Betrayed and Claimed by the Lycan King Chapter 262

ISOLDE'S POV

The photos were everywhere—social media platforms, fashion blogs, major news outlets. My face, captured mid-laugh at yesterday's press conference, stared back at me from every screen. The headlines were impossible to ignore: "THE LYCAN LUNA RETURNS," "MYSTERY DESIGNER REVEALED," "ALPHA'S LOST MATE SURFACES AFTER TWO YEARS."

I wasn't important. I mean, I didn't think I was important enough for this kind of attention.

Leaving the exhibition center had been a nightmare. The entrance was completely blocked by reporters, their cameras flashing incessantly as they shouted questions over each other.

"Isolde! Are you returning to Silver Moon Group?"

"What happened during your two-year absence?"

"Will you reconcile with Alpha Ezra?"

The security team had to form a human barrier just to get me to the car, their faces grim as they pushed through the crowd. I kept my head down, my heart hammering against my ribs as I tried to process the chaos surrounding me.

Even now, hours later, there were still reporters lingering around our house. Bruce had to go outside twice to shoo them away from the property.

---

It was nearly midnight when Mom came downstairs, her phone clutched in her hand and worry etched across her features. She looked between Holden and me, her anxiety palpable.

"Have either of you contacted Lydia?" she asked, her voice tight with concern.

"No, I haven't," I replied, exchanging a glance with Holden.

"Me neither," Holden said, not looking up from his laptop.

Mom tried calling Lydia's number again, her fingers drumming impatiently against the phone as it rang endlessly. No answer. Her face grew more troubled with each unanswered call.

"Where the hell has this girl gone?" she muttered, starting to pace. "It's almost midnight—she should be home by now. Why is her phone turned off?"

Holden finally glanced up, his expression mildly exasperated. "She turned it off to avoid this... your constant check-ins. I'd do the same thing."

I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. He wasn't wrong—Mom had been calling Lydia every hour since dinner, and knowing my sister's temperament, she probably did shut off her phone just to get some peace.

Mom whirled around to face Holden, her frustration shifting targets. "Young man, don't use that tone with me. And remember, we haven't finished discussing your plan to take a gap year!" Her voice rose slightly. "You cannot drop out!"

Holden's jaw tightened, and I could see his patience wearing thin. "What do you mean?" His brow furrowed in irritation. "I'm sick of arguing about this with you."

"For God's sake, Holden, you're so brilliant..." Mom threw her hands up in exasperation. "Why do you insist on staying home for an entire year?"

"I'm not going to sit around doing nothing for a whole year," Holden said firmly, closing his laptop with more force than necessary. "I need time to decide whether to pursue medicine or engineering. Plus, I want to accompany Isolde to Silver Moon Group headquarters for the fashion design competition."

The mention of Silver Moon Group made my stomach clench involuntarily. I forced myself to remain still, not wanting to draw attention to my reaction.

"Oh my God, you're driving me crazy!" Mom exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

"Right back at you, Mom. Right back at you!" Holden shot back, standing up abruptly and heading toward the stairs.

"Can you believe him?" Mom turned to me as Holden's footsteps echoed on the stairs, her voice incredulous.

I tried to mediate, though part of me understood Holden's frustration. "He's not wasting his life. Give him a chance, Mom... relax a little."

Mom sank onto the couch beside me, looking suddenly exhausted. "You kids are going to drive me to an early grave... you won't date anyone. Lydia stays out all night. Holden wants to drop out of school."

Then her expression grew more serious, and she fixed me with a knowing look. "Ezra must have heard about you by now. You should be prepared for him to summon you. Or he might come here himself."

My heart stuttered at his name, but I forced myself to laugh—a sound that came out sharper than I intended. "He's never coming." I shook my head emphatically. "It's been two years, Mom. He definitely has other women in his life by now."

"You really think if he had other women, we wouldn't know about it?" Mom raised an eyebrow. "Did you forget that man is the Lycan King?" She leaned forward, studying my face intently. "If he sends someone for you or comes himself, what will you do? Because I want to know if there's any... you know... even the slightest possibility of reconciliation between you two?"

The question caught me off guard. "Where is this coming from?"

"When you go there, you'll have several interactions with Ezra. Maybe he'll try to pursue you again. I just want to know where you stand."

I felt my spine straighten, my resolve hardening. "Mom, I left that group for a reason, and that reason hasn't changed. I don't want anything to do with Ezra. I'm going to Silver Moon Group for one purpose only—to win the fashion design competition. That's it."

The words came out more forcefully than I'd intended, but I meant every single one. Even as my heart squeezed painfully at the thought of seeing him again, I couldn't—wouldn't—let myself be pulled back into that world.

*He hurt you,* I reminded myself firmly. *He controlled you, confined you, refused to believe in you. Nothing has changed.*

But even as I thought it, Lyra stirred restlessly in my mind, a soft whimper of longing that I tried desperately to ignore.

"I'm glad to hear that..." Mom smiled, though there was something calculating in her expression. "But honey, you should also try to find love... if you want, I can introduce you to Lucas."

"Lucas?" I frowned. "Who's Lucas?"

"He's Beta's brother. A cardiologist..." Her eyes lit up with matchmaking enthusiasm. "He's handsome, intelligent, successful... you two would be perfect together!"

I felt my stomach turn slightly at the conversation. This was exactly the kind of thing I didn't want to deal with right now—or ever, really.

"Alright, Mom." I stood up, suddenly desperate to escape. "I think I should get some rest." I leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Good night."

"You kids never listen to anything I say!" she called after me, disappointment clear in her voice.

As I climbed the stairs, my mind began to spiral despite my best efforts to stay focused on tomorrow. Ezra's image flashed through my thoughts—those piercing gray eyes, the way his presence filled any room he entered, the memory of his scent that still sometimes haunted my dreams.

My heart rate picked up, and I could feel Lyra stirring with excitement, responding to just the thought of him.

*Could it really happen?* I wondered, my hand trembling slightly on the banister. *Could he actually try to pursue me again? And if he does... what am I gonna do?*

The questions followed me up the stairs, and I knew sleep would be a long time coming.