THE DAUGHTER WHO CAME HOME
CHAPTER ONE
THE DAUGHTER WHO CAME HOME
The gates of the Sterling estate opened slowly.
Aria stared through the black-tinted window of the car, her fingers tightening around the old silver pendant hanging from her neck.
For eighteen years, she had imagined this moment.
Coming home.
Seeing her mother.
Meeting her father.
Finally standing among the family she had lost as a baby.
She had imagined her mother running toward her with tears in her eyes.
She had imagined her brothers hugging her.
She had imagined someone whispering, "You're finally home, little sister."
But now that she was actually here, her heart was beating so hard that it hurt.
The enormous Sterling mansion appeared beyond the iron gates.
White stone walls.
Tall glass windows.
A massive fountain surrounded by silver statues of wolves.
And behind the mansion stood the territory's sacred forest, where hundreds of wolves roamed beneath the moon.
Aria swallowed.
"This is it," she whispered.
The driver glanced at her through the mirror.
"Are you ready, Miss Sterling?"
Aria looked down at her hands.
They were trembling.
"I've been waiting eighteen years."
The car stopped.
Before the driver could open the door, the mansion's front doors swung open.
People poured outside.
Servants.
Guards.
And then—
Aria saw her.
A beautiful woman in an elegant cream dress stood at the top of the stairs.
Her mother.
Elena Sterling.
Aria had seen photographs of her countless times.
But photographs hadn't prepared her for this.
For the way Elena's face froze when their eyes met.
For the tears that immediately filled her eyes.
"Aria?"
The single word broke something inside Aria.
She stepped out of the car.
"Mom."
Elena covered her mouth.
For a moment, neither woman moved.
Then Elena ran down the stairs.
She wrapped her arms around Aria so tightly that Aria could barely breathe.
"My baby."
Aria's eyes burned.
"I found you," Elena sobbed. "I finally found you."
Aria closed her eyes.
For the first time in eighteen years, she allowed herself to be held by her mother.
"I thought you would never come," she whispered.
Elena pulled away and held her face between both hands.
"I searched for you."
"I know."
"I never stopped."
Aria forced a smile.
"I know, Mom."
Behind them, four young men stood silently.
Her brothers.
Aria had memorized their faces from photographs too.
Ethan.
Lucas.
Adrian Jr.
And Ryan.
They were all tall, powerful werewolves from the Alpha bloodline.
But none of them stepped forward.
They simply stared at her.
Then a soft voice came from the stairs.
"Mom?"
Aria looked up.
A young woman was standing there.
She was beautiful.
Long dark hair.
Perfect makeup.
An expensive white dress.
And a delicate smile that looked almost innocent.
Elena turned.
"Selena."
Selena slowly descended the stairs.
The four brothers immediately moved toward her.
One of them placed a protective hand on her shoulder.
Aria noticed.
Her smile disappeared for half a second.
Then she quickly replaced it.
"So this is her."
Aria looked at her.
"Really?"
Selena nodded.
"You're finally home."
Elena smiled through her tears.
"Selena, this is your sister."
Selena immediately reached for Aria's hand.
"I'm so happy to meet you."
Aria looked down at their joined hands.
Selena's fingers were cold.
Very cold.
"Me too," Aria replied.
One of the brothers stepped forward.
"I'm Ethan."
"I know."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You know?"
Aria smiled faintly.
"I've seen your pictures."
The other brothers introduced themselves.
Lucas.
Adrian.
Ryan.
Their greetings were polite.
Nothing more.
Aria tried not to let it hurt.
They were strangers.
She couldn't expect them to love her immediately.
Elena took her hand.
"Come inside. We've prepared your room."
Selena's smile stiffened.
"Her room?"
Elena looked confused.
"Of course."
"I thought..." Selena hesitated.
Everyone looked at her.
She quickly smiled.
"Never mind."
Elena squeezed Aria's hand.
"Everything that belongs to you is waiting for you."
Aria followed her inside.
But as she crossed the doorway, she felt someone watching her.
She turned.
Selena was still standing outside.
Everyone else had gone inside.
The smile was gone from Selena's face.
Her eyes were cold.
"You really came back," she whispered.
Aria frowned.
"What?"
Selena's expression changed instantly.
"Nothing."
She smiled again.
"I said welcome home, sister."
Aria stared at her for a moment before walking away.
Neither of them noticed the old family portrait hanging above the staircase.
It showed the Sterling family from years ago.
A younger Elena.
A younger Alpha Adrian.
And beside them—
A tiny empty space.
The space where their missing daughter should have been.
That night, Aria stood alone on the balcony of her new bedroom.
The moon was enormous.
Her wolf paced restlessly inside her.
Something is wrong.
Aria frowned.
She had felt it since she arrived.
The Sterling estate was beautiful.
Her mother loved her.
Her father had welcomed her.
Her brothers had accepted her.
So why did her wolf keep warning her?
A soft knock came at the door.
Aria turned.
Elena entered carrying a small wooden box.
"I thought you might want this."
Aria took it.
"What is it?"
"Things that belonged to you."
Her fingers trembled as she opened the box.
Inside was a tiny silver bracelet.
A photograph.
And a small piece of white cloth embroidered with a wolf symbol.
Aria touched the photograph.
It showed her mother holding her as a baby.
Tears filled her eyes.
"You kept these?"
"Every single thing."
Elena sat beside her.
"I promised myself that if I ever found you, I would give them back."
Aria leaned against her mother's shoulder.
For a moment, everything felt perfect.
Then Elena whispered—
"There's just one thing you need to understand."
Aria looked at her.
"What?"
"Selena has been my daughter for many years."
Aria's heart tightened.
"I know."
"I love you both."
"I know, Mom."
"Promise me you won't feel threatened by her."
Aria was silent.
Why would her mother say that?
"I don't want anything from her," Aria finally said.
Elena smiled.
"I know."
Outside the bedroom, someone stood motionless in the darkness.
Selena.
Her hand was pressed against the wall.
She had heard everything.
Her face was expressionless.
Until she heard Aria laugh softly.
Then her nails dug into her palms.
She doesn't want anything from me?
Selena's eyes hardened.
We'll see.
She quietly walked away.
And inside the room, Aria suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest.
Her wolf growled.
She's here.
Aria turned toward the closed door.
But there was no one there.
She didn't know it yet.
But the moment she came home...
THE WAR FOR THE STERLING FAMILY HAD ALREADY BEGUN.
