Chapter 4

The threat was thinly veiled, his words carrying a weight that made my stomach knot. I needed to escape from him, but running would only confirm his suspicions.

"I wouldn't know anything about royal lines," I said, keeping my tone light. "Just sandwiches and supply runs."

His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. Though it's curious how two Alpha heirs would take such interest in a simple kitchen worker."

Before I could respond, Ellie appeared at my side, her expression carefully neutral, though I could sense her anxiety.

"Daisy, Alpha Logan is asking for you. Something about special provisions for the command centre."

A rescue. I nodded, wiping my hands on a towel. "I'll go right away."

Marc's warrior straightened. "I'll escort you."

"That won't be necessary," came a new voice from the doorway. Uncle Mateo stood there, his posture relaxed, but his eyes alert. "Alpha Logan was quite specific about who he wanted to see."

Marc's warrior hesitated, caught between his orders and the clear dismissal. "Alpha Stone would want me to ensure his offer of assistance is fully utilised."

"And we appreciate that," Uncle Mateo replied smoothly. "But security protocols during border threats are quite strict. I'm sure you understand."

The warrior's jaw tightened, but he inclined his head in reluctant acknowledgment. "Of course."

Uncle Mateo gestured for me to follow him. As we left the kitchen, I could feel the warrior's eyes burning into my back.

"Marc has stationed his people throughout the compound," Uncle Mateo murmured once we were out of earshot. "They're searching for any sign of royal presence."

"He knows," I whispered. "Or at least, he strongly suspects. That warrior was asking about my eyes, comparing them to the Northern royal line."

Uncle Mateo's expression darkened. "We need to get you out of here. Now."

"But the plan—"

"Has changed," he interrupted. "Marc is too close. If he confirms who you are while you're still in his reach..."

He didn't need to finish the thought. We both knew what would happen.

We turned down a narrow corridor I'd never noticed before, Uncle Mateo pressing his palm against what looked like a solid wall. It slid open silently, revealing a hidden passageway.

"This leads to the emergency evacuation point," he explained as we hurried through. "Luna Mara is already preparing the necessary supplies."

"What about Maison and Jackson?" I asked, surprised by the pang of concern I felt.

"They'll join us when they can. Their absence now would only increase Marc's suspicions."

The passage twisted and turned, leading deep into the heart of the pack compound. We emerged in a small chamber where Luna Mara was indeed waiting, a pack already prepared.

"Good, you're here," she said, her relief evident. "We don't have much time. Marc's warriors are getting bolder in their 'assistance' with the border patrol."

"Where are we going?" I asked, accepting the pack she handed me.

"The mountain sanctuary," Uncle Mateo replied. "It's neutral territory, technically, but has been a haven for the Graystone line for generations. Marc won't dare follow openly without violating ancient compacts."

Luna Mara approached, holding a small vial of swirling amber liquid. "This will help mask your scent completely for about twelve hours. Enough time to get you safely to the sanctuary."

I took the vial, uncorking it with trepidation. The smell was acrid and unpleasant.

"All of it," Luna Mara instructed. "Quickly."

I downed the contents, fighting the urge to gag as the bitter liquid burned down my throat. A strange numbness immediately spread through me, and an odd sensation as if I were fading at the edges.

"What is this?" I gasped, clutching the edge of a nearby table as a wave of dizziness washed over me.

"An ancient formula," Luna Mara explained, steadying me with a firm hand on my shoulder. "It temporarily suppresses your wolf, making you essentially invisible to other werewolves' senses."

Horror shot through me. "Suppresses Star?"

"Only for a few hours," Uncle Mateo assured me. "It's necessary, Daisy. Marc's trackers are exceptionally skilled."

I wanted to protest further, but already I could feel Star retreating, a hollow emptiness forming where her presence had always been. The sensation was profoundly disturbing, like losing a limb I'd never known could be removed.

"I can't feel her," I whispered, panic rising in my chest.

"That's the point," Luna Mara said, not unkindly. "Without your wolf's signature, Marc's trackers won't be able to follow you. Now, quickly. Change into these."

She handed me plain, dark clothing—nondescript pants and a jacket that would blend into shadows. Uncle Mateo consulted a small device showing a compound map as I changed.

"Marc's warriors are concentrated at the northern and eastern perimeters," he reported. "The western tunnel should be clear."

A sudden commotion from somewhere above us made all three of us freeze. Raised voices, the sound of running feet.

"They've found something," Luna Mara whispered, her face paling.

Uncle Mateo cursed under his breath. "We need to move now."

As we hurried toward another hidden door, it burst open from the other side. I tensed, ready to fight despite Star's absence, but it was Maison who stumbled through, his clothing torn and blood streaking his face.

"Marc knows," he gasped, his eyes finding mine immediately. "One of his trackers found residual Graystone scent in your quarters. They're searching the entire compound."

Luna Mara moved to her son, examining his wounds with quick, practised movements. "Where's Jackson?"

"Creating a diversion with Father," Maison winced as his mother probed a particularly deep gash on his arm. "Marc's claiming diplomatic immunity while his warriors tear the place apart. Jackson is 'helping' them search the east wing."

"Then we go west," Uncle Mateo decided, already moving toward another door. "The old hunting tunnels should still be accessible."

Maison's eyes locked with mine, something fierce and protective flaring in their grey depths. "I'm coming with you."

"You're injured," Luna Mara objected.

"It's nothing," he dismissed, though the way he held his arm suggested otherwise. "Nightshade is already healing it. Besides, the mate bond—" He stopped abruptly, his eyes once so cold and distant, were now warm with concern, “one of us should be with her.”

"What mate bond?" I asked, suddenly alarmed by the fierce protectiveness in his voice. "The potion—I can't feel Star at all."

Maison's expression shifted to one of concern. "You took a suppression potion?" His eyes darted to his mother accusingly.

"We had no choice," Luna Mara defended. "Marc's trackers would have found her immediately otherwise."

"But without her wolf, she's vulnerable," Maison argued, moving closer to me as if to shield me from an invisible threat. "And our bond—"

A distant crash interrupted him, followed by shouting that was getting closer.

"We don't have time for this," Uncle Mateo snapped, pulling open another hidden door. "Through here, now."

The tunnel beyond was narrower than the others, forcing us to move in a single file. Uncle Mateo led the way, followed by me, then Maison, with Luna Mara bringing up the rear. The passage sloped downward, the air growing cooler and damper as we descended.

"This leads to the old river caves," Maison explained in a hushed voice. "They run beneath most of the territory. Few know about them anymore."

I wanted to ask more about this "mate bond" he had mentioned, about why he seemed so alarmed by Star's temporary suppression, but the urgency of our flight kept the questions locked behind my teeth.

The tunnel widened into a small cavern after what felt like hours but was probably only twenty minutes. The sound of rushing water echoed from somewhere nearby.

"We rest here briefly," Uncle Mateo decided, setting down his pack. "Check for pursuit."

Luna Mara produced a small device from her pocket, studying its display with a frown. "Signal's weak down here, but I'm not detecting any trackers."

I sank onto a smooth rock, suddenly aware of how exhausted I felt. Without Star's presence, my body seemed heavier, my senses duller. "How long until the potion wears off?"

"Eight hours, maybe less, given your... heritage," Luna Mara replied. "Royal blood often metabolises such things faster."

Maison knelt beside me, his expression troubled as he studied my face. "How do you feel?"

"Empty," I admitted quietly. "Like part of me is missing."

His jaw tightened. "I can feel it through our bond. It's like... a shadow where bright light should be."

"You can feel me?" I asked, startled. "How?"

Before he could answer, Uncle Mateo returned from checking the tunnel behind us. "We need to keep moving. The river path is our best option now."

As we gathered our packs, a low rumble shook the cavern, sending small stones clattering to the ground.

"That's not natural," Luna Mara said sharply, her eyes on the ceiling.

Another rumble, stronger this time.

"They're using explosives," Maison growled, pulling me to my feet. "They're trying to collapse the tunnels."

Another blast rocked the cavern, this one close enough to send a shower of dirt and pebbles down on us. Luna Mara staggered against the wall, her face ashen.

"The western passages," she gasped. "They must have found the entrance."

"How?" Uncle Mateo demanded, steadying her. "Those tunnels haven't been used in decades."

"A traitor," Maison said grimly. "Someone in the pack has been feeding Marc information."

The implications of that sent a chill down my spine. Even without Star's presence, I could feel the danger closing in around us.

"The river," Uncle Mateo decided, already moving toward the sound of rushing water. "It's our only chance now."

We followed him through a narrow fissure in the rock wall, emerging onto a ledge above an underground river. The water rushed below us, black and swift in the dim light of our emergency lamps.

"We follow it downstream," Uncle Mateo explained, his voice barely audible over the roar of water. "There's an exit where it emerges from the mountain, about two miles from here."

Another explosion shook the cavern, closer this time. Dust and small rocks rained down around us.

"They're getting closer," Luna Mara warned, her eyes on the tunnel we'd just exited. "We need to hurry."

We moved as quickly as we dared along the narrow ledge, the roaring river to our right, the solid rock wall to our left. Without Star's enhanced senses, I felt clumsy and slow, my human reflexes insufficient for the treacherous footing.

Maison stayed close behind me, his presence a steady reassurance. Twice, his hand shot out to steady me when I slipped on the wet stone.

"Almost there," Uncle Mateo called back to us, rounding a bend in the passage.

The words had barely left his mouth when the loudest explosion yet rocked the cavern. The ledge beneath my feet shuddered violently, then began to crumble.

"Daisy!" Maison shouted, lunging for me as the stone gave way.

His fingers brushed mine, but it was too late. I was falling, the black water rushing up to meet me. The shock of cold as I plunged into the river drove the air from my lungs. Without Star's strength, the current seized me instantly, dragging me under and away.

I fought desperately to surface, my lungs burning. When I finally broke through, gasping for air, I could hear shouting from somewhere behind me, but the river's roar drowned out the words. The current pulled me relentlessly downstream, through darkness broken only by occasional patches of phosphorescent fungi on the cavern walls.

Something grabbed my jacket from behind, and for a terrifying moment, I thought it was one of Marc’s men, but to my relief, it was Jackson, soaked and breathing hard, his powerful arms dragging me toward a rocky outcropping.

"I've got you," he gasped, hauling me against the current. "Hold on."

With a strength that seemed impossible against the raging water, he managed to pull us both onto a small shelf of rock that jutted from the cavern wall. I collapsed, coughing up river water, my body trembling from cold and shock.

"How—" I sputtered between coughs. "Where did you come from?"

Jackson pushed his sodden hair from his face, his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. "Followed your scent trail to the tunnels. When I heard the explosions..." He trailed off, his hands quickly checking me for injuries. "Are you hurt?"

"Just bruised," I managed, still struggling to catch my breath. "The others—"

"Maison was right behind you when the ledge collapsed. Mother and Mateo were further back." His face was grim in the dim light. "I jumped in after you without seeing what happened to them."

The weight of that statement hung between us. Without Star's presence, I couldn't sense whether they were alive or hurt. The hollow emptiness where my wolf should be seemed to expand, threatening to swallow me.

"We need to keep moving," Jackson said, helping me to my feet. "Marc's men will be combing these tunnels. Can you walk?"

I nodded, though my legs felt like water. "The potion Luna Mara gave me—it's suppressing Star. I can't shift, can't heal quickly."

Jackson's expression darkened. "I know. I can feel it through our bond. Like a void where you should be."

"You too?" I asked, remembering Maison's similar words. "You both keep mentioning this bond, but—"

A distant shout echoed through the cavern, cutting me off. Jackson's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the darkness.

"They're coming," he whispered, gripping my arm. "This way."

He led me along a narrow path that followed the river, moving with a confidence that suggested he knew these caves. After several minutes of careful progress, we reached a small side tunnel almost hidden behind a rocky outcropping.

"In here," Jackson urged, ushering me into the cramped passage. "It leads to a secondary exit. One not on any of the maps."

The tunnel was barely wide enough for our shoulders, forcing us to move sideways in places. Jackson kept one hand on me at all times, guiding me through the pitch darkness. Without Star's night vision, I was completely blind.

"How do you know about this passage?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the distant sound of water.

"Shadowfang does," he replied. "Our wolves remember paths our human minds forget. The royal wolves, especially, have always had a connection to these mountains."

We emerged into a slightly larger chamber to find Maison, Luna Mara, and Uncle Mateo. Maison’s eyes lit up when he saw the two of us.

"Thank the Goddess," Maison breathed, rushing forward to pull both of us into a tight embrace. The sudden contact sent an unexpected jolt through me, like static electricity but warmer, more alive. Even without Star, something in me recognised him.

"How did you find them?" Uncle Mateo asked Jackson, his weathered face lined with relief.

"I didn't," Jackson admitted, his hand still resting protectively on my lower back. "I followed Daisy's scent trail to the river, but after that..." He shook his head. "Shadowfang just knew which way to go."

Luna Mara's eyes widened slightly. "The mate pull. It's stronger than the suppression potion."

I wanted to question this further, but another distant explosion shook the chamber, sending a fine shower of dust raining down on us.

"They're collapsing all the known exits," Uncle Mateo said grimly. "Trying to flush us out or trap us."

"Then we use an unknown exit," Maison replied, moving to a seemingly solid wall at the far side of the chamber. He pressed his palm against a specific spot, murmuring words too quiet for me to catch. The stone beneath his hand glowed briefly, then a portion of the wall slid silently open.

"A Graystone passage," Luna Mara explained, noting my surprise. "Only those with royal blood or their mates can open it."

"But how did you—" I began.

"The mate bond," Maison and Jackson said simultaneously.

Before I could process this, Uncle Mateo was ushering us through the opening. "Questions later. Move now."

The passage beyond was different from the others—smoother, with faint luminescent symbols etched into the walls at regular intervals. Despite my exhaustion and the hollow absence of Star, something about this tunnel felt... familiar. Safe.

"We're directly beneath the eastern border now," Luna Mara said after we'd walked for nearly twenty minutes. "The sanctuary is two miles beyond."

"Marc will have that area watched," Uncle Mateo cautioned.

"Not this approach," Maison replied confidently. "This passage hasn't been used in generations. It emerges within the sanctuary grounds themselves."

I stumbled slightly, my human reflexes slow without Star's grace. Both Maison and Jackson reached for me simultaneously, their hands meeting at my elbow. Something sparked between them—not hostility, but a strange resonance that made the air feel charged.

"Sorry," I murmured, steadying myself. "Everything feels... wrong without Star."

"The potion will wear off soon," Luna Mara assured me. "Your royal blood is already fighting it."

We continued in silence, the twins flanking me protectively as we followed the gently rising tunnel. Questions crowded my mind despite the danger behind us, demanding answers I wasn't sure I was ready to hear.

Finally, the passage ended at what appeared to be a rose garden, which was overgrown and long forgotten, but a sense of calm washed over me.

The garden was enclosed by high stone walls covered in climbing roses, their thorny branches weaving a natural barrier. At the centre stood a weathered stone structure that resembled a small temple, its columns twined with more roses, white ones that seemed to glow faintly in the moonlight.

"The Sanctuary of the Moon Rose," Uncle Mateo said reverently. "The sacred heart of Graystone territory."

A strange sensation of homecoming washed over me despite never having seen this place before. I moved forward as if in a trance, drawn to the temple by an instinct deeper than memory.

"Daisy," Maison cautioned, reaching for my arm, but Luna Mara stopped him.

"Let her go," she whispered. "The sanctuary is recognising her."

As I approached the temple, the white roses seemed to turn toward me, their blooms opening wider. The air grew heavy with their scent, sweet and somehow ancient. When I reached the entrance, I hesitated, suddenly afraid of what waited inside.

"You don't have to enter now," Uncle Mateo said gently, coming to stand beside me. "We're safe here for the moment."

"What is this place?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"The seat of Graystone power," he explained. "For generations, your family has come here to commune with their wolves, to make important decisions, to... find clarity."

I looked back at Maison and Jackson, who stood a respectful distance away, their expressions solemn yet expectant. Luna Mara remained behind them, her eyes watchful.

"And the mate bond you keep mentioning?" I asked, needing answers before I could face whatever waited inside the temple. "What exactly does that mean?"

Uncle Mateo sighed. "The Graystone line has always had unique connections to the old magic. Sometimes, that manifests in unusual mate bonds—especially with twins."

"But I've known Jackson and Maison for years," I protested. "They barely tolerated me. How could we suddenly be mates?"

"Not suddenly," Luna Mara said, stepping forward. "Their wolves have been responding to yours since you arrived in our territory. They just didn't understand what they were feeling."

"And now they do?" I asked skeptically.

"Now we do," Maison confirmed, his voice quiet but certain. "When Marc threatened you at dinner, both our wolves nearly broke free to protect you. That's when we knew."

"The royal blood in you calls to the Alpha blood in them," Uncle Mateo explained. "It's rare, but not unprecedented. Your mother experienced something similar."

I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the mild night air. "And I don't get a say in this? My wolf decides, and I have to accept it?"

"Star hasn't decided anything yet," Jackson pointed out gently. "She's been suppressed. When she returns, you'll feel what we feel, and now that you're not taking any of the other medicines that Uncle Mateo used to give to you, Star should become a lot stronger, along with your true self that made us recognise you from your old dress.”

The realisation hit me like a physical blow. "You've been giving me medicine to suppress Star?" I turned to Uncle Mateo, betrayal burning in my chest. "For how long?"

Uncle Mateo had the grace to look ashamed. "Since you were a child. It was necessary to keep your royal abilities dormant, to prevent Marc's trackers from finding you."

"But you've been drugging me my entire life without telling me?" My voice rose despite the danger of being overheard. "What else have you hidden from me?"

"It was for your protection," Uncle Mateo insisted. "Your royal abilities would have manifested too strongly, too quickly. You would have been discovered."

A wave of dizziness suddenly washed over me, making me sway on my feet. Maison was at my side instantly, his arm around my waist, steadying me.

"The potion is wearing off," Luna Mara observed, her eyes assessing. "Faster than I anticipated. Your royal blood is indeed strong."

I could feel it now—Star stirring deep within me, like a sleeper slowly waking. With her return came a flood of sensations: sharper smells, clearer vision in the darkness, and something else—a warm, insistent tug drawing me toward both Maison and Jackson.

"I can feel you," I whispered, looking between them with new awareness. "Both of you."

Jackson moved closer, his expression intense. "And we can feel you. It's been like a shadow of this for years, but now..."

"Now it's undeniable," Maison finished.

I stepped back from them, needing space to think. "This is too much. Two days ago, I was just Daisy, the girl who worked at a burger joint. Now I'm supposedly a queen with two mates and a homicidal Alpha trying to either marry or murder me."

"It's a lot to process," Luna Mara acknowledged with surprising gentleness. "But you don't have to face it alone."

"The sanctuary can help," Uncle Mateo added. "It was designed to help Graystone heirs connect with their wolves, to understand their heritage."

I looked at the temple entrance, feeling Star push me toward it with increasing urgency. "What will happen if I go in?"

"That depends on what you need most," Luna Mara replied cryptically. "The sanctuary responds differently to each royal wolf."

Another wave of dizziness hit me, stronger this time. Star was returning with a vengeance, her presence flooding through my consciousness with an intensity I'd never experienced before. Colours seemed brighter, scents more vivid, and the pull toward Maison and Jackson nearly irresistible.

"I need to go in," I decided suddenly, knowing it was Star's desire as much as my own. "Alone."

Maison and Jackson exchanged concerned glances.

"The sanctuary is safe," Uncle Mateo assured them. "No, she needs to do this alone; it will hopefully stop the nightmares that have plagued her mind since she lost her family.”

As I stepped through the temple entrance, the scent of roses intensified. The interior was a single circular chamber, its domed ceiling open to the night sky. Moonlight streamed down, illuminating a central pool of clear water that seemed to glow with an inner light.

Star pushed forward eagerly, her presence growing stronger with each step I took. This place called to her—to us—in a way I couldn't articulate but felt down to my bones.

I approached the pool, drawn by its silvery light. As I gazed into its depths, the water's surface rippled, though there was no breeze, forming patterns that gradually resolved into images.

A grand hall filled with wolves. A throne carved from pale stone. A man with my eyes is placing a crown on a woman's head. My parents.

"Mother," I whispered, reaching toward the image.

The moment my fingertips touched the water, everything changed. The temple disappeared, and I found myself standing in that grand hall, solid and real around me. Wolves in human form lined the walls, watching as my father—I knew him instantly—placed the crown on my mother's head.

"The Queen Consort," he announced, his voice deep and resonant. "May her wisdom guide us all."

My mother rose, and her grace and strength were evident in every movement. The gathered wolves bowed, and respect and love were plain on their faces.

"This isn't just a memory," a voice said beside me.

I turned to find a young man, perhaps a few years older than me, with the same eyes as mine. He smiled, and I knew him instantly.

"Kenneth," I breathed. "My brother."

"Hello, little sister," he said, his form shimmering slightly in the strange light. "I've been waiting for you."

I reached for him instinctively, but my hand passed through his arm.

"I'm not really here," he explained gently. "None of this is. The sanctuary shows you what you need to see."

"Are you..." I couldn't finish the question.

"Dead? Yes." His expression softened. "I died with Mother and Father that night."

Grief, I hadn't known I carried, washed over me. "I don't remember any of it. Just darkness and smoke."

"Mother hid you," Kenneth said, gesturing, and the scene changed. We were in a nursery, watching as our mother frantically pried up floorboards, revealing a small space beneath. "Her last act was to save you."

I watched, tears streaming down my face, as she placed a small child—me into the hiding space, whispering words I couldn't hear before replacing the boards. The door burst open moments later, and figures in silver cloaks stormed in.

"I can't watch this," I choked out.

Kenneth nodded, and the scene dissolved, returning us to the grand hall, now empty of all but us.

"You need to know who you are," he said. "Who are you really, Marabelle, or Bell as I used to call you?”

"Bell," I repeated, the childhood nickname unlocking something deep inside me. Flashes of memory—a brother's laugh, piggyback rides through palace corridors, whispered secrets under blanket forts—cascaded through my mind. "You used to sneak me sweets from the kitchen when Mother said I'd had enough."

Kenneth's smile was bittersweet. "You remember."

"Not everything," I admitted. "Just... pieces."

"That's a start." He moved to the throne, his ghostly hand hovering over its arm. "This should have been mine, and after me, yours if I had no children. Now it falls to you alone."

The weight of his words settled over me like a physical burden. "I don't know how to be a queen, Kenneth. I was raised to blend in, hide, and be nobody."

"You were never nobody," he said firmly. "Even hidden away, your blood remained royal. Your wolf knew, even when you didn't."

Star stirred within me, stronger than I'd ever felt her. In this place, with the suppression potion fading and years of dampening medicines leaving my system, she felt like a force of nature barely contained within my skin.

"The twin Alphas," Kenneth continued, watching me closely. "The mate bond is rare but powerful. Our great-grandmother had such a bond with twin Alphas from the Eastern Territories."

"What happened to them?" I asked.

"They ruled together for sixty years. The strongest alliance the territories had ever known." His expression grew serious. "The bond isn't just about love or companionship, Marabelle. It's about balance and strength. A queen with two Alpha mates is nearly unassailable."

I thought of Maison and Jackson waiting outside, of the strange pull I felt toward both of them. "But I barely know them. They've spent years avoiding me."

"Their wolves knew what their human sides denied," Kenneth said simply. "Fear can blind even Alphas to what's right in front of them."

The scene shifted again, showing me glimpses of Maison and Jackson watching me from a distance over the years—their expressions not hostile as I'd always thought, but wary, confused, protective.

"They fought their instincts," Kenneth explained. "Feared what they couldn't understand. But their wolves could no longer be denied when Marc Stone threatened you."

I remembered the fierce protectiveness in their eyes at dinner, the way they'd positioned themselves between me and Marc.

"Marc Stone," I said, the name bitter on my tongue. "He murdered our family."

Kenneth's expression hardened. "His father did, with Marc at his side, already being groomed to take over. Marc was seventeen when they attacked our home."

"And now he wants to marry me? To legitimise his claim to our throne?"

"It's always been about power with the Stone pack," Kenneth said. "They've ruled the Northern Territories through fear since our family fell, but their claim has always been contested without the Graystone blood. Even after fifteen years, half the territory refuses to acknowledge them as legitimate rulers."

The knowledge settled into me like puzzle pieces finding their places. "That's why he's so desperate to find me. A marriage would give him what violence couldn't."

"Yes," Kenneth confirmed. "But you have something Marc doesn't understand—something our family has always had."

"What's that?"

"The loyalty of the people." Kenneth gestured, and the scene changed again to show wolves I'd never met bowing before a banner bearing the Graystone crest—my crest. "They've waited for your return. For fifteen years, they've kept faith that a Graystone survived."

Star surged within me, responding to the images with fierce pride. I could feel her presence more completely than ever before, as if layers of fog were burning away in the morning sun.

"What do I do now?" I asked, watching as the scene faded back to the empty throne room.

"Embrace who you are," Kenneth said simply. "All of it—the heritage, the responsibility, and yes, the mate bond. Together, they make you who you were always meant to be."

"And if I'm not ready?"

Kenneth's smile was sad but understanding. "None of us were ready, little Bell. Father wasn't ready when his father died unexpectedly. Mother wasn't ready to become queen consort at twenty-three. I wasn't ready to be crown prince at twelve." He reached out as if to touch my cheek, though I felt nothing. "But ready or not, the blood in your veins carries fifteen generations of rulers who found their way. You will too."

He began to fade, the throne room dimming around him.

"Wait!" I cried. "Don't go yet. I have so many questions—"

"I've shown you what you needed to see," he said, his voice growing distant. "The rest you'll discover for yourself. Remember, Bell—you were never alone. Even when you thought you were."

As he vanished completely, the throne room dissolved, and I found myself back in the sanctuary, kneeling beside the pool. Tears streaked my face, but Star was fully awake now, her presence stronger and more vibrant than I'd ever known.

I rose shakily to my feet, feeling different in ways I couldn't fully articulate. My body hummed with energy, my senses sharper than they had ever been. Star pushed against my consciousness, eager to be free after years of suppression.

When I emerged from the temple, the others were waiting anxiously. Maison and Jackson stepped forward immediately, their expressions shifting from concern to wonder as they took in whatever change they saw in me.

"Daisy?" Uncle Mateo asked cautiously.

I met his gaze steadily. "Marabelle," I corrected, the name no longer feeling foreign on my tongue. "Marabelle Daisy Graystone."

“You remember?” Uncle Mateo said softly.

“Yes, thanks to Kenneth, I mean Kenny,” I replied with a sad smile.

Luna Mara's eyes widened. "You saw your brother?"

I nodded, feeling a strange mixture of grief and peace. "The sanctuary showed me... everything. My family, the attack, who I really am." I looked at Uncle Mateo. "Why didn't you tell me about the twin bond in my family's history?"

Uncle Mateo had the grace to look ashamed. "I wanted to protect you from all of it—the politics, the expectations, the danger. Perhaps I protected you too well."

"You kept me alive," I acknowledged, my voice softer. "But from now on, no more secrets."

I turned to Maison and Jackson, feeling the pull toward them with an almost overwhelming clarity. Without the suppression medicines, the mate bond hummed between us like a physical connection.

"My brother showed me the truth about the mate bond," I said, meeting their eyes steadily. "About what it could mean for all of us."

Jackson stepped forward first, his usual confidence tempered with uncharacteristic vulnerability. "What did you see?"

"Balance. Strength. An alliance that could reclaim what was lost." I took a deep breath. "But it has to be a choice—for all of us."

Maison moved closer, his grey eyes intense. "Nightshade chose you the moment you entered our territory. I was just too stubborn to listen."

"And Shadowfang has been driving me crazy for years," Jackson added with a hint of his usual humour. "Turns out he was the smart one all along."

Star stirred within me, pushing toward both of them with equal intensity. The sensation was disorienting but not unpleasant, like being pulled in two directions that somehow didn't contradict each other.

"We need to move," Uncle Mateo interrupted, his expression apologetic. "Marc's forces will be searching every inch of the border by now."

"Let them search," I said with newfound confidence. "This is Graystone land. The sanctuary itself will hide us until we're ready."

Luna Mara studied me with new respect. "Your royal abilities are already manifesting."

"Royal abilities?" I questioned.

"Each Graystone develops unique gifts," Uncle Mateo explained. "Your father could command loyalty with a word. Your mother could sense deception no matter how well concealed."

"And me?" I asked.

"That remains to be seen," Luna Mara replied. "But your connection to the sanctuary suggests you may have inherited the strongest Graystone gift of all—communion with the land itself."

I looked around at the overgrown garden, feeling something stir in response to my attention. The roses seemed to lean toward me, their blooms brightening in the moonlight.

"We should rest," Maison suggested, eyeing my exhausted state. "Make plans in the morning when we're all thinking clearly."

Luna Mara nodded. "The cottage behind the sanctuary should still be habitable. It will allow us to get some rest.”

We walked towards the cottage, I raised my hand, and the door unlocked and opened on its own.

“We’ll be in, in a minute, I want to have a word with Jackson,” Maison said.

I felt torn between following them inside and respecting their need for privacy. Star nudged me gently in the direction of the cottage, her presence clearer and stronger than I'd ever experienced.

"Let them talk," Uncle Mateo advised quietly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "This is as new for them as it is for you."

Inside the cottage, I was surprised to find it relatively untouched by time. A fine layer of dust covered everything, but the furniture remained intact, the windows unbroken. It felt preserved, as if waiting for a Graystone to return.

"The sanctuary protects what belongs to your family," Luna Mara explained, noting my expression as she lit a few lanterns. "Time moves differently here."

I moved through the small space, trailing my fingers over bookshelves, tabletops, and the back of a worn armchair. Each touch sparked fragments of memory—faint impressions of laughter, quiet conversations, safety. Though I had no conscious recollection of being here before, Star recognised it as home.

"I stayed here with you for three months after the attack," Uncle Mateo said, watching me explore. "Until I was certain Marc's forces had given up searching this area."

"You never brought me back," I observed, looking out a window toward the temple's gleaming columns.

"It was too dangerous," he replied. "The sanctuary would have awakened your royal abilities too quickly. You weren't ready."

Meanwhile, back in the garden, Jackson and Maison walked around as they spoke.