Chapter 49: The Mourning Ceremony

"Have they confirmed the bodies?" Papa asked and angrily shoved the newspaper on the table. He did not like what he read today since he was unsatisfied with the result.

He asked, bewildered that neither of his children had done what happened in the Nocturnal Crest pack.

The act of arson in the Nocturnal Crest pack was the talk of the kingdom. What made it blood-curdling was there were no survivors left in that pack.

It meant that... their cause of death was asphyxiation and carbon monoxide poisoning.

It was the same method I had done in my previous life, and I would do the same thing if only they were still alive. That was what I proposed to Papa before. He knew that was not me, so it would be impossible that I would do that action.

I was detained in my chamber. Even my ten henchmen were on standby and under Ingram's command since he became one of the heir candidates a week ago.

I still grieved Valerian's death, silently blaming the Moon Goddess for not rewinding the time before his death. I could have anticipated that there was another move Papa had prepared.

Damn it...

Valerian... Please forgive me...

You died again before my eyes... for the third time.

"According to Crown Prince Henricus, they have confirmed their identities and refused any third parties to involve in the matter as the whole pack is covered with ashes and burned bodies, Papa."

I tightened the hold with my utensils, not expecting that I would hear this news. Valerian was lost in my arms, and now... his pack had become a huge mystery on who the culprit was.

"The royal palace will be holding a mourning ceremony after two days," Aurora said as she arrived with a food trolley behind her. She had made some tea for everyone here in the dining hall. "His Majesty has announced a mandatory that everyone should go to the royal palace at once."

Papa gritted his teeth, not liking what was happening. "Dominixe."

Feeling my chest tighten, I looked at Papa, who was squinting his eyes at me. "Yes, Papa?" I said in an almost meek tone, but I cleared my throat. "Is there any order you wish me to fulfill?"

"Investigate that pack along with Arthur. I want you to confirm it," he said in his firm, frigid tone. "It is your fault anyway. This is supposed to be your assignment. But it seems like someone has copied your method of killing."

I maintained my neutral facade, not being affected by his almost outburst. "Yes, Papa. As you command." This would be more painful than I thought since Papa seemed to want me to suffer more.

"Harchier, is there no way you can demote Dominixe now because of her brazen behavior?" Josephine arched her eyebrow, looking at me with a scornful look. "It will have been better if that happens."

I did not say anything to shut her up. I knew that Josephine looked happy right now since Ingram had become one of the heir candidates as he demoted Lambert from his seat of heir candidates and was sitting at the table for frivolous candidates.

Natalie was furious then and punished Lambert severely with a thick paddle, hitting him continuously in every part of his body. My 3rd brother was now covered with a few bruises for the first few days. But they grew more as the days passed by.

I could see that Lambert was poorly tortured by his mother, seeing how Natalie glared in Josephine's direction. Josephine had this triumphant smile, looking haughty at Natalie.

"This is her most significant assignment, but she harbored feelings towards that man who became her mate." It was Aurora, who was smirking in my direction.

I remained silent the whole lunch, feeling like I was returned from my previous life. I was not being ridiculed upon they learned that Valerian was my mate.

It hurts that I did not get to change Valerian's future when I even promised that I would even do that.

Moon Goddess... let me see the rogue Alpha again... If Henry was fitting that I was a crucial pawn for his wish, please let me see him again. I wanted to return to the day when Valerian did not die—the part where Henry's plan was supposed to work, but it didn't.

"I would be happy to step down as one of the heir candidates, Papa." All eyes were on me the moment I said those words. "This is to at least give a chance to my other siblings who have been eager to be—"

"No one can surpass your talent. You will stay."

That halted me since it was the exact words he uttered back then. He did not decide to let me go from being one of the heir candidates. Instead, he let me stay, which would cause another problem for me in the near future.

"But Harchier!" Natalie protested and glared at me as if she was blaming me for Papa's decision. "Lambert deserves Dominixe's position."

Papa wiped his mouth with a table napkin before he stood up. "My decision is final, Natalie." He glanced at me before he averted his gaze. "Josephine, you are going to visit my chamber tonight."

Josephine's face brightened up. It would mean he was asking for her service and fulfilling her duty as his wife. "Yes, darling. I would be happy to attend," she said, smiling as she followed him leaving through the gaze.

When Papa left, Josephine couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear. She was even looking at Natalie.

"It seems like you cannot raise your son from being the heir candidate, Natalie. In the end, Harchier does not want to let his illegitimate child be demoted." She went to Ingram's back and hugged her son like a loving mother. "My son is so great that he surpassed his older brother. Maintain where you are right now, my dear son. Who knows... it might be impossible for Lambert to return." She looked at Natalie with a ridiculed gaze.

"How dare you, bitch..." Natalie stood up and was about to slap her face when Zoey stopped her. "What?!"

"You must not dare, Natalie. Remember that Harchier is favoring Josephine now." Zoey arched her eyebrow. "You must know what happens if our husband is favoring you. You have the power to touch everything except for..." Then she glanced at me. "...the bastard child right there... An illegitimate child who he is favoring."

"But, Zoey..."

"It is unworthy if you touch Josephine now. You are going to put yourself in the worst situation."

"I agree with Zoey, Natalie." Aurora smiled and tapped her shoulder.

I decided to stand up, not wanting to watch this drama between the wives of Papa. I had already had enough of seeing them just before I regressed.

"I shall take my leave, everyone." I curtsied before my stepmothers and turned around to leave.

I was already in the hallway when I felt a presence behind me. That was when I felt an arm draping on my shoulders before I quickly tackled that person and made him shove to the wall.

"Stop playing with your antics with me, Arthur."

Yes, it was Arthur, not Ismael.

Ismael wouldn't dare to approach me for what happened with Valerian. And now, I paid him back tenfolds when I was the one who killed Airene.

The plan of framing Caroline did not happen anymore. My anger for Ismael was palpable I showed Ismael what I could do.

It was the reason why we both had bad blood against each other. We might be ignoring each other, but he did not inform Papa about the alliance Henry and I did.

However, since Ismael was out, the next problem I needed to deal with was Arthur. He already insisted on having us sleep together, which I highly disagreed with and even threatened him.

It turned out that Arthur liked me. He admitted it the night Valerian died.

"Who says that I am even playing antics with you, Dominixe? I am not Ismael," he said, smirking.

"Disgusting..." My face contorted before I distanced myself from him and left him there. I ensured he was not following me to my chamber before my heart sought Valerian's presence. "Honeydew..." I muffled my cries by covering my mouth when I started to remember him again.

My only memory of him was the promise ring he had left. There was nothing I could do to save him again. The time did not even stop, just as I was praying then.

It was hard... What else must I suppose to do now? Suffer again.

I should kill myself.

But I couldn't. I felt like someone was halting me from doing this madness.

Valerian... I did not know what was happening to your pack. But whatever it was... I hope they would get solved.

Arthur and I went to the Solacia to investigate about what happened in the Nocturnal Crest pack. We infiltrated it by sneaking out at night and roamed around the ghost village.

The hoot of the owl and chirped of the frogs and crickets were the only sounds we could hear. I kept my distance from Arthur and separated with him.

I was getting teary-eyed when I managed to halt in front of the familiar manor that I was lived in before I regressed. It was... Valerian's manor.

My heart was being squeezed just by seeing it. It felt so wrong to think about the memories I had with Valerian. I promised to myself that I would save him, but... it did not happen.

I guess it was wrong that the Moon Goddess or Her daughter, Dameta to make me return the day before the tragic happened. The tragedy that happened today was far worse of what happened.

"Let's return now and tell Papa what we found out," Arthur said when he was approaching me. He settled beside me and eyed the once splendid manor that was now dilapidated because of the arson. "Let's go."

I had one last glance at the manor before my eyes settled on the area where everything had come to an end—where Valerian and I confronted each other.

It was the Luna's Garden.

The garden that was once filled with different flowers and exotic plants were now turned into ashes. The place looked so gloomy now. It looked... totally different.

We reported back to Papa about our findings and made a confirmation that there were traces of bodies that were found. I meant some hereditary material in humans.

As to who started the arson was still a mystery to all of us. Even to Papa.

Two days after, the whole nation was holding the mourning ceremony of the downfall of the Leveaux Duchy. Papa took it as a reward for him as he finally accepted that whoever did this was our ally.

Possibly. That could be a plausible reason.

I looked at Henry who was busy handling the mourning ceremony while his father was watching. The divine priest of the Sowinski pantheon held the prayer for the Moon Goddess before all of the nobles proceeded to the banquet hall, not to celebrate but to mourn for the deceased pack members and the downfall of the Leveaux Duchy.

"To Duke Leveaux, everyone," Henry said as he raised his glass with sympathy in his eyes.

If the fall of that duchy meant it was the same as what happened in my first timeline. It was the part where Henry would have to take his first step to perform a coup d'etat. He would soon take away his father's throne. I could see the regret and determination written on his eyes.

Our eyes met. We knew that we both failed from this. We failed to save Valerian despite of the plans he told me.

While everyone was mourning in silence, the door swung opened. The royal guard entered and scurried towards the throne room. Henry had gotten his curiosity when the royal guard approached Henry and told him something.

I creased my forehead when his forehead knitted before he cleared his throat. "Let them in."

Let them who?

I returned my gaze to the door where there were two men standing, wearing mourning clothes with their faces were covered because of their hat. One of them was holding a cane, indicating that he was a lord of a land.

The hall was filled with murmur when the man with a cane and had a lean body stepped forward while the man who had a lean body followed him behind. I stroked my chin, thinking that it must be a lord and a servant.

But who were they?

The other one that was following the lord seemed familiar to me, especially the robust feature of the body built. It seemed like I had seen it before.

"Who are they, Henricus?" His Majesty asked with an arching eyebrow.

Henry bowed before him and looked at the two distinguished people who were standing before them. "This man right here introduces himself as the last descendant of the Leveaux Duchy and the next Alpha in line of the Nocturnal Crest pack, Demetrius Leveaux."

All of us gasped from his words. My heart even palpitated so fast at what happened. I even held my chest.

What did he say?

Last descendant of the Leveaux Duchy and next Alpha in line of the Nocturnal Crest pack?

"And the man next to him is going to be the next Beta, Niccolo Andreu."

As soon as Henry introduced them, the two men faced us and removed their hats. That was also the moment when everyone of us, including me, gasped upon seeing the man who named Demetrius Leveaux who looked like—

"Oi, Domi..." Lambert shook me. "Why did he... Why did that man look like you?"

But I was not focused to that man. It was the person named Niccolo Andreu. My eyes widened upon seeing the person who I had long forgotten on my second life and was beside me before I had my last breath in my previous life.

It was the rogue Alpha!

What the hell was he doing here?!