Chapter 33: 33. Michael hidden Valerion legacy
AT THE SAME TIME
MICHAEL
From the balcony where Zavier held me, the faint murmur of the pack drifted up. I felt the tension in my chest ease a little, the warmth of Zavier grounding me. But then... a familiar, mischievous voice cut through the calm.
"Big brother! Look! I can see everything from here!"Charlie shouted.
Charlie’s grin was impossibly wide, green eyes sparkling like he’d just discovered fire. I groaned softly, burying my face into Zavier’s chest, but Zavier’s thumb rubbed soothing circles over my hand.
"Ignore him." He murmured, though the corner of his lips twitched like he wanted to smile.
Charlie didn’t listen. He bounced closer to the edge of the balcony, clearly enjoying the view.
"And... I have something to tell everyone!"He said.
I peeked over Zavier’s shoulder, curiosity mingling with dread.
"Charlie... what are you doing?" I whispered.
His grin widened.
"I like Adrian!" He blurted.
The words hit the group like a thunderclap. Adrian’s eyes went wide, a blush spreading across his cheeks like wildfire.
"Wha... what?"He stammered.
Terrence and Xavier froze mid step, jaws practically on the floor. Selene’s hand flew to her mouth, eyes glittering with surprise, while Rose’s grin widened wickedly. Charlie, unfazed, clapped his hands.
"See? Isn’t it obvious? I’ve liked him for a while! Big secret, but now... everyone knows!"Charlie said happily.
Adrian’s blush deepened, golden eyes darting around as if seeking a hole to hide in, but the pack’s stunned silence left him no escape. Terrence muttered under his breath, looking torn between wanting to tease and protect, while Xavier just shook his head slowly, an incredulous smirk forming. Even Zavier’s silver eyes flicked to Adrian, and I could feel the subtle shift in the air. Charlie’s words had rippled across the pack, playful chaos layering over the emotional intensity of our moment. I couldn’t help but let out a tiny laugh, muffled against Zavier’s chest, my wolf still curled protectively but amused at Charlie’s boldness. Charlie’s grin never faltered, and Adrian’s blush was practically comical, yet somehow, it made the moment feel warmer, more... alive.
"You’re lucky he’s cute." Charlie added, nudging the edge of the balcony like a cheeky little herald. "Otherwise, I’d probably keep it a secret forever!"
Rose laughed outright, Selene shook her head with a grin, and even Zavier’s jaw twitched in amusement. For a moment, amidst all the chaos, drama, and shocking revelations, the pack’s attention was drawn to simple, human feelings, and somehow, it felt like a little relief. Selene’s voice cut through the stunned silence, calm but worried.
"Charlie... what about Terrence and Xavier? What do they mean to you?"Selene asked.
Charlie’s grin faltered for the first time that evening, replaced by something more serious. He fiddled with the hem of his sleeve, green eyes glistening.
"I... I know about Terrence’s pack. What they did to Michael’s home... to his family." His voice cracked slightly, and he blinked rapidly, tears forming.
The words hit me harder than I expected. My chest tightened, and my wolf whimpered softly, echoing the pain I didn’t fully realize I’d been carrying. Selene’s eyes softened, the sternness replaced by understanding. "Oh... Charlie..." She murmured, reaching a hand out, hesitating as if unsure whether to comfort him or let him speak.
Terrence stiffened at the admission, guilt and resolve warring across his storm grey features. Xavier’s dark eyes narrowed, brows furrowed, but his posture remained tense. Charlie swallowed hard, wiping a tear from his cheek.
"I... I just... I want him to remember. It’s... it’s the anniversary." His voice was small, almost fragile, but firm.
Terrence exhaled slowly, jaw tightening.
"Then... we’ll go. We’ll bring Michael to his parents graves. He should see them, pay respects... honor them."Terrence said.
The words were heavy with both remorse and determination, and the weight of history pressed down on everyone present. I froze, heart pounding in my chest, the familiar knot of grief tightening as memories I’d buried surfaced the empty house, the silent rooms, the necklace that had been my only connection to a past I didn’t understand. Charlie stepped closer, gently gripping my arm.
"Big brother... it’s okay. You don’t have to face it alone. We’ll be with you."Charlie said softly.
Terrence’s gaze softened slightly at Charlie’s words, and even Xavier gave a small nod, the stoicism barely masking the ripple of emotion beneath.
"He deserves to see... to know... everything."Selene said.
And somewhere in the quiet chaos, amidst the grief and the lingering tension, I realized this journey, painful, shocking, and unexpected, was no longer one I had to walk alone.
The ride was quiet. Terrence and Xavier flanked the carriage, their usual banter and tension replaced by something heavy, almost reverent. Charlie stayed close to me, fingers brushing mine now and then for reassurance. My wolf pressed against my side, ears low, sensing the gravity of what was to come. As we reached the clearing where the gravestones rested, the wind whispered through the tall grass, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers. My chest tightened, throat knotting as I stared at the simple markers. Stoneheart etched on one, my mother’s name on the other. Terrence gently guided me forward.
"Take your time." He said softly.
Xavier remained silent, jaw tight, as if any words would shatter the fragile stillness. Charlie squeezed my hand, green eyes shimmering with both encouragement and sorrow. I fell to my knees before the stones, trembling. My paws, my hands both seemed alien in this moment.
"I... I don’t understand." I whispered, voice breaking. "Why... why didn’t anyone... come for me? Why was I left... with only this necklace?" I held up the worn chain, the only tangible memory of a family I never truly knew.
Before anyone could answer, a figure appeared from the edge of the clearing, tall, robes flowing, eyes sharp yet carrying warmth I hadn’t known I needed. The Moon Goddess herself, radiant and serene, stepped into the sunlight, her presence commanding yet comforting.
"Michael Stoneheart." She said, her voice echoing through the clearing. My head snapped up, heart leaping. "No... not Stoneheart." I muttered, shaking my head. "That’s... that was always... mine, or so I thought."
Her gaze softened but remained piercing.
"Stoneheart was your mother’s name. Your father... your bloodline... your true legacy... is far older, far greater. That is why you were chosen second in the first trial. That is why your path was shaped the way it was."Moon Goodness explained.
"Chosen... second... legacy...? Wait, what? I, I’m... royalty?!"I asked.
The Elder, stepping forward from the shadows of the trees, nodded slowly, eyes wide as they scanned the group.
"Yes. You are Michael Valerion." He said, voice low, reverent, and carrying the weight of generations. "Of your father’s line. The house thought lost, but you survived... hidden by fate, guided by the Goddess."
Shock rippled through the group. Terrence’s jaw dropped, Xavier’s hand flew to his mouth, Charlie’s eyes went impossibly wide, and even Adrian blinked rapidly, stunned.
"Royal... all this time... and he never knew."Selene muttered.
My wolf whimpered, ears flat, tail tucked, as the reality hit me like a tidal wave. I had survived... but why? Why had my family never come for me? Why was I left to grow alone? My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms, as tears threatened to fall. The Elder reached out gently, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Your family believed you were lost to the pack wars, that the danger was too great. Only the necklace remained a token, a guide, a reminder that you were not forgotten entirely."Elder explained.
Charlie stepped closer, voice trembling. He could not believe that his brother’s legacy was so strong.
"Big brother... you’re... you’re Valerion. That’s... incredible. You survived... and you’re ours now." He wrapped his arms around me tightly, and I felt the weight of the past pressing on me, but also the strength of those standing beside me.
The Goddess herself smiled, radiant. She seemed to be proud and I could tell that she knew about my real identity longer than everyone else did.
"Your legacy is not a burden, Michael. It is a beacon. That is why your trials began, why you were chosen, and why you are now ready to embrace who you truly are."Goodness explained.
"Thank you."I whispered.
"I can not believe my pack has killed the royal family king’s wife and her family. Nobody will ever forgive me for this."Terrence muttered.
I sank to my knees before the graves again, tears streaming freely now. My wolf whimpered softly in sympathy, pressing against me as I touched the cold stone, feeling the lives that had come before me and the love I had never known but was beginning to understand. Terrence, Xavier, Charlie, Adrian, Selene... all of them stood quietly behind me, a protective circle, witnesses to the unravelling of a past I had only begun to comprehend. And for the first time, I realized... I was not alone. Not ever again.