Chapter 85 85
Venessa’s POV
We left the Bear Kingdom early the next morning.
King Donovan had wanted us to stay longer, but King Jamar was far too eager to begin treatment. I could tell the boredom was wearing on him being confined to a bed all day, enduring examinations and remedies without real answers, had clearly taken its toll.
When we returned to the Blood Moon Pack, we made careful arrangements to keep the King hidden from the public eye. A small property sat some distance away from the pack house, tucked deep into quiet land, and it was there that we decided to keep him. The bungalow belonged to Denzel his private retreat whenever the weight of Alpha duties became too heavy. It was beautiful, tastefully furnished, and completely isolated, with no other buildings close enough to invite curiosity.
We couldn’t afford surprises. More importantly, we couldn’t allow word to spread that the Lycan King was under our roof.
Rayon was assigned to guard the place, and he accepted the responsibility eagerly. Despite the fear many felt toward Lycans, there was no denying that they loved their King. Out of caution, Denzel and I moved into the bungalow as well. To the pack, it appeared we simply wanted time alone, and no one questioned it.
Once King Jamar’s living arrangements were settled, I sent word to Tonya to join me so we could gather herbs. Denzel immediately objected. What had happened the last time still haunted him, and he insisted on assigning several men to escort us. I assured him I would be fine, but he refused to bend. Fabian was a dangerous enemy, and Denzel had no interest in leaving anything to chance.
Tonya and I spent hours in the forest, searching patiently until we found the exact herbs I needed. When we returned to the bungalow, we used the kitchen to begin preparations. I sent a portion of the King’s medication to the lab to be tested for poison nothing would be taken on faith where his life was concerned.
As I worked, King Jamar joined us in the living room. Denzel was still at the office, leaving just Tonya and me with him. She could barely hide her disbelief at his presence, and I understood why. He ruled over our world. To host someone who wielded such immense power within our home was nothing short of an honor.
I was determined not to fail him.
Tonya soon excused herself, choosing to spend time with Rayon instead. I had noticed the quiet tension between them for a while now, though I kept my thoughts to myself. I hoped she would open up to me when she was ready. Rayon was a rare kind of man, and Tonya was just as remarkable. I could already see how well they would fit together.
King Jamar studied me thoughtfully.
“I must say, Venessa, you look Lycan,” he said slowly. “Your features are… familiar. Do you have Lycans in your lineage?”
I avoided the truth instinctively, unwilling to speak of my mother and her painful history with his kind.
“No one that I know of, Your Majesty,” I replied, smoothly redirecting the conversation before he could probe further. “When did your symptoms begin?”
He sighed and turned on the television, his gaze unfocused.
“Eight months ago,” he said. “I woke up drenched in sweat, shaking, barely able to breathe. My wife called the doctor. They said it was a fever and treated it, but nothing changed. The sweating stopped, yet the weakness remained. Migraines followed.”
He paused, his jaw tightening.
“They gave me medication for the pain, but it barely helped. Soon, I grew weaker. Sometimes, I would vomit blood. When nothing worked and my patience wore thin, the doctor changed my diet and took blood samples for testing.”
His voice grew heavier.
“When the results came back, he told me I had a brain disease. Incurable. He said my condition would continue to deteriorate until I died, though medication might delay the inevitable.”
I felt my chest tighten as he continued.
“My wife was devastated. Heartbroken.”
He swallowed before going on.
“After that, I began searching for my heir. I could not allow Donovan and Fabian to tear the throne apart in a power struggle after my death. Donovan would have been the wiser choice but I knew Fabian would never step aside. For the sake of peace, my successor had to be chosen while I still lived.”
The weight of his words lingered in the room, heavy and unyielding.