Chapter 5 Reunited

I quickly changed my expression back to normal. With a calm gesture and a fake smile, I turned my gaze to Kaelen, who seemed a little surprised by my reaction.

If it were the old me, I would have immediately shown my dislike for Seraphyne. But now, Kaelen was nothing more than trash that couldn't even be recycled.

“Congratulations to you, Young Alpha.” A gaze that felt burdensome was directed at me. I turned abruptly, looking at my father with a worried expression on his face.

Right. I forgot to tell my father that I no longer liked that worthless man.

Due to Kaelen’s confusion over my response, Alpha immediately took over the conversation. “As you know, the pack members have always considered you the perfect match for Kaelen. The elders have also proposed the same.”

I smiled bitterly. Perfect? They were even afraid just by seeing me.

“However, now they are questioning your position due to the arrival of Kaelen’s mate. A meeting will be held soon to discuss this matter. I’m sure the General has also received the invitation.”  

I turned to look at my silent father. A long sigh escaped my lips, representing the exhaustion now screaming through every part of my body. Even the blood cells in my body were resisting any further involvement with Kaelen.

“Alpha, there is no need to hold a meeting to discuss this matter.”

Alpha’s face was filled with confusion. “What do you mean by canceling the meeting?”

Once again, I placed my right palm on my left chest. “Forgive your servant, who is filled with shortcomings. Alpha, I will step down from my position as the candidate for Young Alpha’s couple. Young Alpha’s mate can fill that vacancy.”

Silence enveloped the vast, opulent room. After several minutes, Alpha resumed the conversation, which was solely to reconsider my decision. He might have thought that someone who loves Kaelen wouldn’t easily give up that position. Of course, with a charming smile, I tried to reassure him as much as he questioned me.

Even now, my father, who is the closest person to me, also asks about my sudden decision. The car’s wheels keep turning, just like my father’s endless anxiety.

“Lyara, are you sure you no longer want to be by Young Alpha’s side?”

I roughly wiped my face. “Father, I already made it clear earlier. I no longer love Kael… Young Alpha”

I must stop my habit of calling Kaelen by his nickname. I will completely sever ties with that man. Just thinking about him makes the corners of my lips curl into a smile.

“I just don’t want you to regret your decision just because you’re filled with anger toward Young Alpha’s mate right now. You might change your mind once your head cools down.”

“I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. The news that Young Alpha had found his mate on the way back from the war had already spread by the time they arrived at the pack.” Father stared intently into my eyes and took one of my hands to give it a gentle stroke.

“The pack members are comparing you to the Young Alpha’s mate. I tried to shield you from that because of your current condition. But truly, I don’t want to hide it from you for too long. Just until your health improves.”

A warm feeling spread gently through my chest. Even though my father was confused at the moment, for some reason I was enjoying his concern for me.

A sense of happiness welled up inside me. I hugged my father’s arm with a wide smile. Yeah, my father was both firm and gentle. And lately, he had become very gentle.

“I know you’re just trying to protect my feelings, and I don’t mind that. Your presence alone is enough for me. I don’t need anything else,” I said playfully. A gentle caress touched the top of my head.

“You’ve been acting spoiled toward me these past few days. Are you expecting something?”

I pouted my lips. “How could Father think that? I’m not expecting anything. I just want to act spoiled like this.”

I turned my face away in annoyance. “Can’t I act like this?”

Father chuckled softly. “Of course you can. Whatever it is for you, my dear daughter.”

I shook my head. No, this wasn't the time for me to relax like this. Destiny had gone awry, and I had played a part in it. 

Does that mean everything I’ve experienced in the past has also changed? Though it didn’t cause a major shift that affected the entire world, it was enough to impact the Gravepine pack.

I released my grip on my father’s arm. “Father, may I ask how the Alpha and the Young Alpha won this war?”

“You ask as if you’ve never been in a war before.” My father ruffled my hair.

“Of course they eradicated the rogues, and it ended with the Alpha beheading the rogue leader. You saw the head without the body yourself when they paraded it along the pack’s streets to proclaim their victory instead of riding in a car, didn’t you?” he continued.  

I nodded stiffly. Though I was forcing a smile, my mind was filled with tangled threads with no end. There was no specific attack that should have cornered the Gravepine pack.  

Was it because of my father’s absence?  

Doesn’t that mean they were targeting my father instead of the Alpha?  

“Lyara!”  

My body tensed. Something screamed inside me, it was my wolf!

Hot liquid boiled, trying to break out of my body. I spat it out, coughing with my hands pressed against my lips. My body trembled, my vision blurred. Dark red liquid soaked my palms.  

“Lyara!” my father’s anxious voice grew fainter until it faded into silence. 

***  

What’s wrong with me?

I feel like a chunk of iron heated in a furnace. My body feels as though it’s been struck by a large, heavy, lifeless rock. I shift my gaze to the side; the familiar furniture in the room appears blurry.  

With all my strength, I sit up. I briefly reflect on the events that have befallen me today.  

“I’m in the room.”

Recalling my father’s scream, the last memory before I fainted, makes me feel guilty. “Father must be worried again because of me.”

I take a deep breath. “After the regression, my body has become weaker. Although it’s true that I’m still adjusting to the curse I received a few weeks ago, I’ve never been this weak in the past.”

Holding onto objects around me, I tried to stand up and walk slowly. There were no servants or anyone else around, which made me furrow my brow. But when I saw the sun about to set, I finally understood.

At times like this, the servants must be busy in the kitchen preparing everything needed to tend to me as I suffer in pain before midnight.

“Is Father at the pack’s castle right now?” I muttered, my head throbbing with pain.

My eyes widened. As the objects were violently thrown at me, my body was thrown far away. My back collided with the wall, and I ended up sitting on the floor. Blood seeped out from the shards of glass embedded in my foot.

Damn it. Why did the attack happen at a time like this?

A shriek was followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. Five unknown men, their bodies shrouded in black cloth, had managed to break into the house and even ransack its contents.

My hands clenched tightly. How dare they come to the house of the leader of the pack warriors!

Do they no longer value their own lives?

My teeth clenched in anger. Or were they deliberately targeting my father?

With lightning-fast movements, they charged toward me.

I quickly pulled out the shard of glass embedded in my foot and used it as a weapon. My heart raced not out of fear, but because my body was simply not up to fighting right now. My breath was already heavy even before the fight began.

One of them charged at me first. I dodged to the side, holding back a cry of pain as my foot accidentally struck a piece of wood. Blood flowed freely, but I had no time to care. My weapon managed to slice the side of the enemy’s neck, causing him to stumble backward.

Another came from the right. This time I blocked his attack with my left arm, then launched a kick that failed to connect perfectly because my balance was off. My body stumbled backward, but I forced myself to stand again. There was no option to surrender.

Attack after attack came, and I parried them with all my strength. But each movement felt like draining all my energy in an instant. The world spun, and my breath grew shorter. My vision grew blurry.

My body was finally pushed backward and collided with the wall again. A loud ringing filled my ears, and this time I couldn’t get up. 

I was cornered. The five of them surrounded me from all sides.

Is it over? Is this how it ends?

Suddenly, the sound of wind filled the room. One by one, the enemies’ bodies were flung away, as if struck by an invisible force. My vision was blurry, but I could still see a tall figure standing among the blood and dust.

Someone stood before me. I didn’t know who he was, but the aura around him made me want to kneel. Strong… too strong. In a swift motion, he disposed of the remaining enemies trying to rise.

My body, unable to support itself, began to fall. But before I hit the floor, his arms gently caught my body.

At this close distance, my gaze fell on the object hanging around his neck. An old sun-shaped necklace with sharp rays. The exact same necklace as my savior’s from my past life. I couldn’t have seen it wrong. I could remember its shape even with my eyes closed.  

“Lyara!!”  

It was my father’s voice.

He hurriedly entered the room. Then silence fell, as if the entire world held its breath as he saw the man holding me tightly.  

“A-Alpha Aric?” my father’s voice trembled.  

He was an Alpha?