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Chapter 215
~Valerie’s POV~
"Hello, son."
The words rang louder than the towering space they echoed through.
His silver hair shimred in the ambient light, streaked with rich violet at the base, just like mine. Long, sleek, flowing behind him like living silk.
His face bore a rare smile.
And for a second, I was six again, watching him descend the stairs, equal parts terrified and in awe.
He walked down slowly. His energy rolled in the room like steady waves—not loud, not hostile, but heavy enough to remind exactly who he was.
When he reached , he didn’t hesitate and pulled into a hug.
A real one.
"Hello, son," he murmured again, this ti softer.
I let him hold .
It wasn’t often he did, and we both knew it.
"Hey, Dad," I mumbled against his shoulder before stepping back. "Still dramatic, I see."
My Dad chuckled. "It’s not drama if it’s a well-earned presence."
I raised a brow. "You rehearse that line?"
He smirked. "Every morning."
With a wave of his hand, he gestured to the hallway. "You must be hungry. Co, let’s have breakfast. I had the staff keep sothing warm."
There was no arguing with my old man, and I nodded as he led towards the dining hall.
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The dining room was, as usual, ridiculous. A long stretch of obsidian and pearl, golden arches framing the windows.
Light filtered in from enchanted glass, warming the whole space. A small, more intimate table had been set instead of the ceremonial one.
I took my seat across from him as a maid floated over, setting plates before us—stead bread, buttered greens, citrus slices, and seared at I hadn’t tasted in months.
"You’ve grown," he said as we began to eat. "More controlled like a man now."
I eye-rolled and shrugged. I literally grew in my dad’s eyes anyti he spends a little ti away from . "Maybe. Still figuring that part out."
"Hm." He smiled faintly. "Have you seen your mother this morning?"
I paused, shaking my head. "No. Is she in?"
"She left early. Said she had sothing to look into."
Typical. She moved through the world like a shadow sotis. A mystery even to .
Conversation settled into silence while we ate—until he broke it, as I knew he would. And honestly, I had been waiting for him to because, here was no way he did not know things happen in the werewolf kingdom.
"So..." Dad’s tone turned casual. Too casual. "Have you found your mate yet?"
I nearly choked on the citrus.
I wiped my mouth with a napkin, staring at him across the table. "No," I answered, giving nothing away. "The heavens haven’t blessed yet."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "That so?"
I just chewed.
"Then..." he leaned back with a knowing grin, "do you like anyone at least?"
I froze. He noticed? Or did I give sothing away?
Dad chuckled, that rare smug amusent dancing across his royal features. "Ah... I see. My son has fallen in love. So this is why you ca ho. To ask your father for advice on won."
I rolled my eyes. "If I wanted advice about won, no offence, Dad... I wouldn’t co to you."
His smile dropped half an inch. "Then who would you go to?"
I shrugged. "No one."
From the corner of the room, a short laugh escaped.
I turned to see Varian, my father’s shadow and his most trusted right-hand man, fighting back a grin as he stood with his arms folded.
"Varian," Dad said, eyes narrowing. "What exactly is so funny?"
"My apologies, Your Majesty," Varian said with an exaggerated bow. "But I believe your ageless advice might not hold up well in this modern, tech-heavy world of dating."
Dad rolled his eyes and tossed a grape at him—missed, of course.
"Oh well," he muttered before turning to again. "So tell then. Why did you co ho, if not for girl trouble?"
"Well, your dad ainm’t wrong. He knows you like the back of his hand. You need to cease this chance and ask about Valerie," Zyler advised.
I ignored him briefly and focused on the conversation with Dad. "I am enjoying the werewolf school," I said carefully. "But there’s sothing else. Sothing I need to confirm."
His gaze sharpened. "What is it?"
I pushed my chair back after stealing three grapefruits into my mouth and chewed. "Can we take a walk?"
Dad looked to Varian briefly, then nodded. "Sure."
He turned back to Varian and added, "Page when anything cos up."
"As you wish, Your Majesty."
Varian dipped his head to my father, and I gave a nod as we walked off, but not before snatching the newly brought grapefruit I had taken from .
Dad didn’t say anything since he knew I was a sucker for grapes and fell silent beside as I ate.
We didn’t say anything as we strolled through the halls and down the veranda steps.
The garden was as massive as I rembered, stretching like an erald sea, perfectly manicured and echoing old-world magic.
But I needed more than just words now.
I exhaled and let the change ripple through as soon as I finished eating my grapes. My body shimred with power, bones shifting, magic surging—and in seconds, I stood in my magnificent form.
My true form.
Sleek black scales shimred along my shoulders and arms. My eyes glowed faint violet, and faintly translucent wings laced with gold veins flicked out and then curled close behind .
My claws dug softly into the gravel.
Dad stopped, watched and then, without hesitation, transford as well.
Where mine was slightly leaner than his but quite agile, his was massive and regal. The platinum and violet of his heritage burned through his skin like molten steel, his wings wider and laced with runes older than this kingdom.
He looked like a king even without a crown.
And finally, as dragon to dragon, son to father, we flew up into the sky to a place I knew no dragon could hear us, away from our thoughts and mind link and asked...
I asked the question that had been haunting since the first mont Valerie smiled.
"Tell the truth," I said quietly, voice nearly carried away by the wind.
"Is Valerie Nightshade my half-sister?"
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