Lost Princess

My world tilts on its axis as I grip the edge of Jacob's mahogany desk, my knuckles turning white. The familiar scent of old books and coffee that usually brings comfort to his office now seems suffocating. The words echo in my head like a broken record: princess, heir, Crater Royal pack.

"I… I don't understand," I stammer, looking between Killian's stoic face and James's tear-filled eyes. The afternoon sun streaming through the window catches the silver in James's hair, making him look older, more vulnerable than I've ever seen him.

Killian steps forward, his presence both commanding and gentle. "Your mother, Mya, wasn't just any wolf, River. She was the Crown Princess of the Crater Pack, one of the most powerful werewolf bloodlines in North America." His voice carries weight, history, and something else – regret, perhaps?

The room seems to spin as fragments of memories flash through my mind: my mother's graceful movements, the way other wolves would sometimes look at her with a mixture of awe and reverence, the strange medallion she always wore but never explained.

"But she died…" I whisper, the words catching in my throat. "We lived in a tiny apartment, barely making ends meet. How could she have been…?"

James moves closer, his familiar scent carrying traces of pine and sadness. "She was hiding you, protecting you. There was an attempted coup twenty years ago. Everyone thought both of you had been killed in the attack." He pulls out an old photograph from his jacket pocket, hands trembling slightly as he passes it to me.

I stare at the image: a younger version of my mother, wearing an intricate silver crown, standing proudly in front of a massive stone castle nestled in what appears to be a crater. My fingers trace her face, noting the similarities to my own – the same high cheekbones, the distinctive amber eyes.

"Your grandmother, Queen Anna, is on her way here," Killian says softly.

The office air grew thick with tension as generations of secrets unraveled before my eyes. I could feel the weight of my grandfather's presence, his massive frame casting shadows across the mahogany desk that suddenly seemed too small for the magnitude of this revelation. The truth about my mother, long buried under years of carefully crafted lies, was finally clawing its way to the surface.

"That drunk bastard," my grandfather's voice rumbled like distant thunder, each word dripping with decades of pain and rage. His fingers gripped the desk's edge, knuckles white with restraint. "He stole her away, made us believe you were both dead."

I hadn't noticed Thomas lurking in the corner until his shadow shifted. My heart stuttered, instinct pulling me backward despite the considerable distance between us. Killian's arm found its way around my waist, his touch anchoring me in the storm of emotions threatening to sweep me away. His warmth reminded me that I wasn't alone anymore, not like before.

Carter's unexpected laugh cut through the tension like a knife, his words sending ice through my veins. "Alpha James is going to kill you when he finds out you hurt his granddaughter." The casual way he delivered this bomb made it all the more devastating.

Thomas's face drained of color so quickly I thought he might faint. The realization that he had not only betrayed my mother but had raised his hand against the granddaughter of an Alpha – one of the most powerful werewolf leaders in the territory – seemed to finally sink in.

My grandfather's responding growl wasn't just sound; it was pure power, rattling the windows and shaking family photos on the walls. "What?" The single word carried the weight of a death sentence.

I watched as Thomas, ever the coward, bolted from the room like a rabbit before a wolf. Carter's laughter echoed down the hallway, but I barely heard it over the rushing in my ears. Everything I thought I knew about my past had been a carefully constructed lie, and now the truth was unraveling with the force of an avalanche.

Standing there, protected by Killian's embrace and my grandfather's rage, I realized that sometimes the most terrifying monsters aren't the ones with fangs and claws – they're the ones who weave webs of lies so thick that entire lives can be lost within them.

The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees as Killian and I made our way to the forest's edge. My heart raced with anticipation – not from nervousness, but from the pure excitement radiating from Athena within me. After everything I'd learned today about my royal heritage, shifting into my wolf form felt like the only thing that made sense anymore.

"Ready, Princess?" Killian teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief. I playfully shoved his shoulder, still not used to the title.

"Call me that again, and I'll have Athena bite Ace's tail," I threatened with a grin.

We separated behind different trees to shift. The transformation was becoming more natural now, like slipping into a favorite sweater. I felt my bones reshape, my skin tingle as fur sprouted, and suddenly I was standing on four legs instead of two. Athena's consciousness merged with mine, her joy bubbling through our shared being.

A massive black wolf emerged from behind the other tree, his amber eyes finding mine immediately. Ace was magnificent – nearly twice Athena's size, with powerful muscles rippling beneath his midnight fur. Athena's excitement peaked, and before I could control it, we bounded forward, playfully nipping at Ace's ear before darting away.

Chase me, I challenged through our pack bond, surprising myself with the telepathic ability I didn't know I possessed.

Killian's wolf let out a playful growl that rumbled through the forest. We took off, weaving through trees, leaping over fallen logs, our paws barely touching the ground. The wind whipped through my silver-white fur, and for the first time since learning about my royal bloodline, I felt truly free.

We ran for what felt like hours, eventually stopping at a hidden meadow filled with wildflowers. As we lay there catching our breath, Ace gently nuzzled Athena's neck, causing my wolf to let out a contented purr.

You're full of surprises, little wolf, Killian's voice echoed in my mind. First a princess, now pack telepathy. What other secrets are you hiding?

I turned my wolf head toward him, violet eyes meeting amber. Stick around, and maybe you'll find out, I teased back, realizing that despite all the chaos and revelations, as long as I had this – the freedom to run, Killian by my side, and Athena in my soul – I could handle whatever came next.

Even if it meant being a princess.

My heart thundered against my ribcage as Killian's words sank in. "My mother… knew your mother?" The revelation hit me like a splash of ice water, instantly transforming our playful moment into something far more profound.

Killian's warm hands cupped my face, his forest-green eyes holding mine with an intensity that made my knees weak. "Yes, Luna. Your mother Mya and my mother Elena were inseparable during their youth. They were like sisters… until the night of the Great Division."

I stepped back, my mind reeling. The Great Division was a dark chapter in our pack's history, when internal conflicts tore families apart. My mother never spoke of her life before settling in the Northern territories. Now I understood why her eyes always held that shadow of unspoken grief.

My wolf, Athena, stirred within me, suddenly alert.