The Betrayed Princess Rising (Lylah and Ezra) novel Chapter 289

Chapter 289

3rd Person’s POV

Finished

“I mean that couch.” Lylah clarified, her voice softer now, tinged with heat as her gaze lingered on the long piece of furniture by the window.

She had seen something like it before on one of those discreet adult storefronts. The memory alone was enough to send warmth rushing to her cheeks.

Ezra didn’t even hesitate. “Yes. I bought it,” he said plainly.

Her eyes widened, her wolf stirring restlessly beneath her skin. “But what for?”

He moved closer. His presence pressed in around her, his scent wrapping around her senses like smoke. Her wolf bristled, alert and reactive, caught between instinct and something far more dangerous. There was a naughty glint in his eyes now.

“They say…” he murmured into her ear, “that the night of the new moon is… the most auspicious time for intimacy. Most Moonclaw wolves still hold to this belief. It’s called the mating night here.”

Lylah’s pulse faltered. Her breath caught as realization dawned.

“So that couch…” she began, barely above a whisper.

“Yes. For us.” Ezra replied without shame, without restraint. “For variety,” he added, his tone maddeningly casual, as if discussing something entirely ordinary. “We’ve only ever stayed within the confines of the bed. I considered taking you outdoors…” A faint, almost teasing note slipped into his voice. “But I know you wouldn’t like that.”

Lylah’s face burned, heat spreading down her neck as her wolf shifted restlessly, caught between embarrassment and an unfamiliar, instinctive curiosity.

Ezra, meanwhile, looked entirely unaffected-calm, composed, as though this was the most natural conversation in the world.

Dinner that evening passed in a blur for Lylah.

Though she sat beside Ezra at the table with Vargan and Zyrelle, her thoughts kept drifting-unbidden- back to his words, to the couch bathed in moonlight, to the way his voice had lowered when he spoke of mating night.

Her wolf hadn’t settled since.

The dinner tonight followed tradition-an exchange of gifts beneath the quiet reverence of the new moon. When it was her turn, Lylah presented Vargan with the gift she had prepared back in Lunaris: a warm hand-

knitted wool shawl.

“For you, Grandpa,” she said softly.

Vargan accepted it with a rare gentleness, his hands brushing over the fabric with quiet appreciation.

“In return,” he said, straightening slightly, “as the elder of this family, I have something for each of you. And

1/3

13:01 Thu, Apr 16 MOD.

Chapter 289

one for Damon, when he arrives.”

40

Fintrohed

At his signal, the butler stepped forward, carrying a tray with three sealed envelopes.

One each for Lylah, Ezra, and Zyrelle.

“Thank you, Grandpa,” Lylah said with a bright smile, her sincerity unmistakable.

Across the table, Zyrelle remained composed, but something flickered beneath the surface. For years, Vargan’s blessings had been reserved for Ezra alone. This time, she had been included.

A childish envy she couldn’t quite suppress arose.

Later that night, as the estate quieted under the watchful glow of the moon, Lylah’s phone lit up with a call from Tiara.

“I still can’t believe I couldn’t come with you to Moonclaw,” her friend complained the moment the video call connected, her voice bursting through the screen with familiar energy.

Lylah smiled, “You would’ve loved it here.”

“Tell me everything,” Tiara pressed. “You said the elders give gifts too? That’s unheard of. In Blackfang, they expect diamonds from us and give nothing but half-hearted prayer in return.” She snorted, laughing at her own remark.

“I don’t know if it’s all of Moonclaw or just Ezra’s family,” Lylah admitted.

“Well, open it already!” Tiara urged, practically bouncing through the screen. “And show me, Lylah. What if it’s diamonds? Alpha Ezra’s grandfather doesn’t seem like the stingy type.”

Lylah laughed softly. “Alright, alright…”

She propped her phone up, angling it so Tiara could see, then carefully broke the seal of the envelope.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify