Chapter 21

Leah’s POV

The morning sun crept into my room, but its warmth didn’t reach me. I hadn’t slept. After everything Dante told me, the truths he'd held back and the way he'd stared into my soul and uttered those words, I couldn't even bring myself to sleep even if tried.

“I’ve dreamed of you my entire life” I couldn’t find peace, not in my heart, not in my head.

But I stayed. Regardless of the fact that I wanted to leave so badly yesterday, I knew I had too many unanswered question

I didn’t know if it was foolishness, curiosity, or something deeper binding me here, but I stayed. Only on one condition.

He had to let me search for my truth.

Dante agreed without protest, almost like he’d been waiting for me to demand it. I didn’t trust his silence, but I needed answers more than I needed distance.

Kiara and Eliana stood on either side of me in the pack house library as I paced, arms crossed, heart beating too fast. Regardless that Kiara was Dante's sister, she didn't really know what he was doing the entire time.

“I can't believe he would keep so much away from us” Kiara tapped on her good for the tenth time while clutching on to the rim of her skirt in anger and I immediately reached for her

“I understand that you're pissed, and I'm all for you killing your brother right now, I mean he did lie to us, but we kind of need him to rule the kingdom” She leveled a looked at me before letting out a laugh

“If I were you, I wouldn't really care about the Kingdom"

“Then it's a good thing that you aren't me”

She laughs before going back to keep searching for the books

“This is the most ancient contact I could find,” Kiara said, tapping her tablet. “Its one of the last memory keepers of the old bloodlines. It might help.”

“I still don’t understand,” Eliana said softly, brushing her hand along a faded scroll. “Why not just ask the Moon Priests? They’d have your records.”

I hesitated. “Because I think someone’s already tampered with my story. If what Dante says is true… if I’m supposed to be this gifted wolf that breaks curses… why don’t I know who I am?”

Eliana and Kiara exchanged a glance. Neither had an answer. Neither could.

We spent hours contacting old record keepers, ancient packs, even rogue historians who lived off the grid. Most didn’t respond. A few did with conflicting information.

“Some say you’re descended from the Ember Howl bloodline,” Kiara said, frustration creeping into her tone. “Others insist you come from the Seers of Lothmoor. One even said you’re part of the Shadowmoon, which was supposed to be extinct.”

“Can they all be wrong?” I whispered, sinking into a chair, head in my hands.

“I don’t think so,” Eliana said gently. “But maybe someone doesn’t want you to find the truth. That letter from your mother, are we sure it’s real?”

I lifted my head slowly.

It was the one piece of my past I held close, the one thing that felt… real. The delicate paper, her elegant handwriting, the faint scent of lavender clinging to it after all these years. But I truly didn't know the truth.

“I never had it authenticated,” I said aloud. “I was so desperate to believe it, I never questioned.”

Eliana leaned forward. “Then we question now. Every lead. Every document. Every memory. If you’re going to stay, Leah, you need to own your story. Even if it breaks you.”

I met her eyes, throat tightening. “Even if it breaks me,” I echoed.

Later that night, The halls of the pack house were quiet as I walked it, with bare feet against the cold stone. I couldn’t sleep. The reports we’d gathered had only confused me more. Too many bloodlines. Too many variables. I felt like a myth wrapped in lies.

I reached the Moon Room, what Dante called the meditation chamber near the west wing. The large skylight glimmered above, the stars blinking like ancient watchers. I sat cross-legged on the floor and closed my eyes, trying to reach that part of me that had always felt…other.

“Who am I?” I whispered into the silence.

The wind answered softly, brushing my cheek like a mother's touch.

I opened my eyes and found Dante leaning against the doorway.

“I didn’t mean to intrude,” he said quietly.

“You didn’t,” I replied, though part of me wished he hadn’t found me like this bare, tired, and too full of questions I couldn’t answer.

He walked over and sat beside me, not too close. Respectful distance. But his presence still heated the air.

“I know this is hard for you,” he said after a long silence. “It’s hard for me too.”

“You lied to me, Dante,” I said, voice low but firm. “You say you dreamed of me. But dreams don’t justify using people.”

“I didn’t use you.”

“Didn’t you?” I turned to face him. “You said every woman you married died. That I was different. That I was the one. Do you know how that sounds to me? Like I was some experiment that finally worked.”

He flinched.

I looked away. “I want to believe you. But I don’t know if I can.”

“I’ll earn it,” he said.

I didn’t respond. Because I wasn’t ready to say I wanted him to. I continued to stare at the moon like my life depended on it and maybe truly it did.

“Should I leave?” He asked as the clock ticks by, and I frowned deeply before turning towards him.

“I am not your decision maker your highness, you have a sound mind so how about you make the decision yourself, if you believe you don't have a sound mind, then let me give you a piece of advice, do what you think the King will do” I turned back to the moon completely ignoring how harsh that was

“Go to your room and have some rest, you will continue your…"

“I'm not going…"

“Are your king, I order you to go to your room"

“As your Queen, I turn down that order. Go and find something else to do, Dante and leave me the fuck alone!” I snapped so loudly that it cut through the tension between us, and he looked at me like I had thrown a bucket of what I him

His face remained blank, and I looked from him fur good, I couldn't let myself feel bad being vague about what I said

“Very well” That'd all he said before I began to hear footsteps, and they grew a faint with each step he took before he was finally out of the room and I let out a deep sigh

Hours passed by and soon enough I got tired of sitting there for the past two hours. The morning seems to be very far.

I left the room and walked down the silent hall but out of the blue, the scent of blood hit the air sharp, thick, metallic, and my heart launched for my throat

Footsteps echoed through the corridor. The guards shouted, and I rushed out, my heart beating as fast as it could.

A man stumbled into the entry hall, clothes soaked in red, his face barely recognizable, and that's when I heard the complete chaos at the door

“Medic!” someone screamed.

I knelt beside him, hands trembling as I tried to stop the bleeding, but it was too late.

His eyes found mine.

“They’re… they’re coming for you…” he gasped.

And then he went still.

Silence.

I shook him repeatedly trying to get more information but his eyes were now dead, and I knew too well that it was died, I shut his headband turned so I could reach to Dante and I walked into him

His face grave and his eyes were so dark that I couldn't tell what he was thinking, I looked up at him, my voice barely a whisper.

“They’re coming. I don't know what the hell he meant by they are coming for me, but...”

“Go to your room and stay there”

“The hell not! I'm fighting Dante and you don't have a say in that, we don't have time. People's lives are at risk now go!” I couldn't recognize my voice, but he walked without saying anything and I immediately followed the next stares.

The dead servant's words echoed in my head continuous as I reached for the door, then my throat went completely dry as a figure I recognized too well stood y the door, letting chills go down my spine