Chapter 8 CHAPTER 8
Ava's POV
I woke to sunlight streaming through Marcus's bedroom windows and the sound of angry voices in the living room. Marcus's arm was still wrapped around my waist, his body warm against my back. The mate bond hummed contentedly between us, but the raised voices made my wolf alert.
"You have no right to be here," Marcus's voice carried through the door.
"I have every right. I'm family," Nathan responded, sounding amused. "Besides, I brought breakfast. Fresh pastries from that bakery Luna Ava loves on Fifth Street."
My blood ran cold. How did he know about my favorite bakery?
Marcus must have felt my tension because his arm tightened around me. "You're awake," he murmured against my neck.
"How does Nathan know about the bakery?" I whispered.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." He pressed a kiss to my shoulder before getting up. "Stay here. Let me deal with him."
But I was already reaching for my clothes. "We're partners, remember? We deal with things together."
His eyes softened. "Together," he agreed.
We walked out to find Nathan sitting casually on the couch, a spread of pastries on the coffee table. My father sat across from him, looking uncomfortable.
"Dad?" I stared at him in shock. "What are you doing here?"
"Ava, sweetheart." He stood, wringing his hands. "We need to talk."
"Yes, we do," Nathan said cheerfully. "About so many things. Like why Joseph here has been hiding the truth about your mother."
"What truth?" My voice was sharper than intended.
My father's face paled. "Ava, this isn't the time—"
"Oh, I think it's the perfect time," Nathan interrupted. "Tell her, Joseph. Tell her about her mother's bloodline. Tell her why you've been suppressing her wolf all these years with those special vitamins you've been giving her."
The room went deadly quiet. I stared at my father, my mind racing. "What is he talking about?"
"Those aren't vitamins," Marcus said slowly, his eyes never leaving my father.
"They're suppressants. Wolf suppressants mixed with something else. I can smell it now."
My legs felt weak. I sank onto the nearest chair. "Dad?"
My father's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Your mother wasn't just any wolf, Ava. She was Lycan royalty. The last princess of the Silvermoon bloodline. When she died, you became the heir to a power that many would kill for."
"And you hid it from me?"
"I was protecting you! If other packs knew what you were, they would have taken you. Used you. Forced you to mate with their strongest wolves to create powerful heirs."
"So you drugged me instead?" My voice was rising, anger and betrayal mixing into something explosive. "You let me think I was weak? Let everyone treat me like an ordinary wolf?"
"It was for your safety—"
"No!" I stood, power suddenly surging through me. The suppressants must be wearing off because I could feel it now—something ancient and powerful stirring in my blood.
"You had no right!"
The windows rattled. Everyone took a step back, even Nathan looked surprised.
"Fascinating," Nathan murmured. "The suppressants are breaking down faster than expected. Must be the mate bond accelerating things."
Marcus moved to my side, his hand on my lower back. The touch grounded me, helped me pull back the power that wanted to explode outward.
"How long have you known?" Marcus asked Nathan.
"Years. The Silvercrest Pack has extensive records on bloodlines. When I learned I had a twin in Moonvalley, I researched everything about the pack. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the supposedly ordinary Ava Montgomery was actually werewolf royalty in hiding."
"Is that why you're here?" I asked. "For my bloodline?"
Nathan's silver eyes gleamed. "Among other things. You see, a Lycan princess can choose any mate she wants, bond or no bond. The old laws are very clear about that. And with your power combined with my billions..." He trailed off suggestively.
"She's already mated," Marcus growled.
"Is she though?" Nathan stood, moving closer. "A bond formed under false pretenses, while she was still suppressed? The Lycan Council might have something to say about that."
"What Council?" I demanded.
"The one that's been in hiding for fifty years," my father said quietly. "The one that will come out of hiding if they learn you exist."
"Which they will," Nathan said. "I've already sent word. They'll be here within the week to verify your bloodline and ensure you're being treated according to your station."
Marcus lunged for him, but I caught his arm. "Don't. That's what he wants."
"Smart girl," Nathan said. "Though I prefer woman. You're definitely all woman, aren't you, Ava?"
The way he said my name made my skin crawl and my wolf snarl.
"Get out," I said coldly. "Now."
"Of course. But think about what I've said. You have options now. You don't have to settle for the first wolf who showed you attention after rejection." He headed for the door, then paused. "Oh, and Joseph? The Lycan Council will want to discuss your crime of suppressing royal blood. The punishment for that is... severe."
After he left, the silence was suffocating.
"Twenty-five years," I said to my father. "You drugged me for twenty-five years."
"The suppressants were meant to wear off gradually after you mated," he said desperately. "I thought when you married Garry, they would fade naturally, and your power would emerge slowly, safely."
"But I didn't marry Garry."
"No. And the shock of the rejection, combined with the sudden mate bond with Marcus—it's breaking them down too fast. Your power is going to surge, Ava. And I don't know if you're ready."
I laughed bitterly. "Whose fault is that?"
Marcus's phone rang before anyone could respond. He answered with a curt, "What?"
His face darkened as he listened. "We'll be right there."
"What is it?" I asked.
"There's been an attack at the pack's main warehouse. Millions in damage. And they left a message."
"What message?"He showed me his phone. Written in what looked like blood on the warehouse wall were the words: "The Luna belongs to Silvercrest."