Luna's Payback: Claiming My Fate!

35:

1 year later

Time had flown by so quickly. Veronica never fully realized that a year had passed since she met Javier and her life had changed. A year since she started using the face of his deceased Luna. And it had been a year since they had been together. Even now, she still hadn't shown herself to her family.

It was better this way than to put their lives in danger. She was certain that the Fuentebella family was probably celebrating by now, thinking she was dead.

But no, she was very much alive and ready to take action.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Lucy's presence behind her. She hadn’t expected to find a “big sister” in this woman. She had always wanted a sister, but it was just her and Marky who were the children of her parents. And when she met Angelo's sister, Anne Fuentebella, she thought they would have a “sister relationship,” but that never happened because Anne despised every bit of her.

She also hadn’t anticipated becoming close to Lucy. There was a significant age gap between them, not to mention their different species. But that didn’t hinder their good relationship. Lucy had taught her everything she needed to know. She kept no information or skills from her. Everything she could share, she did. It was as if Javier and Lucy were spoon-feeding her.

She was grateful to them, because without them, she would surely be in the afterlife. “Why are you still practicing? Do you really want to tire yourself out? Alpha Javier told you to rest since you’re leaving tomorrow.”

She was boxing alone. “Yeah, I haven’t forgotten. I just want to sweat it out. Besides, I don’t have anything to do in my room.”

“You might be stronger than Alpha Javier now. Seriously, you need a break. You’ve mastered everything I taught you. There’s nothing more you need to know. I think you’re ready to face the enemies,” Lucy confessed.

She glanced at her fist. “Do you think so? Am I strong enough to face my enemies?”

The past year had not been easy for her. Lucy had taught her so many things she needed to learn and remember. She had endured painful and intensive training sessions to build a strong physique. She would consider the past year as hell for her. But she knew it would be worth it. The skills and experiences were priceless.

She was confident that no one would think she was not Beatrice Romanov now. From head to toe, voice, and abilities, she was indistinguishable from Beatrice. She could no longer remember her personality as Veronica; it seemed her mind had forgotten and closed off that she was once Veronica Albert-Fuentebella.

Lucy nodded with pride. “Yes. From the strength and determination I see in you, you’re more than ready to fight. You’re stronger than I am, considering that I’m a she-wolf. If I could shift, I’m sure I wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”

She laughed. “You’re really flattering me too much.”

“I’m telling you the truth. But your fight won’t be easy. It will be a long and tough road.”

She knew that already. “How about my appearance? My surgery is now fully healed. My style? My way of speaking? Do you think anyone would doubt that I’m not Beatrice Romanov?”

Lucy looked her over from head to toe. She circled around her. Examining. Observing. “There’s no doubt that you are Luna Beatrice. You did a very great job impersonating her, Veronica. You’re amazing. You’ve impressed me.”

She felt like crying at her words. All her sacrifices and struggles seemed worth it with that compliment. Her heart was overflowing with joy. “It’s all thanks to you, Lucy. Thank you for being my friend and for teaching me everything. I won’t mess up, I won’t let you down.”

Lucy was moved to tears by what she said. They hugged each other. “But don’t let anger consume you. There’s nothing wrong with seeking the justice you deserve. But don’t let anger destroy you.”

She didn’t fully understand what she meant but knew that she was just concerned for her. “Anyway, go find Alpha Javier. He’s been looking for you.”

“Where is he?”

“In the library.”

She nodded to Lucy and walked toward the second floor of the Villa. This had been her home for the past few months. And Javier had never made her feel like an outcast there.

She knocked on the door. “Come in,” came his deep voice.

She swallowed and pushed the door open. She saw him looking even more handsome in his suit and tie. Javier was truly a perfect catch from head to toe. Wealthy, educated, and with many abilities. Not like her useless husband who was a gold-digger and a social climber.

“Congratulations, Veronica. A year has passed, and today is your last day of training with Lucy. You’ve graduated, and now we can move on to our final step… which is planning how we will execute our revenge on the Fuentebella family,” he announced with gleaming eyes.

She gasped, not expecting him to finalize that today was her last day of training. She felt a wave of relief. It had truly been exhausting, the trials she endured daily.

“Thank you, Javier.”

“You’ve impressed us all, Veron. You’ve shown determination and courage. I’m so proud of you,” he said, standing up from the swivel chair and walking toward her.

She could still smell his natural scent and the fragrance of his favorite cologne. Just the scent alone made it clear that Javier was a truly handsome man.

“Thank you so much, Javier. For all your help. I wouldn’t be here without you. You’ve guided me through every trial and never abandoned me. You won’t regret helping me,” she promised.

She was suddenly surprised when he hugged her tightly. It was the first time he had done that to her—a long, tight embrace. She didn’t know how to react. She found it awkward, especially since she was wearing the face of his late Luna.

Javier pouted and tilted her chin up. “Are you really that heartless, Veron? Aren’t you going to hug me back?”

She grimaced. “Ah… well, my nose might get squished. You know this is a nose job,” she said, making an excuse.

She couldn’t say she felt uncomfortable or that it had a different meaning for her.

Javier laughed. “You’re being too exaggerated! I’m not going to squish your nose. I worked hard to create this face for you, so I won’t ruin it.”

They laughed together, and even though she was embarrassed, she returned the hug. Why was she thinking there might be hidden meanings? It was embarrassing for Javier to know what was really going through her mind!

“Anyway, I called a massage therapist. It’s my treat for you for being a hard-working woman.”

“Huh? For what?”

He waved his hand in the air. “For you. I know these past few months have been tough for you. You’re not used to extreme activities and training, but you managed it all for our plan. I know your muscles and your whole body must be aching. So, I arranged for a home-service massage. It’s to help you relax.”

“You don’t have to do that—”

“I have to, because tomorrow will be another long day for us. Lucy told you that we’re leaving tomorrow, right?”

“Yes. Where are we going?” she asked.

He didn’t look her in the eye. “You’ll find out later. But for now, let’s get a massage. My body is sore from the meetings at the office all day.”

While she was busy with training with Lucy, Javier continued his duties as CEO of their company and once again led the Black Moon Pack. Despite being exhausted, he still managed to come home to the Villa every day, despite the long drive from the city.

He wanted to monitor her progress and ensure she felt safe. So, she knew Javier was stressed from both the company and the pack. He also badly needed a relaxing massage.

“Alpha Javier, the massage therapists have arrived,” a housemaid informed politely.

“Perfect, they’re here already. Come on, don’t refuse. Deep inside, I know you want this too.” He teased her.

She knew he was telling the truth. She felt like she had been beaten up by a professional boxer, her body aching all over. She definitely needed an intense massage before diving into another mission Javier would assign her tomorrow.

In the living area, two therapists set up a foldable massage bed. They asked her to remove her clothes, so she was left in just her sports bra and cycling shorts. Javier, meanwhile, was down to just his boxers. Any embarrassment she felt vanished with the aroma of the massage oils the therapists were using.

They laid them down on the foldable massage bed and instructed them to close their eyes. She felt their hands working on her. Slowly, her eyelids grew heavier. She felt exhaustion, stress, pressure, and muscle tension.

The therapist even asked her what kind of massage she wanted, and she said she preferred the strongest one they could give. Due to the relaxation and the relief from their tired bodies, Veronica and Javier quickly fell asleep.

The therapists had left, but the two remained asleep on the massage bed. Lucy, Nick, and Jordan just looked at them with a smile.

“Should we wake them up?” Jordan asked the others.

Nick shook his head. “Not yet. Look at them, they’re sleeping so soundly. It would be a shame to wake them up.”

"Yes, just let them rest there for now. They work so hard that they’re extremely tired. Let them be, they’ll wake up eventually," Lucy replied, and everyone agreed.

They just covered the two with blankets to keep them warm. Meanwhile, Javier and Veronica were deep in sleep, enjoying the relief from their aching bodies and stress.

But Javier woke up first and saw Veronica, the woman using his wife's face, gradually waking up as well. She must have sensed his presence and immediately sat up.

“Oh my God! I fell asleep while being massaged!” She looked guilty.

He smiled. “Don’t worry. I also fell asleep while being massaged. Fortunately, Jordan and the others were here to escort the therapists out. How do you feel?”

Veronica stretched her body and felt an immense relief. “The weight on my shoulders and the fatigue are gone. Thank you so much for the treat, Javier.”

“Me too. I feel like a new person. Anyway, you’re welcome. Go up to your room now so you can rest completely. As I said, we’re leaving early tomorrow.”

She remembered that again. “By the way, where exactly are we going?”

“To Eldertide Bastion.”

She frowned. It was the first time she had heard that name. “Huh? What’s that? Is it the name of a place?”

“Yes. It’s a small, secluded village far from everything and close to the mountains.”

“What are we going to do there?” Was Javier planning to make her run up the mountain?

“We need to visit Eldra, a woman with a unique talent for creating magic and potions. Now that you’re ready for our revenge, the next thing we need to do is to introduce you to the Black Moon Pack. But to do that, we need to erase your scent and replace it with a she-wolf scent. That way, no one will think you’re a... pure-blooded human. You’ll fake your scent as if you’re one of us.”