I have returned

At the age of 12, I was blessed with my Wolf, unlike most kids. At 13, I held my claws against the Commander's neck. By 16, I had already graduated early from College in defense and was promoted to a Warrior in my father's team. At 18, I was a commander, frontliner, and healer with my Wolf.

At 19, I had yet to meet my mate. For seven years, I waited for him, but I didn’t find him. Before my 20th birthday, I was invited to the Late Alpha's birthday banquet as an honorable guest, and there I met Jonathan, the man who was a heartthrob to every woman in our pack.

From that day on, my life revolved around him. I was assigned as his personal assistant, mostly like a Beta, helping him with everything. Since my father, Gamma Celeriac, was leading the wars and other military matters, I was asked by Alpha to accompany the soon-to-be Alpha in making every important decision.

My love for him grew, and so did my blindness. There were red flags about him that made me uncomfortable—his obsession with his looks, his power, and his money. He was obsessed with his own selfishness, and if he wanted something, he would stop at nothing to get it.

I was like a barbarian, spending most of my time in the training field, learning to be strong. If I helped him with his workload, he despised it, yet he would leave all the work to me.

I thought that rich people had their own way of handling things. My father always taught me never to neglect my duties and responsibilities, so I couldn’t do anything but obey.

At 23, I finally met my mate—not in a good place, but in the middle of a war. The Alpha of the Black Shadow Wolf Pack, one of the most notorious and heartless Alphas in the country, was standing before me.

But it was too late. We were in a war zone. I was engaged to the love of my life, and the mate I had waited for until I turned 20 was no one but the head of the enemy pack.

That day, on that spot, I rejected him. While our wolves howled, screaming in physical and emotional pain, I didn’t regret it because I believed I had the man who would love me and protect me forever.

And I sacrificed my entire youth and my mate for him. My father taught him everything—how to rule the pack, how to train his Wolf, everything...

But in the end, here we were: betrayed, neglected, killed—and now returned to the past.

"Ellie!!! What's up? You've been silent since morning. You won the last fight with ten warriors!"

Mark sat next to me on the bench as I stared at my wounded hands. After becoming Jonathan's assistant, my hands had turned soft and fragile. They didn’t feel like mine anymore. I missed these hands.

"Your hands look like men's hands," Mark laughed, placing a warm towel on my hand. "Go! Talk to Sir Celeriac. He’s upset about your last incident. Why did you run away from the battle zone to hug him?"

I nodded and walked away from Mark. I couldn’t answer why.

When I was sent back here, I was fighting with some Warriors in the initial matches to win the title. I thought I was 16 and already graduated. But when I ran to my father and hugged him, I realized that I wasn't in the battle for my own warrior title, nor was I in a regular battle zone.

I was in the middle of the annual competition in my pack.

I was pretty sure Dad was upset because I had done something shameful as a commander.

"Dad! It's me! May I come in?" I knocked on the door, calling my father in a subtle tone. I didn’t want to embarrass him.

At that moment, all I could do was stare at him, recalling his heart being dug out of his chest by that cruel Jonathan. That son of a... I shouldn’t curse his poor mother, but I couldn’t hold back.

I ran like a poor deer chased by a predator. All I could think about was returning to my dad, protecting him, and hugging his warm body.

"Come in!" His cold voice came through the door. He was completely upset about the tantrum I had thrown earlier.

The door closed behind me as I walked in. The subtle cracking sounds of the doorframe made my dad look up at me. His stern yet familiar handsome face made my heart calm. He was alive, right before me, all fine and breathing.

"Elysia Celeriac!" His voice rose with his body. He moved toward me, his glowing golden eyes flickering with the warm light of the room.

"Yes, Sir!" I immediately straightened up.

He said nothing. His cold and stern eyes scanned me before narrowing. "How is your shoulder?"

My shoulder? I looked at my left shoulder, following his cold yet caring gaze.

Then I remembered that I had been hit by a blade when I returned.

"Ah!" I tried to chuckle, feeling stupid. "I’m fine. It’s all healed!" I ran my finger through the evening-sliced sleeve, showing him my healed body.

We were Werewolves; we heal ourselves automatically. So it was alright. But surprise washed over me soon after I spoke. When I expected to be scolded, his strong warm hands pulled me into his arms. My breath hitched the moment he hug me tightly.

"D-Dad!" I muttered as he patted my head.

"Silly girl! How long has it been since you last hugged this old man? Did I get so ugly that you couldn’t find a way to hug me?"

To say I was stunned would be an understatement. I thought Dad hated hugs or kisses. He used to hug me a lot when I was very young. But after I got my Wolf, he started keeping a distance.

Now that I was an adult, I understood why. Getting a Wolf meant you were almost an adult, ready to leave your parents’ nest to create your own.

My dad was doing that while still protecting me at any cost.

"Dad! I missed you!" Before I could bring myself to say anything, I burst into tears, hugging him tightly. I missed him. I missed his laughter.

"You’ve been acting weird since the battle ended. Did something happen?"

I shook my head. "I just missed you!"

He sighed deeply, as if he were done with my little tantrum. "Anyway, are you ready for your first appearance at the Alpha’s Banquet?"

The Alpha’s birthday banquet? It was already coming up. It seemed I was back at the perfect time. All thanks to the Moon Goddess!

"Another thing!" Dad’s expression turned grim.

Was there anything I didn’t know about?

"The Alpha of the Black Shadow Wolf Pack will be there. Alpha said they might attempt an assassination!"

No! I had been warned about that time. The war started because of this. The previous Alpha’s servant had been killed and found by the fountain of the Packhouse.

The way he was killed led everyone to assume it was done by the Black Shadow Wolf Pack. Initially, they clearly denied it, saying they would never attack their neighbors unless provoked. But Jonathan dismissed their words and provided a few witnesses. That’s when the cold war started, and it ended with me and my father three years later, by killing my mate.

"Dad!" I knew whatever I was going to do would change everything, but I didn’t care.

"On that day, would you please visit the garden around nine or ten at night without letting anyone know about your presence?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, sensing something in my eyes.

"Trust me. Do it without letting anyone know, not even the Alpha or anyone!" I said, putting pressure on my words.

Dad stayed silent for a few seconds before looking at me. "I don’t know what you know or what you’re thinking, but I trust you. I don’t think you would ask me to do something without any reason behind it." He nodded with a serious expression before grabbing his phone.

"Let’s head back home first."

"And Dad!" I stopped him, my chest tightening.

"Yes?" He turned, his forever warm smile appearing on his face like a jewel that only suited on his handsome face.

"I love you!"