Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 181

**Chapter 181**

The following evening found me entangled in a web of anxiety, my emotional state no better than it had been the day before. Loren, with her perceptive nature, sensed my turmoil immediately. Perhaps it was the way I had been stirring my cereal, tracing the same repetitive pattern for what felt like an eternity. Or maybe it was simply the fact that Loren was an extraordinary friend, always attuned to my moods.

“Do you… want to talk about it?” she ventured, her voice gentle as my spoon glided past yet another soggy Cheerio. I let out a noncommittal shrug, unsure of how to articulate the chaos swirling inside me.

“I don’t even know what there is to discuss,” I replied with a huff, the frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “It feels like all my fated mates despise me.”

“Zora,” Loren said, her tone steady and unwavering. “You have, like, four of them. How can they all possibly hate you?”

I raised an eyebrow, her logic striking me as absurd. Holding up one finger, I began to enumerate my woes.

“Maximus thinks I’m leading him and Valentin on—”

With a second finger, I continued, “Valentin is still marrying Bella and wants absolutely nothing to do with me—”

I added a third finger, “Thorne hates me so much he severed our bond—”

Finally, I raised a fourth finger, “And Kairos is… honestly, I have no clue,” I mumbled, feeling the weight of despair settle heavily upon me. I dropped my hand back to the table, pushing my Cheerios around in a circular motion once more. “Not a single one of them likes me.”

Loren shifted in her seat, a hint of discomfort etched across her features. “Well, it sounds like Kairos might have some potential!” she suggested, attempting to inject a sliver of hope into my gloom.

I shot her a withering look, and she instinctively shrank back, her enthusiasm dampened. Sighing, I let my spoon clatter against the bowl as I rubbed my eyes in frustration.

“Sorry,” I muttered, the remorse creeping into my voice. “I didn’t mean to snap. There’s just so much going on.”

“I’m not surprised you’re feeling stressed,” Loren replied with a casual shrug. “I’d be a wreck too if I showed up to school, only to discover I was a wolf, and then suddenly find out I had four fated mates. Your parents must have been something special.”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, the weight of her words pressing down on me. “Yeah,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “Maybe.”

“Ooh!” Loren exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over once more. “I bet Headmaster Lunerly knows something about it!”

“What do you mean?” I asked, genuinely puzzled.

“Well, he knows just about everyone! I’m sure he could dig through the records and find out who your biological parents are!”

I rolled my shoulders back, a flicker of hope igniting in my chest. Part of me believed that this could be my escape from the mess I found myself in. Loren was eager to pry, and I didn’t have the energy to stop her. The more she poked, the closer she might get to the truth. Or would she?

“I don’t know,” I mumbled, the uncertainty creeping back in. “I’m not sure I really care. My parents left me. Should I even waste my time thinking about them?”

Loren remained silent for a moment, her frown deepening as she studied me. Finally, she peered up at me from beneath her lashes, a whisper escaping her lips, “You know, don’t you? Who your parents are? Who you really are?”

Her question sent me spiraling over the edge. My breath quickened, shallow gasps escaping my lips as the entire dining hall began to spin around me. I abruptly stood up, the sound of my chair scraping against the floor echoing like nails on a chalkboard. My eyes remained locked on Loren, a mixture of fear and desperation coursing through me.

“I—I have to go,” I stammered before bolting toward the door.

I was vaguely aware of Loren calling after me, but the only sounds that filled my ears were my frantic breaths and the erratic rhythm of my heart pounding in my chest. The cool night air enveloped me as I stepped outside, the darkness of the campus offering no comfort, only amplifying my sense of isolation.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Loren.

Loren, who had stood by my side through every trial and tribulation. She rarely asked questions, and when she did, her inquiries were always respectful, kind, and genuine. Yet, here I was, lying to her face. Then my thoughts turned to Maximus and Kairos, both of whom wanted me without knowing the truth. And Valentin, who didn’t want me yet still extended a helping hand.

My life felt like an uncontrollable whirlwind, and I was at the center of it all. From ending up at that wretched school to being captured by vampires and everything in between—it was all my fault. At that moment, I felt a wave of panic wash over me, my breath coming out in ragged gasps.

I sprinted across campus, my pulse racing in my ears. I dashed toward my dorm room, flinging the door open and stumbling up the stairs as if intoxicated. I bypassed my own room and headed straight for the door next to mine, pounding my fist against it in desperation, still struggling to regulate my breathing.

When Maximus finally opened the door, his expression was one of anger, but it quickly shifted to concern as he took in my tear-streaked face. His eyes roamed over my features before locking onto my gaze, searching for answers.

“I’m so sorry,” I whimpered, the dam I had built around my emotions finally breaking. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I collapsed into his arms. He instinctively pulled me into his room, the door slamming shut behind us as I surrendered to the sobs I had been stifling for far too long.