Usher had momentarily thought that the time portal would take him back to the present, but his assumption was wrong. Instead, the portal took him to a different past, as he realized when he landed, not at the waterfall, but on the familiar rocky ground.It was the Sacred Land, where the Frostholm pack performed all its rituals and ceremonies, including the rites of passage for young werewolves and the blessings for new Alpha and Luna. The area was often deserted, visited only when necessary, except for Ayla, who came once a month to pray for the preservation of the magic.Now that he had confirmed his landing place, Usher wondered what time period he was in. Which past had he arrived at?Fortunately, the answer came to Usher shortly thereafter. Just as he was about to stand up, he heard the laughter of teenagers."We'll prove it later, Vione. Because from what I've seen of your weakness all this time, it seems that my suspicion is not wrong. You are an Omega."Usher's brow furrowed as
"Let's forget it. We don't need to discuss it. Besides, there's something more important," young Usher said."What's that?" asked young Vione."Actually, I'm still wondering. Why is it so difficult for you to contact me whenever you have a problem? Haven't I told you for a long time, Vione? Contact me. I'm sure you haven't forgotten."Young Vione remembered clearly. Young Usher had told her the same thing many times since they were children. But she had never done what Young Usher had asked. Every time something like this happened, she just stayed silent and let it pass as if it were nothing."Then why, Vione? Why don't you do what I ask? Do you not take my words seriously? Do you think I'm just joking?" Young Usher asked.Young Vione shook his head quickly. "I don't mean that, Usher. I know you're not joking, but..." She seemed to struggle to find the right words. "...this isn't serious."Young Usher grimaced. "They took you to the woods and then mocked you. Isn't that serious? Do yo
Young Usher ran as fast as he could, pushing through the dense undergrowth that blocked his path. He leaped over the roots of trees that blocked his steps. He plowed through everything with a growing anxiety that seemed unstoppable.Young Usher's body tensed. Vione's young cries seemed to echo incessantly in his mind, fueling a panic that grew sharper with each passing moment. His breathing became labored, but Usher didn't stop his sprint. He raced against time until the road ahead became a dead end.Young Usher's run came to a halt. He quickly glanced around. He tried to locate Young Vione's whereabouts, but to no avail. The forest seemed as quiet as ever, and it almost drove him to despair.A low whimper caught Young Usher's ear. It came from the southeast side of the forest. Hastily, he darted in that direction, his eyes widening as he realized that there was a steep cliff he had overlooked. Without hesitation, he rushed over and the faint voice of the young Vione greeted him."Ple
Thanks to that day when two bad things happened in a row, it's no wonder that Young Usher paid more attention to Young Vione than usual. So, he often looked out of the window to catch a glimpse of Young Vione as she went about her duties as mentioned earlier—checking the plants in the Palace.The book lay open, untouched by Young Usher. The laptop screen, which had been lit, was now dark. Everything was neglected as his focus was entirely on young Vione, so much so that he didn't even notice the arrival of a maid with a tray of snacks and tea."It looks like Vione is doing well," the maid remarked.The young Usher was startled from his reverie. He turned awkwardly. "Y-yes, she's fine."The maid smiled politely and placed the snacks and tea on the table. Afterwards they wanted to leave, but the young Usher spoke quickly again."Just a moment."The maid turned to Young Usher again. "Yes?""I haven't thanked you yet. Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to save Vione in time," Yo
Something was wrong, the young Usher could feel it clearly. His discomfort was palpable, like a lump in his chest that even the moonlit night could not soothe as usual. The atmosphere was unsettling, and even the gentle breeze seemed to sting, adding to his unease.Taking a deep breath, the young Usher scanned his surroundings with unease. He tried to look for clues to the unusual feeling that had plagued him for the past few days, but all he found was confusion.Everything seemed to be spinning, making Usher's head feel full. Various events that had occurred kept replaying in his mind, bringing up different thoughts than before. Two similar yet meaningful questions continued to weigh on his mind."Why? Why are you so good to me? Why do you always take care of me? Why, Usher?""Why are you so attentive to Vione? She's nobody. She's just the adopted daughter of some forest rangers. Besides, she seems weak. You could say she's a troublesome she-wolf. So why do you care about her?"At fi
Young Usher didn't answer. It was impossible for young Vione to get expired bread. The palace had always ensured that the food and drink for all residents—Alpha family and workers—met health standards. Moreover, there had never been any reports of food poisoning.Still, young Usher wouldn't forget to check. If the puppy had indeed been poisoned by eating young Vione's breakfast bread, then the palace had been grossly negligent."There are many possibilities," Alma said a moment later, offering a logical opinion. "Especially since he's a puppy. He could have eaten something without your knowledge."Young Vione considered Alma's words, then nodded slowly. She realized that there were more important things for her to focus on right now than finding the source of the poisoning. "So how is he? Is he going to be okay?""Fortunately, yes. He'll be fine. After a few days of rest, he'll be fine. You can relax now."Relief flooded young Vione's chest. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a
"Buddy! Buddy! Buddy! Don't run too far!"Buddy barked and continued to run, as if deliberately ignoring young Vione's commands. He darted into the bushes, startling Vione for a moment "Buddy," Vione murmured with an amused look on her face. She approached Buddy with her hands raised as if to catch him. "Looks like it's time for you to return to the gazebo. Your playtime is over."Buddy barked again, then bounded happily. He seemed to understand that Vione was only joking. They chased each other until a scene caught Vione's attention.The young Usher and Graham were walking in the outer corridor of the palace. They seemed to be engaged in conversation, and Vione watched them from a distance, a faint smile creeping across her face."See that handsome man, Buddy?" Vione asked as she crouched down and reached out to hug Buddy. "Not the old one, the young one. Uh, he's the one who called you Buddy."Buddy might not understand human language, including Vione's words, but he barked with en
Time passed tediously for young Vione. There were many tasks she had to accomplish lately. Most importantly, she had to prepare for the coming-of-age ceremony that would take place later that night.As a werewolf, the coming-of-age ceremony was the most important thing, like an important milestone in one's life. Therefore, the coming-of-age ceremony was a tradition that had been practiced for centuries, marking the transition from adolescence to adulthood. On this night, they would be blessed by the Sacred Elder, and then they would transform into wolves for the first time.The thought of the ceremony stirred a tension that instantly coursed through her entire body. Young Vione took a deep breath and tried to calm herself by reminding herself that it was an inevitability that all werewolves had to go through without exception. She shouldn't be too tense.Unfortunately, something was keeping her tense. Anxiety had been gnawing at young Vione's mind since the sun rose on the eastern hor