Jasper’s POV
I stood on the highest terrace of Moon Hidden Villa, the night wind carrying the chill of the lake as it brushed against my cheek. My gaze pierced through layers of forest and city lights, landing precisely on the noisy cafe terrace at Ivy University. Lila sat there, her back ramrod straight, like a stalk of green bamboo that wouldn’t bend in a storm. Across from her was that cousin of hers with arrogance written all over her eyes—Lilith Thorne.
I hadn’t sent anyone to eavesdrop, nor did I need any electronic devices. As the current Wolf King of the Hale family, my spiritual power was strong enough to cross several kiloters and establish a one-way ntal link with my most loyal Wolf Guard. It was an ancient gift, one that ca at the cost of a splitting headache and ntal exhaustion, but for her, it was worth it.
Right now, I was watching her through the eyes of the guard stationed on the street corner, listening through his ears. I could feel the guard’s heart race with nervousness, and I could also sense the aura emanating from Lila—a mixture of unease and resolve. It was a strange sensation, as if I were standing right behind her, silently protecting her.
"...Those paintings were impossible to sell. In the end, they had to be sold off cheaply to so gallery owner." Lilith’s voice was filled with undisguised contempt, like a dull knife slowly carving up Lila’s past.
I could see Lila’s fingers tighten slightly under the table, her knuckles turning white, yet the expression on her face was terrifyingly calm, even carrying a hint of polite detachnt. ’My little she-wolf is fighting her own way.’ She didn’t cry, didn’t beg, just calmly pressed on, "The gallery owner required a non-disclosure agreent? Why?"
My heart clenched, and I nearly rushed out to take her away. ’But she needs this process. She needs to prove to herself that she’s no longer the orphan who can be pushed around by anyone.’ I forced myself to calm down, suppressing the roiling emotions in my heart. ’She’s done enough. The remaining darkness is mine to handle.’
The mont I severed the ntal link, a sharp, piercing pain exploded from my temples. I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath, and suppressed the discomfort.
Back in my study, I walked straight to a hidden wall protected by a triple ancient seal. The wall had no handles or chanisms, only a bas-relief of a wolf’s head left by the first Wolf King, its eyes inlaid with long-faded Moonstones. I pressed my palm against the center of the wolf’s forehead. My Wolf King blood resonated with it, and with a dull rumble, the stone wall slowly slid open. It revealed a deep passage, from which a cold wind rushed out, carrying the mixed scent of musty parchnt, rust, and ancient blood.
This was the Hale family’s core archive, holding all secrets since the first Wolf King, including evidence of unspeakable cris. Candles lit up automatically, illuminating rows of oak bookshelves that reached to the vaulted ceiling. I walked to the deepest section, where the records concerning special bloodlines were kept.
I was looking for the files on the "Priests."
In the long history of the Wolf Clan, Priests were an even rarer existence than Royal Descendants. They were not known for their martial prowess, but for their ability to communicate with the Spirit of Nature and the Moon God. Through specific rituals, they could bless the entire clan, soothe the most frenzied Royal Descendants, and even heal wounds deep within the soul. But for the last hundred years, the Priest bloodline had died out, existing only in the drunken sighs of the elders.
I rummaged through the dust-covered scrolls, my fingertips brushing across pages of parchnt treated with a special potion, their touch cool and resilient. Finally, at the end of a fragnted scroll titled Moon Crown Chronicles, I found the na—Isolde Thorne.
The description that followed was simple, yet it made my blood run cold:
"...Daughter of Thorne, silver-eyed, of Priest blood. Exceptionally gifted, able to soothe the frenzy of a Royal Descendant."
My breath caught for an instant. Deep in my mory, a scene once blurred by high fever and intense pain suddenly sharpened into focus, every detail rendered with crystalline clarity.
It was the year I turned ten, my first rampage after inheriting the Royal Descendant bloodline. The beast within lost all control. Its fangs tore the inside of my mouth, and its claws gouged bone-deep wounds into my own arms. I was locked in the Stone Prison deep within the Forbidden Forest, my roars shaking the leaves from the trees. The elders were powerless, and the Great Elder had even signed a "Purification Order"—to execute , this dangerous monster, on the spot, lest I bring ruin to the entire clan.
On the eve of the execution, a heavily pregnant woman walked into the Forbidden Forest alone. She wore a simple white linen dress and was barefoot, her silver eyes shining like stars in the moonlight. She ignored the fully-ard guards surrounding the area and walked straight to the Stone Prison. The guards tried to stop her but were frozen in place by a single glance.
She didn’t speak, rely reached through the iron bars and gently placed her hand on my forehead. An indescribable, warm power instantly flooded my body, like a spring stream, gently but firmly washing away all the violence, pain, and despair. Under her soothing touch, the beast that had been rampaging inside let out a low whimper, lay down docilely, and finally fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke, I rembered nothing. All that remained was a feeling, and the faint, lingering scent in the air—a mixture of lilies and moonlight.
Only now did the mory of that night return. It was her. Isolde Thorne—Lila’s mother.
The realization left so shocked and heartbroken I could barely breathe. The gears of fate had started turning long ago, and I was only just now grasping the first thread.
I continued to search the archives, trying to find more clues about Isolde Thorne. However, the next few pages, which seed to contain key information, had been crudely torn out. The edges were jagged, a clear sign they had been ripped out in a hurry.
Derek.
The na slithered into my mind like a viper. No one else had the nerve, and no one else had the motive to tamper with the Hale family’s core archives. He was the Great Elder’s son, the family’s forr Guard Captain, and knew the layout of the archives and its seals like the back of his hand. And fifteen years ago was precisely when he had launched his rebellion to seize power.
My fists clenched, my nails digging so deep into my palms that beads of blood ford. If this was true, then the real mastermind behind Lila’s parents’ "car accident" was very likely Derek. He feared the power of the Priest bloodline—the power that could soothe and heal .
A cold killing intent spread through my chest, threatening to consu . But I couldn’t lose control. Lila was still out there. She needed a calm protector, not a beast driven by hatred.
I closed the Moon Crown Chronicles and returned it to its place. As I walked out of the archives, my phone vibrated. It was a ssage from Lila: "It’s . I found the first clue."
Her voice ca through the text, still calm, yet carrying a barely perceptible trace of exhaustion and excitent. I replied at once: "Well done, my little she-wolf. Now, co ho. We’ll unravel this puzzle together."
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