Chapter 17: The Secret the King Kept

The palace bells continued ringing through the corridors.

No one spoke for several seconds.

My brother was the first to break the silence.

“Marcus disappeared?”

The royal guard nodded.

“His residence was searched. There was no sign of him.”

Emmett's expression hardened.

“He wouldn't disappear unless someone helped him.”

King Dominic walked toward the center of the room.

“Marcus isn't the real danger.”

I looked at him.

“Then who is?”

The king's gaze settled on me.

“The person who has been controlling him.”

A chill ran through me.

“You know who it is.”

The king didn't deny it.

Instead, he turned toward my brother.

“It's time she knew everything.”

My brother nodded.

The king took a sealed royal document from a cabinet.

“Twenty-four years ago, your parents were not the ones who made the decision to separate you.”

I frowned.

“But Victor said Diana signed the order.”

“She did.”

The king opened the document.

“But she signed it under pressure.”

I stared at him.

“Pressure from whom?”

King Dominic's expression was grim.

“My predecessor.”

My breath caught.

“The former king?”

He nodded.

“He believed your bloodline represented a threat to the crown.”

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

“Why would a king fear two children?”

My brother answered quietly.

“Because our ancestors were once the rulers of Aldwyn.”

I turned toward him.

“What?”

He touched the silver pendant around his neck.

“Before the current royal family came to power, another bloodline ruled this kingdom.”

“Our bloodline.”

I stared at him.

Suddenly, the royal marker made sense.

The pendant.

The strange reaction of my wolf.

The fear in Marcus's eyes.

All of it connected.

“So we're descendants of the old royal family.”

King Dominic nodded.

“And there are people who still believe the throne belongs to your bloodline.”

I felt no excitement.

Only exhaustion.

I had spent my first life begging for a place in a family that never wanted me.

Now I was being told I might have a claim to an entire kingdom.

Emmett moved closer.

“Doesn't matter.”

I looked at him.

“What doesn't?”

“Whether you're a princess, an heir, or simply Laurel Jennings.”

His eyes remained fixed on mine.

“You're still the woman I chose.”

Something warm settled in my chest.

My brother smiled faintly.

“He's right.”

I looked at him.

For the first time, I really studied his face.

There was something familiar about him.

The shape of his eyes.

The slight curve of his smile.

Even the way he tilted his head when he was thinking.

Pieces of myself were reflected in him.

“What is your name?” I asked.

He smiled.

“Elias.”

I repeated the name softly.

“Elias.”

He nodded.

“I've known your name since I was a child.”

“How?”

“The former Queen told me.”

He paused.

“She said one day my sister would find me.”

Tears burned behind my eyes.

“Did she know where I was?”

“She knew you were alive.”

My heart twisted.

Someone had known.

Someone had been watching.

Yet no one had come for me.

Elias seemed to understand what I was thinking.

“She tried.”

I looked at him.

“What do you mean?”

“The former Queen sent people to search for you several times.”

He looked down.

“But every trail disappeared.”

King Dominic's voice turned cold.

“Because someone inside the palace was feeding them false information.”

Emmett's eyes narrowed.

“Someone still has access to the royal intelligence network.”

The king nodded.

“Exactly.”

Before we could continue, another guard entered.

He looked terrified.

“Your Majesty, we have a problem.”

King Dominic turned.

“What happened?”

“The security archives have been breached.”

Emmett immediately stepped forward.

“What was stolen?”

The guard swallowed.

“The records concerning Laurel and Elias.”

My heart sank.

“Someone knows we're here.”

The king's expression became grim.

“They know more than that.”

He looked directly at me.

“They know the two heirs have finally been reunited.”

The palace doors suddenly shook from a massive impact.

Guards rushed into position.

A second explosion thundered through the courtyard.

Elias grabbed my arm.

“They're here.”

Emmett drew his weapon.

“Stay with me.”

I looked toward the palace entrance.

For years, people had tried to keep me powerless.

But now I had my brother.

I had my fated mate.

And for the first time, I wasn't running from the truth.

I was ready to face whoever had spent twenty-four years trying to bury it.