Chapter 14

LYRA

Caspian was still staring at my collar like he’d just seen something he never expected to see again.

“That’s the lost crest of the Royal Valerius family,” he repeated, his voice low.

I kept my expression calm, even though his reaction was starting to get to me. We were standing in the middle of a ballroom packed with wealthy business owners, powerful Alphas, and people who seemed to live for other people’s business. I wasn’t about to give them another reason to whisper about me.

“What exactly are you saying, Prince Caspian?” I asked. “And how do you know anything about my birthmark?”

His eyes moved across the room before returning to me. “This isn’t something we should discuss here. Could we speak somewhere private?”

I wasn’t thrilled about that. “Can’t you explain it here?”

“Please, Lyra. It’s important.”

Something in his voice made me take him a little more seriously. The charming smile he’d worn earlier was gone, replaced by an expression that seemed almost troubled.

“The Royal Valerius family lost their heir twenty-six years ago,” he explained. “There was a coup, and the child disappeared. The family searched for her for years, but every lead turned into a dead end.”

I listened without interrupting, trying to figure out where he was going with this.

Then it hit me.

Was he seriously suggesting I was some missing princess?

I mean, come on. I’d spent my life knowing myself as Lyra. Nobody had ever told me I belonged to a royal family, and I wasn’t about to accept a story like this just because a prince said so.

“Lots of people have birthmarks,” I pointed out politely. “Are you sure you haven’t mistaken me for someone else?”

“I’m sure the mark is significant,” he replied. “I never expected to see it again. Not after all these years.”

His certainty was more unsettling than his story. He seemed genuinely convinced, and that left me wondering what he knew that I didn’t.

“Then tell me why you think it belongs to me,” I said.

Caspian paused before answering. “Please, Lyra. Let me explain somewhere private. You deserve to know what I’ve found.”

Caspian was still staring at my collar like he’d just seen something he never expected to see again.

“That’s the lost crest of the Royal Valerius family,” he repeated, his voice low.

I kept my expression calm, even though his reaction was starting to get to me.

We were standing in the middle of a ballroom packed with wealthy business owners, powerful Alphas, and people who seemed to live for other people’s business.

I wasn’t about to give them another reason to whisper about me.

“What exactly are you saying, Prince Caspian?” I asked. “And how do you know anything about my birthmark?”

His eyes moved across the room before returning to me. “This isn’t something we should discuss here. Could we speak somewhere private?”

I wasn’t thrilled about that. “Can’t you explain it here?”

“Please, Lyra. It’s important.”

Something in his voice made me take him a little more seriously. The charming smile he’d worn earlier was gone, replaced by an expression that seemed almost troubled.

“The Royal Valerius family lost their heir twenty-six years ago,” he explained. “There was a coup, and the child disappeared. The family searched for her for years, but every lead turned into a dead end.”

I listened without interrupting, trying to figure out where he was going with this.

Then it hit me.

Was he seriously suggesting I was some missing princess?

I mean, come on. I’d spent my life knowing myself as Lyra. Nobody had ever told me I belonged to a royal family, and I wasn’t about to accept a story like this just because a prince said so.

“Lots of people have birthmarks,” I pointed out politely. “Are you sure you haven’t mistaken me for someone else?”

“I’m sure the mark is significant,” he replied. “I never expected to see it again. Not after all these years.”

His certainty was more unsettling than his story. He seemed genuinely convinced, and that left me wondering what he knew that I didn’t.

“Then tell me why you think it belongs to me,” I said.

Caspian paused before answering. “Please, Lyra. You deserve to know what I’ve found, we need to leave this gala.”

“If you really believe I’m the missing princess, arrange a proper meeting and an official blood test,” I told Caspian. “I’m not leaving the gala to follow a man I barely know to the Royal Court. You’ve given me a story about my birthmark, but that’s not proof.”

His expression grew impatient. “Lyra, this is bigger than you realize. If you’re the lost heir, your return could change the entire wolf world. The people behind the coup might still be out there, and they could come after you.”

“I understand that, but you can’t expect me to believe everything you say and go wherever you tell me.”

“Every second we waste could put you in danger.”

“And forcing me to leave with you is supposed to make me feel safer?”

He fell silent.

“I need to find Zade and discuss this with him. Once I understand what’s going on, we can arrange the blood test. I’m not making a decision like this on the spot.”

I turned to leave, but Caspian caught my wrist.

“You need to come with me to the Royal Court.”

I stared at his hand. “Let go of me.”

“I’m trying to protect you. I can’t risk losing the heir again.”

“You don’t get to decide that for me.” I pulled against his grip. “Let go, or I’ll call security.”

He refused to release me. I kept my voice low, not wanting to turn the gala into a public spectacle, but I was done listening to his excuses. Whatever his intentions, he’d crossed a line.

I was about to call for security when a familiar presence appeared behind us.

Zade moved so fast I barely saw him reach Caspian. He seized the prince’s hand, wrenched it away from my wrist, and shoved him backward.

I caught my balance as Zade stepped in front of me, blocking Caspian from reaching me again.

Nearby conversations fell silent. Guests turned to stare as security hurried toward us.

Zade’s expression was cold, his attention fixed on the prince. “Why the hell are you touching my mate?”

Caspian straightened his jacket, clearly offended. “I wasn’t trying to hurt her. I believe Lyra is Princess Lyra Valerius, the missing royal heir. I wanted to take her to the Royal Court for a blood test.”

“Zade, he recognized my birthmark,” I explained. “He thinks I might be the princess who disappeared during the coup.”

Zade didn’t look at me. His attention stayed on Caspian.

“The Royal Family has searched for twenty-six years,” the prince insisted. “If she’s truly the missing heir, we can’t waste time. The people responsible for the coup could still be a threat.”

“Then you should’ve explained that to her,” Zade replied. “Not grabbed her and tried to force her to leave.”

“I was protecting her.”

“No. You were ignoring what she wanted.”

A powerful wave of Zade’s aura swept through the alcove. The nearest guests backed away, and even the approaching guards slowed down.

His eyes shifted to feral gold as his wolf rose close to the surface. I’d never seen him look quite like this at such close range, and I knew Caspian’s next move could turn this confrontation into something much worse.

Zade bared his teeth at the prince.

“Touch my mate again, and I’ll start a war with the Royal Court.”