Immediately after I left Evan, I went straight to the war chambers. I didn't know what I was doing, but I needed to be close to the weapons, to feel them, to get inspiration from them. I had never been there my entire life, so I had no idea how it felt. But when I got in, it felt colder and quieter than I had expected, with tiny whispers rising and falling at the same time. The walls of the chamber were decorated with past warriors and weapons lined up straight along.
I stood quietly memorizing and practicing everything Mariya had taught me in the past years about weapons. But the more I tried to come up with a strategy, the harder it became.
"Something wasn't right," I said to myself, the way the attackers had precisioned their attack the two times they did, made me believe it had to be someone within. But who the person was what I didn't know.
I was still lost in thought when I heard a quick sharp movement from the doorway. I moved towards the sound, and then I saw a slim figure dressed in a cloak that almost covered the entire face except the eyes.
Out of curiosity, I followed her. I followed her till she stopped at a place where some wolves had gathered. Carefully, I peeked around the corner until I saw her face, Clarissa.
"I overheard her talking to one of the wolves. “I think she was getting suspicious, she said. We have to act fast and execute all our plans before she gains the interest of everyone. She's gaining a lot of influence and if she becomes queen, then we are doomed.
“Then we kill her before that happens," the man interrupted.
I became speechless, and then I knew I had to act faster than them.
“The next attack is set for the south border,” Clarissa continued. " Once we get the guards off, it will be easier to break through and if we can get Evan killed, Evan is not such a big deal."
"So what do you suggest we do to Lila," the man asked.
"I think we should poison her," Clarissa answered.
Her answer hit me so hard, it poisoned me. She must really think she is smart to think she can kill me. So right there, I decided I was going to play along with their game, but first thing first, I had to confront Clarissa.
"Clarissa!" I shouted her name when I got close.
"What in the moon's name are you doing here?" she asked me. Did you follow me?
"You were sneaking around the war chamber. I should be the one asking you what you were doing there.
She let out a very small mischievous smile. You are always curious Lila, too curious for your own good.
It's you who planned the whole attack, right?
"It wasn’t supposed to happen this way, but since you’ve figured it out, yes, I am the one.
Why, Clarissa? Why would you betray your own pack in such a horrible manner, a pack you are supposed to fight for and protect?
"Protect!, "she said,"Why would I protect a pack that never gave me anything, not power, not respect, and now they have taken Evan from me. But you, a poor and forgotten omega, they handed everything to you, but I'm not going to watch you rule over me, I will take back all that is mine. Her eyes gleamed."
"So, all of this is about me Clarissa, you are fighting the pack because of me?" What makes you think I'm going to watch you achieve your evil ambitions?
"Then get ready to war with me," she smirked.
I was aggravated by her words and was pushed to punish her, but I decided to stay calm. If I am going to fight her, I have to come up with the most strategic plans.
Clarissa left, leaving me standing there. That night, she didn't show up to execute her plans of poisoning me. I knew she wouldn't because I guessed she must have known I overheard her.
But she did plan something more terrible. She decided to poison Evan instead.
That night, when everyone had retired, I didn't go to sleep. I knew if Clarissa couldn't get me she would probably do something else, but the reason she chose to poison Evan was what bothered me, the problem that caused me to do it. I was just walking about thinking of what to do when I saw Clarissa near the servants' quarter. Then, all of a sudden, she gripped one of them and dragged her to a corner. She came out wearing the maid's uniform, with almost the entire of her face covered with a scarf, and she held a tray of coffee on her head.
I hid myself in the shadows and watched her as she moved down towards Evan's chamber and I followed her. I sucked into the shadows and watched as she moved swiftly down the hallway toward Evan’s chamber.
By the time I reached Evan’s door, Clarissa was already inside serving coffee to Evan.
“Wait!” I shouted as I burst in. Don't take that.
Evan turned sharply from his seat. “Lila?”
Clarissa froze with her hand terribly shaking. She turned to face me and I slipped the scarf off her face. Evan saw her and shouted.
"Clarissa, what are you doing?” Evan asked, confused.
“She’s not who you think she is,” I answered, stepping forward.
“Lila, what...”
Before Clarissa would answer, I grabbed the tray from her and asked her to get the coffee instead.
Clarissa smirked. Why would I take it, she asked me.
"Because you tried to poison him, you disguised yourself as a maid, bringing him coffee so you could have the chance to poison him." I accused her boldly.'
“You have no proof,” she said calmly, but not confident.
“She tied up a maid,” I snapped. “I saw her while following you."
But Clarissa didn’t wait for Evan’s reaction. In less than a second, she jumped through the window. By the time I tried to hold her, she was already gone.
“Damn it,” I whispered, angry that it didn't go as planned.
Evan grabbed my arm gently. “Lila, what’s going on?”
I brushed it off. Clarissa is trying to kill you, not like I care, but I can't stand and watch her take your life when I overheard everything. She is the one behind all the attacks so far, and she has planned more to come.
“She’s always been... difficult,” he said. “But she wouldn’t betray the pack like that.”
I scoffed, even after what you saw you still believed her. Maybe I shouldn't have saved you.
“She’s not the monster you think she is. Clarissa is just being defensive because she is hurt and...
Stop, I cut him short. You humiliated me because of her. She took what was rightfully mine, and now are you still defending her? Damn it, you are so slow and irritating."
Without saying anything else, I turned and walked back to my chamber, the anger in me burning so hot. I blamed myself for defending him, for protecting him. I blamed myself because a part of me still wanted him.
Immediately after I left Evan, I went straight to the war chambers. I didn't know what I was doing, but I needed to be close to the weapons, to feel them, to get inspiration from them. I had never been there my entire life, so I had no idea how it felt. But when I got in, it felt colder and quieter than I had expected, with tiny whispers rising and falling at the same time. The walls of the chamber were decorated with past warriors and weapons lined up straight along.I stood quietly memorizing and practicing everything Mariya had taught me in the past years about weapons. But the more I tried to come up with a strategy, the harder it became."Something wasn't right," I said to myself, the way the attackers had precisioned their attack the two times they did, made me believe it had to be someone within. But who the person was what I didn't know.I was still lost in thought when I heard a quick sharp movement from the doorway. I moved towards the sound, and then I saw a slim figure dre
I woke up to see myself lying down on my bed. I didn't know how I got here, but I guess the guards carried me when I fainted.Immediately I woke up, I remembered the reason I had fainted. I stood up from the bed, as some of the servants urged me to stay, but I didn't listen.I was still putting on the ceremonial cloth. I tore it from my body, wore something simpler, and headed to the door.I walked past some guards who were trying to stop me from moving, but I managed to overcome their protest and ran towards the northern pack.On my way, I kept on remembering the words of one of the guards, and my heart became more restless. Each time I tried to assure myself that Mariya and Leo were alright, it was as though it made it worse.Soon, I got to the northern pack—a place not too far from the central pack but abandoned and lonely due to numerous attacks almost all the time. When I got there, there was smoke everywhere with lots of wolves and soldiers lying wounded on the floor.I started
I woke up with a loud scream, loud enough to block my ears, breathing so heavily and painting at the same time with sweat all over my body. My hands trembled and clutched the bedsheets like they were the only things keeping me from falling apart.Leo, my son, I said in my mind.I looked around the room, uncertain of what I was looking for. Then the moonlight started shining, coming in through the window.I came down from the bed and walked toward the window. Everywhere seemed calm and quiet—there was no smoke, no fog, and most importantly, no cloaked figure holding my child.I took a deep breath, realizing it was just a mere dream.A nightmare that had felt so real.My chest rose and fell rapidly as I forced myself to breathe. I touched my stomach as I was trying to reassure myself that he was still safe, still hidden far away with Mariya."Evan will never have my son, "I whispered again, but this time, because of the dream. A few hours later I heard a knock at the door."Lady Lila,"
The room went silent after I opened the door and saw those letters.I held the letter in my trembling hands, rereading the sentence over and over until the words got stuck in my head."Lila of Lycan, you must return to Moonveil to fulfill the blood pact.""Who delivered this?" I asked Mariya, my voice barely rising above a whisper."There was no trace or sign of a wolf delivering it," she said, "and if I must say, whoever delivered it is not ordinary."My heart raced. Not ordinary? What does that even mean? I walked over to where Leo was and wrapped my hands around him in a protective way.Mariya took the letter from me and tossed it into the fire. "No one must find this.""But it’s too late," I said. "They already know."Just then, another knock came—louder and heavier. My heart never stopped jumping.Mariya flung the door open.Two men in black cloaks stood outside, both bearing the Lycan King’s seal.One stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Lila of Moonveil, by royal decree, you are
"Mariya!" I continued screaming as I ran after her, my feet making a heavy sound. But she ran so fast, like a wild animal, that I couldn't catch up with her."Wait! "What do you mean by the same mark?" I shouted as I ran after her.But she was gone.I stopped, panting so heavily and unable to catch my breath. The air was thick with pine, and instantly I smelled something different. I looked beside an old tree, and there lay a man, wounded and lying in his own pool of blood.He was massive, almost unnaturally so, with dark hair matted to his head. He was bleeding heavily, and his leg was twisted at an odd angle. But what struck me most was the armor around his waist—it's something I had never seen since childhood.I should've run. Instead, I rushed to where he lay."Hey! Hey, can you hear me?"He groaned so weakly. I touched his neck with my hands and I could still feel some pulse. I knew he was still alive.With all of my strength, I carried him home and nursed him back to life.When
Pain was the first thing I felt when I opened my eyes. It was not just an ordinary ache in my body, it was a deep pulling sensation that came from—I don't know where—which seemed to have taken away all my strength.I heard faint voices, it seemed to come from a long distance."She’s still breathing, thank the Moon."I blinked against the blinding white light above me, then I realized it was already morning. Just then, I saw a strange face hovering over me. I opened my eyes clearly to see a tall but lean figure that looked too old to be alive but still glowing with strange serenity. Her eyes were pale and her mouth black."You’re awake," she said softly. Stay still and don't move. You are safe now.""Who are you?"My name is Mariya. I found you collapsed and lying lifeless here in the woods, but luckily for you, I usually pass here, so I happened to have found you on time.I tried to sit up, but pain lanched through my side. My breath caught and I felt weak instantly."Careful," she wa