Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Are you certain this is Ms. Verna's house?" I asked Mariel, my gaze fixed on the modest home that stood just outside the town belonging to the Red Moon Pack. Mariel quickly nodded in confirmation. "Yes, Your Highness, I made sure this is definitely Ms. Verna's house," she replied.

I exhaled deeply, my eyes returning to the house. Unlike the Kingdom of Rema, which comprises twenty packs led by formidable Alphas, the Kingdom of Urzua has only fifteen packs, making it weaker in terms of manpower. However, we have the Red Moon Pack—one of the oldest founding packs in the werewolf community. This is where my mother's clan, the Yarrow clan, lived. The current alpha of the Red Moon Pack is from the Yarrow clan, which makes us relatives. Because of this connection, the Red Moon Pack is closely tied to the Urzua Kingdom’s royalty. It also happens to be one of the most powerful packs in the kingdom.

Yet, while I remained within the palace, I never gave much thought to the history of my parents or their origins.

"Shall we knock now, Your Highness?" Mariel asked. I nodded, allowing her to knock on the door. She knocked four times, and the door flew open, revealing a girl who seemed no older than ten.

The girl stared at us, her eyes especially focused on me.

"Hello... is there something I can help you with?" she asked, her sweet voice ringing in my ears.

"Is this Ms. Verna's house?" Mariel inquired. The girl seemed momentarily taken aback, as if unsure how to respond.

"Madeline! What's taking you so long?" an elderly woman suddenly appeared behind her. I studied the old woman. She looked... familiar. Could she be Ms. Verna?

"Excuse me... is your name Verna?" I interrupted. The woman turned to face me, but because of the cloak covering my head, she couldn't see my face clearly.

"May I ask why you're inquiring?" the old woman questioned. I took a deep breath, slowly pulling back the cloak to reveal my face. I locked eyes with her, noticing the strength in her gaze. A moment later, her expression changed, and she quickly knelt before me. Even the young girl seemed startled by her reaction.

"My deepest apologies, Your Highness! I didn’t recognize you right away!" the woman pleaded.

"Then... you are Verna?" I asked again.

"Yes, I am! I am Verna, Your Highness!" she confirmed, still kneeling.

"You were one of Queen Luna Phoebe Foster's ladies-in-waiting, correct?" I asked for confirmation. Ms. Verna nodded quickly.

"It is true, Your Highness," she replied instantly. I smiled in response.

"May I have some tea in your home, then?" I asked.

"You are more than welcome, Your Highness," she said.

Ms. Verna quickly led us inside, though the young girl continued to look at us with curiosity. I settled into one of the sofas in the living room while Mariel took a seat elsewhere. Ms. Verna soon placed a cup of tea in front of me before sitting across from me.

"Is she your granddaughter?" I asked, glancing at the girl who was still observing us.

"Yes, Your Highness," Ms. Verna confirmed. I nodded and took a sip of the tea. The warmth spread through me immediately, soothing and refreshing.

"I was about the same age as your granddaughter when my parents died..." I began. Ms. Verna gazed at me, and I offered a small smile, letting her know that I had come to terms with that painful chapter, though I was simply recalling the memory.

"But even though my heart has healed, my determination to uncover the truth behind their deaths has never wavered," I said, meeting Ms. Verna's eyes, hoping she might hold the answers I sought.

"And you, Ms. Verna, are one of the keys to finding that truth," I added, watching as her eyes widened in surprise.

"M-Me? H-How could that be, Your Highness?" she asked, clearly confused.

"You were one of my mother’s closest ladies-in-waiting from a young age, Ms. Verna. I know that means you knew her very well," I explained. "That’s why I have questions, and I need you to answer them," I continued. "Can you promise to be completely honest with me?"

She hesitated at first but then replied, "I-I… promise, Your Highness." I nodded and gave her a steady look.

"Tell me about my mother, before she met my father," I instructed. Ms. Verna nodded and began to speak.

"The former Queen Luna was always kind and thoughtful... even as a child, she would remind me that I wasn’t just a servant, but her friend. She had many friends, and being the only daughter of the Red Moon Pack's Alpha meant the world. But when Queen Luna reached her teenage years... that's when she started keeping things from me..."

I frowned in confusion. Why? Why would my mother begin hiding things from her closest friend?

"Why?" I asked, curious to know the reason.

"It all began when the Alpha of the Red Moon Pack was chosen to represent the Urzua Kingdom at the coronation of the former Alpha King, Terrence Evans. The invitation from the Rema Kingdom symbolized friendship, as their new king ascended the throne. Queen Luna Phoebe's father was selected for this important role. At the time, the young Lady Phoebe was eager and curious—she wanted to see a kingdom beyond Urzua. That’s why her father decided to bring us along that night. But during the celebration... the young lady suddenly vanished. I spent the entire night searching for her, only to find her with... the former Alpha King Terrence."

My mouth fell open in shock. So... my mother had actually met Troy's father!

"From then on, I often found her sneaking out at night. I tried to follow her each time, but she always managed to lose me. Eventually, I got into the habit of waiting for her return every night. Once, I asked her where she went, but she simply smiled and hugged me, as if telling me not to worry. But one thing was clear, Your Highness... I was certain your mother... had once been in love with the former Alpha King of the Rema Kingdom."

I shut my eyes tightly as the weight of the revelation sank in. The truth hit hard, and I found myself biting my lower lip in response.

"That’s why I can’t blame your brother, Alpha King Phoenix, for suspecting the Evans family in your parents’ deaths," she said.

"What do you mean? My brother knows about my mother and Terrence Evans?" I asked, taken aback.

"Your brother carried the burden long before you were born, Your Highness. Even though your mother and father were bonded by the Moon Goddess, her heart still longed for Terrence Evans. This was the root of many arguments between your parents... and your brother witnessed it all," she explained.

My heart ached as the truth sank in. Now I understand why my brother harbors such anger toward Troy. He was trying to protect me... to prevent me from suffering the same pain our parents endured.

Does this mean Terrence Evans might really be responsible for my parents' deaths? But something feels off. I can’t shake the feeling that Terrence Evans wouldn't have harmed my mother.

"Tell me... on the night my parents were killed... do you think anyone else could have been involved?" I asked, desperation in my voice. She looked down as if struggling with something in her mind.

"That night... it was strange, Your Highness. Normally, we would’ve immediately sensed an intruder in the palace, but... there was nothing. It was as if... the killers had camouflaged themselves. I’m certain they didn’t hide their presence because their aura felt just like ours..." she said. Her words left me stunned, and I suddenly recalled something Troy had said.

"The Evans clan possesses a secret power, Eli,"

"We have the ability to conceal our wolf's presence whenever we want. Unlike Zander, I can manipulate my presence to appear as a commoner of Tyreese, a witch, or even other creatures,"

"The murderer... likely masked their wolf's presence... as Urzua wolves presence," I murmured.

I quickly stood and turned to Ms. Verna.

"Thank you for welcoming me into your home and for sharing the truth with me. I may return with more questions, but for now, we’ll take our leave," I said. Ms. Verna rose and bowed respectfully.

"You are always welcome in our humble home, Your Highness," she replied. I nodded and motioned for Mariel to follow me.

Just as I was about to open the door, Ms. Verna called out, "Your Highness." I paused and turned to her. She smiled warmly at me.

"You remind me so much of your mother. I know she would be proud of you... and I wish you success on your journey to uncover the truth," she said, her eyes shining with kindness. Her words warmed my heart, and I returned her smile before nodding and stepping out of the house.

I climbed into the carriage with Mariel following behind.

"Where are we headed now, Your Highness?" Mariel asked. I bit my lower lip, gazing out at the passing scenery as the carriage began to move.

"To... the Rema Kingdom," I said. Mariel's eyes filled with curiosity, but she quickly relayed the instruction to the coachman.

It never crossed my mind that something like this had happened before. All I remember from my childhood are the warm smiles of my mother and father. I never noticed any tension between them. So... that is why my brother, Phoenix never joined us when we went to Urzua Falls. But why? Why did my parents deceive me? Why did they act so happy in front of me when, in reality, they didn’t love each other? They were bonded by the Moon Goddess, but not by love... Or maybe... my father did love my mother, but mother... loved someone else.

"Your Highness..." Mariel’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I looked up to find her offering me a clean handkerchief. I stared at it in surprise before turning to her. She smiled gently.

"I know this journey won’t be easy, Your Highness... but I’ll always be here," she said, reassuring me. She stepped closer and softly wiped my cheeks with the handkerchief. I hadn’t even realized I was crying. I took her handkerchief and quietly wiped away my tears as we continued our journey toward the Rema Kingdom.

"We’ve arrived in the Rema Kingdom, Your Highness," Mariel said after a while. I glanced out the window and saw the towering gates leading into Rema. Mariel instructed the coachman to wait as we prepared to disembark.

She handed the guards the entry tickets required to pass into Rema. Every kingdom has the rule that a ticket is necessary for entry into their lands, and only royals or families from alpha clans are privileged to possess them.

"You may enter now," the guards said, allowing us through. I was immediately struck by the vastness and bustling energy of Rema Kingdom's town center. From here, I could already see the towering spire of the Rema Kingdom palace, and for some reason, the thought of Troy being there made my heart race.

The first place I decided to visit was a restaurant near the town center. My plan was to gather information from the locals.

Still cloaked, Mariel and I ordered food and ate quietly, blending in with the surroundings. It wasn’t long before we overheard an interesting conversation behind us.

"Haven't you heard the rumors? Prince Zander is building his own army to start a revolution against Alpha King Troy," someone said. Mariel and I exchanged glances. This was exactly the kind of information I had been waiting for.

"That's not just a rumor, idiot. It's true. Nearly half the kingdom's citizens are already backing Prince Zander. Why else do you think Alpha King Troy hasn’t married his mate yet, even though Prince Zander’s bid for the throne failed?"

"It’s no easy task for our Alpha King. His mate is the princess of Urzua Kingdom, and we all know how much the Urzua Kingdom despises us. They still believe our former Alpha King Terrence killed their beloved Alpha King and Queen Luna."

So... the people of Rema Kingdom are aware of my parents’ deaths after all.

"So... what’s next? Will Prince Zander become the next Alpha King? That’s not a wise choice. The Rema Kingdom will be disgraced. Prince Zander’s mother was a servant!"

"And Alpha King Troy is a coward for not taking action—"

"Be quiet, you idiot! I just saw Beta John walk into the restaurant!" someone exclaimed, making me freeze.

Beta John is here? I glanced around and felt my heart race when I spotted him. No! If Beta John is here, Troy might be nearby too!

"Mariel... we need to leave!" I urged Mariel, and she quickly stood up to follow me. I had to escape. Beta John is clever and would sense my presence immediately!

In my rush, I didn’t realize we had veered into a less crowded area. I looked around, alarmed to find Mariel missing!

"Mariel?" I called out. Damn... did I lose her? Just as I was about to head back, someone grabbed my wrist. The cold presence sent a shiver through me. I turned slowly and gasped when I saw...

"I know it’s you... Princess Elisaria," Zander said with a sinister smile.