the iron chair, her hear

this b

lled up, blurring her vision. She twisted against the

really my parents? Am I not your biological daughter?" Her voice br

iel's jaw trembled, his fists clenched

softened as they watched the raw heartbreak unfolding before them. For a brief moment, the mystery o

r, could not let the

e stone floor-BOOM-the sound r

e cutting through the silenc

looked at Anastasia-her daughter, though not b

h tears, "you are my daughter. I love you more than I lov

carry my heart. You have been the joy of my life-the brightest part of it-and nothing will ever

ude and love swelled inside her, bu

ed out, the tears falling faster now. "How

I?" Her voice cracked under the weight of her emotions. "Tell me!" She tried

s with trembling ha

told everyone we adopted you from the werewolf orphanage-the place

was death

saw something strange-a wicker basket flo

a's brea

but raw. "The moment we saw your chubby little face... we were lost. We couldn't ha

ed, wiping

s voice broke entirely as tears poured down her face. "In that moment, you wounded my heart with a dart of love so deep, I couldn'

ent, tears rollin

rld had been

d steady: they had chosen her. And tha

and Lydia, his expression carved in stone. His voi

knowledge of Anastasia's true line

e do not know who her biological parents are. But that does not matter to us.

. We care about who she is-and she is our daughter. That will never change. Even if she were a

ed through

d. Even Anastasia's

e were a vampire-hung

t moments ago dissolved in an instant, replaced by an overwhelming wave of love and gratitude

Magnus w

ure casting a long shadow across the hall. With a thun

Love her-even if she's a vampire? Have you lost all sense? Vampires are our sworn mortal enemies! They have

murmurs, some in agree

ed. Even after all this..

continue, another voice

d, his sharp eyes thoughtful rather than enraged. "There is no reason to stir chaos over mere sentiment. We all know that va

the weight of Lucius'

ly deepened the

vampire... th

d through the minds

felt it clawi

ng silence, a voice broke t

d brought Anastasia back stood

cutting through the tension like a blade. "Anastasia didn't a

all g

vampire with her. We tried to kill it, but Anastasia stopped us. She threw us int

mning silen

s shot to his feet. His staff struck t

ou have commi

exploded

aws scraping against stone, the

own kind-to pr

a tra

tected t

with panic as sweat poured down her face. The weight of t

es grew louder,

NE punishment fo

SIA MUS

THE TR

the wolfsbane chains bit deep into her skin, anchoring her in place

th

kne