Mated to A Rival Alpha-Chapter 371: Family, Didn’t Have To Be Blood

[RANIA]

"But what if they are alive, just not where you would expect them?" Rania asked after a long silence. She had been thinking so much and frankly, she wanted to rip the band-aid this early before things got complicated.

"You’re overthinking again," Dalrae sighed as she sat up to look at her sister’s face, but this time, she was met with a tired face, one that was terrified of what the truth would hold, one that was scared of what could happen after this.

"Rani... Who are they?" Dalrae asked softly as she held her sister’s hands. She was getting worried too.

"They can’t be that bad, especially if they gave us such a charming beta," Paloma said like she didn’t know the truth. They all knew it, but they had to find a way to make it seem like it was a surprise for them too.

"We might even get to greet them and share Dalrae’s horrible meals. At least we can have someone who won’t kick our ass if we tell on Dalrae to them, right?" Han Seong said and Chang Wook just facepalmed.

"You know I love you, right? I didn’t think it would be them. I have been looking for your parents for over twenty years and never found them, but I figured it out today. Please don’t be mad at me, but even if you are, I wouldn’t blame you.

"After all, I should have been smarter and figured it out earlier. I mean if you want to hate me, I won’t blame you, after all, it’s not like I am an assistant and—" Rania rambled on and Dalrae stared at me worriedly again.

She knew Rania never rambled and she only ever rambled if she was truly scared. Her sister was scared, that much she had established even earlier on, but she was timing that it would be to this extent.

She was once again willing to be the mat people stepped on and what didn’t sit well with the misfits, Dalrae was slowly trying to brace herself for the worst news. Maybe if she braced herself she wouldn’t be angry too, right?

"You’re rambling again, Rani. Who are they? I swear I won’t be mad at you," Dalrae said and Chang Wook looked at her sister and then at his mate.

He knew that things would be a little complicated because they had all been after the same people for years on end. He knew that there was a lot that could change, but then it also depended on how Dalrae reacted.

"You’re Jungwoo’s older twin sister, Lim Lim. Your name is Jeon Junghwa. Yanna Petrova Kravoski is your elder sister, and the Obren palace is your home," Rania said as she looked at Kaia, her only stronghold at the moment.

She couldn’t do this without his strength. Now that the truth was out there now that she had managed to belt out what she had figured out, Kim Rania was bracing herself for the worst.

Perhaps that was also why she carefully detangled from Dalrae’s arms and walked over to where Kaia was, as if to tell them that she was more than ready to leave if her sister didn’t want her to.

It was an idea that broke her heart, but Rania knew that there wasn’t much she could do at the moment. No matter what she did and no matter what happened there wasn’t a thing that could change just how much she loved Dalrae.

Lim Dalrae was the bane of her existence.

"That’s funny. Anyway, when are we going to pay them a visit at the Cezaevi? We should carry some spears to teach them all a lesson, right? I call dibs on Park Jihoon," Dalrae said and no one laughed, or even made a happy face.

Instead, they looked like they would rather have considered doing something else than being trapped in the tooth that was so haunting.

"Is that true?" Dalrae asked, the shock on her face reeling her in before she realized that all that her sister had said was never alive.

Then again, Rania had always never lied to her, it was something that made their friendship even stranger, but why did Dalrae wish for the first time that her sister had lied to her? Why did she feel like this was a burdensome truth for her and even their friends to bear?

Did they all know from the beginning and still stuck with her?

Dalrae couldn’t believe what was happening. She was in clear denial but the faces she was getting were wearing her that even if she denied it, the truth had finally made its way to her.

"I will understand whatever you want to do with me, Dalrae. I won’t object, after all, I was the one at the center of the mess. I just didn’t know it would have your parents and your entire family in like that.

"Maybe I should leave, after all, you have more right to be in Incayon than I do. I was banished, so I will be off," Rania said and Kaoa let out a low growl, right at the same time that Dalrae did.

It was like they were both against something, or maybe they were giving each other warnings.

Rania could only hope that Kaia didn’t try to hurt Dalrae because she would fight Kaia for her.

She would reject Kaia if it meant saving Dalrae. That was how loyal the two sisters were to each other but would that still remain, now that Dalrae had learned who she truly was?

"Where you go, I will go, sister. I don’t care if I am the princess of the entire realm. I want to live in a world that doesn’t have you. So, if you’re leaving, then I am coming along. I told you that a thousand times before and even now, I am telling you.

"Side by side, remember? Always and forever, regardless of what fate throws at us, I will always choose you," Dalrae said and Rania stared at her blankly. She wasn’t sure if this was some sort of a shitshow, but she knew that Dalrae would never lie to her.

Perhaps it was too much for the both of them, and they needed time apart, but then the two sisters had always been in their world, just the two of them against everything possible.

They had lost, got together and loved in the process they had done more than the world could ever agree to, and even then, they were not about to lose each other.

"You don’t have to spare my feelings, sister. I imprisoned your parents and split a kingdom that was meant for you into bits. I murdered wolves and ruined so many lives. I am a rogue, Lim Lim. I shouldn’t have come back but—" Rania began and her sister glared at her, interrupting her.

"Careful, Kim Rania. That is my sister you’re talking about. I won’t let you slander my sister like that. So, don’t you dare blame her for everything," Dalrae said as she walked over to Rania, before pulling her into a hug.

"I can’t lose you, Rania. I don’t care what names we both have, what I need is you, being my sister. I don’t care if I am Chang Wook’s mate, or the princess of the entire Obren. I don’t care if you want me to lead an unthankful pack that banished you without thinking twice.

"I don’t care if you want me to stay back. I just need you, beside me. We can run away, leave the pack. They can always vote and have new rulers. But I know I can’t ever find someone I love and live for like you.

"Don’t let the misfortune of our parents pull us apart. You promised you wouldn’t leave if you found my parents. I need you, Rani," Dalrae said and Rania just sighed. She hadn’t been expecting this, frankly.

She had been expecting that Dalrae would push her away and never want anything to do with her. Besides she had done so much to the royal that why wouldn’t blame them for wanting her gone.

Oh, how Ranai had already packed up for the day that came true especially when she first noticed Dalrae’s strength during the trial.

"But Lim Lim—"

"Us against the world, always," Dalrae said, holding onto Rania so tightly. She wouldn’t let her leave and take the blame like she always did. She couldn’t have Rania blaming herself for everything.

She would protect her sister and be there for her, like they always had been protecting each other. The world could be burning but they would always be together.

"You’re crazy," Rania said, returning the hug.

"I know. Speaking of which... Now that I’m the heiress to the entire kingdom, maybe we can bring my parents back and make them eat shit?" Dalrae asked and the misfits chuckled before rushing over to the two women and completing the hug.

They were crazy, all of them, and while they had somehow managed to find love with each other, they knew that the worst was that there was still more for them to do. It didn’t matter that the chaos had been toned down.

They need to pass judgment on their parents. Maybe that would give them all closure, right?

"Or we can finally use the palace swings without feeling guilty, right?" Dalrae said in the hug like she hadn’t just heard the craziest of things. However, that didn’t matter to her. The only thing that Mastered, was that she had her family. And they were with her right now.

"I hate to break up the family hug, but may I know how I got here?" Lee Daehyun said, snapping the misfits out of their happy trance.