Chapter 4
Irina’s POV
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“Are you okay? Do you feel pain anywhere?” she asked, her voice sweet like a melody.
I wanted to respond but my voice caught in my throat.
Trying to soothe it, I rubbed my neck slowly.
“Oh dear, your throat must be dry,” she said. “Let me get you some water.”
She left for a moment and returned with a glass. “Here, drink this. It’ll help you relax,” she offered.
I took the glass and drank deeply. The water refreshed my sore throat, finally allowing me to speak, if only a little.
“Do you want more?” she inquired.
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I shook my head, handing the glass back. She placed it on a table and continued, “You’ve been sleeping for quite some time. Your body probably feels stiff.
I worked up the courage to speak. “How long?”
“You’ve been asleep for a month.”
A month? I was unconscious for an entire month? The shock hit me like a wave.
“How did you find me?” I asked.
She smiled softly. “Our pack guards found you in the forest. They were on patrol. It was a fortunate coincidence.”
Relief washed over me. At least my former pack didn’t find me. Thank goodness for small
miracles.
The woman’s smile deepened. “We’re just so thankful we found you. All our searching over the
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years finally paid off.”
Her words confused me. Searching for what?
I didn’t have much time to ponder; the door flung open, and an elderly woman, elegant and
beautiful, entered.
Her eyes welled with tears as she looked at me. Two men stood behind her–a young man and
an older one.
Their presence was formidable, but their eyes captivated me.
Purple.
I had never seen anything like it before.
“How are you, darling?” the elderly woman asked, her voice bursting with warmth.
“I’m… fine,” was all I could manage.
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Her gentle gaze reminded me of a mother’s tender look–a look I never received growing up.
Tears spilled down her cheeks. The older man put an arm around her, comforting her.
“Why are you crying?” he asked gently. “She’s here now.”
The woman nodded, wiping her tears away before sitting on the bed next to me.
Her touch was warm as she held my hand.
“I’m sorry for everything, my dear,” she whispered. “Because of our carelessness, you suffered. It’s something I’ll never forgive myself for.”
I frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”
“Sweetheart,” she hesitated, “do you know who you are?”
“My name’s Irina. I lived in the Shadow Blades
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Pack,” I replied.
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She shook her head slightly. “Irina isn’t your real name.”
My mind raced. If Irina wasn’t my name, who was
I?
How did this woman know?
My heart pounded as if aware of a truth my mind hadn’t caught up with.
The woman continued. “You’re my daughter, and your real name is Aaliyah.”
Astonishment silenced me. I, her daughter?
“This has to be a mistake. I’ve lived in the Shadow Blades Pack,” I challenged.
The young man stepped forward. “You were never one of them. It was a lie, the biggest lie about your identity.”
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The older man spoke, his voice calming. “We
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didn’t know where you were. If we had, we’d have taken you away from there. You don’t belong in a place like that.”
Nothing made sense anymore. It felt like waking from one nightmare into another.
The woman spoke softly, filling in the pieces.
“Years ago, when you were six, a fire broke out in
our pack. We were helping the others when you disappeared. We searched everywhere but found nothing until now.”
!!! now.”
She paused to collect herself, and the older man
added, “We’re just glad our guards brought you
here. We had our hun
you woke up.”
but needed to wait till
“How can you be so sure?” I asked, desperate for solid ground.
“Our clan is unique,” she explained. “Our
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transformations happen at eighteen, not sixteen. It’s part of our bloodline, making us stronger.”
My heart leapt at the mention of transformation.
“In our Moon Pack, you gain a mark and, sometimes, purple eyes after your first transformation,” she continued. “It’s rare but tells
us who belongs.”
Purple eyes. Could it be?
My fingers trembled as I took the mirror she offered.
I gazed into it and almost dropped it–my eyes were indeed purple.
Seeing their smiles painted a warmth in my soul. Despite everything, I felt a sense of belonging.
“I’m your mother, Victoria,” the woman said, emotion glazing her voice. “This is your father, Valentin; your brother, Kieran; and your sister–in-
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law, Kiya.”
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Looking around, I saw a family stronger than any pack.
An unexpected peace settled over me, a feeling I never thought I’d find.
“Welcome to the Winter Moon Pack, Aaliyah,” they chimed with genuine warmth.
And for the first time, the walls I’d built around my heart began to crumble.
I was home, even if only beginning to understand what that meant.
Two days late.
I stared blankly at the calendar pinned to my bedroom wall. It all felt surreal.
Time, memories, pain–all tangled together.
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“Have this. Our special healing soup,” my mom said warmly, placing a steaming bowl in front of
- me.
I managed to smile as I took it. Her gentle hands brushed a loose strand of hair from my face.
Her concern wrapped around me like a blanket.
“You’re crying. What’s wrong, Aaliyah?” she asked, fingers stroking my hair with motherly
tenderness.
My throat tightened. I shook my head quickly. “It’s nothing. Just… I’m thankful I had the courage to leave my previous pack.”
Her brows pinched slightly, then she reached across the table and held my hand.
“I’m grateful you’re here,” she said softly. “But you know, even if you’d stayed, you wouldn’t have remained the same. The day you shift, your body begins to change. Your hearing heightens. Your
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eyes become sharper. Your bones get stronger.”
She paused and her thumb traced circles on my skin.
“And the mark on your back? It’ll reveal its true power with each eclipse–doubling your strength and your wolf’s.”
