Chapter 13: Malice Everywhere

Luna Julia was not a patient person. As soon as the two servants left, she immediately called for a trusted subordinate and ordered them to take her to Cara.

Elisa’s daughter, she was truly curious to see what the girl looked like.

Inside the closed room, Cara sat on the bed, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the edge of the soft blanket, as if trying to smooth out the unease in her heart. She wasn’t sure if staying had been the right choice. She felt nothing for the man who was her father in name only, nor did she know if she could ever fit into pack life.

Lost in thought, she was jolted back to reality when the heavy mahogany door suddenly swung open without warning.

A cold, commanding figure appeared before her. Luna Julia stood tall, dressed in a deep crimson gown, golden embroidery glinting faintly under the dim light. A pink sapphire rested on the headpiece she wore, the gemstone dangling at the center of her forehead, adding to her regal, striking presence.

The moment she saw Cara, a flicker of shock flashed through Luna Julia’s eyes, only to be instantly replaced by a wave of seething hatred.

Too similar.

The small figure before her was an exact replica of that she-wolf from seventeen years ago. The same breathtaking beauty that had driven the male wolves mad, the same delicate, fragile aura that made others want to protect her.

Facing Cara now, every fiber of Luna Julia’s being screamed at her to lunge forward and claw that face apart.

But she couldn’t.

Seventeen years ago, Luna Julia’s secret act of letting Elisa escape had been discovered by Alpha Gerano. She had suffered enough punishment and endured the cold indifference of her mate. Now, she couldn’t openly lay a hand on Elisa’s daughter.

Luna Julia closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady her emotions. Then, with a proud and imposing demeanor, she stepped toward Cara, looking down at her with disdain and said,

“Still an omega. Useless, just like your mother, nothing more than a weakling to be trampled on.”

Feeling the deep malice radiating from the noble woman before her, Cara instinctively tensed, her body curling slightly in a defensive posture. Her hand slipped into the leather pouch at her side, fingers grasping a small handful of fine powder.

Luna Julia, unaware of Cara’s subtle shift, leaned in closer, her gaze predatory, like a hunter eyeing its helpless prey. Her voice was low and threatening,

“No matter how your mother managed to escape, her fate was still a tragedy. And you will be no different. Don’t think that carrying Alpha blood will keep you safe. I look forward to the day you follow in your mother’s footsteps.”

Cara said nothing.

First, she had only been learning to speak for two months and couldn’t express much yet. Second, she had no idea what Luna Julia was talking about. The grudges of the past meant nothing to her, they didn’t exist in her memory.

All she knew was that ever since she had stepped into the Dark Eclipse pack, all she had received were suspicion, indifference, and hostility.

She was beginning to doubt her decision.

Seeing Cara’s silence, Luna Julia felt deeply insulted, as if she were performing a monologue for an unresponsive audience.

“Say something! Are you mute?”

Still, there was no reply.

“So, not only is Elisa’s daughter a useless omega, but she’s also a mute?”

She let out a loud, delighted laugh, as if she had just heard the most amusing joke.

“Enjoy these last few peaceful days while you can, Elisa’s bastard. You’ll soon learn that Dark Eclipse is no safe haven for you.”

With that, she turned and strode away.

The moment Luna Julia stepped out of the room, she came face to face with Alpha Gerano. He was walking down the corridor, clearly on his way to see Cara.

His sharp golden eyes swept over her from head to toe in a quiet, assessing gaze. The hallway was silent, the only movement coming from the flickering torchlight casting long, wavering shadows of their figures on the stone walls.

“What are you doing here?” His deep voice was calm but carried an unmistakable authority.

Luna Julia stiffened slightly but quickly regained her composure. Tilting her chin up, she met his gaze with defiant pride.

“Why I’m here… don’t you already know?”

Alpha Gerano’s expression darkened, his golden eyes flashing with warning. His voice was as cold as ice.

“I’m warning you, don't lay a hand on her.”

Julia clenched her fists, her sharp nails digging into her palms. She despised this feeling, the feeling of being completely disregarded by her own mate.

“A useless omega. Do you really think I’d even need to bother with her?” She scoffed, hiding the resentment deep in her eyes.

In truth, she wasn’t worried that Elisa’s daughter would threaten her son’s position. Her son was a strong and capable warrior, and he was the only one who was truly worthy of becoming the Future Alpha. No one else even came close.

Alpha Gerano didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he stepped forward, his towering presence casting a heavy shadow over her.

“I don’t care what rank she is. She carries my blood. That alone is reason enough, you are not to touch her.”

Luna Julia gritted her teeth. She knew all too well that, at this moment, ultimate power rested in Alpha Gerano’s hands. No matter how much she resented it, she had no choice but to yield.

“I understand.” She lowered her gaze, her voice devoid of emotion.

Alpha Gerano held her in a cold, assessing stare, as if making sure she wouldn’t dare defy him. Only after a long silence did he finally speak.

“You may go.”

Once Luna Julia left, Alpha Gerano remained standing before the heavy mahogany door, his hand unconsciously clenching into a fist. He hesitated, unsure whether he should step inside.

Elisa’s daughter looked too much like her. Every feature, every expression, especially the stubborn, guarded gaze she had given him, was a painful reminder of the only woman who had ever betrayed him.

Even now, he wasn’t sure how he felt about Elisa. Was it an obsession, born from the fact that he had never truly possessed her? Or was it hatred, fueled by her relentless defiance?

Elisa had been unlike any other. She had dared to fight back, to challenge an Alpha without a hint of fear. That defiance had both infuriated and fascinated him. She had done everything in her power to escape him, and in the end, she had paid the price for it.

He wondered… In her final moments, had she ever regretted her decision?

After a brief moment of hesitation, Alpha Gerano turned to the two warriors standing guard outside Cara’s door and said,

“Keep an eye on her. No one is to cause trouble or lay a hand on her.”

The warriors immediately bowed their heads.

“Understood, Alpha.”

Without another word, Alpha Gerano turned and walked away.

***

Author: Although Cara has found her father, the Dark Eclipse pack has shown her nothing but hostility. Do you think she’ll stay? Or will she continue her journey to find her mate?