The soft glow of the evening lanterns bathed the modest apartment in warm light, contrasting sharply with the cold grandeur of Heilong Dominion Academy. Lin Yuexin stepped inside, the weight of the day pressing heavily on her shoulders. Every step echoed in the quiet hallway, her thoughts a whirlwind of revelations. Her father—an Alpha of Alphas, a name feared by all—had been hidden from her, and now the truth had begun to unravel.
Her mother, Li Fen, was in the kitchen, hands busy at the counter, though her movements were stiff, controlled. The faint scent of jasmine tea filled the room, attempting to mask the tension that hung between them like a storm cloud. Yuexin's footsteps faltered, and she finally spoke, voice low, controlled but trembling.
"Mom… I know."
Li Fen froze, the ladle in her hand hovering over the simmering pot. Her eyes, usually calm, widened with a flicker of fear. "Know… what, Yuexin?"
Yuexin's heart pounded. She had rehearsed this moment in her mind countless times, but now that it was here, every word felt heavy. "About Dad. About who he was. About… everything."
For a long moment, Li Fen said nothing. She set the ladle down slowly, wiping her hands on a towel, avoiding Yuexin's gaze. "I was hoping… you wouldn't find out yet," she murmured, voice barely above a whisper.
Yuexin's chest tightened. "Hoping? Mom, I can't stay in the dark anymore. Today… everything happened. The Academy, the brothers, Meilin… it's all so… overwhelming. And now I know the truth. Why didn't you tell me?"
Li Fen took a deep breath, sinking onto the small chair by the table. Her hands clasped together tightly, knuckles white. "I didn't tell you… because it would have put you in danger. Your father… he was the strongest Alpha this city has ever known. He had enemies—powerful enemies who would have stopped at nothing. Keeping you unaware was the only way to keep you safe."
Yuexin felt a mix of relief and frustration. Safe? She had walked into the Academy, surrounded by Alphas more powerful than anyone in her hometown, constantly tested, constantly observed. How safe had she really been?
"But Mom," she whispered, eyes glistening, "everything's changing. I can't… pretend I'm just an ordinary human anymore. Today, I realized… my life at the Academy isn't ordinary. Not even close."
Li Fen's expression softened, tinged with sorrow. "I know, my child. And that's why I need you to understand… only part of the truth can be shared now. There are things about your father's power, his position, and the clans he controlled… you're not ready to know everything yet. But you must understand—what you carry inside you is important. Powerful. Dangerous."
Yuexin sank into the chair across from her mother, head in her hands. "I don't even know how to handle it. How to… live with this knowledge, this responsibility. And the Academy… the brothers… it's all so much."
Li Fen reached out, placing a hand gently on Yuexin's shoulder. "You are stronger than you think. Your instincts, your intelligence… even as a human, you've survived in ways others couldn't. And soon, you'll have to trust yourself more than anyone else. Trust your judgment, your senses, your intuition."
Yuexin lifted her head, searching her mother's face for reassurance. "Mom… did Dad… care about me? About us?"
Li Fen's lips trembled as a tear slipped down her cheek. "He did, Yuexin. More than anyone. But the world he left behind… it was ruthless. And I had to protect you. That meant hiding even from you the truth of who he was."
The weight of the revelation pressed down on Yuexin. She had always felt ordinary, human, fragile—but now she understood that she had been born into a legacy of power, danger, and expectations. And her mother had shielded her from all of it… until now.
"I'm scared, Mom," Yuexin admitted, voice breaking. "Scared of failing. Scared of being… discovered. Scared of everything."
Li Fen reached across the table, gripping Yuexin's hands tightly. "Fear is natural," she said softly. "But never forget—you are your father's daughter. Strong, cunning, and capable of more than you know. The Academy, the brothers, the clans—they will test you. Push you. Try to break you. But you… will survive. You must."
Yuexin felt a flicker of determination ignite within her chest. Her mother's words, though heavy with fear and sorrow, also carried a spark of hope and encouragement. She realized that she had been underestimated—both by others and by herself.
The conversation shifted then, cautiously, carefully. Li Fen began to explain what she could, revealing fragments of her father's past—the wars between clans, the power struggles, the alliances and betrayals that had shaped the city. Yuexin listened intently, absorbing every word, every nuance. The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together, though much remained hidden, shrouded in secrecy.
Her father's mark, his power, the legacy he left behind—it was more than legend. It was living, breathing, and somehow, within her. Every instinct, every subtle ability she had felt at the Academy, every surge of awareness—now made sense.
"And one day," Li Fen whispered, "you will have to face it. Face the truth, face the clans, and face the Academy knowing who you are. But not yet. For now… survive. Learn. Observe. And trust no one fully."
Yuexin nodded slowly, absorbing her mother's words. Her life had shifted irreversibly. No longer was she just a human girl trying to navigate a school of Alphas. She was the daughter of the most feared Alpha the city had ever known, carrying a legacy she was only beginning to understand.
The night deepened, and Yuexin sat by her window, gazing at the city lights below. She thought of Zhenyu and Yichen, of the rivalries and claims, of the invisible storm that surrounded her every step. She knew now that survival required more than cunning—it required understanding, strategy, and a grasp of the power she carried inside.
Her mother's words echoed in her mind, a constant reminder that knowledge, strength, and awareness were her only allies. The world of Alphas was unforgiving. But Yuexin felt something else stirring—a spark of confidence, a determination to claim her place, understand her heritage, and navigate the dangerous currents that awaited.
And for the first time, she felt ready to face it—not as a human among Alphas, but as the daughter of a legend, a girl with power, purpose, and a destiny she was only beginning to grasp.