[Gina's P.O.V.]
I didn't know how much time had passed but it felt like forever.
I lay on a tree stump after Pirlo left. I was so hungry that my stomach was rumbling, but I didn't dare to go far. I was afraid Pirlo wouldn't be able to find me when he came back.
This place was very remote. Occasionally, a few werewolves would walk by, but none of them were Pirlo. Every time a werewolf walked past, my hopes would be raised. But the moment I realized that it wasn't him, I would be disappointed again. I gradually became number in the continuous cycle of hope and despair.
I had only eaten the fruits nearby for the past few days, but they could no longer alleviate my hunger. I was getting so hungry that I almost fainted. I even started to get the urge to gnaw on tree bark.
I weakly squinted my eyes and suddenly saw someone approaching me from not far away. I stood up vigilantly, but I had been too hungry. A figure stood before me but I still couldn't tell who it was.
"Are you alright?"
The person ran towards me and bent down beside me. She was a she-wolf around my age, perhaps slightly older than me. She was dirty all over, but her eyes were very bright. There were tiny freckles on her face, making her look cute.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. I didn't have the extra strength to respond to her.
"Are you hungry?" She took out a small piece of bread from her bag. "I have food here. Have some."
I shook my head. I kept Pirlo's words in mind and didn't want to have any contact with strangers.
The girl's hand that was holding the piece of bread remained outstretched toward me and she started to feel a little embarrassed. She broke off a small piece and put it in her mouth, then handed me the rest. "I've eaten and I'm fine. Don't worry."
I was still a little hesitant, but I was simply too hungry. I carefully took her bread and took a bite. The soft texture instantly whetted my appetite and I immediately devoured the bread in my hand.
"Eat slowly, I still have some here." The other party watched me gobbling up the food and laughed. "My name is Dolly. What's your name?"
Since I had accepted her bread, I couldn't keep being cold to her. I smiled shyly at Dolly and said, "My name is Gina."
"You have a nice name." She noticed my eyes again. "I think I've seen your eyes somewhere before. They're so noble."
I didn't know which Pack she was from, but the familiar eyes she mentioned could very well be my father's, so I quickly lowered my head and didn't look at her anymore.
She didn't notice my awkwardness and continued to ask, "Are you a noble?"
I subconsciously wanted to answer, but then I remembered Pirlo's instructions, so I shook my head. "I'm just an Omega."
"Oh, alright then." Upon hearing my answer, Dolly seemed to be very disappointed. I swore she also let out a sigh of relief as she sat next to me. "I'm also an Omega."
For the next few days, Dolly didn't leave. She also seemed to have no home to return to as she took refuge next to the same tree stump.
I had already become a rogue wolf, so I didn't mind having a werewolf to accompany me. With her around, I could move around as I pleased, and I didn't have to be afraid of missing out on meeting Pirlo.
"Quick, have a taste. They're very generous today. There's even roast chicken."
Dolly and I took turns finding food every day. She would often enter a 'Pack' to beg. When others saw that she was a child, they would give her sumptuous food. But sometimes, she would be treated poorly and even get beaten up.
I wasn't as thick-skinned as her, perhaps due to my Alpha blood, and was more embarrassed to beg for food, especially at the city gate.
Instead, I would catch some small prey from the wilderness around us. And since I was quite good at cooking them, Dolly often praised me.
One of the evenings I cooked, Dolly held up the chicken leg to her mouth and leaned against me while listening to the chirping of insects and birds. She looked intoxicated as if she was listening to the grandest orchestra in the palace.
"You've been with me all this time. Don't you want to go home?"
I had always acquiesced to Dolly's existence by my side, but I had never asked her this question. Now that I had already regarded her as my most important friend, I wanted to get to know her better.
Dolly didn't reply and just when I thought she wouldn't say anything, she said, "I don't have a home anymore."
I was a little surprised. I started to guess if she was my rogue wolf, but she said, "I'm from White Mist Pack and our Alpha got into trouble with the Alpha from Dark Night Pack so our entire Pack was annihilated. "
Dolly's tone was relaxed despite talking about a tragedy that was not easily something one would want to share and talk about.
There was nothing wrong with their Pack. It was just that it was too small. According to my father, Reid was just bored, so he slaughtered her Pack as if they were toys that could be thrown away at will.
At that time, it caused a lot of protest among other werewolf Packs so my father took it to the board. And that was how my father caught Reid's attention.
The most outrageous part was that the committee declared Reid's actions justified, which made many people's jaws drop.