27

The silence in the hall was broken by the sound of high heels. Before me, as I sat there nursing my arm just below the spot where the knife had struck, emerged a pair of slender, long, fair legs.

With a swift motion, the person yanked the knife out, and a sharp cry of pain escaped my lips. Blood gushed from the wound, drawing the attention of the entire hall. The entire hall watched in silence as the woman aggressively grabbed my chin, making me meet her gaze.

Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of ocean blue, locked onto mine. Cascading obsidian locks framed her sharp features, radiating an otherworldly glow. She was dressed in a thin white fabric that draped around her body like an ancient goddess.

However, the woman's presence was paradoxical, leaving the entire hall both amazed and fearful. Everyone silently witnessed as she continued to inflict unnecessary violence upon me.

"Claire, there's no need for you to do this. Please, let go of her arm," the oracle finally decided to intervene, possibly more concerned about maintaining the woman's grace in front of the others rather than caring about my suffering.

However, the oracle's words didn't seem to have any effect on the woman as she continued to hold onto my arm tightly.

"Do you really think you can walk away unharmed after daring to touch my mate with your dirty hands?" the woman asked, her eyes filled with hostility.

"Mate?" I questioned skeptically, struggling to grasp the woman's allegations.

The woman's slender, long fingers tightened around my arms, causing me to hiss in unbearable pain. Because Lexa was in an eternal sleep, I no longer possessed the ability to heal quickly.

"Release her, Claire," Zen finally spoke up, his tone indifferent. This time, his words had an effect. The woman shot me one last vicious glare before letting go of my arm. She straightened her posture and adjusted her dress.

I quickly grabbed my arm, trying to tend to the wound with my bare hands. The oracle approached me slowly, kneeling beside me. She placed her palm on my wound and closed her eyes, murmuring some unintelligible enchantments.

To my amazement, the cut on my arm healed instantly. The pain vanished as if I had never been attacked.

"Claire, didn't I ask you not to come here?" Zen inquired, tilting his head, his chin still resting on his hand.

"Is this the reason you insisted I stay away from the pack then? How could you deceive me?" the girl's voice rang out, emotions pouring through her words. "You assured me you'd exact punishment the moment she was captured. Why is she still alive?"

Zen rose from the alpha throne and approached the girl, reaching out to stroke her head in an attempt to soothe her. However, Claire vehemently slapped his hand away.

"Because of this selfish woman, I lost everything. The pack also lost one of its bravest warriors. How can you still let her stay in this pack?" Claire continued to confront Zen.

I watched the two of them, wondering if I had encountered the woman in my pack before. But I couldn't remember any memories of the girl growing up in this pack. Nonetheless, I could already surmise what kind of relationship she had with Zen.

However, I still couldn't understand why she hated me so much. It wasn't just because I used to be her lover's ex, as she didn't want me dead for that reason alone.

As Zen tried to calm Claire down, I noticed how considerate he was being, which was a side of him I had never seen before.

The oracle noticed my gaze and said, "Claire is the one Zen has chosen as his Luna."

Surprised, I turned my attention back to the oracle and asked, "She's going to be the Luna?" Although I had suspected it, the revelation caught me off guard.

The oracle continued, "Not yet. They haven't completed the mating ritual, but she will become the Luna soon. Claire is an alpha female. She was born as the only alpha female in our pack, so she was groomed to serve the pack when she was ready. Claire is the daughter of the general who died alongside the former alpha lord after you left."

It finally made sense why Claire loathed me. She held me accountable for her father's loss. For a moment, I sympathized with her since I also lost my father while he fought for this pack. The oracle finished healing my wound.

"Do you also believe that it was my fault?" I asked the oracle, but she didn't answer.

It finally became clear why Claire despised me. She blamed me for her father's defeat. At that moment, I felt sympathy for her as I had also lost my father while he fought for our pack. The oracle finished healing my wound.

"Do you also think it was my fault?" I asked the oracle, but she remained silent.

Her quietness felt like a betrayal as if I had been stabbed in the back. It seemed incomprehensible that she harbored doubts about choosing the right side.

"You must attend tonight's conclave, Ella," the oracle said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Conclave?" I questioned, unsure.

"Claire has been challenged for the position of Luna by alpha females from our allied packs. We have three other alpha females being considered for the Luna's throne. Two of them have challenged Claire for the next Luna's position. So, there will be a conclave tonight to choose the Luna of our pack."

I asked, "What about the third alpha female? Will she not join the conclave?"

"We have yet to decide," the oracle replied in a mysterious manner. She turned to me and added, "We need to confirm whether she is truly an alpha or not." Her eyes were fixed on me.

"Don't speak in riddles," I muttered. "You just mentioned there are three alpha females."

The oracle chuckled slightly and said, "Just wait for tonight's conclave. If the third one is indeed an alpha female, we might not need a conclave."

"Are you joking? You can't possibly be referring to me, can you?" I questioned, frowning.