Night had fallen, and I was currently in a small room provided by Mrs. Florita. The room was just the right size for one person, with a wardrobe and a study table.
There was no bed, so a thin mattress was laid out on the floor, placed on top of a cardboard box.
The room also didn't have electricity, which meant no electric fan. However, it wasn't hot, so I was sure I could survive here.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Florita would be sleeping in the living room, where there was a single bed. I felt a bit embarrassed earlier when she told me to take the room and she would sleep outside.
Actually, I offered to sleep in the living room instead, but she refused. Now, I was lying down, reflecting on what she said earlier.
I didn't want to accept her request, but the fact that she's been kind enough to take me in at her home left me with a huge debt of gratitude.
So, I had no choice but to agree to her wishes. She wants a successor. She wants to pass on her abilities as a sorcerer and healer to me.
This was supposed to be passed down to her child, but they died a long time ago after being killed by rogues while gathering wood in the forest.
While her husband, she passed away when the war broke in. He was a leader once, but got killed and became a legend.
Her story is so sad. Living alone is so sad too. She's old now, but no one's besides her, to care for her and look after her. But I know, witches like her are stronger and can live a thousand years.
I stared at the ceiling of the hut for hours, until the events that transpired earlier at the pack house flooded my mind.
I wondered, were they looking for me? Probably, since I disappeared in the midst of the chaos. My mom, my dad... were they worried about me?
Were they looking for me as their child, not just as their Luna? Was there still any concern left in them for me? Or even just a little bit of love?
Because despite my heart being filled with anger towards their wrongdoings, I knew... I still loved them, because they're my parents. I can't hate them fully.
Thinking about them makes me cry silently, until I hear Lilly's voice, > "I don't want to hurt your feelings, but let's just accept that they no longer consider you as their child, since Amber came into the picture. Livia, give your mind and heart a break. You don't deserve all the pain".
Her words make me cry even more. It's like I still can't fully accept that they no longer see me as their child, but rather as an outsider. A disgrace to the family, to the pack they called home.
"It's hard to do, Lilly. Even now, I still can't fully accept that I've been completely overshadowed by Amber. That she's finally taken the people I love." I say, trying to hold back my sobs so I won't disturb Mrs. Florita, who's been sleeping.
But I can't hold back my emotions, so the sobs came out but I immediately suppressed it.
> "I know it's hard to accept, Livia, but you need to do it, to find peace in your mind and heart. You can't move on, if you keep looking back at your past. I know it's only been a few hours, since we left that h*llish place, but it's already part of your past, that you should forget and leave behind. Livia, if you're afraid to face the future, always remember that I'll always be here by your side. I won't leave you, I'll be with you until my last breath as your wolf."
"Thank you. Thank you so much, Lilly."
***
The next morning, I woke up early at the sound of roosters crowing. I stumbled out of the room, still half asleep, and headed outside.
I looked around, but Mrs. Florita was nowhere to be seen. I went to the kitchen and noticed some bread on a plate.
Then I heard the whistling of the kettle on the stove. I quickly took it off the heat and poured the water into a thermos before leaving the kitchen.
I opened the door to the hut and stepped outside, hoping to find Mrs. Florita. But instead of just seeing Mrs. Florita, my eyes widened in surprise as I saw a familiar face.
"You're awake, Livia. His Majesty wants to speak with you," Mrs. Florita said, breaking my gaze with the man standing there, accompanied by his Beta who was keeping watch around the area.
I wanted to decline, since we didn't have anything to discuss. Besides, I didn't want to face him, especially after what happened in front of him when he helped me. I felt embarrassed.
"You take care of him for now. I'll just go to the forest to gather some medicinal herbs," Mrs. Florita said again.
I wanted to follow her, but in an instant, the man I didn't want to see again was standing right in front of me.
"Move," he ordered, so I had no choice but to open the door wider and step aside to let him in.
After he entered, he immediately sat down and crossed his legs, as if he owned the place. I quietly closed the door and remained standing far from him.
Gosh! I hadn't even had a chance to wash my face or brush my teeth. He looked at me with a piercing gaze, so I immediately looked away and bowed my head.
"Won't you sit down, so we can have a proper conversation?" he said. His voice was too cold and deep, and it filled me with fear.
I had no choice but to approach him and sit down across from him. I didn't dare to look up, feeling suffocated by his aura.
"So, you ran away while there was chaos happening at your pack house? You're a useless Luna!" His words immediately triggered Lilly's instincts.
She's been hot-headed since she sensed our mate's dislike towards us, and she's ready to stand up to anyone.
"Lilly, calm down," I told her, but she just growled,
> "Calm down? He called us useless, Livia!" she said angrily.
"I know, but what can we do against someone like him? He's above us, Lilly," I said, trying to reason with her, but she's stubborn.
> "So what if he's above us? I don't care if he's the Lycan King! He has no right to call us useless!!" Lilly's furious response made me sigh in frustration.
I could feel Lilly's anger and the pain she was feeling. I also felt hurt by his words. Being called useless was a low blow. But instead of speaking up, I just remained silent.
"Don't you know your responsibility as a Luna?" he asked, which made me look up at him. His face was expressionless, but I could feel the weight of his words.
"I know... Your Highness," I replied.
"You know, but why did you choose to leave in the midst of the chaos happening at your pack house? Don't you know that one of Luna's duties is to find a way to diffuse the tension that day? You didn't even defend your Alpha." His words made me lose what little respect I had for him.
"And why would I do that? I'm not stupid enough to help him with the problems he brought upon himself! If there was chaos at the pack house yesterday, it's not my fault," I said.
"Why did you leave?" he asked, and I fell silent again, avoiding his gaze.
Why was this even the topic of our conversation? Was this really his purpose? To ask me why I left yesterday? If so, why did he need to know, considering he's not involved in what I did.
"You don't need to know anymore, Your Highness. If you have nothing else to say, you may leave..." I didn't finish speaking before he released his pheromones, which enveloped every corner of the hut.
The intensity of his pheromones as a Lycan King was overwhelming, and I couldn't handle it. I immediately felt a headache, shortness of breath, and my body weakening.
My heart was filled with fear as his pheromones reminded me of his dominance and authority.
I clutched my neck as it suddenly felt hot. He forced me to submit in front of him, which I quickly did as I was about to pass out from lack of air.
"S-spare me... y-your Highness..." I surrendered.