His Abandoned Luna Chapter 205

|| Alaric’s POV ||

Morning light spilled through the castle windows, golden and mocking. I hadn’t slept.

I stood outside Lilac’s chamber, my palm pressed flat against the cold wood of the door. Behind it, Aurora babbled happily, the sound mixing with Lilac’s soft laughter. The normalcy of it made my chest ache.

Taking a steadying breath, I pushed the door open.

Lilac sat on the floor with Aurora in her lap, stacking wooden blocks into a wobbling tower. She looked up as I entered, her smile faltering when she saw me. That tiny hesitation— the way her fingers tightened around Aurora— cut deeper than any blade.

“Good morning,” I said, keeping my voice carefully neutral.

She nodded, polite but distant. “Morning... Alaric”

Her words were empty. As if we hadn’t spent months learning the rhythm of each other’s hearts. What happened to you, dove?

Before I could respond, hurried footsteps echoed down the hall. Benson and Lyra appeared in the doorway, their faces drawn with worry. Behind them, Madeline, Elara and Astrid hovering.

“What happened?” Benson demanded, his alpha tone slipping through despite his efforts to stay calm. “Your message said it was urgent.”

Madeline’s one hand supporting her swollen belly, “Is there news from the border? Alexander—”

“Alexander’s fine,” I assured her quickly. “This isn’t about the border.”

I rubbed a hand over my face, the exhaustion settling deep in my bones. “Last night, Lilac fainted. She went to the woods, and when she came back…” I trailed off, gesturing toward the adjoining chamber. “You should see for yourself.”

I stepped aside, letting them see Lilac for themselves.

She brightened instantly at the sight of her parents. “Mom! Dad!”

Lyra rushed forward, pulling her daughter into a tight embrace. “Sweetpea, are you okay? We heard you fainted.”

“I’m fine,” Lilac said, but her eyes flicked uncertainly between us all.

Elara frowned. “You don’t... remember much on last night?”

Lilac hesitated. “I remember feeling dizzy. That’s all."

“Where’s Ez?” she asked suddenly.

Lyra stiffened. “He’s at the border, love. You know that.”

“The border?” Lilac’s voice pitched higher. “He’s just a pup! It’s too dangerous—”

Benson cut in gently, “Lilac, he’s the Royal Beta now. He isn’t a pup anymore.”

“What?” Her grip on Aurora tightened slightly. “Since when?”

Madeline’s breath hitched. “Lilac… what on earth…?”

"Do I know you?” Dove asked Madeline.

“You’re kidding, right?” Madeline gasped.

I exhaled slowly. “She doesn’t remember me either.”

Benson’s jaw tightened. “Let’s talk outside.”

Lyra squeezed Lilac’s shoulder. “I’ll stay with you.”

“I’ll stay too,” Elara offered, moving to sit beside Lilac, her presence steady and calm.

The rest of us filed into my study. The moment the door shut, Benson whirled on me.

“What the hell is going on?”

I sank into my chair, rubbing my temples. “I wish I knew. One moment she was fine, the next...”

Astrid’s fingers tapped nervously against her thigh. “This is dark magic. It has to be.”

“The healer thinks so too,” I admitted.

Benson paced like a caged beast, “The witches. They’re trying to cripple you— take away your mate, your anchor.”

The truth of it settled like a stone in my gut.

Madeline’s voice was firm. “She stays under protection until we figure this out.”

“Agreed,” Astrid said.

Benson rubbed his temples. “There might be another way. Coco’s still in the dungeons. She’s a witch. She might know something.”

For the first time since last night, a flicker of hope sparked in my chest. Coco was a traitor, a liar— but she was also desperate. And desperate people could be bargained with.

“I’ll visit her,” I said. A little truth serum, a few carefully placed threats…

Before I could say more, Marcus entered, his expression grim. “Alpha, Endora’s back.”

We found her in her chambers, a shell of the formidable seer we knew. Propped against a mountain of pillows, she looked decades older, her skin paper-thin, her breaths shallow. Liora hovered nearby, her expression tight with concern.

“My king,” Endora whispered as we entered.

I knelt beside her bed. “What happened to you?”

Liora answered for her. “She’s exhausted, Alpha. Whatever she did drained her completely.”

Endora waved a frail hand. “I’ll be fine.”

“What did you do?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

Endora’s breath rattled. “The queen came to me in the woods, distressed about Aurora. We did a simple protection charm— nothing that would harm her.”

My fingers curled into fists. “Lilac doesn’t remember anything since yesterday.”

Endora’s brows drew together. “That can’t be. She was fine when I left her at the castle gates. Eager to see her daughter.”

“Then how did she lose months of her life?” The words tore from me, raw and ragged. My fist connected with the stone wall, the pain barely registering.

Endora flinched. “I don’t know, my king. After I left her, I went to gather herbs. Next thing I knew, the guards were carrying me back here.”

The room went still.

Benson was the first to break the silence. “Someone intercepted her. Between the gates and the castle.”

Astrid paled. “Which means whoever did this is still inside these walls.”

Madeline’s hands instinctively cradled her belly.

“I doubt that,” Benson gritted his teeth.

I looked at Endora, at the confusion in her aged eyes, and made a decision. Someone had harm my Luna in my castle and I won’t forgive whoever it was.

“Double the guards on Lilac and Aurora,” I ordered. “Marcus, we’re visiting Coco tonight.”

Because one thing was certain— this wasn’t an attack on my mate.

It was a declaration of war.