Chapter 249

Jaselyn's POV

I paced up and down the room, my nerves raw and frayed as I waited for any news of Rion and the warriors. Each second stretched into an eternity, the silence around me deafening. My heart raced with each passing minute, my thoughts a tangled mess of hope and fear. I had prayed for Rion before he left, begging the goddess to guide him, to keep him safe and bring my son back to us. He had promised me that he would return with Celio, but now, the waiting was unbearable.

I couldn’t sit still, couldn’t focus on anything other than the gnawing anxiety that twisted in my stomach. Every so often, I would glance out the window, straining to see any sign of movement, any hint that they were on their way back. But the landscape remained empty and still, mocking me with its calm.

“Jaselyn, you need to take a breath,” Larose said gently, watching me with a concerned frown. “Pacing back and forth like that isn’t going to make them return any faster.”

“I know,” I replied, my voice shaky. “I just— I can’t help it. I need to know if Rion is okay, if they found Celio, if my son is alright.”

Larose stood up from her seat, crossing the room to where I stood by the window. She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Come on,” she said with a soft smile. “Why don’t we try to distract ourselves for a bit? How about a game of cards?”

I hesitated for a moment, but then nodded, knowing she’s right. I need something to take my mind off the waiting, even if just for a little while. We sat down at the small table by the window, and Larose began to shuffle a deck of cards with a practiced ease.

As she dealt the cards, she started telling me a story about one of her latest adventures in the market. Apparently, a new aged vendor had joined the market. He was a stubborn old man who had come to our Pack without much knowledge of the place. So he had no idea who Larose was.

Seeing the new vendor, she had tried to be courteous by buying his wares. He was selling jewelry and she happened to see a pair of earrings that she thought Carol would like so she stopped by to ask about the price.

The amount he called was exorbitant. For stainless steel earrings, they were pretty overpriced. She wouldn't have minded at all if they had been made from gold or precious stones.

So she tried to bargain with the greedy vendor who insisted his jewelry was the best in the region and wouldn’t budge on the price.

“I told him I’d rather eat dirt than pay that much for those earrings,” she said, laughing. “And you know what he did? He handed me a scoop of dirt and told me to eat up!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her story, the tension in my chest easing just a little. Larose always had a way of making me smile, of reminding me that even in the darkest times, there was still light to be found.

We played cards for a while, the familiar routine helping to calm my nerves. But just as I was starting to relax, there was a sudden, frantic knocking on the door. I shot up from my seat, my heart leaping into my throat. Larose followed suit, her expression mirroring my own mixture of hope and fear.

The door burst open, and Rafayel rushed in, his face flushed with excitement. “Luna, Princess Larose! Alpha Rion and the warriors have returned victorious!”

A rush of relief and joy flooded through me at his words. “Thank the goddess!” I cried, throwing my arms around Larose in a tight hug. “They did it! They really did it!”

Larose hugged me back just as tightly, her eyes shining with happiness. “I knew they would. Congratulations, Jaselyn! You’re going to have your son back!”

Overcome with emotion, I pulled away from Larose and hurried toward the door, my heart pounding with anticipation. I needed to see Rion, to hold Celio in my arms and know that he was safe. Larose was right behind me, her footsteps matching mine as we rushed outside, my eyes frantically scanning the crowd for any sign of them.

Luna Daryna, Lian, and Carol were already there, their faces lighting up the moment they saw me. Luna Daryna stepped forward, her eyes misting with tears as she wrapped me in a warm hug.

“Jaselyn, my dear, they’ve returned! It’s over,” she murmured, her voice filled with relief and joy.

I hugged her back tightly, feeling the comfort of her embrace. “Thank you, Mother,” I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. “I was so worried. I prayed they would come back safe, with Celio.”

She squeezed me gently before pulling back, her hands resting on my shoulders. “Rion promised he would bring him back. You must have faith in him.”

I nodded, trying to hold onto that faith as I pulled away and stepped back, my eyes darting around again. “Where’s Rion?” I asked, my voice breathless with excitement and anxiety. “And Celio? Where is my son?”

As if on cue, Rion emerged from the crowd, his expression serious but relieved. I ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck and pulling him into a tight embrace. “Rion, thank the goddess you’re okay,” I whispered, burying my face in his shoulder.

He held me close for a moment, his hand gently stroking my back. But as I pulled back to look into his eyes, I saw a flicker of pain there that made my heart sink. “Rion, where’s Celio?” I asked, my voice trembling with a sudden rush of dread. “Is he with one of the warriors?”