Chapter 42
The Werewolf Realm.
Micha's Pov.
The moment I stepped into the house, something felt… different.
Warmth.
Lightness.
Joy.
Everyone looked happy—excited, even. A strange contrast to the heavy grief that had been clinging to this place for years.
I walked straight to Kira, leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"You said there's good news about Michelle," I asked quietly. "What happened?"
Kira smiled—wide and suspiciously bright.
"Let's sit first."
Her tone alone made my heart race. She led me to the living room, where Kate and Zaki were already seated. Their faces glowed with a strange mixture of relief and amazement.
My brows knitted together.
"What is going on? Why are you all acting like this?"
Kira took a breath.
Then she said the words that flipped my world upside-down.
"Don't be shocked… but Queen Erin visited."
I froze. "She came here?"
"She did," Kate chimed, almost giggling.
"Okay… and?" I urged impatiently.
Kira exchanged glances with the others, then launched into the full story.
She told me everything—everything.
How Queen Erin arrived, how she claimed she was Michelle reborn in a different body…
How Aunt Mona appeared to her…
How she gained powers, a race, and a throne…
How she lived in the Vampire Realm…
How she explained things from the past only Michelle could know.
My expression twisted—shock, confusion, annoyance, disbelief.
And then anger.
"You believed all that?" I snapped.
They all stiffened.
"Some stranger walks in claiming to be my sister, and you just accept it? What proof does she have besides words?"
"Micha, calm down," Kira soothed gently. "We only believed her because she mentioned things only Michelle would know—like the last conversation you all had. She told us exactly what she said before going to the human world."
I scoffed.
"So? And that's enough for you?"
Kate frowned.
"Micha… she's not just 'someone'. She's the creator of the Goldren race. A goddess. A princess of the Vampire Realm. Why would a person of such status lie about being Michelle? What would she gain?"
She had a point.
I hated that she had a point.
"Maybe she just wants to use Michelle's identity to get close to us," I muttered.
Zaki snorted. "And who exactly are we that a goddess needs to deceive us? Think, Micha. Don't let your unstable emotions make you lose something precious again."
His words hit me directly in the chest.
Because he was right.
But I wasn't ready to accept it.
So I stormed out.
I shifted into my wolf the moment I reached the edge of the woods, letting the transformation wash over me—muscles stretching, senses sharpening, fur rippling as the wind carried through it.
I ran.
Fast.
Hard.
Through trees and streams.
Letting the forest devour the anger burning inside me.
Eventually, I slowed.
Because without meaning to, my paws had brought me… there.
The cave.
The place we found Michelle's body.
Except—
Someone was already there.
A woman with long golden hair stood in front of the cave entrance. Elegant, glowing, almost unreal. Her back was to me, her aura calm but powerful.
Then she turned.
And smiled.
"I knew you would come here," she said gently. "You always come here when you're confused or when you're denying something."
She chuckled softly.
"You've always been stubborn. I didn't expect you to believe me easily."
My breath caught.
Her voice…
Her smile…
Her presence…
Still, I stayed on guard.
"I have questions," I said through our wolf mind-link, my voice low and rough. "A lot of them."
"You can start whenever you're ready," she said softly.
I shifted back into human form, wearing only my wolf shorts, and stepped closer.
"How did we find this cave?" I asked—waiting for even the slightest flicker of uncertainty.
But she didn't hesitate.
"It was the day you broke Dad's car," she said with a small grin. "You were furious because Levi beat you in that stupid game… whatever it was. And you were terrified Dad would realize you didn't break it by accident—but out of anger."
My eyes widened.
She continued.
"We ran here to hide. And we found this place. We promised not to tell anyone, remember?"
She touched the cave wall gently.
"After that, we always came here. Whenever life was too loud."
A forgotten memory slammed into me, vivid and sharp.
She smiled wider.
"You're still not convinced."
She tilted her head.
"What? Shocked your 'weak, omega sister' turned out to be a goddess? Afraid to accept she no longer needs your protection?"
I swallowed hard.
"I need more proof," I whispered.
She nodded—like she knew I would say that.
Then she said something that sent my knees trembling.
"I remember when you were ten… and I was six. We visited the Silver Crest Pack with Dad."
My heart pounded.
"While Dad met the Alpha, you dragged me away because—let's be honest—you knew Dad wouldn't yell at you if I was with you."
That was true… painfully true.
"We wandered into the Alpha's room. You saw the Silver Crest seal and had to touch it. You pulled. I pulled. You won—which I still think was unfair."
She laughed lightly.
"Then I turned away because I was annoyed. You tried to call me back, tripped over your own feet, and fell right onto the seal. You cracked it. We tried to fix it, but the line was still there. So I faked an injury to make Dad take us home quickly."
My mouth fell open.
That memory…
I had buried it so deep that even I forgot.
No one else knew that story.
No one.
Only Michelle and I.
She stepped closer, her golden hair shimmering under the moonlight.
"I'm really Michelle, Micha."
My breath hitched.
"You died," I whispered.
She shook her head.
"I lived. I survived. I changed. But I'm still me."
My knees gave out.
And I pulled her into a tight, shaking hug.
"My sister… Michelle… you're alive…"
She laughed softly against my shoulder.
"I'm here, brother."
And for the first time in years—
I didn't feel grief.
I didn't feel guilt.
I didn't feel pain.
I felt whole.