The Lycan King's Forbidden Craving novel Chapter 242

242: A goodbye

+25 BONUS

Rheal had only slept for two hours when he woke again, he found ylah beside him. Cal was sleeping soundly, while Eshara was also awake.

“Rheal,” she whispered, reaching to caress his hair.

“Is Grandma awake?” he sat up.

Lylah’s smile was tight. “Not yet. Morning is close, she’ll be up by then. Go back to sleep, or it might affect your health.”

“But I had a nightmare. I’m afraid to go back to sleep.”

“What nightmare?”

“Grandma said goodbye.”

Lylah stopped stroking his hair.

“Will Grandma really be okay?”

Lylah couldn’t reply. Sylra’s words were still ringing in her head. She still hadn’t figured out how to tell Rheal about Drakora. Drakora had raised him, it would break his heart.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” he muttered, his voice close to breaking.

“Hey, uhm… I really don’t know how to say this, but your grandma..” she paused and sighed.

Gawd, this is hard.

“Lylah,” a female Ouroborous knocked and opened the door. “Sylra called for you.”

“I’ll be right back,” Lylah said to Rheal, then glanced at Eshara. “Look after him.”

After Lylah left, Eshara walked toward him and reached to hold Rheal’s tiny hand. “Hey. I’m pretty sure Drakora will be fine.”

“Yeah. She’s strong. You have nothing to worry about,” Cal, who had woken up a moment ago, added.

Rheal sighed. “She had never been sick. This feels different.”

Cal and Eshara glanced at each other, knowing Rheal was right.

Lylah found Drakora awake. Lucas and another male Ouroborous helped her sit while Sylra quickly fetched the herb already prepared.

“Take this. It’ll help you with strength,” Sylra said.

Drakora took the herb and managed to steady her breathing. Her eyes settled on each face in the room and paused at Lylah, understanding the look on her face.

“Is there really nothing we can do?” Lylah’s voice wavered.

Hearing Lylah’s voice break made Lucas reach out, pull her close, then led her to Drakora:

“I’m sorry, Lylah. The choice has already been made,” Drakora rasped. “My stay here is temporary, and the time has come to return to where I came from.”

”

‘How long do you have left?” Lylah asked.

Drakora slowly lifted a hand, and Lylah almost gasped, four fingers were missing. “I’ll fade away completely once the sun rises. My body isn’t like a being’s. It’s temporary.”

Lylah’s jaw clenched.

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242: A goodbye

+25 BONUS

“My days on earth have come to an end, and I want to assure you. feelings, friends, sisters. To experience love at first sight, even if

lidn’t regret a single second I spent here. I got to have lasted just a day.”

Lylah lowered her gaze. It was a topic she had once warned Drakor never to bring up. But that was before she truly understood the kind of woman she was.

“I got to have a life here. Through thick and thin, it was all worth The cries, the laughter, the lives, the deaths. They were truly beautiful to witness and feel.”

“I got to have a daughter,” Drakora’s voice thickened at the mention of Arianna. “She was one of the best gifts the heavens ever gave me. Brave. Strong. Powerful. A true leader. One I thought I would never see again, but I did. Truly… I felt blessed. I got to have a grandson,” Drakora’s smile widened, her expression blissful.

“To experience what it meant to raise a child… to shape them, to hold them when they’re small and afraid, to wipe their tears and whisper promises I never knew I’d keep. I never imagined I would feel what mothers feel, not after casting Arianna away.

But the heavens were kind to me.”

Lylah swallowed hard, her throat aching, chest rising and falling unevenly as she struggled to blink away tears. Drakora looked so peaceful too peaceful. Happy, even.

“My stay on earth wasn’t a punishment, loves. Perhaps the heavens wanted me to see everything. How life could truly turn around for the good… It’s a blessing.”

Silence fell across the room. Drakora’s words hanging in the air.

“And you, Lylah… you are the one the gods chose as the key. A protector. You are a great person.”

Lylah nodded and approached, giving Drakora a hug and exhaling softly. “Thank you… for everything, Drakora.”

The hug broke and Lylah returned to Lucas, who pressed a kiss to her temple, steadying her trembling body.

A female knocked and slowly stepped in. “Uhmm… Goddess. Rheal figured out you’re awake. He wants to see you.”

“Of course,” Drakora’s voice trembled.

Rheal was let in immediately. He rushed to her side, every line of his adorable face etched with concern.

“Grandma,” Rheal croaked.

Drakora’s eyes softened, lips stretching into a tight smile. “Oh, dear Rheal. Did I scare you?”

The boy nodded.

“Come here.”

Lylah helped Rheal sit beside Drakora on the bed.

“My boy,” she caressed his cheek and hair.

“Y… you’re not leaving like Zav, are you?” his voice trembled.

“I’m not leaving, honey,” she said, pointing to his left chest. “I’m right here. Always. Whether physical or not, I’ll always be with you.”

Tears trickled down his face.

“It’s alright,” Drakora assured.

Rheal nodded slowly. “Then… I should sleep in your arms one last time?”

As Drakora pulled him close, he wrapped his tiny arms around her sobbing against her clothing.

The others simply stayed, keeping her company. Drakora was sleeping now, with Rheal asleep as well. Half of her had already

242: A goodbye.

+25 BONUS

faded.

Lylah carefully took Rheal from Drakora’s arms. The boy stirred, wrapping his arms around Lylah’s neck as if seeking comfort. He had let himself sleep deeply, his face damp with dried tears.

As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, they all gathered and watched Drakora fade away, piece by piece, like silver shimmering sparkles lifting into the heavens.

Lylah stared with a heavy heart.

“Goodbye, Drakora,” she muttered.