Scarred Wolf Queen Chapter 82

**Briony's POV**

The question about my mother hit me like a physical blow. I felt my breath catch as tears threatened to spill. Of all topics, this was the last I expected.

"Almost nothing," I admitted, my voice unsteady. "In Polaris City, mentioning her was basically forbidden. Like some kind of taboo no one would break."

I quickened my pace, hoping to change the subject, but Nathan wasn't about to let it drop.

"This conversation is directly connected to your mother," he said, his tone gentle but determined. "But the story starts much earlier. You're old enough now to understand your true heritage."

"I'm just a Beta's daughter, and the second child at that," I said with confusion. "There's nothing special about me."

"Quite the opposite." He stopped walking, turning to face me. "The truth about your background is far more complex. Remember those extra tests during your hospital stay? Even then, I had my suspicions, based on your extraordinary abilities and what I saw during your trials."

"My trials?" I frowned. "Weren't those tests designed for all candidates?"

His lips curved slightly. "We needed a way to evaluate your abilities without drawing attention. Taric, Conrad, and I created those challenges specifically to test your reactions." He winked. "You should be 'thanked' for your 'contribution' to our future selection process."

"After day one, I knew Adam was right about your potential. But when you defeated Derek in wolf form, that confirmed everything. Even without his full princely powers, Derek should have been able to withstand your attack. Only someone with royal Alpha blood could beat him so easily."

I stared at him, stunned. "Are you saying I have royal blood? How is that even possible?"

"It's not a theory," he stated firmly. "It's fact. You are my aunt Eleanor's granddaughter. In other words, you're my niece, Derek's cousin."

The revelation hit me like a sledgehammer. I followed Nathan mechanically through the maze, trying to process what I'd just heard.

"So Noah is..."

"By blood, he's my nephew too," Nathan nodded. "But in royal bloodlines, firstborn daughters have special significance. This isn't just about status - it involves inherited abilities."

My heart raced. Would Nathan finally tell me about my mother? No one in Polaris, not even Luna Isabella, had dared mention her, fearing my father's reaction. All I knew was that I looked like her, and Noah had inherited her hair color.

"Let's sit," Nathan gestured toward an elegant stone bench. "This might be easier to take in if you're seated."

Only then did I notice we'd reached the maze's center. Six exits led in different directions from a circular clearing. The surrounding hedges housed beautiful flowers in neatly trimmed recesses. Shepherd's hooks hung with wind chimes and crystals that caught the sunlight, giving the space a magical quality.

Stone benches encircled the open area. I could imagine children playing here years ago, having pretend tea parties and adventures.

"Thought you might like this place," Nathan smiled. "My mother and aunt spent much of their childhood here. Let me start from the beginning. Feel free to ask questions."

I nodded, equally nervous and eager to finally learn about my family.

"Does Derek know we're cousins?" I asked suddenly.

"Yes. Selena, Adam, and Isabella know too. But no one else, and I'd prefer to keep it that way for now." Seeing my disappointment, he added, "I know you want to tell Layla, but secrecy protects everyone right now. I'll explain why."

"What role do I play in all this?" I asked, trying to focus.

Nathan took a deep breath. "When the Moon Goddess found wolf packs becoming too numerous to manage alone, she chose Alphas to govern different regions. Knowing human nature would complicate things, she gave Lunas the ability to communicate with her, balancing the Alphas' control."

"Without a mate blessed by the Goddess, no Alpha King reaches their full potential. Our powers remain balanced, which has prevented major wars between kingdoms."

"Over time, my grandfather noticed that firstborn daughters in our family possessed special gifts - healing powers in wolf form, extraordinary strength or speed, even the ability to influence thoughts. Most notably, their wolves often had rare silver fur."

I gasped, my hands clenching. My wolf was silver-blue.

"You see it now," Nathan nodded. "That's another reason I watched your trial so closely. Silver is extremely rare - a power symbol in our family."

"My great-grandfather kept detailed family records. He had two sons - Adrian, the eldest and rightful heir, and Carlos, who challenged tradition. This caused the first major split in our family."

I covered my mouth, somehow sensing where this was heading.

"Adrian agreed to a duel," Nathan continued, his eyes reflecting respect for our history. "He understood his strength and knew his brother was easily swayed by emotion. Carlos demanded a public confrontation so the entire pack could witness his rise."

"Our current warrior trials actually evolved from that duel. The training grounds were packed with spectators, and the outcome was predictable - Carlos lost, and Adrian inherited the throne."

Sunlight filtered through gaps in the hedges as Nathan's voice deepened. "From that day, Carlos's heart filled with bitterness, which he passed to his descendants. His son Ryan similarly craved power, but with Adrian already having an heir, he had no legitimate claim."

"Carlos's daughter, however, chose differently. She refused to join their power struggle, being a natural healer. Her wolf was pure silver, her saliva able to heal wounds rapidly."

"This made her incredibly valuable in battle, so valuable that her father and brother imprisoned her for years. Only after finding her destined mate were they forced to release her."

"She had a daughter whose wolf was also pure silver. More importantly, she could resist her uncle and grandfather's Alpha aura and even influence others' thoughts. Unfortunately, they were both treated as test subjects, subjected to horrible experiments."

Nathan's face darkened. "Carlos and Ryan discovered something special about our family's females and began investigating why these gifts went to women rather than men. Their hatred warped their minds; they believed it unfair they hadn't received the throne or special abilities."

"We believe they injected these women's blood into themselves, possibly even using black magic. As for what happened to those two women..." He paused, his expression heavy. "I've never known for certain. I can only hope they didn't suffer further."

"Seems your family has its dark chapters too," I said, trying to lighten the mood. "I guess every family has its villains."