Chapter 203: Official

Yuki stared at it. Alexander carefully lifted the bracelet and extended his other hand. She placed hers in his, and he gently clasped the bracelet around her wrist. The small click of the clasp seemed almost insignificant beneath the applause, yet Yuki felt its meaning settle heavily in her chest.

"Welcome to the family," Alexander said warmly.

Yuki looked towards Aevia. Her sister’s eyes were filled with tears, as though she had finally witnessed a wish she had carried for years come true. Yuki smiled before looking back at Alexander.

"So, does this mean I have to change my surname?" she joked.

Alexander chuckled, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he laughed. Faint amusement lit his eyes. "Only if you want to," he replied.

"All right, then, because most of my documents carry Donovan," she explained, still finding the arrangement overwhelming.

"You can keep it. Or you can use Ravencourt," he suggested.

His fingers tightened slightly around hers. A strange warmth suddenly rushed through Yuki’s veins. Her smile disappeared. The room spun. She stumbled slightly, but Alexander immediately steadied her.

"Easy."

Yuki blinked rapidly. Then his voice suddenly sounded inside her head. ’You don’t have to change your surname if you want to keep your old one. But you can use the Ravencourt name.’

Yuki’s eyes widened.

’How is that possible?’ She stared at Alexander in disbelief. ’We don’t have a family bond. We aren’t mates, and we aren’t even that close.’

Alexander’s lips curved slightly. ’I am the head of the Ravencourt family and the Alpha of the pack. I can create bonds at will.’ It was a simple explanation.

Yuki stared at him. ’This isn’t a natural family bond or a mate bond. I simply shared part of my authority with you. You can now command the servants and warriors under the Ravencourt household and those directly under my control.’

Yuki slowly closed her eyes. For the first time, she could feel the connections surrounding her. Several faint bonds stretched throughout the palace, linking her to servants and warriors under Alexander’s authority. They weren’t as powerful as the natural bonds within the Ravencourt family, but they were there. This was Alexander’s true acknowledgement of her.

’Thank you,’ she said through the mind-link.

’It’s nothing. The trust documents will be sent to you tomorrow as well.’

Yuki opened her eyes and smiled. Being a rich heiress might not be so bad after all. The music suddenly changed. Alexander extended his hand towards her. Yuki blinked.

"One more dance," he said. "Our first official father-daughter dance."

"Oh," Yuki blurted. She hesitated before placing her hand in his. Alexander led her onto the dance floor. His hand rested respectfully at her waist while Yuki placed one hand on his shoulder, their other hands joined between them.

"I’ll lead," he assured her.

Yuki nodded nervously. They moved slowly with the music, Alexander guiding her through each step. Yuki was much less confident than Aevia, and she was painfully aware of all the eyes watching them. After a few moments, she glanced up at him.

"Alexander?" she nervously called out. Something flickered in his eyes before he replied, "Yes?" He simply answered.

"Am I supposed to call you Father?" Yuki asked with all seriousness.

The word sounded strange on her tongue. She had never had a father. She had no idea what it was supposed to feel like to call someone that. Alexander laughed softly. "Alexander is fine. Kaden calls me that anyway."

Yuki laughed nervously. "That’s true."

The Alpha King she had once imagined as some terrifying, untouchable man was surprisingly easy to speak to. Alexander’s expression softened.

"You don’t have to force yourself to accept anything you aren’t ready for. I adopted you because it makes it easier for me to protect you and gives you certain privileges I promised Aevia. Your security is the main reason." He paused before adding, "Although I wouldn’t mind if you eventually saw me as a father figure."

Yuki lowered her gaze, unsure how to respond. They continued dancing. She never imagined her first father-daughter dance would be with Alexander Ravencourt, yet somehow, that was exactly where life had brought her. When the song ended, they separated and offered each other a small bow.

"Thank you," Yuki said softly.

"It was my pleasure."

Applause filled the dome as they returned to their seats. Not everyone looked pleased. Eloise clicked her tongue as she watched Yuki sit down. Around them, several nobles were already whispering.

"She looks so much like Luna Aevia."

"They have the same eyes."

"They could almost be twins."

The comments clearly irritated Eloise. She folded her arms and stared at Yuki with narrowed eyes.

"It wouldn’t be surprising if Yuki were a bastard," she muttered spitefully. "They really do look like father and daughter."

The three brothers immediately looked at her. Kaden’s expression tightened.

"What?"

Eloise quickly laughed and waved a hand. "It’s a joke."

But she wasn’t finished. She leaned closer and lowered her voice.

"Honestly, with how much Yuki resembles Aevia, it wouldn’t be completely crazy if she were her secret child with Alexander."

Kaden gave a low chuckle, but the sound died quickly. A strange chill travelled down his spine.

"And my half-sister turns out to be my mate," he muttered dryly. "Perfect." He knew that was impossible.

Killian didn’t laugh. His eyes remained fixed on Yuki. The possibility wasn’t entirely ridiculous. He had wondered about their origins before. Two orphans with no true pack. Two sisters who had seemingly appeared without anyone willing to claim them. It wasn’t impossible that Yuki could have been Aevia’s child from a teenage pregnancy.

But Killian had investigated Aevia’s past thoroughly. She had never been pregnant. There had been no hidden child, no secret birth and no missing infant. Yuki was Aevia’s sister. At least, that was what every piece of evidence had told him.

Kaden’s gaze went back to Yuki, who had a faint smile on her face after dancing with Alexander. She turned around, basking in the congratulations. The more he watched, the more ridiculous it looked seeing her carrying the title of his sister. Kaden’s fingers curled around his glass, then he downed the drink at once.