My Sword Between The Alpha's Lips
Chapter 17: Maxim’s Pov: Last Heir

Chapter 17: Maxim’s Pov: Last Heir

Maxim anxiously waited for her father’s explanation. He sat still, but he couldn’t help but get nervous.

"Don’t take this at heart. Your mother and I want the best for you even though she overreacts sometimes," Danny started, easing the situation. "It wasn’t my place to tell you the truth, but your mother isn’t in the right mind, so I’ll just do it. I hope you can forgive her for what she had behaved earlier."

"Of course! I don’t mind it, and I trust you two so much!" Maxim stated confidently. He gave his brightest smile even though it was the opposite of his feelings.

Danny beamed softly. He put his glass and stared into space, recalling what had happened years ago.

"I’m sure you heard about the war that happened eighteen years ago," Danny stated, raising an eyebrow toward Maxim.

"Yes, everyone keeps talking about it and how the werewolf realm was in a good place from the past ruler but downgraded when the new King sat on the throne," Maxim replied, recalling the information he got from other people’s conversations.

"Hmm, yes, but have you read anything about it in books?" Danny asked, referring to the library Maxim was working with.

Maxim frowned. "There are no books about the old rulers or the old royal family’s information," he answered, recalling that he hadn’t read anything about them as if they vanished without any trace. "However, there are many articles about the Darkmoon pack winning the war and overthrowing the previous monarchs."

Danny sighed loudly as he tried to find the right words to say. "That is indeed true. I don’t know what they used to win against the previous monarch since BlueStone pack was very powerful in terms of both defence and offence."

Maxim furrowed his brow in confusion. "But Dad, is it even relevant?" he asked, getting interested in the topic.

"Yes," Danny nodded. "You’re not our real pup," he confessed with a heavy heart. He finally said the words that he had kept for years.

"Yes, I know that, Dad. What else?" Maxim replied in the same flat tone.

"Huh? What?" Danny was baffled that Maxim didn’t react negatively. "Did you already know about this?"

"Yes, I heard from others that you found me when a rogue, which was my original mother, left me. I’m not mad but rather disappointed. However, I know she has her own reasons," Maxim explained his side. He had thought about it before and got angry the first time he heard about it.

But Maxim decided to move on from something he couldn’t control.

"I see," Danny nodded. He was pretty relieved that Maxim took it lightly and didn’t make an issue about it. "There’s more to it, my son."

Maxim rubbed his hands together. "I’m ready, dad. I can take the truth," he replied.

Maxim’s heart was pounding in his chest. The tension in the room was almost palpable. He had always sensed that there was something more to his past than what he had been told, but he never pushed for answers.

Danny was on the brink of revealing the truth, and Maxim felt a strange anticipation.

"Can I see the necklace that we gave you?" Danny asked, offering his hand to Maxim.

"Sure, Dad," Maxim removed the necklace he always wore and handed it over to Danny.

Danny carefully took them, gazing at them with a smile. "You are not just any child left behind by a rogue. You are... the last living heir to the old werewolf monarchy. Your real parents were the King and Queen of the BlueStone pack."

Maxim’s eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. He stared at Danny, trying to process what he had just heard. "What? But... that can’t be true. If I was... if I am royalty, then why... why would they leave me behind?"

Danny’s face softened with sympathy. "You know the history, Maxim. I’m sure your parents wanted to ensure you survived, and you did."

Maxim felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn’t believe what he just heard.

Danny saw the shock on Maxim’s face. He couldn’t help but chuckle. "Here, keep it safe and make sure no one will see them. This necklace is from your parents, and it has the symbol of the old monarchy," he stated, pushing the necklace toward Maxim and waiting for him to say something.

"My real parents..." Maxim muttered, his hands trembling when he received it back. He felt the coldness of the gem and steel in his hand.

"I hope you can forgive us for keeping this from you for eighteen years," Danny apologized, but Maxim shook his head.

"You don’t need to, dad. I should thank you for treating me like your own pup," Maxim smiled sadly. He was still processing the emotions inside him.

"Do you have any questions? I can see it in your eyes," Danny stated, shaking his head in amusement at how he could easily read Maxim’s facial expressions.

Maxim’s mind raced with a thousand thoughts. "Does... does anyone else know about this? The new King— does he know I’m alive?"

Danny shook his head. "No. As far as the new King and his court are concerned, the entire royal family was eradicated. They have no idea you survived. But we fear that if they ever find out, they won’t rest until they finish what they started."

Maxim swallowed hard. "So... what do we do now? Do I just keep living the same life?"

Danny smiled, patting Maxim on his shoulder for comfort. "That’s all up to you, Maxim. You can only answer that question."

Silence fell on both of them as Maxim stared into Danny’s eyes.

"Thank you... dad. I’ll be going to my room now," Maxim excused himself as he needed some time alone with his thoughts.

Danny watched as Maxim went to his room in a hurry. He grabbed the bottle with the remaining wine inside and drank all its contents in one go.

"Your journey begins now, Maxim. I hope you’re ready," Danny muttered as he let himself fall asleep on the sofa.

On the other side, Maxim carefully closed the door of his room to prevent his mother from waking up.

Maxim paced back and forth while recalling her father’s words.

"Out of all people! Why is it me? I don’t want any more problems when I can’t barely take care of myself!" Maxim started talking to himself, frustrated that he needed to deal with another problem.

Maxim’s mind was spinning. He sat down on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the wall.

"Moon Goddess, you really like playing games with me. First, I can’t shift and now... I’m the last bloodline of the monarch that was eradicated years ago! Nonsense!" Maxim exclaimed, rubbing his face aggressively. "This is the worst birthday!"

A sudden knock on his door pulled Maxim from his thoughts. "Maxim? It’s me," his mother’s voice came softly through the wood.

Maxim took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Come in, Mom," he called out.

The door opened slowly, and Tonya stepped in, her face drawn with worry. "I know your father spoke to you," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I wanted to explain... I wanted to be the one to tell you, but I was afraid."

Maxim looked at Tonya, his eyes softened by understanding. "I know, Mom. Dad explained everything. I... I just need some time to process it."

Tonya nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "We love you, Maxim. We’ve always loved you as our own. And we only wanted to keep you safe."

Maxim reached out and took Tonya’s hand, squeezing it gently. "I’m not angry, and you will always be my mother."

Tonya bit her lips to stop herself from crying, but tears fell on her cheeks. "I’m so sorry..."

"You don’t have to, Mom," Maxim hugged Tonya tight, and they stayed like that silently for a few seconds, comforting each other.

"Alright, I know you need to think. Take a good rest now. I’ll tend to your father," Tonya cupped Maxim’s cheeks before leaving. She was guilty of what she had said to Maxim but was grateful she was forgiven.

Maxim’s smile dropped when Tonya left. "I wish I was your real son instead," he whispered silently.

Maxim lay awake in his bed as the night wore on, staring up at the ceiling. The weight of the truth pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe.

"Think, Maxim," he whispered to himself. "There has to be a way. If I’m truly the last heir, then I have a duty... don’t I?"

Then something clicked in Maxim’s mind. He sat up with a grin on his face.

"Why am I even stressing about this? I can just hide my true identity and continue with my life as if nothing happened! No one needs to know that I have royal blood in me! Then I’ll be safe!" Maxim exclaimed, eyes wide in his own realization. "Ah! I don’t need to worry anymore."