The Princess's Revenge Chapter 98

Valencia’s POV

I walked out of Logan's room, my head still pounding from everything that had happened. I found myself face to face with Dr. Vance and Elias in the corridor.

"Luna," Dr. Vance said, his weathered face creased with concern. "How are you feeling?"

I still felt embarrassed when Dr. Vance called me Luna. "I'm fine," I replied quickly, though my voice came out shakier than I intended.

Dr. Vance's eyes moved to my throat, lingering on the bare skin where my collar had been. His expression grew thoughtful, but he spoke carefully, respectfully.

"Luna, if you don't mind me asking... your collar. What happened to it?"

I sighed, already tired of this question. "I honestly don't know, Dr. Vance. When I woke up this morning in Whisper Valley, it was just gone. I can't remember anything after jumping from the wall."

Dr. Vance and Elias exchanged a meaningful look. Elias rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

"The iron collar," Dr. Vance said slowly, "it's possible that when you... shifted... the transformation broke it. Iron is strong, but the forces involved in a first shift, especially one as powerful as yours..."

"The metal probably couldn't withstand it," Elias finished. "Dragon shifts are incredibly violent. The expansion alone would snap most restraints."

I stared at them both, my heart hammering against my ribs. The word hung in the air between us like a living thing.

Dragon.

"Did I really turn into a dragon?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. Even saying it out loud felt impossible, like speaking a fairy tale.

The words hung in the air between us. Dr. Vance and Elias exchanged a serious look, their expressions growing grave.

"You don't remember?" Dr. Vance asked softly.

I shook my head. "I remember jumping from the wall when Logan was dying. After that, everything is gone."

Elias's face was somber as he looked at me. "Luna, when I saw you fall from the wall, I was terrified. I thought we'd lost you. I was about to open the gates to try to save you when..."

He paused, running a hand through his blonde hair.

"When what?" I pressed.

"A massive red dragon rose from where you had fallen," Elias continued. "Everyone was shocked. It was like witnessing a miracle."

I gasped, the air leaving my lungs. So it was true. The nightmare were real.

"That's incredible," I whispered, even as my mind raced.

Dr. Vance placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Luna, there's something you need to understand. On the entire Vyrmarch continent, only the Ogden family has the ability to transform into dragons. And their distinguishing feature has always been purple eyes."

My mind went completely blank. Purple eyes. Like mine.

I was lost in a memory. I was young, maybe six or seven years old, playing with my brother Kai in the gardens of Moonfall Ridge Pack. Another boy, older than us, pointed at me with a cruel finger.

"She doesn't belong here," he had said. "She's not really Alpha Kevin and Luna Sienna's daughter. Look at her - they both have golden hair and blue eyes, just like Kai. But she has brown hair and purple eyes. She's different."

The words had cut deep, and I had run to my adoptive parents, tears streaming down my face.

"Am I really your daughter?" I had asked them.

The pain in their eyes had told me the truth before they even spoke.

"Valencia," Alpha Kevin had said gently, kneeling down to my level. "We love you as our own, but... we found you in the forest when you were just a baby. We don't know where you came from."

"Luna?"

Elias's voice broke through my memories, pulling me back to the present. I looked up at him, my chest tight with emotion. "Let's head to the main hall for lunch," he suggested gently. "You look like you could use some food."

I nodded, grateful for the distraction. My stomach was twisted in knots thinking about how to tell Logan the truth about my past. How could I confess that I had lied to him?

We walked down the stone corridors together. As we descended the stairs, I noticed something different. Every warrior and servant we passed stopped what they were doing to bow respectfully.

"Luna," a gruff warrior said, dropping to one knee.

"Luna," whispered a young servant girl, her eyes wide with what looked like awe.

I glanced at Elias in confusion. This was completely different from how they'd treated me before. The fear in their eyes was unmistakable.

"Elias," I said quietly as we continued walking. "Why are they all..."

"I told the warriors not to spread word about your dragon form," Elias replied, his green eyes serious. "But you know how it is. Someone always talks."

I sighed heavily. I wasn't sure if this change was good or bad. Before, they'd looked at me with contempt because I was wolfless. Now they looked at me with terror because they thought I was something else entirely.

"Do you remember anything from before you became a slave?" Elias asked suddenly.

The question hit me like a physical blow. My heart started racing. I remembered everything - my childhood at Moonfall Ridge Pack, Alpha Kevin and Luna Sienna, my brother Kai. But I had told Logan I was a rogue with no memory of my past.

"I... I don't remember much," I lied, my voice barely steady.

Elias studied my face carefully. "That's interesting. Because Dr. Vance has contacts in Mistmarsh Pack. They told him you were actually a member of Moonfall Ridge Pack before Alpha Marcus captured you."

My blood turned to ice. Dr. Vance had already investigated? My mouth went dry as I stared at Elias.

"You look shocked," Elias observed, his expression growing more serious.

I felt like I couldn't breathe. The investigation had been completed faster than I'd expected. My mind raced with panic - should I continue lying or tell the truth?

"The most important thing right now is sharing information. You don't need to be afraid anymore." Dr. Vance's voice was calm.

His kind words hit something deep inside me. Dr. Vance was right - keeping secrets would only make things worse.

I took a shaky breath and made my decision. "I was adopted by Alpha Kevin and Luna Sienna of Moonfall Ridge Pack," I said, my voice trembling. "They found me in the forest when I was just a baby. They don't know where I came from either."

Both Dr. Vance and Elias stared at me in shock.

"I'm sorry," I continued, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I lied to Logan. I was terrified he would kill me if he knew the truth. I don't know how to tell him."

"Alpha Logan suspected you weren't truly a rogue the moment he sensed the dragon sleeping inside you. He won't be angry. You need to trust him with the truth."

"Really?" I asked, hardly daring to hope.

"Think about it," Dr. Vance said with a gentle smile. "A true rogue wouldn't have a dragon as powerful as yours. Alpha Logan is intelligent - he's already figured out pieces of the puzzle."

Relief washed over me, though anxiety still churned in my stomach. It made sense that Logan would have suspected something.

We entered the main hall, which was bustling with activity. The tables were filled with both Cliffwatch warriors and Soren's men sharing lunch together. The smell of fresh bread and roasted meat filled the air.

We found seats at one of the smaller tables and quickly ate our meal. The conversation stayed light - discussing the supply distribution and recovery efforts. But I could barely focus on the food. My mind kept returning to the conversation I needed to have with Logan.

After we finished eating, we chatted for a while longer, waiting for Logan and Soren to finish their private meeting. The light grew stronger through the tall windows, and the snow continued to fall steadily outside.

Logan’s POV

I watched Valencia close the door behind her, the soft click echoing in the sudden silence. Just escaping death had left me desperate to keep her close, to never let her out of my sight again. The thought of being separated from her, even for a moment, felt unbearable.

Soren stood by the window, looking out at the snowy courtyard below. When everyone else had left, he finally turned to face me, a knowing smirk playing at his lips.

"Well," Soren said, crossing his arms. "It seems like you really do love your Luna."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Soren's expression grew more serious as he moved away from the window. "You've changed, Logan. You've become... softer."

"Softer?" I couldn't hide my surprise. I felt exactly the same as I always had.

Knox's voice rang out in my mind, clearly amused. "He's right, you know. You've done plenty of things recently that the old Logan would never have done. Is this the power of love?"

"Shut up, Knox," I muttered internally, keeping my face neutral.

Soren continued studying me with those perceptive green eyes. "It's because of her, isn't it?"

Knox was practically laughing in my head now. "Oh yes, definitely because of her."

I looked directly at Soren, my expression blank. "No."

Soren chuckled softly and shook his head. "I suppose I'm reading too much into it."

He moved closer to the bed, his voice dropping to a more solemn tone. "Have you thought it through, Logan? Are you really going to give up your inheritance?" His face grew serious.

I nodded without hesitation. "Yes. I decided this long ago."

"You don't want to compete for the Alpha King position?"

"The people of Valdoria would never accept a bastard as their Alpha King," I said matter-of-factly. "I've accepted that reality."

Soren's expression softened with something that looked like sympathy, but I pressed on before he could say anything. "It's just the truth, Soren. I've made my peace with it. I'll support you when you become Alpha King."

Soren gave me a solemn nod, then placed a firm hand on my shoulder. "Focus on healing properly. If you need anything, just ask."

"My pack has been infiltrated by enemies," I said, watching his reaction. "Yesterday, my Gamma Amara was captured at the border. They tortured her, trying to get information about what happened three years ago."

Soren's eyes widened in shock. "About Alpha Nolan?"

"Yes." I nodded grimly. "Of the three assassins from back then, only Amara is still alive."

"Is this Elton's doing?" Soren asked.

I shook my head slowly. "He's the obvious suspect, but after they captured Amara, they released her."

Soren frowned, clearly thinking through the implications. "You're right. If Elton couldn't get the location of the evidence, he would have just killed Amara outright. He wouldn't need to keep her alive."

"Exactly." The mystery had been bothering me since I'd heard about Amara's release. "Someone else is pulling the strings here. They wanted information but didn't want to escalate things by killing a Gamma."

Soren leaned back slightly, his brow furrowed in concentration. "That suggests they're trying to stay hidden. They don't want to draw too much attention."

"You have influence in King's Fang," I said. "I need you to investigate it for me."

"That’s no problem," Soren said without hesitation. "But I need you to help me with something in return."

My jaw tightened slightly. I'd expected this. Soren never did favors without expecting something back. "What kind of help?"

"I want you to investigate where that dragon came from."

My heart sank. Of course he was still focused on this. I kept my expression blank and nodded. "I might not be able to find much," I said.

"Do your best." Soren's face grew grave as he leaned closer. "The most important thing is figuring out which faction that dragon belongs to. That's our immediate priority."

I forced myself to meet his eyes while my mind raced. The dragon's power was beyond anything I'd ever witnessed. It had obliterated half of Elton's army without breaking a sweat - hundreds of trained warriors reduced to ash in minutes. Any pack that could command such force would be unstoppable.

Soren was right to be concerned. If another Alpha had that kind of power, they could destroy any pack they wanted. The thought of Valencia's secret being discovered made my blood run cold. The consequences would be catastrophic.

"Logan?" Soren waved his hand in front of my face, breaking through my spiraling thoughts. He was smiling, but his eyes held a hint of suspicion. "Thinking about your beautiful luna?"

My stomach dropped. "No," I said quickly, perhaps too quickly.

Soren's smile widened into something more knowing. "Your luck is remarkable, you know. Your luna is not only beautiful but clearly capable. The fact that you managed to save her from death's door... I truly admire you for that, Logan."

There was something in his tone - not quite accusation, but not casual conversation either. Did he suspect something about Valencia? Or was this just his usual teasing?

"I have Knox to thank for that," I replied carefully. "He was the one who warned me she was in danger."

Soren chuckled and pushed back from his chair. "Well, I won't keep you much longer. I need to eat and get some rest - the journey here was exhausting."

I nodded, relief flooding through me as he moved toward the door. "Pull the rope by the entrance when you're ready."

Soren grabbed the thick cord hanging beside my door and gave it a firm tug. The clear sound of bells echoed through the corridors. Within moments, a sharp knock came at the door.

"Alpha, what do you need?" Echo's voice called from the hallway.

"Come in," I called back.

Echo entered with a respectful bow. She looked tired - we all did after yesterday's battle.

"Please escort Alpha Soren to the main hall for a meal," I instructed. "He needs food and rest."

"Of course, Alpha." Echo turned to Soren with a professional smile. "Should I bring food to your room as well?"

I nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Right away." Echo gestured toward the door. "Alpha Soren, if you'll follow me?"

Soren gave me a final nod before following Echo out of the room. The door swung shut behind them. I let out a long breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. My hands clenched into fists.

Soren already suspected something about Valencia. I was certain of it now. The way he'd looked at me when mentioning her capabilities, the pointed questions about the dragon, the request to investigate its origins - none of that was coincidence.

Every time I promised to protect Valencia, she ended up being the one saving me. Each time, I'd sworn to keep her safe, and each time she'd risked everything for me.

But this time would be different. This time I wouldn't fail her.

I stared at the ceiling, my jaw set with determination. Whatever it took, whoever I had to face, I would protect her.