Chapter 162 Chapter 162

Chapter 162 Chapter 162
Taylor's POV

The celebration ended hours later, but Maria's revelation stayed in my chest like a stone the entire drive home, refusing to let the joy of the council's decision fully settle.

"Diane Foster is a real person," I said, once Maria and I finally sat down privately in the palace study, away from the lingering guests.

"My mom's actual friend. How does someone construct an entire fake identity around a real woman without her knowing?"

"That's exactly what I need to figure out," Maria said, already pulling up records on her tablet.

"Either the real Diane Foster has been compromised somehow, replaced or coerced, or 'Diane Foster' was never entirely real to begin with, constructed as a convenient cover identity for someone else to hide behind completely."

"You think someone's been using her name," I said slowly. "Like a mask."

"It fits the pattern we've seen all year," Maria said.

"McCall thought he was helping legitimate causes. Coach Dawson never fully understood who he answered to and Ramon spoke to a woman's voice he never saw in person. Every layer designed to protect whoever sits at the actual center of this."

I stayed with that, my mind circling back through everything, every encounter, every quiet conversation this past year with people I had trusted completely.

"Where do we even start looking?" I asked.

"I want to interview the real Diane Foster myself," Maria said.

"In person, carefully, without alerting whoever's using her identity that we're getting close."



We visited Diane's small apartment the next afternoon.

Maria posed casually as a pack administrator conducting routine security reviews, careful not to reveal the true depth of suspicion surrounding her name.

Diane welcomed us warmly, completely unaware of anything unusual, chatting easily about her work, her health, her ongoing friendship with my mother.

Nothing about her seemed expected or dangerous, just an ordinary woman living an ordinary life.

"Have you always used the same email for your survey work," Maria asked casually, midway through the visit.

"Oh, I actually had some trouble with that a couple years back," Diane said, laughing lightly.

"Someone hacked my old account, if you can believe it. I had to set up a whole new one. Silverline's team helped me through the process, actually, very kind of them considering it wasn't their fault at all."

Maria's expression remained carefully neutral, but I saw her grip tighten slightly around her tablet.

"Do you remember exactly when that happened?" Maria asked.

Diane thought for a moment. "Almost three years ago now, I think. Right around when I first started with the survey work."

We left shortly after, and the second we were back in the car, Maria let out a slow breath.

"Her account was compromised three years ago," she said. "Right at the exact start of the timeline Ramon gave us."

"So someone hijacked her identity from the very beginning," I muttered.

"Everything Diane's ever communicated through that email since then…."

"Wasn't actually her," Maria finished grimly.

"The real Diane Foster has no idea any of this has been happening. Whoever built this operation stole her name and used it as a shield for three full years."



Back at the palace, Maria dug deeper into the compromised account's activity logs, cross referencing login locations against everything else we'd gathered throughout the year.

"Most logins trace back to public networks, untraceable," she said, frustration evident in her voice.

"But there's a pattern in the timing. Every single message sent through this account arrives during specific windows, always avoiding times when certain palace events are scheduled."

"Meaning whoever's behind this has access to palace scheduling," I said slowly.

"Or is close enough to someone who does," Maria repeated.

I stood with that, an uncomfortable unease building steadily in my chest.

"That's a small circle of people, Maria."

"I know," she said quietly. "Which is exactly why I haven't shared this with anyone outside this room yet."



That evening, I found myself sitting with Hunter's mother, the Luna, during a quiet family dinner meant to celebrate the council's decision properly.

She had always been warm toward me, if a little distant compared to the Alpha King's more open affection.

Someone who carried herself with quiet, practiced grace through every crisis this year had thrown at the family.

"You must be relieved," she pressed gently, refilling my glass without being asked.

"After everything, finally having some good news to hold onto."

"I am," I muttered.

"Though I think I've learned this year that relief never lasts very long."

She smiled faintly, something unreadable behind her eyes.

"Wisdom earned the hard way," she said.

"I imagine you've had more of that kind of education than anyone your age should have to endure."

"You've watched this whole family go through so much too," I observed.

"The secrecy about Asher for so many years. Everything with Hunter and me. It must have been difficult for you as well."

Something changed briefly across her expression, gone almost before I understand it.

"More difficult than most people realize," she said quietly.

"Secrets have a way of costing everyone involved, Taylor. Sometimes in ways nobody anticipates until it's far too late to undo the damage."

I nodded, not thinking much of it at the time, simply grateful for a rare, quiet moment of connection amid everything else happening.

It wasn't until later that night, lying awake replaying the evening, that her words settled uneasily in my mind.

Secrets have a way of costing everyone involved. Sometimes in ways nobody anticipates until it's far too late to undo the damage.

I straighten up slowly, unease crawling cold through my chest.

I called Maria immediately, my voice was unsteady.

"The palace scheduling access," I said.

"Who actually has full visibility into the family's private calendar? Not just guards. Family itself."

Maria was quiet for a long moment on the other end of the line.

"The Alpha King," she said slowly.

"Hunter and Asher, now that they're recognized heirs." There was a pause, heavier this time.

"And the Luna, she's had complete access to every family schedule for over two decades."

I sat frozen in the dark, the pieces sliding together slowly, horribly, and understood that whatever answer waited at the end of this thread.

It was going to shatter this family far more completely than Kessler or Yvaine ever had.