ezra's POV

The night crawled by like fucking torture. I'd been pacing my penthouse for hours, unable to sit still, unable to think about anything except what Orion had discovered. Isolde's mother. We finally had her full name, her address in Sapphire District.

*"We should have gone immediately,"* Prime said.

"It was the middle of the night," I muttered aloud, raking my hands through my hair for the hundredth time. "We couldn't just show up at their door at 2 AM."

But fuck, the waiting was killing me. Every minute that passed felt like another minute Isolde might slip further away from me. My chest ached with this constant, gnawing pain that hadn't left since I'd found her cell empty.

I'd been such a goddamn fool. If I'd just marked her when I had the chance, I could sense her location right now. I could feel her through our bond.

I had to find her. I'd fallen completely, utterly in love with that fierce, stubborn woman, and I'd be damned if I let anyone or anything keep us apart. She was my second chance at happiness, my mate chosen by the Moon Goddess herself. Without her, I couldn't function as a leader, as a Lycan King, as anything.

Hell, I'd get down on my knees in front of everyone if that's what it took to earn her forgiveness.

The thought of seeing her face when I showed up—the surprise, maybe even relief—that kept me going through the endless night. This time, I wasn't sending subordinates. This was too important. I needed to handle this myself.

---

When we finally pulled up to the modest apartment building in Sapphire District, my heart was hammering against my ribs. The scent trail here was frustratingly clean—no trace of Isolde's unique fragrance that I'd committed to memory.

Bruce Rogers answered the door with a respectful bow of his head. He was a middle-aged man with kind eyes, though I caught the nervous energy radiating from him.

"Welcome to our humble apartment, My King," he said, stepping aside to let us in. "It's an honor to have you here."

"Thank you, Mr. Rogers," I replied, already scanning the living room as we entered.

I discreetly inhaled, searching for any hint of Isolde's scent—that intoxicating blend of vanilla and something uniquely hers that drove both me and Prime wild. Nothing. My chest tightened with disappointment.

Fuck, I should have marked her. The regret was eating me alive once again.

As I settled onto their sofa, I studied the woman sitting across from me. Isolde's mother. I could see the resemblance in the shape of her eyes, the curve of her jawline. But where Isolde blazed with life and fire, this woman seemed...subdued. Distant.

"I'm sure you've heard about Isolde's disappearance," I began, keeping my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "There were some issues within Silver Moon Group that required investigation, and she had to be temporarily isolated for her own protection. We successfully exposed the person who was trying to frame Isolde and proved her innocence, but when I returned to release her, she was gone."

Isolde's mother's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Yes," I continued, leaning forward slightly. "And there were no signs of forced entry or exit from the isolation room. The security systems were intact, and my security team didn't see anyone go in or out. She just...vanished."

The words tasted bitter in my mouth. How the hell did someone disappear from a maximum security facility without a trace?

"I know she could have encountered anything, but I believe she's still alive," I said, meeting her eyes directly. "I came here because I thought she might be with you."

"Mr. Silverwood," Isolde's mother said, her voice carefully controlled. "We haven't seen Isolde. She hasn't been here. As a matter of fact, I left her with her father many years ago. She knows nothing about my new life, let alone where I live. She's probably forgotten I even exist by now."

What the fuck?

"No," I said immediately, shaking my head. "Quite the contrary. Since you left her, Isolde hasn't gone a single day without thinking about you. She always talks about how much she wants to see you again. She even asked her father for information about your whereabouts. That's why I thought she might be here. Because you're the only person I know she would turn to in a situation like this."

"Oh...is that so?" There was something in her tone—doubt, maybe even skepticism.

"Yes," I insisted. "I'd promised her we'd find you. If Isolde isn't with you, then I truly don't know where she could have gone."

"She really isn't here," she said firmly.

"Are you sure?" I pressed.

"Yes. I have no reason to keep her here."

I raised my eyebrows. "Excuse me, what?"

And then she said something that made my blood run cold.

"I resent Isolde's father for what he did to us—betraying our mate bond. I don't want anything to do with Isolde because she reminds me of that man. Even after all these years, those feelings haven't changed. I still want nothing to do with Isolde. If she showed up here, I'd hand her over to you before you could even ask. I don't consider her my daughter anymore. So don't worry—from your explanation, I know she's desperate to find me. I know she will. When that happens, I'll be the first to let you know so you can come take her away from me."

I stared at her, completely stunned. I turned to look at Orion and Nathaniel, who looked equally horrified. These words shouldn't come from any mother's mouth.

My mind reeled. I was desperate to find Isolde before she reached this place, before she could hear these devastating words. I looked at this woman, hoping she was joking, but her face was expressionless, her eyes cold. There wasn't even a flicker of maternal warmth.

"Those aren't the words I expected to hear from you," I said carefully, "but that's fine. I'll do my best to find Isolde and keep her from hearing those hurtful words. They would break her heart. But if she really does come before I find her, I'm begging you—please tell her these things in a different way. Don't be as cruel as you just were with me. She's still your daughter. She loves you, and rejecting her like this would destroy her. Please be kind, and if that happens, please make sure to contact me."

"If such a day comes, I'll consider your words, Mr. Silverwood," she replied, her tone cold and distant. "And I'll notify you as I mentioned before."

"Thank you," I said, standing up. I was so fucking angry I wanted to leave this place immediately. This house felt devoid of any warmth, any love.

How dare she? How could any mother so easily discard her own daughter?

As we walked toward the door, I felt a burning anger in my chest. If Isolde was out there somewhere, scared and alone, searching for a mother who would reject her so cruelly...