Chapter 3

Veronica’s POV

“This is for the best. You will be helping the pack and repenting for your mistakes at the same time,” I avoided Jade’s attempt of caressing my face.

“Quit pretending to be a good stepmother. There is no audience now,” I told her.

“I just wanted to comfort you, dear,” she said and I clenched my fists so that I could ignore her existence inside this closed space.

We are in a covered wagon as they escort me, still chained, towards the agreed meeting place. I was told that the exchange would be held there.

All I understood was that I would be a peace offering for the treaty. Long ago, Eviera was on par with the Helios pack. But our pack experienced a decline in recent years. We fell off with the Helios pack and with the power that they accumulated now, our pack cannot stand against theirs so we remain in the shadows to avoid conflict given our ugly history.

It was not clear what the exact cause of the bad blood was but we were not able to patch up with them for 20 years.

I tried looking outside in the dark. My abilities are still weakened because of my current health and the cuffs on me. I wanted to know where we were but it was too hard to make out without my full night vision.

With a guess, it will probably be by the Grand Border that separates the territory of the Helios pack from the rest of the North.

This time of the year, the melting of snow is beginning and the neutral cold is nearing. I could smell it in the air and the trees in the forest.

I could feel Colton’s eyes on me ever since we started travelling in the wagon. But I never looked at him again. He makes me sick.

Suddenly, my train of thoughts were interrupted by someone placing a hand on mine.

It was my stepsister, Ruby.

They call Ruby an angel, a soft-hearted girl. I have always been too formal and self reserved for others and we always got compared to each other. She was warm and kind and jolly. I was cold and firm and dull. I have always been aware of some pack members saying that she was more befitting of a Luna.

There was a time I believed it too. There was a time where I was fooled by her kind face too.

“Nica, I’m really sorry that this happened to you,” she told me softly.

I harshly took my hand away, “Don’t touch me and never call me Nica again.”

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Colton instantly chimed in annoyingly.

“It’s okay, Cole,” Ruby answers in her screechy high soft voice. “She’s just in a bad situation right now, her emotions are valid. Please understand.”

“You're too kind, Ruby.”

My eyes could roll to the back of my head and never come back with how much I want to gag from her pretentious kindness. Remembering how I did believe her made my hatred feel worse with the awareness of my stupidity.

Then, the wagon finally stopped. One of the Betas took a peek inside to inform us, “We have arrived, Alpha.”

They started dragging me again and I watched as some of the pack members who accompanied us were in their wolf form for security. We were around ten in total.

The high trees are the same as in our territory. The biggest difference, though, is the evident gold shining line that establishes the Grand Border. Then, a river could be seen from where we are before it opens to the vast forest that the Helios pack rules over.

I was tuning out the entire conversation and the handshaking that occurred. There were only three figures from the Helios side and none of them were shifted.

My empty feeling never went away. I have no other thoughts. I don't even know if I have a future across that borderline. Maybe a nightmare to live or a few more breaths before death. Nonetheless, I have nothing. So I was only empty from here on.

Just before the actual exchange and throwing of me towards the clutches of our enemy clan, I heard Ruby asking permission to talk to me and a second after, she was just in front of me. Then, she hugged me, her back against everyone else.

And she confessed her real feelings.

“I finally got rid of you, sister. I have always wanted you gone Veronica,” I could feel her vicious smirk and the way her long claws pierced my shoulders under her fake hug.

She added, “You used to have everything but now they are mine.”

She was a fake saint. I knew that. Yet I didn't recognize the stepsister I thought of as a real one before.

I had no other chance to say anything back, nor did I want to waste any more energy on these people. I just want to leave them behind even if I walk down a darker path. I was escorted by someone from Helios that I did not bother to look at. I just continued staring ahead, staring forward.

I will not look back.

A loud howl of the wolf from the dark forests in front of me echoed loudly. It was probably a howl for the entire continent to hear. I am not sure what for.

But one thing I am certain of, as I looked ahead, I saw bloody red eyes staring at me.