CHAPTER 47: A SEAT AT THE TABLE OF SECRETS...

Charis

While I was struggling with the topic of who Darian was sleeping with and who he wasn’t...

I noticed the curious look on Luna Alice’s face; she was enjoying the conversation.

"Yes," Darian nodded. "To that Northern bastard. I hate the Norths so much. He took her virginity. I was looking forward to that."

I swallowed hard, reaching for Marcus’s cup of water, my heart was thumping loudly. I was literally here, and everyone was discussing me. What else did they know?

"Careful, Darian," Marcus hummed, shooting me an amusing look. "His brother is here."

Darian’s gaze flickered to me. "You’re lucky, you’re nothing like your father and your brother. Cold, proud pricks..."

"Darian," Luna Alice protested. "Language."

"The first thing I would do once I become king is to take away the stupid autonomy that makes them rule differently from us. It annoys me so much that they do as they want."

Marcus leaned down to me again, murmuring. "He’s drunk... don’t worry."

I gave him a forced smile, forking up a huge piece of cake into my mouth.

"Poor Luna Eva!" Luna Alice sighed, shaking her head. "She used to be a belle in her days, now Silas has made her a shadow of herself."

"Yeah," Darian nodded, his eyes glazing over with excitement. "When we arrived at their pack two weeks ago, and she couldn’t produce Charis, Alpha Silas went into a fiery rage. Beat his wife right in front of all of us, then had her thrown into the pack cells. It was quite shocking, even for me."

"A man who beats his woman is a coward," Luna Alice scoffed. "Silas has always been a prick, right from his Ravenshore days. He would abuse girls emotionally, but didn’t know he was now beating them. Though..." her gaze flitted to the man who looked like Marcus before she murmured. "He knows his way around a woman’s body. Slept with nearly all the girls at Ebonvale during our time. We thought he’d end up with Beth, but he went with his mate bond and chose Eva."

I kept my head bowed, listening to every word with growing amazement and horror. First, I was grateful that everyone thought I was kidnapped. That would slow down the search and make them less likely to look at places like Ravenshore.

Second, I had no idea my wolf was so valuable.

No wonder Father was so desperate to control me, I thought. I wasn’t just a political pawn—I was a genetic goldmine.

Also, the revelation about my mother being imprisoned made me feel numb. Poor Eva was suffering for her daughter’s sake, just as I had feared, but I didn’t care as much. I had no emotional attachment to her.

Thank the goddess, I left. I would have turned into a breeding prize for the Alpha King’s family.

When I looked up, I saw Darian watching me. He looked away immediately.

Suddenly, a young boy who had been engrossed with his phone a while ago, looked up..

"Guys, want to hear something absolutely crazy?"

"Spill, Matt," Luna Alice encouraged.

"I’ve been researching Shadewolves online," Matt said, his voice filled with wonder. "They can mindlink and connect with anyone, regardless of pack affiliation. And they have this incredible sensor ability that warns them when danger is approaching."

My breath caught.

I could do all that?

"In ancient times, Shadewolves were specifically chosen to become pack rulers because of their unique gifts," Matt continued. "But here’s the really wild part—they’re supposedly soul-bound to multiple mates simultaneously."

"Ah, the multiple mate theory," Marcus chuckled. "Tell me more."

The Moon Goddess, however, allows only one fated mate bond to be fully activated," Matt continued. "But sometimes, a Shadewolf can choose to be marked by all of her potential mates. They may be two, three, four or even five without consequences."

"Sick!" Darian’s eyes glittered.

"However!" Matt raised his hand "Choosing the wrong combination could destroy both her and our entire world."

"That is the fate of our world rests on the sexual needs of a woman," the man who looked like Marcus huffed.

"Yeah," Matt nodded. "She either chooses one partner or chooses all of her partners, but the correct combination."

I listened to all of this with growing shock and confusion. I didn’t think I was important. I thought being special meant I was a defect, but all of these?

Multiple mates? Soul-bonds? The power to destroy worlds? The information was overwhelming and terrifying.

Luna Alice sighed deeply and shook her head. "I really do hope they find that poor girl soon. Being on the run with such abilities, and for Eva’s sake. She lost it when her son died 14 years ago."

I held my breath as the memory of my twin brother surfaced.

Luna Alice’s face suddenly brightened. "Alright. Enough talk about Darian’s miseries. Who’s up for card games?"

As the family began organising entertainment for the rest of the afternoon, I sat in stunned silence, trying to hold back my smile.

I wasn’t just a runaway Alpha’s daughter hiding at an academy; I was a mythical creature with world-altering potential. I could destroy everything in one minute.

I felt so powerful.

My gaze strayed to Darian, who was looking at me again, and I held his gaze this time, until he turned away.

To think I was sitting at a table with the very person who was invested in making me his baby bank, completely unaware of my true identity.

The irony would have been amusing if it weren’t so absolutely terrifying.

"Hey, Eamon!" Darian called out to me suddenly, bringing an end to my 10 minutes of power. "Have you ever been to the palace?"

I knew at this point that he was getting bothered by the possibility that he might have seen me somewhere. His brain had finally convinced him that I looked familiar.

"No!" I shook my head, slowly lowering it. "I’ve never been outside of Duskveil pack. This is the first time I’m leaving home."

"Are you sure?" he asked again. "I could have sworn I’ve seen you in the palace before. Anyways," Darian rose to his feet. "I have to run now, and Marcus, you should bring Eamon when next you come to the Palace."