I woke up the next morning, hearing Anita's voice. "I have prepared your bath, Young Mistress Dominixe. I even added some lavender and rosemary in your tub as well."
I looked at her intently. I remembered before I died, I couldn't find Anita and even the antidote I kept in a secret compartment which she and I only knew. I had revealed that compartment six months ago.
How could I forget before that everything in this manor, even people, couldn't be trusted? My judgment had clouded ever since Papa disagreed that I must not fall for him.
Perhaps, I should be careful this time not to tell her and not act like she was my friend.
"You were jaded yesterday, my lady. You slept the whole day."
I smiled, trying to be friendly a little. I would use it to my advantage to observe her properly. "Right? The whole night fighting made me exhausted." I yawned and went straight to the bathroom after she finished undressing me. I sighed contentment when I felt the lukewarm water bathe my naked body. "Ah... This is heaven..." I felt at ease somehow with this bath.
I stayed a little longer before Anita helped me to get dressed. I knew this would have happened this day so I told her that I would go out since Papa approved my boon.
Anita prepared a gown with this heavenly colored sky-blue color for the front and back, with white silk on the front skirt and laces on the edge of it. It also had the same color for my flaring sleeves, matching it with a sapphire blue brooch. Even my hair was pulled up to an elaborate updo. I even had to wear some gold earrings and a necklace made of amethyst stone.
I dressed in a baroque gown and made the best look since I hadn't been able to keep myself well since I had been investing my time in fighting and killing Alphas Papa assigned to me. All we could wear if we were on our mission was dressing in all black and covering our faces.
He had been sending my siblings or me on a mission to kill the certain Alpha he had an investigation on since... That was the goal of the Cantavalle Family.
Or, more likely, Papa's goals.
Outside of the Cantavalle mansion, Papa was the Marquis of Airan. That was his facade and no one knew that he was behind all of the terrors about the execution of the Alphas.
He had a huge grudge against the Alphas. It was why he became an Alpha slayer and started slaughtering the packs he targeted.
He was actually wanted as a felon in the whole Yuanzhong Kingdom but no one could capture him. No one even knew his face since he never left any survivors from the packs he massacred. Even his real name was not even revealed.
And now he passed it down to all his 11 children to inherit his legacy of slaying Alphas and instilling fear around the kingdom. We became a family of Alpha slayers.
With his 11 children, we were bound to take the top four seats to become heir candidates. However, only one could be chosen to become the next ruler of the House of Cantavalle.
Papa told us that we were born to kill each other and we must do anything to take the top four spots, which meant that he favored us. That was the rule he imprinted in our minds: we could never get along.
We were here to follow his orders. Whether we like it or not, Papa's orders were absolute.
We should not dare to defy them.
Or if we do, he would certainly punish us and make our lives in hell even if we were his flesh and blood.
Of course... I had experienced that in the past. And I must avoid that at all costs.
"That suits you, Lady Cantavalle."
I turned at the notorious seamstress here at the Elmbow named Madam Morina, who owned the tailor shop, Silk Apparel, and glanced at the full-body vanity mirror. I fitted the gown I ordered from her and I had come to like it.
"Then, I shall take this since I am satisfied with your work of art, Madam Morina." There was satisfaction written on my face, which brightened Madam Morina more. I changed my dress and glanced at Anita. "Anita, reward Madam Morina for the gown."
"Yes, my lady." Anita smiled and curtsied before me.
I left Anita in that shop as I started strolling alone. I had decided to come to this town if I was certain the timeline was correct.
This should be the day I would be able to meet Valerian.
Anticipating our meeting would undoubtedly make me terrified but at the same time, I would be happy. I did not know how I would react at that time if we met.
But I would certainly correct everything.
I had decided the moment I woke up to avoid the miserable death of Valerian, the people I trusted, and myself, who my sister poisoned.
This time... In this timeline... I would protect those people who cared for me. I had decided that the House of Cantavalle would be in a crestfallen state, and I would make sure that Papa would witness that.
That was for certain.
"Do forgive me, Papa... I shall sell you out soon..." There was this abomination smeared in my heart. Papa was the reason how I became miserable.
I vividly remember he told me in the past that I did not deserve to have an Alpha as a mate.
I would prove him wrong this time.
I would make them pay for those people who tormented me on my first life!
I swear my name to my mother!
Since my mind was out of reality, I collided with a man with a well-toned body. I felt familiar shivers when our skin touched, making my wolf feel giddy.
"Damn it..." I muttered in annoyance as I ignored my wolf when she whispered something.
I frowned at that time and smelled an alluring spring flower that sent chills down my spine. His scent. He had this scent of floral green with vegetal aquatic accents and sweet and spicy notes.
It was the same scent as my favorite flower, hyacinth.
I could have sworn I held my breath upon seeing how familiar the scent was. Hold on... Was this the day, right? This was really the day that I would be meeting him? I gulped.
When our eyes met, I looked up to see a man who had a pair of familiar chartreuse-colored eyes.
At that moment, I had confirmed that I was really regressed to the time when I met him. Seeing that handsome face who had taken my breath made me want to cry.
"Valerian..."
At the same time, my wolf whispered the word I wanted to hear.
'Mate.'
I was stunned upon seeing Valerian right at this moment. It really happened that I met him.He was alive... and young... and looking arrogant. Oh, my... I rejected him in the past and yet, right now, my wolf had been able to recognize him as my mate. This was... truly fascinating."Do I know you? How did you know my name?"I snapped back, hearing the suspicious tone of Valerian. I cleared my throat and unfolded my fan. "What do you mean?" I looked at him in disbelief. However, there was a smirk smearing on my lips. "How dare you raise your voice on a noble lady like me?"The words I uttered were the same words I uttered in the past. However, unlike Valerian, his first response when we collided before was, "Are you blind?! Can't you see anything or what?"I wished to see that furrowed eyebrows again. And I saw them right at this moment. Now that I remember. It was quite fascinating that I would see him again in this timeline where he was alive and breathing before me.Valerian... I wou
Exhausted from spoiling myself, I arrived at the Cantavalle Estate, hearing some grunts from the training grounds."You can go ahead," I told Anita."Yes, my lady." She curtsied before me while the butlers took the stuff I purchased in the town.I took my strides toward the training grounds and saw Ingram having some vigorous sword and agility training along with his henchmen arranged by Papa. It felt nostalgic that I got to see this again. I regressed two years ago. I confirmed it when I woke up after Eric and Jude told me I had slaughtered Hudson Roly, the Alpha of the Dusk Moon pack. It meant that I was 24 right now and would be turning 25 soon. Ingram, however, the last time I knew, he was 15. He was probably 13 this time around."Impressive," I said and clapped my hands as soon as Ingram finished his training.Ingram gasped and turned his head in my direction. "Domi!" he called happily. I approached them while his henchmen bowed their heads before me. Ingram immediately dismiss
After avoiding them for the whole day, I decided to show myself for supper. I made sure that I was dressed well enough for everyone to look for my attention."Lady Dominixe has arrived," Orion announced and opened the door for me.I held my chin high as I entered. There, the four wives of Papa named, Zoey, Aurora, Natalie, and Josephine were present. As for my siblings, all of them were present except Arthur, 1st brother, Jethro, 4th brother, Raphael, 5th brother, and Britanny, 2nd sister."Oh, my. It has been a while, 1st sister," Natasha said as I sat next to her."Indeed. How about the others? Are they on a mission, Natasha?"Natasha chuckled softly. "Arthur, Jethro, and Raphael are in the Sundercoln Woods for hunting. Papa dispatched them."I was about to answer that I got it now but Lambert leaned forward to his table. "I heard your mission is successful, Domi. As expected..." He was smiling brightly as always, like his twin sister, Natasha.At this timeline, they were 21 years o
In the past, I went to Solacia for a vacation, not to Calaren.That town was known as the Hunting Capital because of Savanach Mountain, where we could hunt different wild animals.At that time, I happened to know that was where Valerian resided with his pack, the Nocturnal Crest pack. We accidentally met there while I was hunting.As for Calaren, the town was known for merchants. We could bargain there and purchase some valuable items that hadn't been available elsewhere.That was also the town where Britanny had gone back then before she met that man who became her toy which I couldn't remember him. But I was certain that was the town where she had her mission after a month Valerian died.I was planning to investigate there. I wanted to know if there was such a person from that pack which I could hardly remember now. It seemed like my memories of that person had started to slip from my mind. That was why I must do something to know whether that person existed. I must know his name.
A few days passed, I decided to go out again after locking myself in the inn I was renting at. I had lost my cool. Those simple words hurt me badly. There seemed to be thousands of arrows had pricked my heart when I kept it recalling Valerian's words inside my head. "I hope I do not get to see him..." It was strange that he was here. A few days after I arrived, Valerian and I were supposed to meet there in the Solacia. It should be like our second meeting there but... why did we meet here in the Calaren? Was the Moon Goddess like to play antics on me? That was it? Why was his agenda here in this town when that was not supposed to happen? I did not know what was happening, but this gave me goosebumps. To distract myself, I was far from the borders of the Sunset Crown pack with a monocular in my hands to count the pack warriors guarding each wing of the borders of this pack. After a careful investigation, tonight was the night I was going to secretly infiltrate this pack to confir
The tavern was enveloped with silence.Perhaps, they were flabbergasted that a handsome, good-looking man had come to chime in and enter this cheerful place. I would also be mesmerized since Valerian was not wearing expensive clothing but some cheap clothes just like me.I guess he dressed simply so no one would notice that he came from a noble family. So others would mistake him for a commoner, an Omega, or a rogue."If you are frightened, you should have chosen to return to your packs instead of drinking here," Valerian said as he strode towards the counter and asked for a drink."W-We know that... We are really planning to go home..." the other one said."Yes! I... I agree! We should definitely go home!""Then, go home if you wish to keep your families alive," he said I silently watched the people who started murmuring, wanting to know who this person was who suddenly entered. I was fully aware of his scent that reached my nostrils as I saw the side view of his face.That contour
I tried to spot Gavin in the Sunset Crown pack one more time, but there was no sign that the person was there.So, to find an excuse, I went to the front gates of their pack."What are you doing here?" one of the pack warriors asked cautiously from the watch tower."I have come to look for the young Lord Lorenzo," I said politely.He creased his forehead. "What do you mean? Are you his acquaintance?""I am indeed." I must act that I was.The other person he was with exchanged glances. "State your name. And we shall see if Lord Gavin shall allow you to get in."I nodded. "I am Dahlia Josephine. An acquaintance from the royal academy," I introduced.I did a careful investigation of this pack and got to know that he was studying in the royal academy of our kingdom. I even got to know his acquaintances. And he returned to their pack for a two-week academic break.Also, tomorrow was his departure to return."Lady Josephine.""Yes?""Lord Gavin said that he has no business with you. You may
The next day, Valerian made me hyperventilate as soon as he showed up at the door, just as I was about to plan to abscond from him."How did you know that I am in this room?" I asked, frowning. I couldn't stop my heart from beating so fast since I had been thinking about him for the whole night while crying silently."Asking your innkeeper is a great help." He wriggled his eyebrows. I almost slapped myself for the obvious question I asked him. "Of course, the innkeeper..." I rolled my eyes while he was following me when we were outside my inn. "Let's grab some breakfast," he said.I glanced at him. I wanted to refuse him, but I felt he would pester me until I agreed. "Fine. Lead the way." This was really my karma that my attitude was like Valerian's before.He had a sheepish smile. "That is good to hear then. Please follow me, my lady." He gestured his hand as if he was an escort or what. I only nodded and silently followed him. I silently adored his well-chiseled back. How I wante