The Lightning Wolf Chronicles Chapter 83

**Evelyn's POV**

"Adrian had three children," Nathan continued. "My father, then Rex, and Eleanor, your maternal grandmother. Rex's son is Taric, the same one from your training center, and Eleanor was your grandmother."

"Wait - Taric?" I nearly jumped off the bench. "That Taric is your cousin? So he's my...what exactly?"

"Distant uncle, technically speaking." Nathan's mouth twitched with amusement.

I rubbed my temples. "God, I'd need a diagram to keep track of all this."

"Don't worry, the cast of characters ends there," he said. "But understanding these connections might help you moving forward."

The breeze rustled through the maze hedges as I gestured for him to continue.

"Grandfather Adrian was fair and wise, encouraging each child to find their own path. Meanwhile, Carlos and Ryan became obsessed with power. They researched our family tree extensively, hunting any female with our bloodline for their special abilities."

Nathan's expression darkened. "That's why finding and protecting you became so important. Eleanor taught her children vigilance from an early age. Your mother Helen - Eleanor's daughter - was caught in a carefully planned ambush during training."

"Despite everyone's skills, the attackers used weapons and wolfsbane that prevented them from fighting back effectively. Only your mother survived, hiding until she was found by a passing warrior - who later became Raymond, Beta of Polaris City."

I felt hot tears streaming down my face before I realized I was crying. Nathan gently wiped them away with a surprisingly tender gesture.

"You come from a line of powerful women," he said quietly. "After Helen left the royal family, she used a different name to hide her identity, but those vengeful relatives never stopped looking for her."

"When I started tracking her, I noticed a pattern - wherever rumors placed her, attacks would follow. This made following her trail easier, but..." His voice trailed off as he looked down, shoulders slumping with unmistakable regret.

"She died in childbirth," I said softly. "Something you couldn't control."

"It's more complicated than that." He shook his head. "The firstborn daughters in our line have special abilities, but childbirth is extremely dangerous for them. They can only safely bear children with mates chosen by the Goddess."

Nathan's face grew solemn. "I won't get into the unpleasant details, but the other branch once forced these women to bear children. During pregnancy, they need special care and monitoring, and their wolves must remain calm."

"The birthing process causes massive blood loss that only relatives' transfusions can remedy. Your mother knew nothing about her background and couldn't prepare properly. Polaris City's medical staff tried regular blood transfusions, but they were useless."

He pressed his fingertips to his brow, clearly pained by the memory.

I took a deep breath, trying to process everything. "You really couldn't have done anything," I said. "They were living under fake names, hiding from the crazy side of your family. And those people thinking they could get powers by cutting us open? That's just nuts - like they expect magic items to drop when they kill us."

The corner of Nathan's mouth quirked up at my comparison, the tension easing slightly.

"Speaking of which," he continued, his expression serious again, "we've connected some dots about the recent attacks. The self-proclaimed 'Rogue Wolf King' is likely Ryan's son."

"He's been attacking packs for years, forcing members to join him while taking female werewolves prisoner. Now I understand why - he's hunting females with special abilities from our bloodline."

Nathan locked eyes with me. "There's an ancient prophecy about a female from our family who'll possess all the special abilities. Her mate will become the strongest Alpha, rivaling an Alpha King. She'll grow through hardship, excel in battle, and command respect without force. People will naturally follow her."

"That could be anyone," I argued, shaking my head. "Maybe it's Luna Selena - I've seen firsthand how respected she is."

"The prophecy specifically mentions," Nathan continued, watching me closely, "this female will be small but extraordinary, awakening her wolf at fourteen."

I frowned. "I awakened early because Acacia had me whipped and left me to die. If my wolf hadn't appeared during that life-or-death moment, I wouldn't have survived. Even then, it took days to recover."

My voice hardened with frustration. "I'm just an ordinary werewolf. Nothing special."

"Are you sure?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

I shook my head firmly.

"Then how do you explain why those silver powder scars haven't fully healed?" He leaned forward. "Any other werewolf with that much silver would have died from blood poisoning long before reaching the forest."

His gaze sharpened. "Whoever tortured you will be punished. But more importantly - your body can resist silver and wolfsbane, preventing them from entering your bloodstream. It's unprecedented. Even before your wolf awakened, you were unconsciously protecting yourself."

"According to Dr. Harrison, your body isolates toxins microscopically - like how duck feathers repel water droplets. The scars confined the silver to small areas, but this ability has limits, which is why they bleed severely when reopened. Now that the silver's been removed, this shouldn't trouble you anymore."

"Just because I have royal blood and happen to be a firstborn daughter doesn't make me special," I insisted, gripping the bench edge. "It just means I match family traits."

"Then how do you explain sensing others' emotions, even before your wolf awakened?" Nathan challenged.

I fell silent, my certainty wavering. My perceptive abilities were unusual, but I'd always considered them survival adaptations.

"It's just instinct," I finally said, less confidently. "Anyone in danger long enough would develop sensitivity."

"Evelyn," Nathan's voice softened, "I understand your resistance. Going from seeing yourself as ordinary to learning all this takes time to process. But accepting your uniqueness doesn't change who you are."

I stared at the grass, conflicted. I was curious about my heritage but feared how these revelations might alter my life's path.

"We should get back," Nathan said, standing and offering his hand. "Selena and Alistair must be wondering where we are, and Nadia's waiting to help you prepare."

As we turned to leave, a question surfaced. "How did you know who I was? Did you confirm my identity before coming to Polaris?"

Nathan smiled faintly. "That will have to wait. For now, we have a banquet to prepare for, and a young prince waiting for his cousin's support."

As we approached the castle, he asked, "What are your thoughts about everything you've heard?"

I inhaled deeply. "It's overwhelming. Like I've always thought I was a small stream, then suddenly being told I'm the source of a great river."

"An apt metaphor," he nodded. "When my father told me I'd inherit the kingdom, I felt similar shock."

"How did you handle it?"

"By accepting your identity without letting it define you entirely," he replied. "You're Evelyn first, then everything else. Your bloodline gives you abilities, but your choices determine how you use them."

Near the castle entrance, Nathan slowed. "One more thing - your performance at training has attracted attention. Taric mentioned some... friction between you and your floor supervisor."

I tensed instinctively, preparing to defend myself.