Chapter 69 I Want To See My Mother

Chapter 69 I Want To See My Mother
KING THEORON'S POV

Apollo’s body remained frighteningly still as the last of the glowing antidote slid down his throat. Reika held his hand tightly, as if sheer will alone could anchor him to life. I sat back in silence, watching closely for the first sign of change.

At first, nothing happened. His chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths, his skin cold and pale, almost waxen. Then, slowly, a tremor ran through him. His fingers twitched faintly, and a hoarse breath rasped from his throat. His heart, though still weak, beat with a slightly steadier rhythm than before.

Reika gasped and pressed her hand against his cheek. “Apollo…” Her voice trembled with a mix of hope and despair.

I laid a hand on her shoulder. “He is not whole yet. My blood is strong, but it must weave itself into his veins, drive out the poison fully. We must wait for it to take root. He is fighting for his life, and the antidote will strengthen his fight.”

Reika nodded, though her eyes never left him. The room was heavy with silence, broken only by Apollo’s uneven breathing. I felt the tug of my daughter’s bond with him; her soul clung to his, refusing to let go. I could not deny the depth of her devotion.

Orion, sensing the moment was no longer his to share, excused himself quietly. “I will give you both some space,” he murmured before stepping out, closing the door softly behind him.

Reika finally turned toward me. We moved to the couch across from Apollo’s bed, though her gaze kept drifting back to him. For the first time since finding her, I allowed myself to simply look at her, my daughter, grown, fierce, yet still carrying the softness of innocence in her heart.

“What did Martin name you?” I asked, breaking the quiet, my voice low but steady.

“Reika,” she answered, her tone soft, though there was strength behind it.

The name struck a chord deep within me. My lips parted in disbelief.
“Reika…” I repeated, the sound heavy with memory. “So, he kept the name we gave you.”

Her brows furrowed slightly. “You gave me this name?”

“Yes,” I said, emotion thickening my voice. “Your mother and I chose it carefully before you were even born. Reika means ‘heir of the moon flame’—a name destined for the next Lycan ruler of this continent. You were to inherit not just my crown but the bond of the moonlight itself. You were meant to be the light that leads our kind forward.”

I clenched my jaw, fury rising at the thought. “Alpha Martin… he knows. That is why he stole you from us. He sought to corrupt destiny, to twist the fate the goddess had set for you. And he did it through betrayal, by using one of our own servants to carry out his plan.”

Reika’s eyes widened at my words, but instead of anger, I saw sorrow there. She whispered, “So everything was planned…” Her hand drifted to her stomach, as though holding both her pup and her newfound truth close to her heart.

I leaned forward, my voice softening. “Yes, my little moonlight. He sought to take what was never his. But he failed, for you are here, alive, with your mate, and soon with your pup. Fate, it seems, still bends to the will of the goddess.”

Reika's eyes were soft yet filled with questions that had been waiting all her life to be asked. “Father,” she began hesitantly, “did you know Alpha Martin… even before he became the Alpha of Shadow Claw pack?”

A bitter taste rose in my mouth at the mention of that man’s name. I leaned back, my hands tightening into fists against my knees, and I forced myself to nod. “Yes. I knew him.” My voice was low, carrying both memory and disdain.

Reika tilted her head, studying me carefully. “What was he like?”

“Martin,” I said with a harsh exhale, “was cunning, ambitious, and… envious. He used to linger around our court, watching every move. He admired our power, but there was something else, something personal.
He liked your mother, Lyanara.”

Reika’s eyes widened, her lips parting in shock. “My mother’s name… is Lyanara?”

I froze. I hadn’t realized until now that she had never even been told her true mother’s name. Slowly, I nodded. “Yes. Lyanara was your mother’s name. She was my queen, my heart, and the moon goddess’s chosen vessel to stand by my side.”

Reika’s voice cracked as she whispered, “I want to see her. I’ve been so occupied with Apollo’s condition… that I forgot to ask about her.”

The words pierced me, and silence fell heavy between us. My throat tightened as though bound by chains. How could I explain to her that the woman she longed to see, the mother she yearned to meet, was no longer in this world?

“Father?” Reika’s voice trembled. “What’s wrong? Was my mother… excited to see me, too?”

I turned my head away, unable to bear the hope in her eyes. My chest ached, and for a moment, I wished I could lie, tell her Lyanara waited in the palace, arms open and smile bright. But my daughter deserved the truth, no matter how much it shattered her heart.

Sooner or later, I had to say it. I drew a deep breath, let it out slowly, and faced her with all the weight of sorrow pressing down on me. “Your mother…” I began, my voice breaking against the air, “died a few years after you were abducted.”

The light in Reika’s eyes flickered, and pain replaced it so swiftly it made my heart seize. She looked at me as though the ground beneath her had given way. Her lips quivered, but no sound came out, only tears gathering at the corners of her eyes until they spilled freely.

“My little moonlight,” I whispered, reaching for her hand, “your mother was strong, stronger than anyone I knew. But after years of searching for you, with no trace, no hope, no sign of your presence in this world… her spirit began to wane. She was consumed by grief. Her body followed her mind, and her soul could no longer endure the silence of your absence.”

Reika covered her mouth with trembling fingers, her tears falling like rain. “She… she gave up?”

I closed my eyes, the memory of those years clawing at me. “Yes. She was depressed beyond healing, and though I tried everything, though I searched every corner of our lands, I could not save her. And for that, I am sorry, my little moonlight. I am sorry you lost the chance to grow in her love, sorry you were denied her embrace. If I could have given my life to bring her back, I would have done so without hesitation.”

Her sobs filled the room, fragile and raw. It broke me more than any wound or battle ever had. Watching my daughter grieve the mother she never had the chance to know was a cruelty no father should endure.

I pulled her into my arms, holding her as tightly as I could, my voice low and heavy with remorse. “Forgive me, Reika. Forgive me for failing to bring you home sooner. Forgive me for not saving your mother. All I can do now is vow that you will never be taken from me again.”