Alice“Luna, news was spreading that Alpha’s condition is getting worse. I heard that Beta Carter had just informed the elder about this, but I think you need to know.”“Are you going to say it or not, Via?! I don’t have forever for this!” “Alpha Samuel is dying.” My brain was like a phone line that had been dropped. Via’s last sentence rang through my ears continuously until it brought me to a realization. “N-no!” “The pack elders were considering Alpha’s first wife to take over the leadership of the pack, Luna. Unfortunately, that’s not you.” So, it’s going to be Clara?“If Samuel knew about this, I know he would entrust me to lead his pack instead of that woman!” “Only if the Luna ring was still in your possession, Luna, you wouldn’t have to worry about any of this,” Via casually murmured. My teeth gritted, my blood began to simmer remembering how Samuel allowed that to happen. The next thing Via knew, her cheek was numb because of my palm that struck her. “You don’t dare t
ClaraIt wasn’t so long when it occurred to me that the man pointing a dagger in front of me doesn’t have the means to kill me. “You don’t have to do this.” “I have to! Shut up!” he yelled, the dagger pointing deeper into my skin, hence not deep enough to scratch me. Before he could muster up the courage to end me, I made my move to save myself. Because of his grip that’s loose, I was able to fully flee from his grasp by just kicking into his balls. He fell onto the floor, aching. I hastily placed my feet over his chest, grabbed the dagger out of his hand and pulled out the mask he’s wearing. “Who sent you to kill me?” *** “He won’t talk,” Carter started, walking out of the interrogation room where we kept the man.“Did you force him to do so?” Carter simply nodded, his eyes tracing down to his white shirt that was tainted with blood. “I think he’s too scared to talk, Luna.” “He should be.” I walked past Carter, dragging the door wide open as I made my entrance to finally face
ClaraThe understanding and respect I am trying my best to give Alice just vanished as soon as I heard her confirm her alliance with Arthur. My hands on her both shoulders slid down until I was able to grip onto her wrist. “Do you have any idea what you’re getting yourself into?!” Carter let go of her which she took an advantage for. Forcibly withdrawing her wrist, she was about to step away. But before she could, I pulled her wrist for the second time which she immediately tossed away. “End ties with Arthur as soon as possible.” “Who are you to tell me what to do?” Alice snorted. My eyes scanned around and seeing a couple of pack members present, murmuring, I knew I had to do something. No matter how bad I wanted everyone to talk about Alice, I don’t want it to end this way for her. Leaving me with no choice, my grip flew onto her hair. I forcibly pulled her with me, not minding if it would hurt her. I pulled her with me inside my room. I only let go of her as soon as I made
SamuelSeeing Alice’s disfigured and burned face made my chest twist with disgust, pity, and rage at the same timeHer eyes couldn’t lock gaze with mine. It was as if she was ashamed that I came to see her this way. While Clara, who sat before her, eyes were locked with me. Clara was in awe which I am not certain if it was because of seeing me standing in front her, fine and alive or it was because I witnessed how cruel she can be towards Alice. “Alice?” Ignoring Clara’s presence, I crouch to get Alice up from the floor. But Clara remained glued to her place, her eyes still on me, and her hands locked with Alice’s wrist. “Let her go,” I warned, without throwing her a glance. But like she heard nothing, her firm grip remained on Alice. I had to forcibly remove her fingers before she finally came back to reality. “You did this to her? How could you?” I was trying to keep my voice low and my composure calm because Clara remained shut. “N-no,” Clara stuttered, shaking her head. Sh
Clara“What the hell is wrong with you? I won’t beg, if that’s what you’re thinking…” Samuel’s voice minimized as I walked away from the door until I heard his heavy receding steps. I don’t know how to take it, seeing doubt along with shock through his eyes. I am so done with him, but the Goddess knew how much I wanted to be proud to see him finally getting back on his right mind. That he actually is now doubting Alice and everybody else around him. Alice truly changed him, I know that too well. I watched him go from wise to a literal stupid as he slowly allowed Alice to enter his life. I was a nobody to Samuel before she even showed up and I remained the same when she came. I already have a clear understanding that no matter what I do, nothing will change. Just as how sorry I am for the death of his parents that my adoptive father caused, I could never bring them to life. He loathed me and no matter how much I tried, he will never forgive me for the things I didn’t do. Perhaps
Samuel“Are you really fit to work, Alpha?” My sharp stare shifted back to Carter who remained standing in front of my table. “I was stabbed, not paralyzed.” Clicking his tongue was the only thing he could do before he ended up nodding. I drifted my focus back onto the papers before me. “There’s actually nothing to work with, Alpha. Luna Clara made sure everything was settled. She handled the pack too—” “So you’re now her Beta?” I bitterly chuckled. “I’m just saying that she did more than enough. Treating you and managing the pack? That’s a lot to do.” Blowing out a deep sigh, I cleared out every piece of paper on top of my table and faced Carter with the back of my palm supporting my chin. “It seems like you and Clara were such good friends now, huh?” His brows furrowed until he nodded. “Then, why don’t you, as my Beta, ask her to talk to me. How does it sound to you?” “I’m on it.” “Just tell her I’m conducting a meeting with the pack elders so she won’t think I need her th
ClaraMy steps were big and rapid as I made sure my sight was fixed ahead of me. I overheard Samuel calling for me. I know he’s just behind me, probably running after me. So as if I heard nothing, I kept on striding forward. It wasn’t so long when Samuel gave up. His voice eventually fades and my will to look back at him is growing bigger but I fight that urge and walk back straight to the packhouse until I get myself inside my room. I feel bad about leaving so abruptly because I know what it takes for him to push himself to say those words—to actually thank me. But I was just as well caught off guard at the moment. Blowing out a sigh to remove those thoughts building up in my head, I didn’t waste any more time and began packing up. I need to have a clear head, not to think about this twice but to make sure I am in the right mind to decide things. I am leaving. And I need to leave before tomorrow. After making sure I’ve got everything I will be needing for my trip, I hid the bag
SamuelIn the middle of the deep night, where everyone is definitely resting, Carter came banging my door, telling me Clara left. The news was so sudden that I was immediately awakened from my sleep. “Left? Why? Where did she go?” Carter was lost for words on how to respond to my unending questions. “How long has she been gone?” I kept on asking as we made our way down the pack mansion’s lobby. “Donna said the last time she got to see Luna Clara was before dinner.” I asked Clara to join me for dinner and this is what she did? Left?“Ask one set of our warriors to track her down immediately,” I ordered, but as if I said nothing Carter just stood before me, confused. “What? That’s an order. Move!” Probably because of the urgency in my head-splitting voice, Carter then moved. Donna, Clara’s personal servant was by the pack’s veranda, anxiously pacing back and forth. “Out of everyone here, you should know where Clara is planning on going.” “Alpha,” she exhaled, bowing her head.
Clara When the dawn had fully broken, I was exhausted. I’m trying to conserve my remaining energy by not resting hoping it would be better and of course I’ll save more time. But when I felt my vision spinning, I had no choice but to stop for a while. I tied the horse’s leash on a small
SamuelI don’t know what’s gotten to me. I wanted to tell Clara about how the pack elders had already turned their backs on me because as much as possible, I don’t want to hide anything from her. I trust her so much, but I don’t want to add more burden onto her shoulders. She’s already doing too much for the pack. But the guilt that I was having for not telling her is getting far more question
ClaraThe night had already set so deep, the moon was up high and looming bright into the window of my room that I left open. The cold breeze outside blew so hard that all of the papers I had sitting on my table for a while now flew. I sighed, watching all of them scatter onto the floor while I rested my back on the chair’s backrest. I yawned, my eyes getting heavier each second and my head aching.
SamuelWhen the outbreak happened, I was determined not to tell Clara and bring her closer to another danger just after she almost died. Not for her, but for me because I don’t want to go through the same exact situation where I hold her in my arms as she bleeds to the brink of death. Having that kind of fear is something I would avoid for the rest of my life. But, things didn’t go according to my plan. The disease got worse and half of our population were infected. I never knew I’d need her much as I depend on her now. That first night, just right after she recovered, when she found out about the disease outbreak, I’ve never seen her sleep anymore. Every single night, I would watch her drown herself into the endless bunch of papers, studying how to end this virus. On mornings, she takes rounds into the area we isolated only for members who have the disease. Seeing her trying her best to prolong each person’s life while risking her’s made me accept one thing: she’s not the Clara I
ClaraI spent another day lying on the mattress as if I was a disabled person. Boredom was slowly filling me as time went by. My routine seems static: I will wake up, get checked by the pack doctor, eat, drink my medicines and go back to sleep.“Why is Donna not visiting me?” I asked out of pure wonder. For sure, she was the first to realize I left the pack that night. She was probably the one who informed Samuel about it. I just couldn’t help but to wonder that it’s been days since I woke up and she never bothered to show up…not even once. “She’s busy,” Samuel briefly answered. Aside from the pack doctor, only him regularly visited me every single day. It’s not like I was expecting more people to come by, but the only person I expected to be with me at times like these vanish like a dust into thin air. “Busy? How?” I sat down on the mattress, my brows shot up at Samuel. “Who would she be busy with? I’m right here, so Do–” “She’s got other work to do, okay?” Samuel abruptly cuts
Clara Just as what the old lady promised, she accompanied me to the peak of the Valley to get the plant I needed. Being with her made my way a lot easier. With her expertise with medicine, she got everything we needed to outplay the monsters blocking our way. I’ve never had the chance to a
SamuelIn the middle of the deep night, where everyone is definitely resting, Carter came banging my door, telling me Clara left. The news was so sudden that I was immediately awakened from my sleep. “Left? Why? Where did she go?” Carter was lost for words on how to respond to my unending questions. “How long has she been gone?” I kept on asking as we made our way down the pack mansion’s lobby. “Donna said the last time she got to see Luna Clara was before dinner.” I asked Clara to join me for dinner and this is what she did? Left?“Ask one set of our warriors to track her down immediately,” I ordered, but as if I said nothing Carter just stood before me, confused. “What? That’s an order. Move!” Probably because of the urgency in my head-splitting voice, Carter then moved. Donna, Clara’s personal servant was by the pack’s veranda, anxiously pacing back and forth. “Out of everyone here, you should know where Clara is planning on going.” “Alpha,” she exhaled, bowing her head.
ClaraMy steps were big and rapid as I made sure my sight was fixed ahead of me. I overheard Samuel calling for me. I know he’s just behind me, probably running after me. So as if I heard nothing, I kept on striding forward. It wasn’t so long when Samuel gave up. His voice eventually fades and my will to look back at him is growing bigger but I fight that urge and walk back straight to the packhouse until I get myself inside my room. I feel bad about leaving so abruptly because I know what it takes for him to push himself to say those words—to actually thank me. But I was just as well caught off guard at the moment. Blowing out a sigh to remove those thoughts building up in my head, I didn’t waste any more time and began packing up. I need to have a clear head, not to think about this twice but to make sure I am in the right mind to decide things. I am leaving. And I need to leave before tomorrow. After making sure I’ve got everything I will be needing for my trip, I hid the bag
Samuel“Are you really fit to work, Alpha?” My sharp stare shifted back to Carter who remained standing in front of my table. “I was stabbed, not paralyzed.” Clicking his tongue was the only thing he could do before he ended up nodding. I drifted my focus back onto the papers before me. “There’s actually nothing to work with, Alpha. Luna Clara made sure everything was settled. She handled the pack too—” “So you’re now her Beta?” I bitterly chuckled. “I’m just saying that she did more than enough. Treating you and managing the pack? That’s a lot to do.” Blowing out a deep sigh, I cleared out every piece of paper on top of my table and faced Carter with the back of my palm supporting my chin. “It seems like you and Clara were such good friends now, huh?” His brows furrowed until he nodded. “Then, why don’t you, as my Beta, ask her to talk to me. How does it sound to you?” “I’m on it.” “Just tell her I’m conducting a meeting with the pack elders so she won’t think I need her th