18:54
Chapter 26
I couldn’t decipher it, but it pulled at me, threatened to break my concentration. Yet I fought against it, channeling every ounce of emotion into the music, letting it build into a rhapsody that filled the hall, that resonated in the hearts of those listening.
The final chord echoed through the silence, lingering in the air like a breath held too long. For a moment, there was nothing–no sound, no movement, just the reverberation of the music. I sat there, my hands trembling slightly above the keys, my heart still caught in the rhythm of the piece.
Then, slowly, I rose, smoothing the fabric of my skirt with trembling hands. I turned to face the
udience, remembering that I had to introduce myself. As I curtsied gracefully, the room erupted into applause. The sound was deafening, a wave of approval that crashed over me, leaving breathless.
me
Ethan emerged from the wings, his presence commanding the stage as he joined me. The applause grew louder, and I could see the recognition in their eyes, the dawning realization of who I was. Ethan’s voice rang out as he announced me to the crowd, his tone filled with pride.
“This,” he said, his voice resonating with authority, “is my daughter, Shirley.”
The room fell silent, the air thick with astonishment. Then, as if a dam had broken, the applause resumed, even more thunderous than before. There were gasps of disbelief, exclamations of surprise.
I caught sight of Lorik, his expression a complex mix of emotions–shock, admiration, and something else I couldn’t quite place.
Among the sea of faces, I noticed others with darker expressions. The members of my original family, their eyes narrowed, their lips pressed into thin lines.
My “mother, Shakira” the woman who had raised me with cold indifference, had once told me stories of my birth mother, describing her as a disgrace–a brainless she wolf who had brought shame upon the pack.
How ironic, I thought, that the man she had despised, the one without wealth or status, was now standing beside me, one of the most respected figures in the world.
Alice, my one time sister, who had always been oblivious to the truth, stood abruptly, her face flushed with anger. “This is impossible!” she shouted, her voice trembling with rage. “She’s an imposter and a liar, she’s my incompetent sister! How can she be the daughter of a master after so
years of nothing? She must have deceived you all with her evil ways
many
18.45,
ghe crowd turned to her, murmuring in confusion. But Ethan was prepared. With a calmness that pelled the tension in the room, he produced a document–our DNA test results.
The evidence was undeniable, irrefutable. I was his daughter, and the proof was right there for everyone to see. The same hair color, the same eyes, the same blood.
Alice’s outburst was silenced, her accusation hanging in the air with nowhere to land. The crowd buzzed with excitement, with curiosity, as they processed this revelation. Ethan’s calm, authoritative presence was enough to quell any doubts,
He looked at me with pride, his eyes telling me what words could not.
But not everyone was convinced. Lorcia, who had been lurking on the edges, found her voice again, her tone dripping with venom.
“So what if you’re his daughter? You don’t even have a wolf. You’re just a mongrel–a half breed.”
The words cut deep, but I refused to let her see it. I lifted my chin, meeting her gaze with steady resolve. “I may be a hybrid, but I am proud of who I am and where I come from. My parents‘ love transcended race, transcended the boundaries set by society. I am their child, and I carry both their legacies within me.”
Lorcia: You are just a mongrel… suddenly the Silvermoon pack elderly commentedd
“Things have changed a lot in the last twenty years. The tension between humans and wolves isn’t
what it used to be. With the werewolf council and humans signing that peace treaty, athletes and celebrities can cross the border freely. We’re in a period of prosperity.”
Lorcia made a disapproving face stating “Prosperity? Maybe for some, but those human–wolf
hybrids? They’re still nothing but a disgrace. I don’t care if people see them as symbols of peace–they’ll never be anything more than mongrels to me.”
The room fell silent, then erupted into applause once more. The crowd’s support buoyed me, filled
me with a strength I hadn’t known I possessed.
Lorcia’s face flushed with anger, her eyes darting to Lorik for support. But to her dismay, it was he who spoke next, his voice firm, cutting through the tension.
“Lorcia,” he said, his tone laced with disappointment, “that’s enough. You’ve crossed the line.”
His defense surprised me, but it seemed to enrage Lorcia even further. She glared at him, her eyes flashing with fury, but before she could speak, Ethan stepped forward.
Let’s settle this once and for all,” he said, his voice cold, authoritative. “Lorcia has been pestering me
Regret
18.8
sell a tune, claiming that as the future Luna of Silvermoon and Flameheart, she could offer me Protection. But I don’t sell my music to those who lack the talent and character to appreciate it.”
The room buzzed with whispers, the crowd hanging on every word. Lorik turned to Lorcia, his expression one of shock and dismay. Is this true?” he asked, his voice strained.
