•Timberline Village•
Ace's POV
As we approached Timberline Village, I glanced at Ovelia. Her expression was clouded with sadness.
"If you keep that face, I'm going to kiss you," I teased, a playful grin spreading across my lips.
"Ehhh?!" she exclaid, her cheeks turning a vibrant shade of red.
I couldn't help but chuckle; teasing her was simply delightful.
"Ace, should I park the wagon here in the village?" Ray asked, breaking the mont.
"Yeah, but only at the entrance. We'll walk around the village from there," I replied, my tone light yet decisive.
Upon entering the village, I noticed a sparsity of people outside, but all eyes were fixed on our wagon, curious and intrigued.
"We're here. I'll leave the wagon right here," Ray said, hopping off.
I turned my attention back to Ovelia. She was staring at the wagon's floor, lost in thought, her brows knitted.
" Ovelia, your village is so simple and beautiful. I'm really happy to visit," Ann chid in, her voice brightening the atmosphere. But then she noticed Ovelia's distant gaze. "Lady Ovelia, are you okay?" she asked, concern lacing her words.
Ovelia snapped her head towards Ann, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Ann mirrored her smile, then jumped down from the wagon.
"Aren't you two getting down?" Ray asked, raising an eyebrow.
I reached for Ovelia's hand. When our eyes t, I could see a flicker of vulnerability in hers. "Let's go," I said softly. She nodded, and together we stepped off the wagon.
As I surveyed the surroundings, I noticed that the houses appeared quaint, all wooden structures with a rustic charm. The land was modest; our palace grounds could easily overshadow it. There were no shops—no bakeries, no food stalls—indicating a tight-knit community relying on one another.
I held Ovelia's hand tightly, yet she remained fixated on the ground, lost in her own thoughts. A pang of guilt washed over . Was it wrong for us to be here in this village? Would our presence only disturb the quiet harmony of her ho?
I gently lifted Ovelia's chin, turning her face toward , and was taken aback by the shock etched across her features.
"Are you afraid that your parents might hurt you again? Or maybe it's the fear of being cursed by everyone in your village because a human sacrifice has returned?" I asked, my voice steady yet gentle.
"Don't worry, Ovelia. We won't return you to your parents. If they co for you, we will never let them have you," Ray reassured her with a fierce determination in his eyes.
"They're right, Ovelia. We won't abandon you," Ann chid in, her tone bright and encouraging, attempting to lighten the mood.
Ovelia's gaze shifted between us, her voice barely above a whisper, "Thank you, everyone."
I scanned the crowd, noticing the murmurs and whispers exchanged among the villagers, their eyes filled with curiosity and suspicion. Just as we were about to walk, an older man stepped forward, his presence commanding.
"Vice Mayor Arnold?" Ovelia gasped, surprise etched on her face.
In this tiny village, I hadn't expected a vice mayor to exist at all.
"Ovelia, what are you doing here with those rchants? Aren't you one of the human sacrifices? Did you escape from the werewolves?" Arnold asked, astonishnt evident in his voice.
Ray opened his mouth to speak, but I quickly silenced him with a firm look. Thankfully, we looked like rchants—humans couldn't easily identify us as werewolves.
Ovelia's POV
Panic coursed through . What if they lashed out, angered at my return with these werewolves? Truth be told, I dreaded facing my adoptive parents once more.
"I'll just call your father, Ovelia. Mayor Lorence needs to know you're here," Vice Mayor Arnold said, oblivious to my inner turmoil.
I felt Ace's grip tighten around my hand, and I glanced at him. He smiled softly, reassuring .
"We'll follow you, Mayor Arnold. We'd like to et the mayor as well." Ace said with a serious tone
As we approached my father's house, my heart raced faster with each step. The weight of the villagers' stares pressed down on , their whispers like a whirlwind swirling around us.
Ace glanced at and said calmly, "Don't worry, everything will be okay."
His words eased my anxiety even if just a little.
Ace's POV
As we walked, I noticed the small farming area and pigpens, modest yet sufficient for the villagers to sustain themselves daily.
Suddenly, we stopped in front of a larger house—this must be the mayor's residence.
Vice Mayor Arnold stepped forward and knocked on the door, calling out, "Mayor Lorence, we have visitors in the village!"
I watched as Ovelia instinctively placed a hand over her heart, a wave of fear crossing her face.
"Ovelia, don't worry, we're right here," Ann reassured her gently.
"Ann is right," Ray chid in, his tone steady.
We all exchanged encouraging smiles with Ovelia, and she returned the gesture, albeit hesitantly.
The door swung open, revealing an elderly woman—most likely Ovelia's non-biological mother.
"Forgive , Arnold, but Lorence isn't ho; he's out fishing by the river. Who are our guests?" she asked, her voice warm yet tinged with concern.
I could see the fear etched on Ovelia's face, so I tightened my grip on her hand, wanting her to feel my presence beside her.
"We have so rchants and, of course, Ovelia," Vice Mayor Arnold explained briskly. "I need to go; you can take care of them, Natasha." He stepped aside before leaving.
As we faced Natasha, her deanor shifted dramatically. The anger in her eyes was palpable, igniting a similar spark of fury within —and even my wolf felt it.
"What are you doing here, Ovelia? Aren't you supposed to be one of the human sacrifices for the werewolves? Don't tell you escaped and brought rchants to our village," Natasha spat, her voice laced with anger.
"You, rchants, we don't need your products." she continued, her tone cold and cutting.
A fire ignited within at her words; I wanted to silence her forever.
"Ovelia's non-biological mother is a bit terrifying and annoying; I almost want to rip her tongue out," Ray whispered, nudging my side. I shot him a glare.
Ovelia's POV
I knew this mont would co. The confrontation with my mother in the village—it was unavoidable.
Suddenly, Alessia appeared, her eyes narrowing. "Mom, who are our guests?" She turned to , a condescending smirk spreading across her face. "Oh, my foolish little sister is back, bringing her rchant friends?"
Her words echoed in my mind, a painful reminder of what she said before I left to beco a sacrifice.
"Thank you, you stupid little sister,"
Taking a deep breath, I managed to speak. "Alessia, what happened to you? Why are you like this? You used to be so kind, always helping after Mother and Father would... punish ." My voice trembled with emotion.
"Ha! I did that because I had to, Ovelia. I've despised you ever since Mother and Father brought you ho. I was just nice to keep you alive whenever you felt utterly alone," Alessia laughed cruelly, as if the laughter was a dagger in my heart.
It crushed to realize that her kindness had always been an act.
"You know, Ovelia," my mother interjected, her voice icy, "if you returned to find out where we found you, I will tell you. But you and your rchant friends will kneel before and beg."
"What are you saying, Mother? We can't do that..." I stamred, despair creeping in.
Ace released my hand, and I glanced at him as he knelt. Ann and Ray also began to kneel. Guilt washed over ; I felt responsible for this awful mont. Sinking to my knees alongside them, I realized that sotis, returning ho ant facing the darkest shadows of your past.
Ace's POV
Ann, Ray, and I knelt together, craving to uncover the truth behind Ovelia's past, desperate to understand the hardship she had faced throughout her life.
Ovelia knelt as well, her voice trembling, "Please, Mother, where do I truly co from? Who are my real parents?"
My heart ached at the sight of Ovelia's pain, a deep, unsettling sensation coursing through because of my wolf's instincts.
Natasha sighed heavily, her gaze sinking into the depths of her mories. "First of all, I don't know who your true parents are. You were just a baby in a basket when Lorence and I found you in the forest near the river. The only thing with you was your na. Nothing more." She settled before us, her eyes clouded with unspoken emotions.
"When we saw you were a girl, we decided to adopt you, hoping to spare Alessia from being sacrificed to the werewolf. We thought we could raise you as our own." Alessia handed Natasha a glass of water, and she took a long, grateful sip before continuing.
"We intended to be kind to you and hide the fact that you weren't our biological child, hoping you wouldn't run away from this village. But do you understand, Ovelia? When you discovered you were adopted, that we intended to sacrifice you instead of Alessia, we breathed a sigh of relief. It ant we no longer needed to pretend to be nice to you." Natasha's voice cracked at the confession, a mix of remorse and resignation lingering in the air.
The four of us remained kneeling, the weight of revelation pressing down on us like a heavy fog. I felt the stares of many eyes on us, piercing through the silence. I glanced at Ovelia by my side, and saw the sadness etched on her face—raw and unguarded. Her heart was breaking, and so was mine.
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