Chapter 5

"You came," his voice said from above me.

I jumped, looking up to find him perched on one of the lower branches, legs dangling. "Do you always lurk in trees?"

"Only when I'm trying to avoid being seen." He dropped down beside me with the fluid grace all the Maxwell brothers possessed. "Thanks for meeting me."

"What do you want, Liam?" I crossed my arms, keeping my distance. "And how did you get my number?"

"Pack directory." He shrugged. "Being the Alpha's son has its perks."

"Fine. You got me here. What are these 'dangerous things' I need to know about?"

Liam glanced around, making sure we were alone. "Not here. Follow me."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," I protested.

"Please." His expression was serious. "What I need to show you can't be seen by anyone else."

Against my better judgment, I followed him deeper into the woods, away from the pack grounds. We walked in silence for several minutes until we reached a small clearing. In the center stood a dilapidated cabin I'd never seen before.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"My father's secret archive." Liam pulled a key from his pocket. "Only he and I know about it. Not even my brothers."

"Why you?"

A shadow crossed his face. "Because I'm the only one he trusts not to use the information inside for personal gain."

That didn't surprise me. Fin, Brent, and Kane were notorious for their ambition and rivalry.

The door creaked open, revealing a small room lined with filing cabinets and bookshelves. A thick layer of dust covered everything except one cabinet and desk.

"My father keeps records here that are too sensitive for the pack house," Liam explained, heading straight for the cabinet. "Including this."

He pulled out a thick folder and placed it on the desk. The label read "Shadowmoon Pack - Classified."

My blood turned to ice. "How did you…"

"I've known for three years," Liam said quietly, opening the folder to reveal photographs, documents, and what looked like witness statements. "I was helping my father organise some old records when I found this. I put the pieces together."

I stared at the photographs scattered across the desk. Pack members I'd never seen before, but whose faces felt hauntingly familiar. And there, in the centre of a formal pack portrait, stood a man with my eyes and a woman with my dark hair.

"My parents," I whispered, reaching out to touch the photograph with trembling fingers.

"Alpha Kieran and Luna Raven Blackthorne," Liam confirmed. "Your father was known for his progressive views on pack alliances. He wanted to unite smaller packs for mutual protection. Some saw that as a threat."

I picked up the photograph, studying the faces of people I should have known but never would. "Who killed them?"

"That's where it gets complicated." Liam pulled out another document. "The official report blamed rogues, but my father's private investigation suggests it was orchestrated by someone much more powerful."

"Who?"

Liam hesitated, then met my eyes. "We think it was the Northern Alliance. A coalition of traditional Alpha families who saw your father's unification efforts as a challenge to their authority."

My hands were shaking now. "Are they still out there?"

"Yes. And if they discover you survived..." He didn't need to finish the sentence.

I sank into the dusty chair beside the desk, overwhelmed. "Why are you telling me this? Why risk it?"

"Because you deserve to know the truth. And because..." He ran a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable. "Because I've watched you suffer for years, thinking you were nobody. You're not nobody. You're the rightful heir to the Shadowmoon Pack."

"A pack that doesn't exist anymore," I pointed out bitterly.

"Doesn't it?" Liam pulled out one final document. "There were survivors. Pack members who weren't at the compound during the attack. They scattered, went into hiding, but they're still alive. Still loyal to your bloodline."

I stared at him in shock. "How many?"

"Maybe thirty or forty. Living as rogues or integrated into other packs under false identities." His voice dropped. "They've been waiting for you."

The weight of his words hit me like a physical blow. Somewhere out there, people who had known my parents were waiting for me to claim my birthright. People who might actually want me around.

"Your coming-of-age ceremony," Liam continued, "it's not just about you joining this pack. My father is planning to reveal your true identity. To announce that the Shadowmoon line survives."

"That's insane," I breathed. "If anyone finds out…everyone here will die, more reason for me to leave before your brothers find out and Alpha female right under their noses, they’ll…absolutely not. They’ll want me as their mate, and since your quads, I’d be bonded to all four of you, thank you, but not thank you."

“Is that what you think?”

“Well, what am I meant to think up until today none of you gave a shit if I lived or died, so unless it's the mate option, what else is there?”

Liam's expression shifted, his eyes widening slightly. "That's not what this is about at all."

"Then what?" I demanded. "Suddenly, I'm important because of my bloodline? After seventeen years of being treated like garbage?"

"It's not that simple," he said, running a hand through his hair. "My father has been protecting you all this time. If he'd shown you any special treatment, it would have raised suspicions."

"And what about your brothers? What will they do when they find out the pack outcast is actually Alpha blood?"

Liam's jaw tightened. "They'll have to accept it."

I laughed bitterly. "Right. Because Fin, Brent, and Kane are so well-known for their acceptance and understanding."

"They're not as bad as you think," he said quietly.

"Really? Because from where I'm standing, they've been nothing but cruel my entire life."

Liam looked away, guilt flashing across his face. "There's something you don't understand about quad Alpha heirs. We're... connected. In ways that make us protective of our future positions."

"So that justifies tormenting me?"

"No," he admitted. "But it might explain it. Quad Alphas are extremely rare. The power is split between us, but only one can be the true pack leader someday."