Her Return As An Alpha

Chapter 27 : The Smell Of Decomposition

By noon the next afternoon, the mansion was unusually quiet, save for the occasional omega quietly cleaning a room and a gardener tending to the lush greenery in the compound. The sun was high, casting bright rays across the property, but there was no sign of human activity.

The workers who were still in the house moved about like shadows, their faces betraying barely concealed grins as they finished their tasks. Right when the clock struck twelve, every one of them slipped out of the mansion, sneaking away like mischievous children after pulling off a prank.

An hour later, as the house lay in deceptive silence, the first signs of life began to stir. A thin line of sunlight filtered through a narrow slit in the curtains of the grandest guest room, landing squarely on Isabel’s face.

Isabel, the twenty one year old belle of Liana’s cousins and the most beautiful among the unmated women, groaned as the light pierced her eyes. Grumbling, she threw her arm over her face, hoping to drift back to sleep.

But then, something foul reached her nose—a stench so putrid that it snaked its way into her dreams, turning them into nightmares. Isabel’s delicate nose twitched, and she tried to roll away from the smell, only to find it clinging to her like a stubborn shadow. It wasn’t long before she realized that the entire room reeked. Her eyes snapped open, and with a horrified gasp, she bolted upright.

"What in the world—?" Isabel shrieked, her voice shrill as she frantically looked around the room. "What is that smell?!"

She clapped a hand over her nose and stumbled out of bed, gagging as the stink intensified with every breath she took. The once opulent room, with its lavish bedding and curtains, now felt like a prison, its air thick with a stench that could only be described as a mixture of rotting garbage, sulfur, and something else entirely unidentifiable but equally repulsive.

Isabel, who prided herself on spending hours on her appearance, was beside herself. She was used to luxurious baths, expensive skincare routines, and delicate perfumes—never had she encountered anything like this. "This is worse than a rogue's slum!" she cried, bolting out into the corridor.

The hallway was no better. The air was equally foul, a suffocating wave of odor that hit her like a wall. She gagged, her eyes watering as she clutched at her chest. "Someone help me! The house—it reeks!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the mansion.

Doors began to open one by one. From each room emerged the groggy, disheveled relatives, their faces twisted in disgust. A chorus of gags and exclamations followed as they too were assaulted by the overwhelming smell.

"Oh my God, what is that?" one of her uncles sputtered, clutching his stomach as if to keep from vomiting. He staggered out of his room, his face pale.

"Who’s responsible for this?" another relative demanded, his voice muffled as he covered his nose with the sleeve of his shirt.

"I can’t breathe! This is...this is an abomination!" Aunt Beatrice wailed, her hands flapping uselessly in front of her as if that would disperse the stench.

The relatives all but stumbled into each other as they rushed down the grand staircase, their desperation making them look like a herd of panicked animals. The grand entrance hall, usually a place of refinement, now echoed with their collective groans and retching.

"We’ve been poisoned!" Isabel shouted dramatically, leaning over the banister as she dry heaved.

The more fastidious relatives raced to the bathrooms, intent on washing away the stench, only to find that the foul odor clung to them even as they scrubbed their skin raw. The air conditioners, as if in cahoots with the spell, had also given up, leaving the mansion to bake in the sweltering heat of the day. The heat only made the smell worse, intensifying it until it became nearly unbearable.

Aunt Beatrice emerged from a bathroom, her usually perfect blonde hair in disarray, her face contorted in rage. "Perfume! I need perfume!" she bellowed, rushing to her room to grab every bottle she owned.

But even that didn’t help. The scent of expensive perfumes mixed with the foul odor, creating a sickeningly sweet concoction that only added to their misery. Uncle Harold, in a fit of desperation, shifted into his wolf form, hoping that his heightened senses would somehow find a way to repel the smell. Unfortunately, the opposite happened.

"Shift back! Shift back!" someone yelled as Uncle Harold’s wolf sneezed repeatedly, its large, wet nose twitching violently.

Isabel, nearly in tears now, stomped her foot. "This is a disaster! An absolute disaster!" she cried, her beautiful face contorted in despair as she looked at her now rumpled clothes and the chaos around her.

The mansion shook under the force of frantic footsteps and the people rushed around, all of them gagging, spraying perfume, and running around like headless chickens in their attempts to escape the cursed smell. The more they tried, the worse it seemed to get, and the sounds of their futile efforts filled the mansion with a cacophony of chaos.

Meanwhile, hidden away in her office, Liana studied the charts, biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud whenever she imagined the scene at home. She had never felt so satisfied. It had been weeks since she had been so efficient, and there was progress in her investigation. Such a lovely day.

Around six in the evening, as the sun began its descent, casting a warm golden hue over the pack’s territory, Liana strolled through the front gate of her mansion. A faint, mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her lips, hidden within the depths of her jade-green eyes. She knew what awaited her inside, and the mere thought of it made her want to burst into laughter. But she controlled herself, maintaining an air of puzzled innocence as she reached the front doors.

The moment Liana stepped inside, the scene she encountered was nothing short of chaotic. Her relatives were in disarray, a mix of frustration, suppressed fury, tears, exhaustion, hunger, and weakness etched on their faces. They practically swarmed her, each desperate to voice their complaints first.

“Aunt Liana! What’s happening? The house smells like a rotting corpse!”

“My stomach feels like it’s about to cave in!”

“Where are all the servants? They’ve been gone since this afternoon!”

“My hair! Look at my hair! It’s falling out!”

Liana widened her eyes in feigned concern, barely suppressing a grin as she took in their frantic states. She raised a hand, calling for silence. “Please, calm down, everyone,” she said, her voice laced with false worry. “This...this doesn’t make any sense.”

The room fell into a tense silence, all eyes on her, desperate for answers.

“I think…” Liana began, hesitating as if piecing together a horrifying realization. “I think this might be because of the curse.”

Her relatives collectively gasped, stunned. Panic flashed across their faces as they gathered around her.

“Curse?” Beatrice’s voice trembled as she clutched her youngest child close. “What curse, Liana?”

Liana sighed dramatically, wringing her hands together as she paced the room. “It’s the curse placed on this mansion by my mother’s enemies. It activates once a year and decomposes anyone inside the building at the time. I thought it would happen next week, but...but something must have triggered it early.”

The color drained from their faces, and a chorus of panicked cries erupted.

“Decomposing?” Uncle Eddie's voice was shaky. “You mean...we’re all rotting away?”

Liana nodded solemnly. “Yes, I’m afraid so. The smell you’re experiencing is the scent of your bodies slowly decomposing. It starts with weakness, then the hair falls out, teeth loosen...and eventually, there’ll be nothing left but dust.”

Beatrice let out a horrified wail, holding her hair as if it might disappear at any moment. “But...but what about the servants? Where are they?”

Liana shook her head sadly. “They’re gone. The curse affects them faster because they’re weaker. That’s why you haven’t seen them. They’ve already...dissolved.”

Chaos erupted. The room filled with cries and frantic whispers as everyone checked themselves over for signs of decay. One of the naughtier kids, a boy named Tommy, sprinted towards Liana in anger, only to trip over a rug and crash headfirst into a desk. He bounced back, clutching his mouth, and when he pulled his hand away, a tooth tumbled out.

“My tooth!” Tommy screamed, tears streaming down his face. “I’m losing my teeth! I’m decomposing!”

The other relatives, already on edge, dramatically checked their own teeth, fingernails, and hair, panicking even more when they imagined seeing or feeling something wrong.

Liana bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing out loud. She cleared her throat, regaining their attention. “There might be a way to reverse it,” she said, and they all fell silent, hope and anticipation flickering in their eyes.

“What is it?” Uncle Eddie asked urgently. “We’ll do anything!”

“Well…” Liana pretended to think hard. “If you leave the mansion immediately and lock yourselves in your homes for at least two months, the curse should eventually reverse itself. But you must stay indoors and not come out until the two months have passed.”

At the mention of a solution, her relatives sprang into action. They began hurriedly packing their bags, not even caring about the possessions they left behind.

“We’re so sorry, Liana,” Beatrice said with forced sincerity as she shoved clothes into a suitcase. “We would have loved to stay and keep you company, but...well, you understand.”

“Oh, of course,” Liana replied sweetly, barely hiding her amusement. “Your safety comes first.”

As they hastily made their way out of the mansion, some of the pack members they passed couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of the frantic group, running as if their lives depended on it. They forgot all about using transport and instead ran across the pack grounds, much to the amusement of everyone who witnessed their departure.

Once the last of her relatives was out of sight, Liana shut the door behind them. A few minutes later, the foul smell miraculously vanished. She let out a relieved sigh, enjoying the peace and quiet that had finally returned to her home.

A series of knocks sounded on the door. Liana froze, afraid that her so called family had returned, then relaxed as she recognised the scents of her friends.

The door was pushed open again, but this time, it wasn’t her obnoxious relatives. The Ruling Council members cheered as they streamed inside, bringing with them boxes of food, snacks, and alcohol. Liana’s face lit up as she welcomed them with warm hugs, grateful for their presence after such an exhausting day.

Finally, Lucian walked in, a triumphant smirk on his face. He held up a few CDs of movies for the night, his turquoise eyes sparkling with warmth. “I think we’ve earned a good movie night, don’t you?”

"We have matters to attend to," Liana snorted, rolling her eyes.

Lucian gently held her chin and pulled it up to meet her eyes. "Work can wait. Tonight, relax."

Liana shook her head, her smile broadening. “You’re all silky troublemakers, you know that? But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Lucian chuckled and ruffled her hair. “Well, that’s what friends are for, right? Now, let’s get this party started.”

With a light heart and a sense of satisfaction, Liana happily followed them into her home. The night was theirs, free from the stress of her relatives, filled with laughter, good company, and a well-deserved break from the chaos.