Chapter 78: Buried Truths

Mariana’s POV

The archives were silent, the kind of silence that held secrets. Dust clung to the heavy tomes lining the stone walls, their spines cracked with age. The lanterns cast flickering shadows as Alexander and I moved deeper into the underground chamber, the scent of parchment and ink filling the air.

“We don’t have much time,” Alexander muttered, scanning the shelves with sharp eyes. “If the council’s been hiding something, it’ll be in these records.”

I pulled a thick ledger from the nearest shelf, my fingers leaving streaks in the dust. “What exactly are we looking for?”

“Bloodlines,” he said grimly. “If someone is claiming to be the ‘true heir,’ they’d have to come from the original ruling family.”

I swallowed hard. Marion had taken the throne by force—he wasn’t the rightful Alpha by blood. But the words in the journal haunted me. The true heir will rise. The false crown will fall.

Alexander pulled an old, leather-bound book from the highest shelf. He flipped through the pages quickly, his movements tense.

“This is it,” he murmured. “The original Alpha bloodline.”

I stepped closer, scanning the names. My breath caught.

One name was circled.

Lucian Voss.

I looked up at Alexander. “Who is he?”

His jaw tightened. “Marion’s older brother.”

The air in the room shifted, thick with tension.

I shook my head. “That’s not possible. Marion didn’t have a brother. If he did—”

“He was erased,” Alexander said darkly. “Struck from the records, his existence buried.” He turned the page, revealing a hastily scribbled note in the margins.

“Exiled. Fate unknown.”

My heart pounded. “If he was exiled… he could still be alive.”

Alexander’s gaze met mine, filled with unspoken understanding. “And if he is—”

“Then we’re not just dealing with a rebellion,” I finished. “We’re dealing with a rightful claim to the throne.”

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

The true heir had returned.

And our war was far from over.

The words on the page blurred as my mind reeled. Lucian Voss. A name I had never heard before, yet it carried the weight of a ghost long buried.

Alexander’s fingers tightened around the book, his jaw clenched so hard I thought it might crack. “If Lucian is alive… he has more than just a claim,” he murmured. “He has a right to challenge me for the throne.”

A cold dread settled in my stomach. “Do you think that’s what’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” Alexander admitted. “But if the council knew about this, if they’ve been hiding it—” He exhaled sharply, closing the book with a thud. “It explains the unrest, the whispers, the way they’re waiting.”

Waiting for a shift in power. Waiting for the true heir to take his place.

My mind raced. “If he’s been exiled all this time, why now? Why come back after Marion’s fall instead of before?”

“Because now the throne is weak,” Eva’s voice came from the entrance.

I turned sharply, my pulse spiking. I hadn’t even heard her come in. She stepped forward, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

“I did some digging,” she continued. “The council is restless, but there’s more. Some of our scouts caught wind of a figure moving between rogue packs. Someone powerful. Someone with connections.”

Alexander’s grip on the book tightened. “Lucian.”

Eva nodded. “If it’s him, he’s been building support from the outside. And if he’s got a faction within the pack already on his side…”

“He won’t need an army to take the throne,” I whispered. “Just enough influence to turn our own people against us.”

The implications settled like a heavy weight between us.

Alexander ran a hand down his face, frustration bleeding into his voice. “We need to confirm this. If Lucian Voss is alive, if he’s the one behind this, we need to know before he makes his move.”

Eva’s gaze flickered toward me. “That means getting ahead of the council.”

I straightened. “How?”

“By forcing their hand.” She smirked, but there was no humor in it. “If they’ve been hiding a secret heir, they won’t be able to keep it quiet if we bring the fight to them.”

Alexander nodded slowly. “A council summons. We make them speak in front of the pack.”

A public challenge. A demand for the truth.

It was dangerous, reckless even. But if we didn’t act soon, we’d be fighting a war we didn’t even understand.

I met Alexander’s gaze. “Then we don’t wait.”

The decision was made.

By sunrise, the council would have no choice but to answer.

And if Lucian Voss was coming for the throne…

We would be ready.