Alisha's POV
I followed Gray into Blood Dawn and immediately encountered a brown-haired man—tall, muscular—with a prominent scar running from his left eye to the right side of his mouth. Though the scar seemed superficial, it still gave him an exceptionally fierce and intimidating appearance.
Gray introduced me: "Alisha, this is Riley Karnes, Blood Dawn's Beta, a reliable and strong werewolf. You used to play together when you were kids."
Did he saw me when I was little? While Riley raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled; clearly, he didn't recognize me at all.
I blinked and gently shook my head. Although Gray firmly believed I was his sister, I remained deeply skeptical. "Sorry, I... I don't remember... I mean, I don't recall him, or you, Gray."
However, Gray wasn't disheartened by my response. He smiled. "It's not your fault, Alisha. You don't need to apologize. Trust me, everything will be okay." Then, turning to Riley, he continued, "Buddy, this is Alisha. Her identity remains confidential for now. But I'm asking you to be loyal to her, just like you are to me. Understand?"
Riley glanced at me and nodded. "If that is your order, Alpha, I will do as instructed. I pledge to protect her life with mine."
Hearing this, I felt a sudden rush of nervousness. Louie quietly patted my back, trying to calm my emotions.
Gray continued, asking Riley, "Where is Oretha? I have informed her before through mindlink."
"She returned to the pack not long ago. She should be at the Royal Palace."
"Alright, let's go see her. And ask the witch doctor to come; I need him."
After Riley left, I felt relieved. For some reason, I felt extremely nervous standing in front of him. I followed Gray into the pack, and along the way, passing werewolves seemed to be scrutinizing us—or more specifically, me. Gray paid no attention to these stares and seemed a bit rushed, even quickening his pace.
I felt incredibly uneasy, wanting to hide behind Gray or Louie, using their bodies to shield me from others' gazes. But just as I was about to do so, I remembered my previous vow—to grow strong, seek revenge for Magaly, and relying on my own strength. If I couldn't even endure these glances and sought refuge behind others now, I would never truly grow.
Then, I took a deep breath, tried to ignore the stares, summoned courage, and followed Gray, holding my head high, walking forward.
In the corner of my eye, I caught Louie's encouraging smile. My face instantly reddened, my heart skipping a beat. He must have noticed my earlier embarrassment, but thankfully, he didn't mock me.
Finally, we arrived at a white palace. Gray stopped and turned to me, saying seriously, "Alisha, this is the Royal Palace of Blood Dawn. My family all live here. I'm taking you to meet someone who will answer all our questions."
Recalling his earlier words, I asked softly, "Oretha?"
A gust of wind blew, and Gray suddenly laughed, brushing my hair the wind had ruffled, saying, "Yeah, but you can also call her 'Mom'."
Hearing this word, I widened my eyes in disbelief, feeling a rush of blood throughout my body as if my brain couldn't comprehend what I just heard.
At that moment, a tall woman suddenly appeared at the door. She had fiery red hair, which gleamed brightly in the sunlight. But what was even more stunning was her face—beautiful, mysterious, and commanding, as if beauty, mystique, and authority converged on her visage.
Her honey-colored eyes sparkled and fixated on me. With just one glance from her, I fell into the depths of her profound and gentle gaze, as if losing all ability to speak or move, just standing there dumbfounded, staring at her.
A tear suddenly rolled down her eye. She reached out, gently touching my eyes and then my cheeks, seemingly wanting to trace every inch of my face with her hands.
"It's you, truly... it's you, I couldn't be mistaken. I finally... finally found you, my dear... daughter..." Her voice choked up, unable to continue.
Although I still didn't know if I was truly her daughter, facing her tears made my heart ache, and tears uncontrollably streamed down my face.
She wiped away my tears, holding my face in her hands, and in a hoarse voice said, "Don't cry. Let me look at you properly. You don't know how much I have been missing you. Every minute, every second, I have been thinking of you! Wondering what you would look like as you grew up, if you had face any trouble, if you had blame me..."
Although I longed for her embrace and care, it was the warmth I had always sought, I told myself not to get lost in it until the truth was confirmed. Maybe I wasn't her daughter she was looking for. If left unexplained, it would only lead to more disappointment for her. So, I sought Gray's help; he had promised to help me confirm my identity.
Gray noticed my glance and seemed to understand my intent. He came to our side, extending his arms around both of us, murmuring, "It feels like a dream for me..."
I suddenly felt a pang of sadness; these two people must have searched for a very long time, always longing for this reunion. But I didn't want to waste their feelings. I hesitantly spoke, "I'm sorry, maybe... should we confirm first? I... I might not be..."
However, before I could finish, Oretha interrupted, "No, it has to be you! There is no mistake!"
"But..." I glanced at Gray, then continued, "Gray mentioned that the scent of my blood, though very similar to his... his sister, is not entirely the same. Maybe there's some misunderstanding..."
Oretha seemed unconcerned. She kept her gaze fixed on me, gripping my hands as if afraid I might flee, repeating, "There is no mistake; you are my daughter."
At this point, Gray spoke up, "Orathe, can you explain? I don’t know why, but Alisha has no memory of us, and her family hasn't mentioned us to her. So, she needs explanation and time to receive us."
Orathe seemed to realize something, narrowed her eyes, her expression suddenly turning serious, even a hint of coldness in her gaze. At this time, she was more like a powerful ruler than a sad mother. I felt a little sacred.
Seeming to sense my nervous, Orathe soften her expression and then placed her hand on my chest and said, "Don’t be afraid. You are my child, I am sure of this. The difference in scent is due to the absence of your wolf. I could feel that it was sleeping. When it wakes up, your scent and power will be restored as before."
Hearing this, my eyes widened in surprise, "My wolf? But... I don't have a wolf...People always say I am a disable werewolf…" This had been a source of shame for me for a long time. How could I have a wolf?
But Orathe spoke angrily, "Who dare speak ill of you? Your wolf is extremely rare. It's different from the wolves that other werewolves shift into; it can exist independently from you as an individual. You are not incomplete; you are unique."