Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 126: Erika's Lineage

**Erika’s POV**

I followed Alpha Corvin up the stone steps, my mind racing with thoughts and emotions. The battle we had just been in still felt like it was burning in my muscles. But it was what Carlo had just told me that really had me reeling - that we had a mate bond. I could still hear his voice in my head, and his words felt like they were branded into my skin. "I'm surprised you haven't felt it yet."

I clenched my fists, feeling a mix of emotions. I had felt something, a pull towards Carlo, but I had ignored it. And now I was wondering why my wolf hadn't told me anything about it. All it did was disturb me with its restlessness.

We walked into the packhouse, the heavy doors closing behind us with a loud thud. My heart was still racing, and I wasn't sure if it was from the fight or from everything that had happened after. I needed some time to think and process everything, but I didn't have that luxury. Alpha Corvin walked ahead of me, his shoulders tense and his back straight. He hadn't said a word since calling me aside, and I knew better than to ask him questions when he wasn't ready to talk.

The air was thick with tension, and I could feel it like a living thing. It was like everyone was waiting for something to happen, but I didn't know what. As we reached the hallway leading to Alpha Corvin's private quarters, a guard stepped forward and whispered something in his ear. I wasn't close enough to hear what was said, but the way Alpha Corvin's body stiffened made me feel a shiver run down my spine. Something was wrong, and I had a feeling that it was about to get a lot worse.

His lips pressed into a thin line. “I’ll see you later, Erika.” His voice was sharp, clipped—something was wrong.

Before I could respond, he turned on his heel and strode off. The tension in the air only deepened as they disappeared down the hall, leaving me standing there with nothing but my thoughts.

A sigh slipped past my lips. Whatever was happening, it was clearly urgent. But I wasn’t about to go chasing after answers that weren’t mine to have. If it concerned me, I’d find out soon enough.

I turned, ready to retreat to my chambers and finally get a moment alone. My body ached, my mind was exhausted, and all I wanted was to drown out Carlo’s words and forget, just for a little while, how much everything had changed in a single night.

“Erika.”

I stilled at the sound of my name, a voice soft yet unmistakably firm.

When I turned, my gaze met a pair of piercing eyes.

Princess Elara.

I straightened instinctively. The Lycan princess was beautiful in a way that was almost otherworldly—tall and poised, her platinum hair falling in waves over her shoulders. She was dressed simply, no elaborate gowns or jewels, but there was no mistaking the quiet authority in the way she carried herself.

Still, I hadn’t expected her to seek me out.

“Your Highness,” I greeted, bowing slightly out of respect.

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “No need for the formalities,” she said. “I just find it strange that we’ve never spoken before.”

I frowned slightly, confused. “Well… I suppose we’ve never had a reason to.”

Elara tilted her head as if studying me. “Isn’t it odd, though?” she mused. “We’re cousins, after all.”

My breath caught in my throat. Cousins?

I blinked, trying to process what she had just said. “I… don’t understand,” I said slowly. “I’m just the daughter of the widowed Lady Althea. After my father’s property was destroyed in a fire and he died, the king allowed my mother and me to live here out of kindness. That’s all.”

Elara’s expression didn’t change. “Is that what you’ve been told?”

Something about the way she said it made my stomach twist.

I swallowed hard. “It’s the truth.”

She hummed softly, folding her arms. “You’ve lived here since you were a child, haven’t you?”

I nodded, my confusion growing. “Yes.”

“And you think my father’s kindness extends that far without reason?” Her tone was light, almost teasing, but there was something sharp beneath it. “Most he would do for someone in your situation is offer compensation. Maybe give them time to rebuild what was lost. But taking them in? Raising them in the packhouse?” She arched a brow. “That isn’t something he does. At least, not without a very good reason.”

A cold chill ran down my spine.

I had never questioned it before. Never needed to. My mother had always told me that the king had taken us in out of generosity and that we had been lucky. And I had believed her. Why wouldn’t I?

But now, standing here, facing Elara’s piercing gaze, I realized just how little I actually knew.

“So we’re cousins?” My voice was quieter than I intended.

Elara nodded. “Yes.”

I exhaled shakily. “My mother has never mentioned it… No one has.”

A knowing look crossed her face. “Because our mothers don’t particularly like each other,” she said simply. “Even though they’re sisters.”

I blinked. Sisters?

Elara continued as if she hadn’t just shattered everything I thought I knew about my own lineage. “As long as my mother is alive, it will remain a forbidden topic in the packhouse. No one is to speak of it.”

My heart pounded against my ribs.

"Have you never noticed the resemblance?" She asked.

"I have never been in the presence of the queen... Or at least long enough for that."

"Well, they are. Fun fact Erika, your mother is the older one."

Sisters. My mother and the queen were sisters.

Which meant…

The realization hit me like a blow. I wasn’t just a guest in this pack house. I wasn't just the daughter of a noble lord who died. I was royalty.

I staggered back a step, my breath unsteady. “Why are you telling me this?”