Chapter 263

Iris's POV

"Enough!"

This voice wasn't loud, but it had a peculiar piercing quality that seemed to cut through the chaos like a silver blade through flesh.

What surprised me most was how every fighting werewolf almost simultaneously froze mid-action, even the enraged Beta. I used this brief respite to glance around, spotting K standing at the entrance to the plaza with a tall, elegant woman beside him. Even in the dim firelight, I could sense the extraordinary aura she emanated—a composure and confidence like a predator returning to her territory.

When this woman stepped into the area illuminated by firelight, my heart nearly stopped beating—that face, those eyes, those distinctive high cheekbones and slightly upturned lips... I had seen them countless times in photographs and would never mistake them. "This can't be..." I whispered, feeling my legs weaken beneath me. Standing there was, impossibly, my mother, Lily Lowell.

Sudden whispers erupted around me, and I caught fragments of shocked conversations among nearby pack members: "That's... how is it possible?" "Isn't she supposed to be dead?" "It's Lily, definitely her..." These broken sentences confirmed I wasn't hallucinating; others recognized her too.

I noticed the raiders—Beta's followers—their expressions shifting from rage to terror and disbelief. Someone whispered, "The dead have returned? How is this possible?" Their reaction confused me even more—they seemed to know my mother and believed her dead. It was all too strange; I felt dizzy with a thousand questions swirling in my mind.

Lily—my mother—walked toward the center of the plaza with composed dignity, each step carrying an indescribable authority and power. I couldn't take my eyes off her, my emotions a storm of surprise, confusion, doubt, and even anger—if she had been alive all this time, why had she never contacted me? Why let me believe she was gone?

As she approached, I noticed almost everyone instinctively stepping back, making way for her. Only Beta remained standing, dangerous light flickering in his eyes, though even he showed no intention of continuing his attack.

Mother stopped in the plaza's center, her gaze sweeping over everyone before finally resting on me. In that moment, our eyes locked, and an indescribable connection surged through my body. I saw complex emotions in her eyes—relief, pride, and a hint of regret. This was no illusion or impostor; every cell in my body told me this was my mother.

"Lily Lowell..." I said the name softly, my voice trembling with emotion. I wanted to step forward but instinctively hesitated—too many questions blocked my throat, leaving me uncertain how to react.

Sebastien, now back in human form, moved to my side, protectively standing next to me. "Who is she?" he asked quietly, his voice filled with wariness, but I could sense his confusion—he had clearly noticed my unusual response.

"She's... my mother," I could barely believe I was saying these words. "But she should have been..." I couldn't finish the sentence as the reality before me was overturning everything I'd believed for years.

Dina, standing nearby, looked at me in shock. "Your mother? You never mentioned she was still alive." Her voice held both doubt and concern, obviously worried this might be some trap.

Before I could respond, the whispers around us grew clearer. I caught nearby werewolves discussing: "She was Luna's closest friend..." "The Northern Queen's right hand..." "Everyone thought she died after that battle..." These disconnected information fragments confused me further—what connection did my mother have with the Northern European pack? Who was Luna? Why did they all seem to know her?

An older female werewolf nearby murmured, "Lily and Luna were like sisters..." Someone replied, "Yes, after that bloody battle, Luna died, and Lily disappeared... everyone thought..." These conversations made me realize how little I knew about my mother's past. My heart raced, and I felt a strange vertigo—as if my life story was being rewritten while I watched helplessly.

Mother seemed to notice my confusion, her expression softening. However, instead of explaining anything to me, she turned toward the grim-faced Beta: "Erik, you have disappointed me." Simple words, yet filled with deep reproach, and the familiar way she addressed Beta by name further confirmed her close connection to the Northern European pack.

Beta's expression grew even darker, his muscles visibly tense.

My mother reached into her pocket and withdrew an object—a seemingly simple silver bracelet. When she raised it, the silver gleamed in the moonlight illuminating her face, and in that moment, her expression was solemn and reverent, as if performing a sacred ritual.

The moment this bracelet appeared, gasps echoed across the plaza. "Luna's token!" someone cried out, their voice mixing disbelief and reverence. I heard people around me begin to whisper excitedly, their voices trembling: "That's Luna's token, I recognize that pattern!" "How does she possess it?" "Did Luna give it to her before dying?"

I examined the bracelet carefully and noticed it shared a similar design with the token on my wrist, though the details differed—my token bore a wolf pattern, while my mother's featured a moon symbol. They seemed to be a pair, complementary yet independent.

K had somehow appeared beside me and explained quietly: "That's Luna's token, the symbol of the Northern European pack's highest female leader. It's a pair with your Alpha token." His voice was low, meant only for me. "In pack tradition, Alpha and Luna together form the complete leadership core."

Mother raised Luna's token high, her voice clear and strong: "People of the Northern European pack, Luna entrusted this token to me with her dying breath. For years, I've honored her request, waiting for the right time to bring it back. Today, I see the Alpha token on my daughter's wrist—this is destiny's design, the beginning of a new era."

Her words caused a stir across the plaza. I watched the elders exchange glances, their expressions showing both surprise and a kind of relief, as if a long-standing mystery had finally been solved. The younger pack members looked bewildered, clearly knowing little of this history.

Mother turned to me, expectation in her eyes: "Iris, show your token."