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Chapter 16
~Jade’s POV~
Xander did not explain further. He walked away, leaving with my thoughts.
"Jade!" Isadora’s voice pulled from my thoughts. She beckoned over, reminding of class.
The first few classes breezed through, and luckily for , I avoided any trouble. The bell rang, signalling the break period. Since Isadora and I had different last classes before the break period, I did not see her and headed there on my own.
Just as I was about to step inside, I heard her call my na and waited. She bridged the gap between us, looking all giddy and shy in her cute, round glasses, straight blonde hair, and perfect uniform.
The cafeteria was louder than usual.
Isadora hovered beside at the entrance, eyes darting around like she expected soone to pounce. That and the way she gripped her bag gave her away.
We took our food tray, followed the line and got our servings. Still, her nerves were on high alert.
"Relax," I said quietly, as we made our way towards the sitting area. "No one is going to topple you over. Let’s find sowhere to sit."
She grimaced. "Easy for you to say. You’re not the one whose best friend just got publicly claid by three Alphas."
I rolled my eyes. "Co on."
She sighed dramatically but followed to the table, sliding into the seat opposite .
"Okay," she said, lowering her voice while I neatly arranged my cutlery set, which did not go unnoticed by her.
"Old habits," I muttered, instantly regretting doing so.
"Nah huh... that’s a new habit, Jade. Old habit was my nerdy best friend who ate with a fork or a spoon, not this... ga Queen Bee."
Isadora was right. But having Lady Ember’s lessons drilled into you... This beca the new . "It’s hard to explain."
"Maybe. But you are my best friend. Now, tell everything I missed right from when we last saw each other on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve."
I poked at my food. "Everything?"
"Yes. Everything."
I hesitated, then sighed. "I found my mates. And my real family." I made it as vague as I could. She was my bestie, but I didn’t want to expose my real identity just yet.
Her fork clattered onto the tray.
"Your what?" she hissed. "Jade, you can’t just say that and move on."
"I’m trying," I muttered. "It’s just... a lot."
"Try faster," she said. "Because I’m dying over here."
I smiled weakly, setting my cutlery down. "I’ll tell you. Just not all at once."
She leaned back in her chair, studying . "Your life just flipped upside down, didn’t it?"
I nodded. "It did, but for the better."
By the ti I got ho, I wasn’t expecting anything really. I was exhausted from the endless whispers going on and... my mates.
Still, I was glad to be in my comfort zone, away from all the endless royal affairs.
I drew in a deep breath, my chest rising and falling as I exhaled. "Ho feels..." I paused, taking a whiff of the compound, when suddenly my eyes snapped open.
I tossed my bag and ran inside the house, my heart thudding wildly in my chest.
"Mom." I flung the entrance door wide, rushing into the living room as I scread out for her. "Mom!"
"Kitchen," Javelin inford , and I dashed for the door to the kitchen. However, the second my fingers touched the handle, it was pulled back.
I lost my footing and fell face forward on the person coming out.
"Jade?" The voice cracked, and before I could register, arms were around , warm and shaking. My mother’s chest pressed against mine, her tears soaking my hair.
"Mom... I—" My voice broke, and I choked on the words.
She held tighter, and for a second, I just let myself breathe in her scent. After a long minute of hugging, I wiped my tears and tried to pull back, but Alanna—my mum, as I was allowed to call her—held even tighter.
For a long mont, we just sat there on the floor, letting the embrace speak for both of us. My chest ached, my throat felt raw, and yet the words I wanted to say refused to co.
I rested my head against her shoulder, staring at the tiled floor. "Your travels," I said quietly. "How were they?"
"They were good," she replied after a pause. "It was long and... enlightening."
I nodded, even though sothing tight twisted in my chest. "You didn’t call."
Her breath hitched. "I got lost, Jade. Things happened and... I was stranded a bit. To add to my problem, my trip was extended longer than I intended. I didn’t know what to do sotis."
Lost.
I let the word sit between us. For a month, I had been lost too, thrown into training, expectations, danger, and silence. But no one had asked if I was coping.
I nodded slowly, but a knot ford in my stomach. I wanted to be glad she was ho, to celebrate her return, but the excuses and the half-truths made it hard.
"You didn’t worry about ?" I asked.
"You’re a big girl, Jade. I knew you could take care of yourself."
The words stung more than I expected. Big enough to survive alone. Not important enough to check on.
I exhaled slowly. "If I’m such a big girl," I said, "then why didn’t you ever tell I was adopted?"
Her eyes widened.
"Why didn’t you tell you didn’t give birth to ?" My voice rose despite myself. "Why let believe my father was dead? Why let grow up thinking I had no one?"
She opened her mouth, then closed it again. Fear and guilt crossed her face.
I laughed softly, bitterly, then pulled back slightly, enough to look her in the eyes."Do you know how humiliating it is to find out the truth from strangers instead of the woman who raised you?"
Alanna shook her head, her own eyes glistening. "Baby..."
I held up my palm, and the pure look of shock made sothing twisted inside , jubilant. "I found out who my parents are," I half smirked, holding back the tears, "the Lycan King and Queen."
She stiffened. She wasn’t expecting that reveal.
"Everyone thinks it’s so kind of miracle," I continued, the words spilling out now. "Like I should be grateful. Like I won so prize."
My hands trembled, and all the emotions I had managed to suppress began to roll out. "But no one asked if I wanted this... If I was ready. I was just... picked up and dropped into a life filled with expectations, politics, and probably enemies who want gone."
My voice cracked. "I was trained, Mom. Pushed even. And I had to stand there and accept it because apparently, that’s my duty."
I swallowed hard. "All of that was bearable. Even when the DNA test result that had been secretly carried was revealed, that I was indeed the King’s daughter, I held on with the thought that yes, finally I would either et or know about my birth mum. Still, my father won’t even tell why my mother gave up. Am I..."
The air in my lungs suddenly felt drawn out, and my chest tightened. My thoughts swirled, and all my unsettled emotions ca rushing back.
"Did they not want ? Was I unwanted because I was a girl or...?"
The tear she had been holding back rolled down her cheek. "Shhh..."
I sniffed, not sure if she was the one who needed comforting or if I was the one in need of it.
Still, I deliberately left out anything about my mates, the supposedly only good thing to co out of all this.
"I always knew you weren’t from a common family, thanks to your birthmark, but..." she hesitated.
Instinctively, I lowered my gaze to my chest and reached for the top of my cleavage between my breasts, where my star and crescent moon-shaped birthmark lay.
Thankfully, aside from my birth parents and Alanna, no one knew I had that birthmark.
I could feel the fear rolling off her as she chose her words carefully. "I just... I never once thought you’d be a royal. I am so sorry you had to face all those alone..."
Her words were heavy but comforting, even if they didn’t erase the ache I felt. "I... I want to know everything," I murmured.
She nodded, her hand holding mine. "How did you end up with when my dad was still alive?"
Her lips quivered as she recounted the story. "I found you on a road, crying. I had just broken up with my boyfriend, and... I don’t even know why, but I knew you were ant to be mine. I wanted to urinate in the bushes, and I heard your cries. I... I couldn’t leave you there."
She nodded quickly. "Yes. I applied for adoption as fast as I could."
"Why didn’t you try searching for my parents?’
Alanna shook her head. "Call selfish... but a child left in the middle of nowhere? It felt like your parents didn’t want to be found."
The honesty hurt, but it was the first real thing she’d said all day. Sensing the hurt she had unknowingly caused, she shook her head.
"But mostly... I just wanted you to be safe, loved, and protected. I wanted you to be mine."
She brushed my hair back as she wiped my cheek. "I’m sorry you had to find out this way."
I looked at her, and then an uncontrollable rage and hurt I had tried to calm surged within . Was she sorry? Did she an it?
"Mom... were you ever going to tell ?"
Alanna hesitated before she shook her head. "Not until you were older."
Her words struck a wrong chord in my head. "How much older?" I snapped. "I deserved to know!"
"I was scared!" she sobbed. "Scared you’d leave for them. I didn’t know how a Queen could give up her only heir, Jade... but I never saw you as unwanted. Never."
"Well, congratulations," I whispered, more tears streaming. "You were right to be scared... because it hurts. I spent my whole life trying not to exist too loudly. And now everyone’s expecting I know how to be important."
Her hands shook as she reached for mine. "That’s why I didn’t tell you. It takes more than birthing a child to make a family. You... you are my child. I want you to know that I love you. I want you. Always."
I choked back a sob, standing up abruptly, and taking a step back. My chest felt tight. I needed air, distance... anything.
But her arms wrapped around in a warm embrace before I could step away, pulling back down.
I resisted for half a second. Then everything I had been holding back shattered.
"I love you, Jade. You’re mine. Blood has nothing to do with it."
My hands moved on their own, wrapping around her arms, clutching her as though she might disappear again. She held tighter while ssy, uncontrolled sobs stread out of .
"I didn’t ask for any of this," I cried. "I just wanted my mom."
"I know. And I’m here now."
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