The Princess's Revenge Chapter 128

Valencia’s POV

We followed Soren up the castle stairs. Each step felt heavier than the last. My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. My palms were sweating.

Logan's hand gripped mine tightly. Behind us, Yves followed at a polite distance.

First floor. Second floor. Third floor.

My breathing grew faster. What if it really was Kai? What if it wasn't?

Finally, we reached the fourth floor. This level was quieter than the others, the decoration more refined. Expensive paintings hung on the walls. The carpet under our feet was thick and soft.

Soren led us down a long corridor. He stopped in front of a wooden door.

My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe.

Soren knocked twice, then pushed the door open.

The room was beautiful. Thick carpets covered the floor. Bookshelves lined the walls. A large desk sat by the window, sunlight streaming through and lighting up every corner.

And there, sitting at the desk with a book in his hands, was a young man.

He looked up at the sound of the door opening.

Time stopped.

I stared at his face. He was handsome, mature, but completely unfamiliar. The only things I recognized were his blue eyes and brown hair.

Everything else was a stranger.

"Albert," Soren said gently. "I've brought you some guests."

The young man stood up. He was tall, at least a head taller than me, with a well-proportioned build. He wore fine clothes that fit him perfectly.

But his eyes. His expression. Cold. Distant. Nothing like the warm, shy little boy I remembered.

I couldn't move. I just stared at him, searching his face desperately for any trace of the three-year-old Kai I'd known. But I found nothing. Fifteen years had changed everything.

His features, his demeanor, his presence—all of it was unfamiliar. Only those blue eyes and brown hair, combined with everything Soren had told us, made me believe this might be my brother.

My emotions churned inside me. Excitement. Doubt. Fear. Hope. All mixed together until I couldn't tell what I was feeling anymore.

Was this really Kai? Or just an incredible coincidence?

"Albert," Soren continued with a smile. "This is Alpha Logan of Cliffwatch Pack, and his Luna, Valencia."

He turned to us. "This is Albert, one of the children I've adopted over the years."

I forced myself to take a deep breath. My voice shook when I spoke. "Albert. Or... Kai. I'm Valencia. I might be... your sister."

Albert's expression didn't change. He nodded politely. "Hello, Valencia."

His voice was calm and distant, like I was just another stranger. Like I meant nothing to him.

I couldn't hold back anymore. I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Tears streamed down my face, soaking into his shirt. "Kai, is it you? Is it really you?"

Albert stood stiffly in my arms. After several long seconds, he awkwardly patted my back. The gesture was mechanical, like he was comforting a stranger he felt obligated to be polite to.

The pain in my chest grew sharper. He really didn't remember me at all.

I pulled back, wiping my tears. "Do you remember Moonfall Ridge Pack? Do you remember our parents, Kevin and Sienna? Do you remember playing together when we were children?"

I couldn't keep the desperate hope out of my voice. I needed him to say yes. I needed him to remember something, anything.

But Albert just shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't remember."

His voice was emotionless, like he was stating a simple fact about something that had nothing to do with him.

My heart sank.

Soren stepped forward, his tone sympathetic. "Valencia, as I mentioned before, Albert has complete amnesia about everything before age three. The massacre caused severe psychological trauma. His mind blocked out those memories to protect him."

He looked genuinely compassionate. "We've tried many methods to help him recover his memories, but nothing has worked."

I nodded, understanding intellectually even though my heart couldn't accept it. I looked at Albert again. He stood there, calm and detached, as if an invisible wall separated us that I could never cross.

I turned to Soren, gathering my courage. "Soren, if he really is Kai, I want to bring him back to Cliffwatch Pack. He's my only family left."

Logan nodded beside me in support.

Soren was quiet for a moment, then looked at Albert. "That depends on Albert's own wishes. He's lived here for fifteen years. He has his own life and responsibilities."

He turned to the young man. "What do you think?"

Albert looked at me. His expression was still cold, but his tone softened slightly. "If I really am your brother, I'm willing to get to know you."

He paused. "But I need time to handle things here."

Soren smiled. "How about this—Albert handles some important work for me. He'll need a few days to transition his duties and arrange his affairs. You can stay in the castle for three days. Once Albert settles everything, he can return to Cliffwatch Pack with you."

Relief flooded through me. "Thank you, Soren. Thank you so much."

Soren waved his hand dismissively. "No need to thank me. If he really is your brother, helping you reunite is the right thing to do."

That evening, Yves led us to a guest room on the castle's third floor. The room was spacious and comfortable, with a soft large bed and a warm fireplace.

But I couldn't feel peaceful.

Logan closed the door behind us and turned to face me. His expression was serious. "Valencia, I need to be honest with you. All of this... it's too smooth."

I looked at him, unease creeping into my chest. "What do you mean?"

Logan walked to the window and stared out at the dark night. "Think about it. We just arrived, and Soren already knew we were here. We went to the black market to gather information, the broker refused to talk, and immediately Yves appeared to escort us. Soren not only knew what we were looking for, but he just happens to have a boy who matches every single detail."

He turned around. "Doesn't that seem too convenient?"

I sat on the edge of the bed, confusion and anxiety swirling inside me. "But all the information lines up. The age, appearance, origin story, timing. If it's not Kai, how could it be such a coincidence?"

Logan came over and sat beside me. "I'm not saying he definitely isn't Kai. I'm just saying we need to be careful. Soren is an extremely cunning man. He might be using our emotions to achieve some purpose."

He continued. "Soren says he's been doing charity work for years, adopting war orphans. That sounds noble, but do we really understand his motives? Why would he adopt so many orphans? What do they do for him here? Albert said he handles important work. What kind of work?"

Each point Logan made was impossible to argue with. My heart grew heavier.

I took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right. I was too emotional. I didn't think carefully enough."

I looked at him. "So what should we do?"

Logan was quiet for a moment, thinking. "We need proof. Something concrete that can't be faked or manipulated."

"The birthmark," I said suddenly. "Kai had a birthmark on the back of his neck. A small crescent shape."

Logan's eyes sharpened. "A birthmark?"

"Yes," I said, my voice growing more certain. "It was very distinctive. Small, but clear. If Albert really is Kai, he'll have that mark."

Logan nodded slowly. "That's good. That's something Soren couldn't fake even if he wanted to."

"But how can we see his neck?" I asked. "We can't just ask him to undress for an inspection."

Logan thought for a moment. "Tomorrow we'll find an opportunity. Maybe at the training grounds, or some other suitable occasion. As long as we can see the back of his neck, we can confirm."

I nodded in agreement. "Alright. Tomorrow we'll find a way to check for the birthmark."

Logan pulled me closer. "Try to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day."