She strode into the bathroom and stood beside the wide bathtub. She took a deep breath, her mind drained just from thinking about her complicated situation.
"To bring Nala back, I would do anything… even if it means helping a dark person like you," the wolf's voice echoed in her mind.
Radella rolled her eyes. The one talking couldn't even shift—a thing that had earned Nala the title of "loser" in the pack.
A werewolf who couldn't shift? The daughter of an Alpha, no less? No wonder the pack was ruled by a Beta, even though Nala was supposed to be the Luna.
Radella had once had a father before misfortune struck. According to Elaine, it had been five years since his death. She didn't understand how it all worked—years had passed, but to her, it felt like yesterday.
Her father had been the chief of pure witches, different from her, who practiced dark magic. Now, she was far from the village where her people resided, stuck in a werewolf pack.
She had followers once, and she wondered how they were—where they might be. Were they even alive?
Her hand tightened on the corner of the bathtub. Being here with enemies shouldn't be too bad, this was her chance to get rid of them.
"Just you wait. You will pay with your blood."
After taking a shower, she walked back to the bedroom. She had to attend the ceremony. She had to see how they had been while she suffered.
"Nala would never wear that!"
Ignoring Elaine's words and the dresses brought by the servants, she picked a long, flowing black dress.
Soon she arrived outside the hall and paused at the entrance. Standing there, she reminded herself that beyond the door, she would face the monsters who had destroyed her home.
The door opened, and slowly, she entered the hall. She stood at the top of the stairs, staring forward as she scanned the crowd.
In the hall, the pack members sat around long tables filled with food and drinks. Her entrance drew their attention—she had been missing for weeks. Eyebrows raised, and murmurs spread through the room.
"I thought she died. Maybe was my wishful thoughts"
"She was kidnapped by witches and she survived? What she gave them?"
As she tried to understand their reactions, suddenly the entire hall rose to their feet. She hadn't expected such a response. Nala was supposed to be a loser, yet not only did they stand, but they also bowed.
Before she could grasp the situation, a chill ran down her spine, her hair standing on end. Her heart raced wildly without reason.
Slowly, she turned around. Behind her stood three figures, their overwhelming auras nearly forcing her to her knees.
Two were men, and one was a woman. The woman had large, beautiful round eyes on her round face, framed by short green hair. She casually chewed an apple, exuding an air of nonchalance, yet her mere presence made Radella's heartbeat quicken.
In the center stood a man with curling black hair and a strong jawline. His perfect features were completed by a mischievous grin. His arms, crossed over his broad chest, emphasized his muscular build.
He exhaled deeply. "So, this is where we're going to have fun?" he said, turning his piercing gaze on Radella, who froze under his stare.
The third figure, standing closest to her, had long, dark red hair half on a bun half fell down his back. She stared at him longer than the others. His beauty was almost unnatural, his clean-shaven face and ocean-blue eyes too perfect to be merely handsome.
Her eyes darkened, and her hands twitched. She remembered these three all too well—especially the red-haired man. He was the last person she had seen before she lost consciousness. They had led the troops that had eradicated her and her village.
The man with black hair stepped closer. "Did you come to welcome me personally?" he asked with a sinister grin.
"Please don't try anything stupid," Elaine's voice echoed in her mind.
"Arthur, don't you think we've been going easy on them lately? How dare this ant glare at us with those eyes!" the green-haired woman said with disdain as she directed a warning look at Radella.
The entire hall watched in stunned silence, unable to comprehend where Nala had found such confidence. Even the Beta bowed to the three. It was well-known that no Alpha, no matter how strong, could defy the Eonians' authority.
"I guess you truly missed me," Arthur said with a wicked grin.
Radella turned her gaze to him and snarled, "There wasn't a single day I didn't look forward to seeing you again."
Her response left Arthur momentarily confused.
The red-haired man frowned slightly, more perplexed than anyone else, as he tucked his hands into the folds of his thick, fur-lined coat. His nose twitched as if her scent disturbed him.
Before Radella could react further, a gust of wind swept past her, and in the next moment, she found herself standing behind someone who held her hand.
She looked up to see the silhouette of a man with blonde hair.
The figure bowed. "Please forgive her. She had an accident and doesn't remember much. It was my negligence not to teach her who you were."
She frowned, never expecting his presence. He turned briefly to look at her, and she met a pair of striking gray eyes. He looked too perfect—more so than anyone she had ever encountered.
But who was he, and why was he doing this? Only one person could answer that.
"Rowan Harrison, son of the Beta of this pack," Elaine explained with a calm voice.
Rowan's intervention came just in time to defuse the green-haired woman's killing intent.
"Oh, no wonder… she truly missed me," Arthur remarked with a dark smile. Then his grin faded slightly. "But… who are you to her?"
Rowan's father, a middle-aged man, veins bulging with fury, couldn't believe his son dared to intervene for her.
"She…" Rowan hesitated, trying to think of a plausible response.
"Forget it," Arthur said dismissively, striding forward to take his seat at the table.
The green-haired woman followed, and the red-haired man threw a glance at Radella, meeting her gaze before following suit.
Rowan turned to Radella, his anger evident. Her reckless behavior baffled him—had she truly forgotten how ruthless these people were?
"You're hurting me," Radella said, her brows furrowed in annoyance as she tried to free her hand from his grip.
Rowan looked down and realized her hand had turned red from his tight hold. He finally released her, and they walked to the table, noticing her slight limp. When they reached the table, she took a seat beside him.
Facing her was a beautiful girl with chestnut hair, her red gown exposing her shoulders. Seeing Rowan's actions toward Radella, she bit her lip in frustration.
Radella glanced around the hall, feeling the weight of countless gazes on her. Ignoring them, she turned her attention to the guests' table.
As the entertainment continued, Radella poured herself a drink, gulping it down in one go to calm her anger at being unable to confront her enemies even though they were so close.
"For what I remember," Arthur began, "our beautiful Luna used to play the flute exceptionally well."
He recalled how mesmerized he had been when he first heard her play, captivated by the sight of her lips creating such magical melodies.
Radella's gaze snapped to Arthur.
"Luna, can you play for me… for us?" Arthur asked with a playful smirk. But everyone knew it wasn't a request—it was a command.