Selina’s POV
The car drove smoothly through a quiet forest, with occasional bumps. Every muscle in my body tensed as I sat in the car. I didn't dare to relax against the back of my seat or even gasp loudly in order not to anger my husband.
I looked at the moon in the dark sky through the window, silently praying to the moon goddess in my heart, but I couldn't catch any thoughts. The trees outside the window were like ghosts. The branches are bone-white silver, like the vampire bones of my dreams.
We soon drove into Black Valley Pack territory and continued up the hill. Charles' castle was built halfway up the hill. In the distance, a pure white building gradually appeared in my sight. The flag of the crest of the Black Valley pack flies in the wind -- it's a black wolf standing up.
As I got closer and closer to the villa, I began to get nervous. My dad told me Charles' parents are alive. They handed over power to Charles a few years ago, and they occasionally advised pack on its affairs as elders. They are still very powerful people with high prestige.
Did his parents know that Charles's bride had been replaced with me? What were they expecting from Luna? Will they like me?
The car was parked steadily in front of the house, and I was both nervous about the upcoming meeting and embarrassed by my close encounter with Charles just now.
He opened the door impatiently. "Get out of the car," he said. "My patience is limited."
I hesitated to get out of the car, trying to look as graceful as possible. As soon as my foot touched the ground, I felt a sharp pain in my ankle. My leg went limp and I fell straight to the ground.
In front of me were Charles's shiny Oxford shoes and long legs. The creases in his suit pants were clearly visible.
"Stand up. How long are you going to lie on the ground? Is this how your father raised you to be polite?" Charles's cold voice came over my head.
I felt my face burn, and my arm propped itself up against the cold pavement, but my right ankle still hurt.
"Oh, my God! She's... She's Stella from the Red Moon Pack? The belle of Newman? I can't believe my eyes!"
Following the sound, I saw three well-mannered werewolves and several house servants standing not far behind them. One was a werewolf about my father's age. His face was dignified, his hair graying but well groomed, like an old money gentleman on a TV show. He is without doubt Charles's father. Beside him stood a middle-aged woman. The slight crow's-feet at the corners of her eyes did not detract from her beauty and modesty. She must be Charles's mother.
It is a young lady who is talking. She looks about Stella's age. She and Stella are similar in appearance, with their seductive curves and long blond wavy hair that makes them easy to spot in any crowd. I think she might be Charles' sister.
Charles didn't wait for me. He went straight to his family. I dragged my sore right foot, limping on my high heels like I was walking on a knife's edge. As I approached them, I heard Charles say: "... Stella met her fated Mate... she was Selena... we were just married for business... I don't recognize her as my wife..."
I stood still. Even though Charles was telling the truth, and I had mentally prepared myself over and over again on the way here, my heart still throbbed when he told everyone I was just a marriage tool. In this helpless situation, I cannot help but try to feel if my wolf Claire is still there. I hope she can give me some strength.
As a result, I got nothing. Ever since she learned that I was going to replace my sister in this contract marriage, Claire has been weak, and our connection has been emptied for a while. This marriage meant that I would never find a mate of my own, which hurt Claire a lot.
And I need to face what comes next alone, good, or bad.
Charles's mother looked me up and down in disbelief and said to Charles, "I don't think I can accept such a mediocre woman as Luna of our Black Valley Pack. Oh look, she has no muscles at all and is as thin as a skeleton!"
"Charles, you're finally back! Oh, my heart aches for you. How did your wedding turn out like this? Why did the Red Moon Pack give you such a terrible woman? I'm so angry for you."
The girl I thought was Charles's sister jumped on him like a butterfly. Her white arms clung to his neck. Charles frowned, but didn't say anything. He just pushed her away slightly, keeping a step away from her.
She's not Charles' sister.
I can imagine the fact. Even though Charles couldn't find the fated mate and was rumored to be ugly and brutal, under the Black Valley Pack Alpha name, the girls still swarmed around him like bees. However, the girl in front of me clearly had a special relationship with Charles. Not only did she show a clear interest in Charles, but she was able to enter his home and even gain favor with his parents.
Nobody cares about me. Charles and his father weren't going to do anything else to welcome me. They were going to the study to discuss pack management. He took a few steps, then turned and said, "Let the maid show you to the room.".
The girl walked in front of me. She took Charles's mother's arm intimately. From time to time, they glanced back at me, whispering and smiling. I think I must look like a clown in their eyes, they must be laughing at me.
A maid led the way in silence, but she did not carry my luggage or greet me. I could only awkwardly follow her, afraid that she would suddenly abandon me and run away. Finally, we came to the living room of the castle, I feel I have spent a thousand years so long. I didn't know anyone in the house. I was like an intruder. I tried to put away my nervousness and cowardice about the unfamiliar situation, trying to relax my tense muscles instead of looking like a prey that had fallen into a trap and was trying in vain to escape.
The maid, however, took no further steps and apologized to me. "I'm sorry, Miss Taylor, but Alpha didn't tell me which room to take you to. Please forgive me..."
"I see. You go ahead, I'll show Miss Taylor to her room." The girl appeared.
The maid, relieved to see her, bowed to her. "Thank you, Penelope."
Turns out her name was Penelope.
Penelope smiled sweetly at me. "Selena, let me show you to your room. Come with me." She stepped lightly up the stairs on the second floor, her heels clicking on the wooden stairs.
"Thank you, Penelope," I said, and followed her upstairs. But my heart immediately became tight. I have an important question on my mind. Which room will I be put in? Charles' bedroom? Would he let a stranger like me into his room?
I was in random thoughts and followed Penelope down the long hallway to a room at the end of the hall. She stood at the door, guiding me with her eyes to open it. "This is the room we prepared for you."
I hesitated to open the door, only to discover that this wasn't Charles's bedroom at all. The room is very small, only ten square meters. The shape is also irregular, and is a strange polygon. It had only a narrow single iron bed, a half-new wardrobe with two doors, a table and a chair.
It looks a lot like the maid's room in our Red Moon Pack.
I walked in awkwardly.
"Click." The door was locked from the inside.
I stopped my wandering thoughts and turned my head away. I see Penelope leaning against the door, arms folded, looking at me in disgust. "What? Do you think you've gone from pheasant to Phoenix now? You think I'm gonna take you to Charles' room? Stop dreaming! You deserve to live in the servants' quarters. You must have done a lot of dark things to replace your sister, you scheming substitute!”
