Ace's POV
I turned my gaze to Ovelia's non-biological mother, Natasha. Her face was twisted into a sickening smirk, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she watched Ovelia's heart shatter under the weight of her cruel words. My hands clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms as I struggled to rein in the storm of anger brewing inside me. The truth about Ovelia's past was within reach, and I was desperate to uncover it, but if my temper spiraled out of control, I knew I wouldn't hesitate to silence Natasha for good.
"Ovelia," Natasha began, her voice dripping with malice, "when you were a child, it was really creepy to watch you talk by the river, laughing as if someone were there. We warned you countless times to stop, but you insisted you had a companion. That's why I always beat you. We've also noticed how quickly your wounds heal. We couldn't help but wonder if you were even human—or a werewolf, or maybe a witch. But thank goodness, as the years went by, we figured out you don't have any powers." Her sneer was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.
Ovelia was talking to someone even when no one was there? I thought, my mind racing. Could it have been the person inside her?
Natasha's voice grew colder, her words like ice. "Ovelia, honestly, we never loved you. If you hadn't been a girl back then, we might have tossed you into the river."
Rage flooded my veins, hot and uncontrollable. I stood abruptly, my wolf clawing at the edges of my consciousness, desperate to break free. The urge to lunge at Natasha, to make her pay for every word she'd spoken, was overwhelming. But before I could act, Ray was on his feet, his hand firm on my shoulder.
"Don't lose your cool here," he said, his voice low but commanding. His grip tightened, grounding me. I exhaled a long, shaky breath, forcing myself to calm down, though the fire in my chest still burned.
Ovelia's POV
Every word they hurled at me pierced my heart, a deep, excruciating pain that threatened to consume me. But despite the agony, my mind kept circling back to one question: Why was I found near the river?
I closed my eyes, focusing inward. "Lady Firera," I called out mentally, "do you know anything about this?"
There was a pause before her voice echoed in my mind, calm and steady. "Hmm, I think you also need to know that."
Suddenly, a memory flashed before me—a man with silver hair and a crying baby. Wait, is this my memory? I thought, my heart racing. The man knelt beside the baby, and as he turned, I saw his face clearly. Ace?! And the baby… was me.
Ace picked up the baby, and as he did, a red string began to form between them. My breath hitched as I watched him run, hiding me behind a tree near the river. Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the memory faded, and I was back in the present.
So Ace is the one who hid me, I realized, my mind reeling. But what does the red string mean?
"The red string means that even as a baby, his wolf had already chosen you as his mate," Lady Firera explained, her voice gentle. "And Ace remembers that memory too."
My eyes snapped to Ace, my heart pounding. Is that why he's become kinder to me? Is that why, even though we haven't known each other long, my heart aches whenever I see him with Eliana?
I didn't remember talking to anyone as a child, but maybe it had been Lady Firera all along. That would explain why no one else could see her.
I stood up, my legs trembling but my resolve firm. I had learned enough for today. My gaze shifted to Alessia and Natasha. A part of me wanted to hate them for everything they'd done, but another part—a stronger part—wanted to focus on the positive, to rise above their cruelty.
I wiped my tears and took a shaky breath. "Alessia," I began, my voice steady despite the storm inside me, "thank you. Even if everything was a lie, the kindness you pretended to show made me feel, for a moment, that I wasn't alone."
Alessia's brows furrowed in confusion, a small, disbelieving laugh escaping her. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.
Ace's POV
I stared at Ovelia, baffled. What is she talking about? Is she really thanking the people who hurt her?
Ovelia's smile was bittersweet as she turned to Natasha. "Mother," she said, her voice soft but unwavering, "I want to express my gratitude for keeping me alive, even if it was ultimately to serve as a human sacrifice in place of your true daughter."
Natasha's eyes widened, her face contorting with rage. She shot to her feet, her hand swinging toward Ovelia in a vicious arc. "Are you mocking me, Ovelia?!" she spat, her voice trembling with fury.
I moved instinctively, ready to intercept, but Ann was faster. Her hand shot out, gripping Natasha's wrist with a strength that made the older woman gasp. Ann's smile was chilling, her voice low and dangerous. "If you dare lay a finger on her," she warned, "I'll break your arms."
I couldn't help but feel a flicker of amusement. Ann's fierce tone sent shivers down my spine. The former assassin from the Crimsonheart pack was truly something else when provoked.
Ray let out a huff of impatience, his arms crossed over his chest. "Come on," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Let's get out of here. We're wasting our time with these people."
As Ann released Natasha's wrist, Ovelia glanced at me, her eyes pleading. I nodded, signaling that it was time to leave this chaos behind.
Ovelia's POV
Before we left, I knew I had to say something to Natasha and Alessia. The words had been simmering inside me, and now was the time to let them out. I took a deep breath, steadying myself as I faced them.
"Natasha, Alessia," I began, my voice firm but tinged with the hurt I had carried for so long. "I won't be referring to you as mother or sister anymore. And please tell Lorence I won't be calling him father either. Thank you for making me realize that just because someone is nice to me doesn't mean they love me. Sometimes, they're just nice because they need something from me—just like you."
The words hung in the air, heavy and final. I could see the fury burning in Natasha's and Alessia's eyes, but they were frozen, unable to respond or move. Ann's venomous glare pinned them in place, her protective stance a silent warning.
Ace took my hand again, his grip warm and reassuring as we prepared to leave. But before we could take a step, Laurence's voice boomed across the village square. "Ovelia! What are you doing here?" His face was red with anger, his fists clenched at his sides.
Alessia ran to him, her voice trembling as she pointed at us. "Father, they're bullying us!"
"Bullying them?"Lady Firera's voice echoed in my mind, sharp and disdainful. "When you were a child, I lost my memory, so during that time, I didn't care what happened to you. I wanted you to feel anger so you could release me. But now, your non-biological parents and sister irritate me."
I frowned, trying to process her words. I also don't remember Lady Firera speaking to me all those years ago.
Laurence opened his mouth to speak, but Ace stepped forward, his presence commanding and his eyes locked onto Laurence's. "You're the mayor of this village," Ace said, his voice low and dangerous. "A remarkable feat, considering how poor it is. But if you dare speak again, your family will be dead, right here, in front of you."
Ace's words rippled with rage, and I watched as his nails extended, morphing sharply into claws. His eyes, no longer hidden by contact lenses, glowed with an otherworldly intensity. Without another word, he turned, leading the four of us toward the wagon.
Natasha's eyes widened in terror as she witnessed Ace's transformation. Her voice rang out, shrill and panicked, "Everyone! That merchant is a werewolf!" Panic erupted among the villagers as they dashed into their homes, slamming doors and shuttering windows.
Ray clapped Ace on the back as we walked, a smirk playing on his lips. "Nice job controlling yourself back there, Ace."
"You too," Ace replied, his voice softer now but still charged with adrenaline.
As we reached the wagon, Ace released my hand and turned to me. To my surprise, he pulled me into a hug. I stood there, stunned, as his arms wrapped around me.
"I don't understand why you chose to stay kind earlier," he murmured, his voice low and tender. "It makes me think you're naive. But maybe you're just genuinely kind. It's okay to cry now if you need to."
I wrapped my arms around him, my heart swelling with a mix of emotions. "I don't know why," I whispered, "but I don't feel like crying anymore."
Ray interrupted us, his voice playful but urgent. "Hey, lovebirds, save the mushy stuff for later. We need to get to Meadowlark Village before dark, remember?"
Ace let go of me, and I stepped back, my cheeks flushing slightly. "Let's go," he said, determination flickering in his eyes.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept through the area, whipping my hair around my face. We turned our heads to see a whirlwind swirling around Laurence's house, ripping the roof off in one swift motion. In the distance, I could see the shock and fear etched onto their faces. For some reason, relief washed over me; they were still safe.
"I hate them," a voice hissed, carried on the wind.
"That voice... is that you, Wind?!" I gasped, my eyes wide with disbelief.
The whirlwind abruptly stopped, and a deep silence enveloped us as the wind seemed to retreat.
"That was bizarre! So Wind was actually following us," Ace laughed, his charming smile lighting up the gloomy moment.
"Oh, this is my first time hearing the wind speak. I can't pinpoint it as anything else; it has no smell," Ray chimed in, his curiosity piqued.
"So, it's basically just... wind?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He nodded, smiling and giving a subtle affirming gesture.
I glanced at Ann, who was staring off into space. "Ann, you were amazing back there. I didn't know you had that side of you," I complimented her.
"Sorry, Lady Ovelia," Ann replied, her voice joyful and proud. "But that's one of the reasons I became your bodyguard and maid."
We continued walking toward the wagon, laughter echoing around us. Even though my heart ached, I knew I had to leave my past behind and forge ahead. I still wanted to be kind, despite everything I had endured.
As we climbed into the wagon and departed from Timberline Village, I couldn't help but wonder what challenges awaited us on this journey.
"Ovelia," Ace's voice broke through my thoughts, his tone etched with concern. "Do you regret coming to Timberline Village?"
I turned to him, offering a tentative smile. "Not really. I'll admit, at first I was terrified that they might cause chaos because they saw me—a human sacrifice returning to their village. But despite everything that happened earlier, I feel relieved now. I understand how they must have perceived me."
Ray looked at me, his expression serious. "But Ovelia, can you truly forgive your non-biological parents?" he asked, the question hanging heavy in the air.
I fell silent, the weight of his words pressing down on me. "I don't have enough reason to forgive them," I admitted, my voice soft but resolute. "The hatred for what they did to me still lingers. I can be kind to them, but deep down, I know I can't forgive them." A wave of melancholy washed over me as I spoke.
Ace nodded, his voice firm. "That's understandable. They don't deserve your forgiveness."
Suddenly, Ray jolted the horse to a halt, causing the wagon to lurch violently. I gasped, gripping the side for support as my heart raced.
"Ray? What's wrong?" Ace's voice was taut with alarm.
Ray's gaze was locked on the road ahead, his eyes wide and unblinking. "There's a man lying in the middle of the road. He's... not hurt, but he's a werewolf."
A chill swept through me. Ace's hand instinctively moved to his sword, his expression morphing into one of determination. "Stay here, Ovelia," he commanded, his voice low and urgent, before vaulting off the wagon. Ray followed, weapons drawn, tension crackling in the air.
"Be careful, Sir Ace and Sir Ray! He could be a bandit, playing dead, luring you in!" Ann cautioned, her tone as sharp as a blade, her eyes scanning the surroundings with the precision of a hawk.
Dread coiled in my stomach, and I whispered a silent prayer, the heavy stillness outside amplifying my fears. What if this was a trap? What if we were walking into our doom? Ray and Ace approached the figure cautiously, their movements deliberate and measured.
Instinctively, I leaned forward, my heart pounding, desperate to see what would happen next. The silence stretched out, thick with tension, every moment feeling like a countdown. Would the beast awaken? Would they unleash chaos? And why was he there, unmoving, in the middle of our path?