Avenging Luna
Chapter 150: The King Is Dying

Chapter 150: The King Is Dying

Chase POV

The air felt lighter as we walked out of the suite, Ash skipping ahead, his laughter echoing in the hallway. His joy was contagious, and even Leila wore a small smile despite her usual guarded demeanor. This was what I had imagined—what I had hoped for. A fresh start with my mate and the boy I’d already come to think of as my own.

The car was waiting for us just outside, the early morning sun casting a golden glow on the sleek black vehicle. I carried the bags, Ash’s tiny backpack slung over my shoulder, while Leila carried herself with that mix of strength and grace that I admired so much.

Ash jumped into the back seat with all the energy of a child who had no idea how heavy the world could be. "Can we listen to music?" he asked, already fiddling with the radio as he squeezed himself in between the front seat.

"Sure, buddy," I said, ruffling his hair as I placed the bags in the trunk. "You’re the DJ."

Leila raised an eyebrow at me, clearly amused. "Letting a seven-year-old control the music? Bold move."

I grinned at her. "What’s the worst that could happen?"

For the first time in what felt like forever, everything felt right. I was about to close the trunk when a familiar voice shattered the moment.

"Chase!"

I froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. I turned to see Damon sprinting toward us, his face pale and his usually confident stride uncharacteristically unsteady. My stomach dropped.

"What is it?" I asked, already dreading the answer.

Damon reached us, "It’s... it’s Father," he said, his voice tight. "His condition has worsened. The council sent me to find you. They need you back at the castle. Now."

The world tilted on its axis.

"What?" I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

Damon’s expression was grim. "He’s not responding to treatment. The healers don’t think he’ll make it through the week. And the council is panicking. They need you to step up—start preparing for your coronation."

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. Just minutes ago, I was thinking about pancakes and road trips, about building a life with Leila and Ash. And now, the weight of my family, my kingdom, was crashing down on me with the force of a tidal wave.

"This can’t be happening," I murmured, running a hand through my hair.

"I wish it wasn’t," Damon said quietly. "But it is. And you’re needed, Chase. Now."

I turned to look at Leila, who had come to stand beside me. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes were sharp, taking in every word. Ash peeked out from the car, his small face scrunched in confusion.

"What’s wrong?" he asked, his voice innocent and unknowing.

I swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump in my throat. "Nothing, buddy," I said, forcing a smile. "Everything’s fine."

But it wasn’t fine. Not even close.

I looked back at Damon, my mind racing. I couldn’t abandon my father in his final moments, not when he’d spent centuries leading our people, protecting our legacy. And yet, how could I leave Leila and Ash? After everything we’d been through, after finally convincing her to trust me, to let me be a part of their lives—how could I walk away now?

Leila spoke first, her voice calm but firm. "Go."

I turned to her, stunned. "What?"

"You have to go," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "This is your father, Chase. Your kingdom. You can’t just walk away from that."

"But what about you? About Ash?"

Her jaw tightened, and I could see the conflict in her eyes. "We’ll be fine," she said, though her tone was brittle. "You’re not the only one with responsibilities. I get it."

I wanted to argue, to tell her that she and Ash were my priority now, but the words caught in my throat. I couldn’t lie to her—not about this.

Damon cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "Chase, I hate to push, but we don’t have time for a debate. The council is expecting you."

I glared at him, my frustration boiling over. "Do you think I don’t know that, Damon? Do you think this is easy for me?"

Damon held up his hands. "I’m just the messenger, brother. Don’t shoot me for delivering the bad news."

Leila touched my arm, drawing my attention back to her. "We’ll still be here," she said quietly. "Go do what you need to do. We’ll figure everything else out later."

Her words were logical, practical. But they felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

"I don’t want to leave you," I said, my voice breaking despite my best efforts to hold it together.

"I know," she said, her eyes softening. "But this isn’t just about what we want, Chase. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices."

Sacrifices. The word tasted bitter on my tongue.

I knelt down to Ash’s level, forcing a smile onto my face. "Hey, little man," I said, ruffling his hair again. "I’ve got to go take care of something, but I’ll catch up with you and your mom as soon as I can, okay?"

Ash frowned, his bright eyes searching mine. "You’re leaving?"

"Just for a little while," I said, my heart breaking at the disappointment in his face. "But I’ll be back. I promise."

"Okay," he said reluctantly, his small arms wrapping around my neck. "Come back soon."

"I will," I whispered, hugging him tightly.

When I stood, Leila was watching me with an unreadable expression. "Stay safe," she said simply.

I nodded, unable to find the words to express everything I was feeling.

Damon placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. "We need to go, Chase."

I turned away, my heart heavy, and followed Damon toward his car. As we drove away, I couldn’t help but look back, watching Leila and Ash grow smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

I’d thought I could have it all—my family, my life, my freedom. But life, as always, had other plans. And now, as I hurtled back toward the weight of my responsibilities, I could only hope that Leila and Ash would still be waiting for me when I returned.

*****

The car was already moving, Damon’s voice droning on about the council’s demands, but I wasn’t hearing a word. My chest felt tight, my pulse erratic. I glanced out the window, catching one last glimpse of Leila and Ash standing beside the car. The thought of leaving them like this—after everything we’d just started to build—felt unbearable.

And then something inside me snapped.

Before I even knew what I was doing, I yanked the door handle and threw myself out of the moving car.

"Chase! What the hell?" Damon’s furious shout rang out behind me, followed by the screech of brakes and a string of curses. But I didn’t stop. I was already sprinting back toward her.

Leila jumped, startled as I reached her, her hand instinctively moving to shield Ash, who clutched her leg in confusion.

"Chase, what are you doing?" she asked, her voice sharp with alarm.

I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I grabbed her hands, holding them tightly, my eyes locking onto hers. "Please, Leila," I said, the desperation in my voice catching even me off guard. "Come with me. Just for now. Please."

Her brow furrowed, her stance stiff. "What are you talking about? You have to go, Chase. Your father needs you. Your kingdom needs you."

"And I need you," I countered, my voice breaking. "I can’t do this alone. I don’t want to do this without you."

"Chase..."

"Just come with me," I pleaded, taking a step closer. "Not forever—just to see him. I told him about you. I promised him I’d bring you to him. He’s dying, Leila. He deserves to see you at least once."

She shook her head, her face a storm of emotions. "Chase, this isn’t my place. Your world—your father—it’s got nothing to do with me. Or Ash."

"It has everything to do with you," I argued, my voice rising. "You’re my mate. Ash is my family. And he’s my father. Please, Leila. I’ll take you there, you can meet him, and if you want to leave after that, I’ll bring you wherever you want to go. I promise."

Her lips parted as if to argue, but no words came out. She looked down at Ash, who stared up at both of us with wide, curious eyes.

"Mom?" Ash asked, his voice small. "Are we going?"

Leila sighed, closing her eyes for a long moment. I could see the battle playing out in her head, her instinct to protect Ash clashing with something deeper—something that tied her to me in ways she couldn’t deny.

"Leila," I said softly, squeezing her hands. "I’m begging you. Just this once."

She opened her eyes, searching mine, and I held her gaze, refusing to look away. Finally, she exhaled, her shoulders sagging as if all the fight had left her.

"Fine," she said, her tone reluctant but resolute. "We’ll go. But just for a little while. And only because you promised."

Relief flooded through me so powerfully that I nearly collapsed. "Thank you," I said, my voice hoarse. "You don’t know what this means to me."

"I have a pretty good idea," she muttered, glancing toward Damon, who was stomping toward us, his face a mask of irritation.

"What the hell, Chase?" he barked. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that stunt was?"

"I do," I said, cutting him off before he could continue. "And I don’t care. She’s coming with me."

Damon’s gaze flicked to Leila, his mouth tightening, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he threw up his hands in exasperation. "Fine. But if you’re dragging your mate and a child into this, you’d better pray the council doesn’t throw a fit."

"They can deal with it," I snapped. "This isn’t about them."

Damon muttered something under his breath but stalked back to the car without further protest.

I turned back to Leila, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Thank you," I said again, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Don’t make me regret this," she replied, her tone warning but her eyes soft.

"I won’t," I promised, taking Ash’s hand and guiding them both toward the car.

As we climbed in and drove away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d just made the most important decision of my life. And for the first time in hours, I felt a glimmer of hope.

We were going together.