Chapter 14: The Truth About The Past

Alyssa's POV

We were done working for the day, and everyone was already heading back to their rooms, probably to rest.

Some of the girls were still giving me strange looks, but I ignored them. I understood why they were curious. I'm sure they were thinking...Who was this girl that their beloved and sweet soon-to-be Luna had become so violent over? And why had the Alpha himself stepped in to protect her?

“Hey, redhead!”

Claudia's voice made me turn around. She was beckoning me over.

I walked toward her.

“Yes, Head Maid?” I asked.

“About what happened today… forget about it, okay?” she said. “You shouldn't worry or feel bad about it.”

I stared at her in shock.

Was the Grinch actually trying to comfort me?

She looked incredibly uncomfortable, but somehow, I knew she was saying it because she was genuinely concerned.

“What I'm trying to say is, don't allow what happened today to affect your work,” she continued. “The Alpha has given his word that you're not going anywhere as long as you continue doing your work properly. So make sure you work well. Understand?”

“Yes, Head Maid.”

She cleared her throat.

“You may leave now. Go and rest.”

“Thank you for your words…”

I smiled genuinely at her before walking away.

Who knew Claudia could actually be this considerate?

I walked back to my room, trying to get my emotions under control.

After everything that happened today, I knew my stay here was only going to get harder.

Helena wouldn't just let this go.

I knew it.

I pushed the door open and found the girls already inside.

“You will not believe what just happened, guys,” I said as I sat down on my bed.

“What?” Stella asked.

“Claudia called me and told me not to worry. She said nobody was making me leave. She tried to make it seem like she was only concerned about my work, but I know that's not true.”

Stella laughed.

“I knew she had a soft spot hidden inside her.”

“No, you didn't,” Grace said, looking at Stella.

I laughed along with them, but my smile slowly faded as I became serious.

“I have something to tell you guys.”

The girls looked at me.

“About what happened today… I want to tell you guys.”

“Alyssa, we already told you that you don't need to tell us anything if you don't want to,” Grace said gently. “Nobody is forcing you, okay?”

I smiled.

“I do want to tell you guys. You deserve to know something, at least.”

I paused.

“And I know that no matter what you say, you guys are curious.”

“I mean… I am a little bit curious,” Stella admitted.

Grace immediately glared at her.

“What?” Stella asked, raising her hands. “Don't look at me like that. Of course I want to know, and I know you do too.”

She looked at me.

“But I only want to hear it when you feel ready to talk about it.”

“I am ready.”

I took a deep breath.

“I don't think I can really go into every detail, but… yeah. I want to talk about it with you guys.”

I smiled at them, trying to show them that it was okay.

“I came to this estate eight years ago. I was ten years old, I think.”

I looked down at my hands.

“It was during Sebastian's birthday celebration. The Alpha had invited everyone to the estate, and that's when I first met Sebastian.”

A small smile appeared on my face as I remembered.

“He saved me from some guys who were trying to bully me. That's how we became friends.”

“Sebastian even spoke to the Alpha and asked him to let my family stay in the estate. The Alpha agreed.”

I paused.

“I guess I became close to almost everyone here after that. Even the Alpha became like another father to me.”

My smile faded slightly.

“And Sebastian…”

I swallowed.

“He was my best friend.”

Everything had been going well back then.

I had been happy. My parents were working, and we had a good life.

“Then everything changed when Helena came.”

Grace and Stella listened quietly.

“Helena was the daughter of another Alpha from a neighboring pack. Her parents were friends with the Alpha and Luna, I think.”

I shrugged slightly.

“But anyway, Helena started spending more time with Sebastian and me. It even got to the point where she told her parents she wanted to stay here with Sebastian.”

I looked down.

“Sebastian started hanging out with her more often, and I think…”

My voice became quieter.

“I think he forgot about me.”

I took another breath.

“Somehow, problems always seemed to come up after that. I was constantly being blamed for things I didn't do. And I would always argue with Sebastian about it because he always had to keep defending me.”

I squeezed my hands together.

“Then something happened.”

The room had gone completely quiet.

“Evidence was brought out claiming that my father was working with rogues to steal information from the Alpha.”

I shook my head immediately.

“And I swear, guys, it wasn't true. My father would never do something like that.”

My voice trembled.

“I cried so much. I begged the Alpha to believe that my father was innocent. He listened to me, and he decided to investigate the matter.”

I paused.

“But before the investigation could be completed, the estate was attacked.”

“Rival packs and rogues attacked the estate. There was chaos everywhere.”

I swallowed hard.

“And when the fire started, Sebastian got trapped inside.”

My eyes began to sting.

“I didn't think. I just ran inside to save him.”

I looked at the girls.

“I risked my life to get him out. I even got burned, but…”

A small, sad smile crossed my face.

“At least Sebastian was safe.”

The room remained silent.

“When some of the rogues were captured, the Alpha questioned them. He asked them who was helping them.”

I took a shaky breath.

“They pointed at my father.”

Stella covered her mouth.

“They said he was the one behind everything all along.”

Tears began forming in my eyes.

“My father was beaten and tortured. But because I had saved Sebastian's life, the Alpha decided to spare him.”

I wiped my cheek.

“He sent my family away instead.”

My voice cracked.

“I begged them. I told them my father was innocent. I begged to see Sebastian before we left.”

I shook my head.

“But nobody listened.”

Tears were now falling freely.

“We were chased out of the estate.”

I looked down.

“It took a long time for my father to recover and start working again. But things were never the same after that.”

I wiped another tear away.

“I swear, guys… my father would never do such a thing. He was grateful to the Alpha for allowing us to stay here and for giving him a job. He would never betray him.”

My voice trembled.

“Someone framed my father. I'm sure of it.”

I looked at them desperately.

“Please believe me.”

The girls immediately moved toward me and pulled me into a hug.

“Shhh… it's okay, Aly,” Stella whispered, trying to calm me down. “Of course we believe you. You don't have to explain anything else.”

I closed my eyes as they held me.

The warmth of their embrace made my heart ache.

They were the first people who had ever told me they believed me.

---

Meanwhile…

Somewhere in the Estate

“She has come back.”

“That girl actually had the guts to come back after everything I did to make sure she never showed her face here again.”

“She cannot get close to Sebastian.”

“I will not allow it.”

“No matter what I have to do…”

A cold smile appeared on their face.

“She will go back to where she came from.”