•Timberline Village•
Ace's POV
As we approached Timberline Village, I glanced at Ovelia. Her expression was clouded with sadness, her eyes distant and her lips pressed into a thin line. The vibrant energy she usually carried was replaced by a heavy silence, and it pained me to see her like this.
"If you keep that face, I'm going to kiss you," I teased, a playful grin spreading across my lips. I hoped to lighten the mood, to bring back even a flicker of her usual spirit.
"Ehhh?!" she exclaimed, her cheeks turning a vibrant shade of red. Her reaction was priceless, and I couldn't help but chuckle. Teasing her was simply delightful, and for a moment, the tension in the air seemed to ease.
But the moment was fleeting. As the wagon rolled closer to the village, Ovelia's shoulders tensed, and her gaze dropped to her lap. The weight of returning to her past was clearly pressing down on her.
"Ace, should I park the wagon here in the village?" Ray asked, breaking the moment. His voice was calm, but I could sense the underlying concern in his tone. He had been unusually quiet since we entered the outskirts of the village, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings as if preparing for trouble.
"Yeah, but only at the entrance. We'll walk around the village from there," I replied, my tone light yet decisive. I wanted to keep our presence as unobtrusive as possible, but I also wanted to see the place Ovelia had called home.
Ray nodded, his jaw tightening slightly as he guided the wagon to a stop. He hopped down with his usual ease, but I noticed the way his hand lingered near the hilt of his sword, a subtle sign of his unease. Ann followed suit, her cheerful demeanor dimmed as she glanced at Ovelia with a worried frown.
I turned my attention back to Ovelia. She was staring at the wagon's floor, lost in thought, her brows knitted together in a frown. Her hands were clenched tightly in her lap, and I could see the turmoil in her eyes.
"Ovelia, your village is so simple and beautiful. I'm really happy to visit," Ann chimed in, her voice brightening the atmosphere. But then she noticed Ovelia's distant gaze. "Lady Ovelia, are you okay?" she asked, her voice softening with genuine concern.
Ovelia snapped her head towards Ann, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm fine," she said softly, though her voice lacked its usual warmth. Ann mirrored her smile, though her eyes still held a hint of worry.
"Aren't you two getting down?" Ray asked, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at us. His tone was casual, but his eyes flicked to Ovelia, his concern evident.
I reached for Ovelia's hand, my fingers intertwining with hers. When our eyes met, I could see a flicker of vulnerability in hers. "Let's go," I said softly, my voice gentle but firm. She nodded, and together we stepped off the wagon.
Ovelia's POV
As my feet touched the ground, I felt a wave of dread wash over me. The familiar sights of the village—the wooden houses, the narrow paths, the faint smell of earth and livestock—brought back memories I had tried to bury. My heart raced as I noticed the villagers staring at us, their whispers carrying through the air like a swarm of bees.
"Ace," I whispered, my voice barely audible. His grip on my hand tightened, and I felt a surge of gratitude for his presence. But even his reassurance couldn't fully calm the storm inside me.
"Ovelia," Ann said gently, stepping closer to me. Her warm smile was a small comfort, but the worry in her eyes mirrored my own fears. "We're here with you. No matter what happens, we've got your back."
Ray, standing a few steps ahead, turned to look at me. His usual stoic expression softened for a moment, and he gave me a firm nod. "You're not alone in this," he said, his voice steady and reassuring. "We'll face whatever comes together."
Their words gave me a sliver of courage, but it was short-lived. As we walked further into the village, the stares grew more intense, and the whispers louder. My chest tightened, and I found myself clutching Ace's hand like a lifeline.
Ace's POV
The village was modest, with simple wooden houses and small farming plots. It was a far cry from the grandeur of the palace, but there was a certain charm to its simplicity. Yet, the tension in the air was palpable, and I could feel Ovelia's anxiety radiating from her.
As we approached a larger house, an older man stepped forward, his presence commanding. "Vice Mayor Arnold?" Ovelia gasped, surprise etched on her face.
"Ovelia, what are you doing here with those merchants? Aren't you one of the human sacrifices? Did you escape from the werewolves?" Arnold asked, astonishment evident in his voice.
Ray opened his mouth to speak, but I quickly silenced him with a firm look. Thankfully, we looked like merchants—humans couldn't easily identify us as werewolves.
Ovelia's POV
Panic coursed through me. What if they lashed out, angered at my return with these werewolves? Truth be told, I dreaded facing my non-biological parents once more.
"Don't be weak, remember a goddess is sealed inside of you. Be confident in yourself," Lady Firera's voice echoed in my mind, her tone firm but reassuring.
Lady Firera is a goddess, but she's still sealed inside of me, and she can only give me strength once a day, and I can use that only for seconds, like before, I thought, taking a deep breath. I should be thankful that she's still willing to give me strength, even if only for a brief moment.
"I'll just call your father, Ovelia. Mayor Lorence needs to know you're here," Vice Mayor Arnold said, his tone brisk.
I felt Ace's grip tighten around my hand, and I glanced at him. He smiled softly, reassuring me.
"We'll follow you, Mayor Arnold. We'd like to meet the mayor as well." Ace said with a serious tone, his voice steady and commanding.
Ace's POV
As we walked, I noticed the small farming area and pigpens, modest yet sufficient for the villagers to sustain themselves daily. The simplicity of the village was both admirable and heartbreaking. These people lived with so little, yet they seemed to find a way to survive.
Suddenly, we stopped in front of a larger house—this must be the mayor's residence.
Vice Mayor Arnold stepped forward and knocked on the door, calling out, "Mayor Lorence, we have visitors in the village!"
I watched as Ovelia instinctively placed a hand over her heart, a wave of fear crossing her face.
"Ovelia, don't worry, we're right here," Ann reassured her gently, her voice soft but firm. She placed a hand on Ovelia's shoulder, her touch warm and comforting.
"Ann is right," Ray chimed in, his tone steady. His eyes met mine, and I could see the determination in his gaze.
We all exchanged encouraging smiles with Ovelia, and she returned the gesture, albeit hesitantly.
The door swung open, revealing an elderly woman—most likely Ovelia's non-biological mother.
"Forgive me, Arnold, but Lorence isn't home; he's out fishing by the river. Who are our guests?" she asked, her voice warm yet tinged with concern.
I could see the fear etched on Ovelia's face, so I tightened my grip on her hand, wanting her to feel my presence beside her.
"We have some merchants and, of course, Ovelia," Vice Mayor Arnold explained briskly. "I need to go; you can take care of them, Natasha." He stepped aside before leaving.
As we faced Natasha, her demeanor shifted dramatically. The anger in her eyes was palpable, igniting a similar spark of fury within me—and even my wolf felt it.
"What are you doing here, Ovelia? Aren't you supposed to be one of the human sacrifices for the werewolves? Don't tell me you escaped and brought merchants to our village," Natasha spat, her voice laced with anger.
"You, merchants, if you're here to sell your products, just go away. We don't need your products," she continued, her tone cold and cutting.
A fire ignited within me at her words; I wanted to silence her forever.
"Ovelia's non-biological mother is a bit terrifying and annoying; I almost want to rip her tongue out," Ray whispered, nudging my side. I shot him a glare, though I couldn't deny the anger bubbling within me as well.
Ovelia's POV
I knew this moment would come. The confrontation with my mother in the village—it was unavoidable.
Suddenly, Alessia appeared, her eyes narrowing. "Mom, who are our guests?" She turned to me, a condescending smirk spreading across her face. "Oh, my foolish little sister is back, bringing her merchant friends?"
Her words echoed in my mind, a painful reminder of what she said before I left to become a sacrifice.
"Thank you, you stupid little sister,"
Taking a deep breath, I managed to speak. "Alessia, so I was right. Since I found out I wasn't your real sister, you've changed. All the kindness you showed me was just an act. But why did you go that far? Why did you pretend to be kind to me for so many years, even though it was all fake?" My voice trembled with emotion.
"Ha! I did that because I had to, Ovelia. I've despised you ever since Mother and Father brought you home. I was just nice to keep you alive whenever you felt utterly alone," Alessia laughed cruelly, as if the laughter was a dagger in my heart.
It crushed me to realize that her kindness had always been an act.
"You know, Ovelia," my mother interjected, her voice icy, "if you returned to find out where we found you, I will tell you. But you and your merchant friends will kneel before me and beg."
Based on my dream, my mother and father hid me behind a large tree near the river, so maybe that's where they found me. I don't need to know about where they found me, I thought, my heart heavy.
"It's okay if you don't tell me where you found me, and we will not kneel before you," I stammered, despair creeping in.
But then, Ace released my hand, and I glanced at him as he knelt. Ann and Ray also began to kneel. Guilt washed over me; I felt responsible for this awful moment. I already knew where they found me, but I think Ace, Ray, and Ann wanted to know me better, so I knelt alongside them.
Ace's POV
Ann, Ray, and I knelt together, craving to uncover the truth behind Ovelia's past. I knew I was the one who hid Ovelia near the tree by the river, but I was still desperate to understand the hardship she had faced throughout her life.
Ovelia knelt as well, her voice trembling, "Mother, where you found me? Who are my real parents?"
My heart ached at the sight of Ovelia's pain, a deep.
Natasha sighed heavily, her gaze sinking into the depths of her memories. "First of all, I don't know who your true parents are. You were just a baby in a basket when Lorence and I found you in the tree near the river. The only thing with you was your name. Nothing more." She settled before us, her eyes clouded with unspoken emotions.
"When we saw you were a girl, we decided to adopt you, hoping to spare Alessia from being sacrificed to the werewolf. We thought we could raise you as our own." Alessia handed Natasha a glass of water, and she took a long, grateful sip before continuing.
"We intended to be kind to you and hide the fact that you weren't our biological child, hoping you wouldn't run away from this village. But do you understand, Ovelia? When you discovered you were adopted, that we intended to sacrifice you instead of Alessia, we breathed a sigh of relief. It meant we no longer needed to pretend to be nice to you." Natasha's voice cracked at the confession, a mix of remorse and resignation lingering in the air.
The four of us remained kneeling, the weight of revelation pressing down on us like a heavy fog. I felt the stares of many eyes on us, piercing through the silence. I glanced at Ovelia by my side, and saw the sadness etched on her face—raw and unguarded. Her heart was breaking, and so was mine.
It's my fault. I'm the one who hid her near this village. If I had only hidden her near a better village or town, she wouldn't have suffered so much. Maybe she would have been loved by her non-biological parents, I thought, guilt gnawing at me..