Chapter 21: The Child Who Was Never Meant to Exist

Diana's words left the room frozen.

“Your brother wasn't the only child they took that night.”

I stared at her.

“What are you saying?”

Diana's lips trembled.

“There was a third child.”

Elias stepped forward in disbelief.

“A third?”

She nodded slowly.

“You were both born first. But there was another baby delivered hours later.”

My mind went blank.

Three children.

Three bloodlines.

Three lives someone had tried to erase.

Emmett's expression turned cold.

“Why was this never mentioned in the records?”

Diana looked down.

“Because the third child wasn't supposed to survive.”

I felt a chill run through me.

“Who was the child?”

Diana looked directly at me.

“A girl.”

Elias stared at her.

“Where is she now?”

Diana shook her head.

“I don't know.”

“You don't know?” I asked.

My voice rose despite myself.

“You expect me to believe that?”

Diana began crying.

“I tried to protect you.”

I laughed bitterly.

“You call this protection?”

She lowered her head.

“When the former king ordered the children eliminated, I couldn't save all three.”

“So you chose?”

Diana's tears fell silently.

“I chose you.”

I stared at her.

For the first time, I saw something beyond fear in her expression.

Regret.

“I had the guards take Elias to the former Queen,” she continued. “I arranged for you to be hidden with another family.”

“And the third child?”

Diana closed her eyes.

“Someone else took her.”

The room became silent.

Emmett asked, “Who?”

Diana whispered a name.

“Adrian.”

My blood ran cold.

“He took her?”

“Yes.”

Diana nodded.

“He believed her bloodline could be controlled if he raised her himself.”

Elias clenched his fists.

“Then she could still be alive.”

“She is.”

Everyone turned toward Diana.

She swallowed.

“Adrian told me years ago that she survived.”

I looked at Emmett.

“Then why has he never mentioned her?”

“Because she's useful to him,” Diana replied.

“As long as he controls her, he can control a piece of the old royal bloodline.”

Suddenly, my pendant burned against my chest.

I gasped and stepped backward.

A silver light spread across the room.

Elias's pendant began glowing too.

Then something unexpected happened.

A third pulse answered from somewhere outside the estate.

We all froze.

Emmett looked toward the mountains.

“Someone is nearby.”

My wolf stirred violently.

Not with fear.

Recognition.

I closed my eyes.

A strange image appeared in my mind.

A young woman standing alone in a dark room.

She had long black hair and silver eyes.

A thin scar crossed her wrist.

She was staring directly at me.

Then I heard her voice.

“Laurel.”

My eyes snapped open.

“She's calling me.”

Elias stepped closer.

“Can you feel where she is?”

I nodded.

“Not far.”

Emmett immediately turned to the guards.

“Search the surrounding area.”

The guards spread out through the estate.

But before they could leave, the lights suddenly went out.

Diana screamed.

A dark figure appeared behind her.

I recognized the voice instantly.

“You should have kept your mouth shut.”

Adrian.

He had escaped the palace.

He grabbed Diana by the throat and pulled a blade against her neck.

“One step closer and she dies.”

Emmett raised his hands.

“Let her go.”

Adrian smiled.

“You finally found your sister.”

My heart stopped.

“Where is she?”

Adrian's eyes shifted toward the doorway.

“She's closer than you think.”

A figure slowly stepped out of the darkness behind him.

A young woman with silver eyes stood there.

She looked at Elias.

Then at me.

Tears filled her eyes.

“Brother.”

Her gaze moved to me.

“Sister.”

For twenty-four years, I had believed I was alone.

Now my family stood before me.

And the person who had stolen all three of us was standing between us.