Dagen's POV
I arrived back at the pack with a sense of relief that was hard to describe. As I walked into the palace, the familiar faces of guards and servants greeted me. I could not get enough of the smell of home and the distinct musk of my pack. It had been a long journey with very tiresome events especially with Alpha George and the council after I had discovered those bodies in the valley and the houses built in a sorcerer's ring.
I was eager to catch up with Edvin, who I had instructed to help me make some important findings. I knew that he wasn't going to disappoint me with that.
"Edvin!" I called out as I stepped into the central hall. I had seen him standing afar off, talking to a maid. He turned to face me, a mixture of seriousness and relief etched on his features.
"Dagen, welcome back," he said, giving me a brief nod. "We need to talk."
"I figured as much," I replied, trying to gauge his mood. "What's the urgency?"
"Oh, it's nothing," Edvin said with a nonchalant wave. "Just some interesting tidbits I stumbled upon."
"Edvin, you wouldn't call it 'interesting tidbits' if it wasn't serious," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "Out with it."
"Patience, Dagen, patience," he said, chuckling as he led me to my quarters. "How have you been by the way?"
"Out with it."
"Can I not check up on his majesty any longer?" He gave me a boyish grin. "How are you doing Dagen? How did your trip go?"
"I am doing quite alright," I replied, rolling my eyes.
"How was the journey?"
"Tenuous. But it was quite alright as well, what do you have for me?"
"You would not ask about my well-being?" He asked with a teasing smile while raising his brows.
"I can see you right in front of me, Edvin," I sighed. "It is quite obvious that you are doing well."
"The physical state does not solely determine if a person is doing well. Who knows if I am having a battle within?"
"You have enough soldiers within you to battle whatever it is," I said with an eye roll.
"Says who?" He pouted. "Do you not care about me?"
"Absolutely not," I grinned. "I only care about the information you have for me."
"Why do I do this to myself?" He asked, furrowing his brows.
We settled into my study, and he handed me a drink that I was sure he had asked the maid to prepare beforehand. I took it gratefully, though my mind was already racing with questions. Taking a sip, I sighed in relief as the cold fruit drink hit my tongue. It was what I really needed.
"So, what did you find?" I asked, trying to keep my impatience in check.
"Oh, you know, just the usual," he said, taking a slow sip of his own drink. "A little bit of this, a little bit of that. By the way, how was your journey back?"
"Edvin," I said, my tone a warning. "Stop stalling. You've asked this before."
He laughed, leaning back in his chair. "Alright, alright. You're no fun, you know that?"
"Just get to the point," I urged, feeling my frustration build.
"Fine," he said, setting his drink down. "I've been digging into Regina and Alpha George."
"And?" I prompted, leaning forward.
"And there's more to their story than we initially thought," he said, pausing dramatically.
"Edvin," I growled. "If you don't start making sense, I swear I'll—"
"Alright, alright," he interrupted, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I just wanted to see how long you could keep your cool."
"Not very long, as you can see," I muttered. "Now spill," I said through gritted teeth, leaning into the table menacingly.
He sighed, shaking his head with a smile. "Regina," he began, "is believed to be Alpha George’s illegitimate daughter."
I stared at him, processing the information. "Illegitimate daughter? How did you find this out?"
"Well, it's a bit of a tangled web," Edvin admitted, leaning forward. "Apparently, Alpha George maltreated her and blamed her for poisoning his Beta. That's why she ran away."
"Poisoning his Beta?" I repeated, trying to piece everything together. "Did she actually do it?"
Edvin shook his head, a serious expression replacing his usual teasing demeanor. "It doesn't seem likely. George claims Regina is the result of his affair with a maid. But here's where it gets interesting. The maid in question is Marilyn."
"Marilyn?" I asked, frowning. The name seemed familiar, but I couldn't place it immediately.
"Yes," Edvin confirmed, leaning back in his chair. "And I don't think it's a coincidence that Marilyn is the twin sister of King Napoleon."
"Wait," I said, my mind racing. "King Napoleon's twin sister?"
Edvin nodded, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Exactly. Although there’s no record of a Rowan in the Blood Moon pack, there is a record of a Rowan marrying Princess Marilyn of the Dark Moon clan."
"That’s quite a connection," I said, feeling the gravity of the situation. "But why are there no records of Marilyn in the Blood Moon pack?"
"It's suspicious," Edvin agreed. "All records of Marilyn are hushed, even in the Dark Moon clan. It also happens that on the night of the full red moon, Regina was implicated for murder."
"That's too much of a coincidence," I murmured, feeling a chill run down my spine. "Have you found out where Regina is now?"
Edvin nodded, taking another slow sip of his drink. I could tell he was enjoying drawing this out, but at least he was getting to the point. "I have. King Napoleon welcomed a lady named Regina into his palace, introducing her to his court as his niece."
I stared at Edvin, trying to process everything. Regina was not only royal due to her ties with Alpha George but also had royal blood through Marilyn. The information was shocking.
"Edvin, you can't just drop a bomb like that and expect me to stay calm," I said, trying to rein in my emotions. "How reliable is this information?"
"Very reliable," Edvin said. "When has the information I've provided you with not been reliable?" He asked with a smile.