The Rejected Hybrid Princess

Chapter 4

The Lycan King’s P.O.V

I woke with a start, my body tense, and my breath coming in ragged gasps. Something was wrong. I could feel it.

The dream shifted. The images of the past—the pain, the loss—were still there, but there was something new. The forest whispered in the distance, the shimmering lake reflecting a pale moonlight, and, most chilling of all, the faint sound of soft crying. The cry was so familiar, but I couldn’t place it. It tugged at something deep inside me, something that hadn’t stirred in so many years.

My chest tightened, and an inexplicable urgency surged within me. I couldn’t lie still anymore. I had to go. I had to go to the place where she had disappeared, where everything had gone wrong. For years, I had wandered the woods in search of her, in search of any trace that would tell me what had happened that night. Yet, each time I left the forest empty-handed, the void inside me only growing deeper. But tonight… Tonight, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed.

I stood abruptly, the cool night air biting at my skin, and I walked towards the door, my heart hammering against my ribs. The woods called to me as if they had something to say—something I needed to hear.

As I moved deeper into the forest, my senses heightened. The trees loomed over me like silent guardians, their shadows stretching out before me, as if guiding me toward something unknown. The forest had always been my refuge, my safe sanctuary. Yet tonight, something was different. An eerie feeling clung to the air, a sense of dread that I couldn’t shake. My heart beat faster with each step i took, my body tense, as though something or someone was watching me.

Suddenly, a flurry of movement caught my eye. A group of small animals darted around me, their tiny bodies whizzing past my legs in a frantic frenzy. This was strange. Animals—especially those in my territory—rarely dared to approach me, much less behave this way. Normally, they would flee at the presence of a Lycan, especially one of my rank. But tonight, they circled around me, their eyes wide with fear, urging me to follow them. It was as if something had disturbed the natural order of the forest.

My instincts flared. Something was wrong. I had to find out what it was.

I followed them, my eyes scanning the dark woods for any sign of danger. The night seemed unusually silent, as though even the wind was holding its breath. And then, it hit me—a scent. It was faint, but unmistakable.

Orchids. The same scent that had once surrounded my daughter, the same fragrance that had lingered in her hair, in her clothes, on her skin. I hadn’t smelled it in years, not since she had vanished. The Moon Goddess had gifted our people with the scent of orchids, a mark of our bloodline, a mark that distinguishes us from the others. Only those of direct Lycan descent bore that fragrance. And this… this was unmistakable.

My breath caught in my throat, and my heart stuttered in my chest. Could it be? Was it possible? My mind raced. I could smell her presence. The orchids, the scent of my bloodline. It was her. It had to be.

I followed the trail, my pace quickening with each step i took, my heart pounding louder. My thoughts were a blur, torn between disbelief and desperate hope. Could this really be her? Had she survived all these years, hidden away, only to return now, when I needed her most?

The scent led me to the lakeside, and my heart stopped in my chest.

There, in the water, was a figure—a young woman. Her body floated motionless, her skin pale as death, her breathing shallow. She was unconscious, her body unmoving, as though she had surrendered to the cold embrace of the water. The sight of her sent a shiver through me, and my heart clenched painfully in my chest.

But something about her felt familiar.

But in front of her a monstrous beast bared its fangs, its claws raised in warning. Without a second thought, I lunged forward, sending the creature sprawling into the woods with a force that would have crushed any other opponent. It scampered off, tail between its legs, and my attention snapped back to the woman in the water.

I hesitated for only a moment before rushing toward her. My hands shook as I gently pulled her from the water, her cold body feeling like ice in my arms. She was so fragile, so still, but I could sense a spark of life within her. There was no mistaking it. The scent of orchids was all around her, mingling with the faint, familiar scent of home.

My heart raced as I cradled her body in my arms, my legs burning with exhaustion, but there was no time to rest. I had to get her to the pack. I had to save her.

I ran through the forest, my muscles screaming in protest, my thoughts focused solely on her. I felt the warmth of her body slowly fading, the scent of orchids growing weaker with each step, and I couldn’t help but pray. Please, Moon Goddess, please don’t let me hold my daughter only at her funeral.

The journey back to the pack felt endless, but I kept pushing, my feet moving faster, my heart urging me forward. When I finally reached the infirmary, I burst through the door, my breath ragged, my eyes frantic as I placed her on the table.

The royal doctor and attendants stared at me in stunned silence, but I paid them no mind. My focus was entirely on the girl. I didn’t care about their confusion, their questions. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her face. Her features, her scent—it was her. It had to be.

One of the attendants suggested I rest, but I refused, Not until we knew the truth. She didn’t need to endure the torture of false hope.

The doctor studied her for a moment, a hesitant look crossing his face as he spoke. “Your Majesty, could it be…?”

I leaned in closer, examining her face again. The resemblance to my ex, to myself, was undeniable. The same features, the same delicate shape of her jaw, the same scent of orchids. This was her. My daughter had finally come to me. Could it be that she knows me and her mom's past relationship?

“Tracy,” I whispered, turning to my most trusted advisor. “Look at her. This is my daughter. I know it. The scent of the Moon Goddess doesn’t lie.”

Yet even as the joy of finding her flooded me, the doctor’s words brought me back to the reality of her situation.

“Your Majesty,” the doctor said, his voice serious. “She is still fighting for her life. The fall was severe. It will take time for her to recover.”

A wave of panic surged through me. I couldn’t lose her again. Not after everything we had been through.

“No matter what it takes,” I said, my voice fierce with determination. “You must save her. She has to live.”

Hours passed in painful silence, the tension unbearable. Finally, the doctor returned, a tired but relieved smile on his face.

“Your Majesty,” he said, “the princess will recover. She is strong. But she will not wake immediately. It will take time.”

Relief washed over me, even though there were still things to do, still questions to answer. But for the first time in years, I allowed myself to feel a hint of hope. The impossible had happened, and I would do everything in my power to ensure she stayed with me, forever.

“The rogues are attacking our territory, your highness, it’s better we leave” my messenger announced, "Am leaving my daughter, I will leave her to

Fabiano. My adopted prince to take good care of her, let’s go”