FINALLY DECIDED TO COMEBACK?
1416 Words
∆SERAPHINA∆
"The hero of the battlefield is back!" Someone shouted, and the cheer spread like wildfire once again.
The cheerings filled through the courtyard before dawn’s light had even warmed the stones of this fortress.
I stood on the balcony quietly observing everything, the sound of drums rolled up from below, followed by cheers that shook the air.
All the servants ran towards the gates, their faces bright with great excitement.
I already knew how the people of this pack loves and adores Lydia Vale, she is this pack’s golden warrior.
The woman whose name has a great influence on Kael.
My pulse reached my own ears as I leaned over the railing.
Lifting her head at the sea of faces, she let out a gentle smile, "It’s good to be home!"
Home.
The word stung more than it should have, this homewrecker stole all my happiness but got praised while I who served this pack loyally got buried along with my loyalty.
I descended the steps quietly as Kael stepped forward to meet her, the pack’s noise softened to respectful silence.
"Lydia," he said with a calm but warm voice in a way I hadn’t heard even for once in years of my life as his wife. "Finally decided to come back?"
Her eyes softened, shimmering with happiness, "Would’ve come sooner if the frontlines hadn’t fallen apart."
She smiled again, pride and longing tangled together, and she isn't afraid of showing it. "You’ve changed, Kael… though I suppose everyone does after two years."
Kael’s mouth twitched, a rare smile only for her. "The same goes for you."
I watched them from a little distance, the cheers fading into a dull hum.
The look in her eyes, the quiet familiarity between them, it all fit too perfectly.
I started doing the math in my head, the boy from the funeral, five years old, this was a year before that.
My fingers tightened around the edge of the wall. "So the child came later… after she returned, they had been together behind my back for so long, she never left this pack in heartbreak but lived as his woman with their child together as a family away from all the eyes," it all lined up too easily.
Lydia laughed softly, brushing dust from her shoulder. "You should see the border now, Kael, it’s thriving... We trained every pup into a fighter, you’d be very proud if you were to see it yourself."
Kael nodded with a gentle expression . "Good work! I'm always proud of your efforts to keep this pack safe!"
For a minute, pride is evident across her face, until she finally noticed me standing nearby.
She blinked once, then turned back to Kael, pretending I wasn’t even present.
I waited, for a second and two, still nothing, her audacity to ignore a Luna, isn’t it because the Alpha is the lover whose arms she can always run to?
I took a step forward, since this time I'm not letting her to walk over me, "Beta Lydia, good to see you back after such a long battle with a great victory, however you greeted the Alpha, but it seems you forgot to greet Luna, am I right?"
A ripple of shock spread through the gathered wolves, as they never saw me interfering in anything or fighting for my rights before, maybe if it is before me, I could've really ignored it but not anymore.
In my last life, I smiled through every insult, believing silence meant grace, not this time.
Lydia’s smile froze. "Ah.... Seraphina."
"Luna," I corrected her with a cold tone, "it's Luna Seraphina, address me properly!"
I can see her forcing a smile to show herself as a saint, but that smile is too shallow to be a real respect. "Forgive me, Luna, it’s been a long time, I’m not used to this etiquette after years on the battlefield."
I smiled faintly as if I believed in her. "Understandable, but here, even normal people remember who leads them.... Manners distinguish us from beasts, don’t you agree?"
A few snickers escaped the back of the crowd, Lydia’s lips tightened, it's very simple she is out of words.
Kael said nothing, he neither defended her, nor scolded me.
He only watched, with a lot which is hard to predict what he is thinking, that silence was all the permission I needed.
Lydia swallowed and bowed properly this time with proper respect. "Of course, Luna, I apologise and I'll never repeat this again."
"Good," I said softly. "Let’s make sure everyone learns from this incident of yours to know how to respect their Luna!"
Kael finally broke the tension. "Enough, Lydia, you’ll rest for now, Seraphina will show you around later.... There’ll be a victory banquet tonight for our warriors to appreciate their bravery on the battlefield."
"Yes, Alpha," she answered, pride creeping back into her voice.
And just like that, he turned and walked away, leaving the two of us in the heavy silence of unspoken things.
Later that day, as I led Lydia through the palace, she talked nonstop, pointing out every hall, every corner, every courtyard, and every mark of her past.
"Oh, this corner," she said, touching a column. "I trained recruits here before you married into the pack."
Another smile, another memory I didn’t ask for.
Her tone dripped with the ease of someone who believed she belonged to this place more than I ever would.
I nodded politely. "You seem to know every corner of this place better than I do, Beta, perhaps you don’t need me to be a guide to you, anymore."
She faltered for a moment, color rising to her cheeks. "I didn’t mean...."
"It’s fine." I turned away, keeping my voice calm. "Please, continue your tour, I have work to finish."
And I left her standing there, that smile of her's disappeared into a frustrated expression, but I'm not free enough to care about her.
By evening, the mansion glowed with all the lights.
Servants hurried past, setting the banquet tables, polishing the antiques, I inspected every detail myself, the arrangement of the warriors’ seats based on their ranks, the balance of dishes, the scent of spices filled in the air.
This feast wasn’t for Kael.
It was for the ones who really fought while he and Lydia shared their glory.
While I was lost in my thoughts, a soft knock brought me back to my senses.
A maid entered quietly, carrying two dresses draped over her arms.
"Luna," she said softly, "which gown would you prefer for tonight? The blue silk… or the crimson velvet?"
I lowered my gaze to the fabrics.
The blue one, Kael’s favorite, the color he praised on others, but never on me.
In my past life, I had chosen blue again and again, foolishly hoping he would look at me, just once, with warmth and love despite knowing it is impossible.
A faint ache tugged inside my chest, sharp enough to make me swallow.
Then I looked at the red gown, the one he disliked the most, and the colour I never dared to wear.
Not because I hated it… But because he did.
I took a deep breath and said calmly, "The red!"
The maid blinked in surprise. "But, Luna… the Alpha prefers...."
"I know," I said gently, while looking at her with a soft smile. "But I’m the one who will wear it, let’s choose what I like tonight."
In my previous life, I've no allies as I never bothered to get closer to anyone since I'm so busy with impressing my mother-in-law and husband, now I'm no longer interested in those both, so it doesn't hurt to be a little gentle towards others.
The maid was slightly relieved, and bowed her head before leaving the room after placing the frock neatly aside for me to wear.
Silence returned once again.
I walked toward the mirror, stopping in front of the reflection that used to feel foreign to me.
Same face with same features, but heart within me no longer belonged to the man who never treasured it.
My fingertips brushed the cold surface of the mirror.
A slight traces of sadness stirred up brief and fragile for the years I had wasted loving someone who didn’t love me back.
But I pushed that pain down, smoothing it into confidence
"Tonight…" I whispered to the girl staring back at me, "is the beginning of my new life!"
- Writer
