Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Beastial Mutation

Lila’s POV

Jasper’s words hit me like a clap of thunder.

“Your mother, Isolde Thorne, was the last Priest of the Wolf Clan. And you have inherited her bloodline.”

I stood frozen, my mind a complete blank. ’A Priest? The Wolf Clan? Am I… a Werewolf too?’

Countless fragmented memories rushed into my mind. My mother’s silver-gray eyes, always tinged with a faint sadness. The way she would disappear for a day or two around the full moon, claiming she was off seeking “artistic inspiration.” I didn’t understand as a child; I just thought she was mysterious and gentle. Thinking back now, it probably wasn’t inspiration she was seeking. It was… a return?

And then there were her paintings. The forests, lakes, and moonlight in them were never just scenery. Standing before them, you could feel the rustle of wind through the leaves, smell the fragrance of the earth after rain, and even feel the cool touch of moonlight on your skin. That wasn’t just skill. It was… a resonance in the blood.

When I was even younger, whenever I had a fever, she would sit by my bedside all night, her hand resting gently on my forehead. Her palm was always cool to the touch, carrying a strange, soothing power that made the high fever and nightmares quietly recede. I thought it was the magic of a mother’s love back then. Only now do I realize it was the healing power of a Priest.

“So,” I said, my voice trembling, “my parents’ death… it really was…”

“Murder,” Jasper’s voice was low and cold, without a hint of hesitation. “Someone orchestrated that ’accident’ to eliminate your mother—a member of the Wolf Clan who possessed the immense power of a Priest. And you were just ’collateral damage’ they covered up along the way.”

My heart sank. ’So that’s how it was.’

“Who was it?” I lifted my head and looked him straight in the eye, my voice trembling with rage.

Jasper was silent for a few seconds, his gaze complex as he looked at me. “A man named Derek.” He finally spoke the name, his tone heavy. “He is the son of the Hale family’s Great Elder. Fifteen years ago, the same year your parents died, he defected. He was obsessed with a so-called ’blood purity doctrine.’ Your mother, having bonded with a human, had to be eliminated.”

Derek. The name was completely foreign to me. I had never heard it, never seen it anywhere. Yet this man, a complete stranger, had taken everything from me.

“I’m going to find him,” I said unequivocally, digging my nails deep into my palms. “He killed my mom and dad!”

“No.” Jasper’s reply was just as firm. He took my face in his hands, forcing me to meet the undeniable worry in his eyes. “Lila, Derek isn’t some ant like Arthur Goodrich that you can crush with business tactics. He’s a true madman, his hands stained with the blood of innocents. Even though he disappeared fifteen years ago, his spies and influence are still everywhere. The moment he finds out you’re alive and that your Priest bloodline has awakened, he’ll stop at nothing to capture you—and kill you!”

“All the more reason I can’t hide!” I broke free from his grasp, my chest heaving. “I’m her daughter! This is my responsibility to bear! What right do you have to make this decision for me?”

My voice grew louder, my emotions running wild like an untamed horse. Just then, a strange heat shot up my spine and spread rapidly through my body. My temperature skyrocketed, my heart hammered as if it would burst from my chest, and the edges of my vision began to glow with a faint golden light, casting a filter over the world. The most terrifying part was that I could clearly feel a slight tremor in my bones and a sharp, stinging pain in my fingertips—my nails were growing longer, harder, and something seemed to be stirring beneath my skin!

’Am I… changing?’

Fear and fury intertwined, making me lose control even more. I could feel a young wolf howling inside me, wailing for its mother’s death and roaring at its unjust fate! An involuntary, low growl escaped my throat, a sound even I didn’t recognize.

“Lila, look at me!” Jasper’s voice rose sharply, laced with unprecedented sternness. He pulled me into his arms, pinning my own arms tightly, trying to suppress the violent storm churning inside me with his body heat and strength.

But the power was too foreign, too strong; I couldn’t control it at all. My consciousness began to blur, leaving only the burning obsession to avenge my mother.

The next second, Jasper released me. To my astonishment, his form began to swell, his bones letting out a series of sickening CRACKS as his clothes tore apart. In the blink of an eye, a massive, silver-gray wolf stood before me. Its shoulders were nearly level with my head, its body a mass of corded muscle brimming with explosive power. But what shocked me most were its eyes—in those golden irises, there was none of a beast’s savagery, only bottomless worry and… tenderness.

The Wolf King, Jasper, lowered his head and gently nudged my cheek with his snout. A powerful yet gentle spiritual power instantly flooded my mind, like an invisible net wrapping securely around the restless young wolf inside me. It was an absolute, irresistible pressure, yet it carried endless comfort, as if to say, ’Don’t be afraid. I’m here. Leave everything to me.’

Under the blanket of his spiritual power, the frenzy within me miraculously subsided. The golden tinge in my vision faded, my heartbeat gradually returned to normal, and the stinging in my fingertips disappeared. I was completely drained of strength and could barely stand, forced to lean against his warm, thick fur, gasping for breath as cold sweat soaked my back.

“I… I was just…” My voice trembled, filled with lingering fear.

Jasper shifted back to his human form and immediately pulled me into his arms, using his body heat to chase away my chill. “It’s the first awakening of your bloodline,” he said, his voice hoarse with a trace of his own fear. “Your emotions were too intense and triggered your instincts. But you’re still too weak to control it. A reckless transformation could have hurt you, and it would have drawn unwanted attention.”

I leaned against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat as tears finally began to fall. “I just… I hate them so much,” I choked out. “They took my mother from me…”

“I know.” He tightened his arms, resting his chin on the top of my head. “But if you expose yourself now, you’ll just become the next target. Your mother protected you with her life, not so you could throw yours away.”

“But I can’t just do nothing!” I looked up at him, my vision blurred by tears. “I have to avenge them!”

“You can,” he said, his gaze fixed on my eyes as his tone softened. “Of course you can, but you have to use your wits, not rush in unprepared like this.”

He paused. “I’ll have my intelligence network do a full trace on Derek’s movements and your uncle’s financial situation. As for you,” he said, gently wiping away my tears with his fingers, “you need to continue playing the part of Lila Bennett, the architect at AR. Your daily life is your best cover. We’ll also begin special training. I’ll teach you how to sense and control the power of your bloodline, so you can protect yourself when the time comes.”

I looked at him, the fire of my anger gradually giving way to a firmer resolve. He was right. Blind hatred would only lead me to follow in my mother’s footsteps. I needed strength, I needed wisdom, and I needed… time.

“Okay,” I nodded. My voice was still choked with tears, but it was unusually firm. “I’ll listen to you. But Jasper, you have to promise me one thing.”

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