The Silverwood Legacy

Chapter Twelve: Under the Surface

As the days passed, Rowan couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Alex and his clique. The unusual vision from English Literature continued to haunt her thoughts, and now Alex's apparent interest in her only deepened the mystery. It seemed as though he was observing her from a distance, his gaze following her subtly whenever she was in sight.

Rowan began to notice these fleeting glances and the way Alex seemed to keep tabs on her movements. The intensity of his scrutiny, though discreet, made her increasingly aware of his presence. It was clear that Alex was intrigued by her, though his reasons remained a mystery.

Meanwhile, one of the girls from the group, Jenna, approached Rowan with a friendly demeanor. Jenna's warmth and openness were a stark contrast to the aloofness of the rest of the clique. She welcomed Rowan into their circle, offering her friendship and making an effort to include her in their activities. Rowan accepted Jenna's invitation, intrigued but still cautious about the clique as a whole.

When Rowan returned home that evening, she excitedly shared her day with her father. She recounted how Jenna had befriended her and how she had been brought into the group's social circle. However, her father's reaction was not what she expected. His face grew tense, and he was visibly displeased.

"I don't want you getting involved with that group," he said sternly. "They're not the kind of people you should be around. Stay away from them."

Rowan was taken aback by his reaction. His vehement disapproval only fueled her curiosity. Why was he so adamant about her staying away from the clique? His response seemed disproportionate to her new social connections, and it only heightened her desire to learn more.

Determined to uncover more, Rowan decided to return to the library after their argument. She felt a renewed sense of purpose, driven by her father's reaction and the need to understand the secrets that seemed to be surrounding her.

In the quiet of the library, Rowan sifted through the shelves once more, searching for any clues related to her family and the enigmatic Silverwood name. Her eyes landed on a dusty, leather-bound book titled *"The Silverwood Legacy"*. Intrigued, she pulled it from the shelf and flipped through the pages.

Her heart raced as she came across a detailed family tree that traced the lineage of the Silverwood family. The tree was vast and intricate, filled with names, dates, and connections that spanned centuries. Rowan's eyes widened as she traced her own name and those of her family members. To her bewilderment, the last name "Silverwood" appeared prominently in the tree, even though she had always known her family name to be different.

The presence of the Silverwood name in her family history was both puzzling and intriguing. Why was it there, and what did it mean for her family's past? Rowan took several pictures of the family tree with her phone, determined to investigate further.

With her curiosity piqued and her father's warning echoing in her mind, Rowan spent hours in the library, searching for more books and records that might shed light on the Silverwood name and its significance. Each book she found only seemed to raise more questions, and she felt as though she was on the brink of uncovering something important—something that connected her, the clique, and the mysteries she had been trying to unravel.

When Rowan finally returned home, she found her father sitting in the living room, a tired expression on his face. She walked up to him, the weight of her discoveries heavy in her mind. Without preamble, she spoke the word that had been haunting her thoughts: "Silverwood."

Her father's face went ashen. He dropped into his chair, his shoulders slumping in defeat. Rowan watched as his eyes betrayed a mixture of resignation and sorrow. He looked at her, the weight of unspoken truths clear in his gaze.

"I don't understand why you're so determined to find out the truth," he said quietly, his voice heavy with emotion. "But... I suppose I can't stop you."

He took a deep breath, his expression softening. "On your 17th birthday, I will tell you what I can. Until then, please—just be careful. There are things that are better left unknown."

Rowan nodded, but her mind was racing. She decided to tell her father about the vision she had experienced in class, recounting the black panther and the unsettling feelings it had stirred. Her father's expression darkened, and he began to visibly fret.

"I need to be alone to figure some things out," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "There's much more at stake here than you realize."

As Rowan left him to his thoughts, her father sat in silence, the memories of his past surfacing with a painful clarity. The name Silverwood was not just a family name; it was a symbol of an ancient and powerful lineage. The Silverwoods were royalty among shifters, a family revered and feared across the lands. They had commanded respect and instilled fear, their influence stretching far and wide.

He had once been a prince, Liam Asher Silverwood, the alpha of a powerful clan. His role was not merely one of leadership but of control and protection over his people. He had given up that life when he married Rowan's mother, a human, severing ties with his past and changing his name to protect his family from the dangers that his heritage could attract.

The thought of Rowan potentially becoming a shifter on her 17th birthday was terrifying. If she was indeed a shifter, she would be thrust into a world of power and peril, drawing attention from all corners. As an alpha female, she would be a prize sought by many, and the dangers that came with that status were immense. He had worked hard to leave that life behind, to shield Rowan from the complexities and threats that came with their legacy.

His fears were not just about his daughter's safety but about the consequences of revealing her true nature. The Silverwood name carried a legacy of power that could attract unwanted attention from shifters and other beings who would see Rowan as a means to their own ends. He couldn't let her become a pawn in that world, not after everything he had done to protect her.

The burden of his past weighed heavily on him as he contemplated the dangers that might lie ahead. The revelation of the Silverwood name and the possibility of Rowan's transformation created a storm of fear and uncertainty. He knew he had to prepare for what was coming and to protect his daughter from the perilous world that might soon encroach upon their lives. As he stared into the empty room, he braced himself for the challenges ahead, knowing that he had to keep Rowan safe at all costs.