Chapter 19: Ovelia's Return to Timberline Village: Unveiling the Past

•Timberline Village•

Ace's POV

As we approached Timberline Village, I glanced at Ovelia. Her expression was clouded with sadness.

"If you keep that face, I'm going to kiss you," I teased, a playful grin spreading across my lips.

"Ehhh?!" she exclaimed, her cheeks turning a vibrant shade of red.

I couldn't help but chuckle; teasing her was simply delightful.

"Ace, should I park the wagon here in the village?" Ray asked, breaking the moment.

"Yeah, but only at the entrance. We'll walk around the village from there," I replied, my tone light yet decisive.

Upon entering the village, I noticed a sparsity of people outside, but all eyes were fixed on our wagon, curious and intrigued.

"We're here. I'll leave the wagon right here," Ray said, hopping off.

I turned my attention back to Ovelia. She was staring at the wagon's floor, lost in thought, her brows knitted.

" Ovelia, your village is so simple and beautiful. I'm really happy to visit," Ann chimed in, her voice brightening the atmosphere. But then she noticed Ovelia's distant gaze. "Ma'am Ovelia, are you okay?" she asked, concern lacing her words.

Ovelia snapped her head towards Ann, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Ann mirrored her smile, then jumped down from the wagon.

"Aren't you two getting down?" Ray asked, raising an eyebrow.

I reached for Ovelia's hand. When our eyes met, I could see a flicker of vulnerability in hers. "Let's go," I said softly. She nodded, and together we stepped off the wagon.

As I surveyed the surroundings, the houses appeared quaint, all wooden structures with a rustic charm. The land was modest; our palace grounds could easily overshadow it. There were no shops—no bakeries, no food stalls—indicating a tight-knit community relying on one another.

I held Ovelia's hand tightly, yet she remained fixated on the ground, lost in her own thoughts. A pang of guilt washed over me. Was it wrong for us to be here in this village? Would our presence only disturb the quiet harmony of her home?

I gently lifted Ovelia's chin, turning her face toward me, and was taken aback by the shock etched across her features.

"Are you afraid that your parents might hurt you again? Or maybe it's the fear of being cursed by everyone in your village because a human sacrifice has returned?" I asked, my voice steady yet gentle.

"Don't worry, Ovelia. We won't return you to your parents. If they come for you, we will never let them have you," Ray reassured her with a fierce determination in his eyes.

"They're right, Ma'am Ovelia. We won't abandon you," Ann chimed in, her tone bright and encouraging, attempting to lighten the mood.

Ovelia's gaze shifted between us, her voice barely above a whisper, "Thank you, everyone."

I scanned the crowd, noticing the murmurs and whispers exchanged among the villagers, their eyes filled with curiosity and suspicion. Just as we were about to walk, an older man stepped forward, his presence commanding.

"Vice Mayor Arnold?" Ovelia gasped, surprise etched on her face.

In this tiny village, I hadn't expected a vice mayor to exist at all.

"Ovelia, what are you doing here with those merchants? Aren't you one of the human sacrifices? Did you escape from the werewolves?" Arnold asked, astonishment evident in his voice.

Ray opened his mouth to speak, but I quickly silenced him with a firm look. Thankfully, we looked like merchants—humans couldn't easily identify us as werewolves.

Ovelia's POV

Panic coursed through me. What if they lashed out, angered at my return with these werewolves? Truth be told, I dreaded facing my adoptive parents once more.

"I'll just call your father, Ovelia. Mayor Lorence needs to know you're here," Vice Mayor Arnold said, oblivious to my inner turmoil.

I felt Ace's grip tighten around my hand, and I glanced at him. He smiled softly, reassuring me.

"We'll follow you, Mayor Arnold. We'd like to meet the mayor as well." Ace said with a serious tone

As we approached my father's house, my heart raced faster with each step. The weight of the villagers' stares pressed down on me, their whispers like a whirlwind swirling around us.

Ace glanced at me and said calmly, "Don't worry, everything will be okay."

His words eased my anxiety even if just a little.

Ace's POV

As we walked, I noticed the small farming area and pigpens, modest yet sufficient for the villagers to sustain themselves daily.

Suddenly, we stopped in front of a larger house—this must be the mayor's residence.

Vice Mayor Arnold stepped forward and knocked on the door, calling out, "Mayor Lorence, we have visitors in the village!"

I watched as Ovelia instinctively placed a hand over her heart, a wave of fear crossing her face.

"Ovelia, don't worry, we're right here," Ann reassured her gently.

"Ann is right," Ray chimed in, his tone steady.

We all exchanged encouraging smiles with Ovelia, and she returned the gesture, albeit hesitantly.

The door swung open, revealing an elderly woman—most likely Ovelia's non-biological mother.

"Forgive me, Arnold, but Lorence isn't home; he's out fishing by the river. Who are our guests?" she asked, her voice warm yet tinged with concern.

I could see the fear etched on Ovelia's face, so I tightened my grip on her hand, wanting her to feel my presence beside her.

"We have some merchants and, of course, Ovelia," Vice Mayor Arnold explained briskly. "I need to go; you can take care of them, Natasha." He stepped aside before leaving.

As we faced Natasha, her demeanor shifted dramatically. The anger in her eyes was palpable, igniting a similar spark of fury within me—and even my wolf felt it.

"What are you doing here, Ovelia? Aren't you supposed to be one of the human sacrifices for the werewolves? Don't tell me you escaped and brought merchants to our village," Natasha spat, her voice laced with anger.

"You, merchants, we don't need your products." she continued, her tone cold and cutting.

A fire ignited within me at her words; I wanted to silence her forever.

"Ovelia's non-biological mother is a bit terrifying and annoying; I almost want to rip her tongue out," Ray whispered, nudging my side. I shot him a glare.

Ovelia's POV

I knew this moment would come. The confrontation with my mother in the village—it was unavoidable.

Suddenly, Alessia appeared, her eyes narrowing. "Mom, who are our guests?" She turned to me, a condescending smirk spreading across her face. "Oh, my foolish little sister is back, bringing her merchant friends?"

Her words echoed in my mind, a painful reminder of what she said before I left to become a sacrifice.

"Thank you, you stupid little sister,"

Taking a deep breath, I managed to speak. "Alessia, what happened to you? Why are you like this? You used to be so kind, always helping me after Mother and Father would... punish me." My voice trembled with emotion.

"Ha! I did that because I had to, Ovelia. I've despised you ever since Mother and Father brought you home. I was just nice to keep you alive whenever you felt utterly alone," Alessia laughed cruelly, as if the laughter was a dagger in my heart.

It crushed me to realize that her kindness had always been an act.

"You know, Ovelia," my mother interjected, her voice icy, "if you returned to find out where we found you, I will tell you. But you and your merchant friends will kneel before me and beg."

"What are you saying, Mother? We can't do that..." I stammered, despair creeping in.

Ace released my hand, and I glanced at him as he knelt. Ann and Ray also began to kneel. Guilt washed over me; I felt responsible for this awful moment. Sinking to my knees alongside them, I realized that sometimes, returning home meant facing the darkest shadows of your past.

Ace's POV

Ann, Ray, and I knelt together, craving to uncover the truth behind Ovelia's past, desperate to understand the hardship she had faced throughout her life.

Ovelia knelt as well, her voice trembling, "Please, Mother, where do I truly come from? Who are my real parents?"

My heart ached at the sight of Ovelia's pain, a deep, unsettling sensation coursing through me because of my wolf's instincts.

Natasha sighed heavily, her gaze sinking into the depths of her memories. "First of all, I don't know who your true parents are. You were just a baby in a basket when Lorence and I found you in the forest near the river. The only thing with you was your name. Nothing more." She settled before us, her eyes clouded with unspoken emotions.

"When we saw you were a girl, we decided to adopt you, hoping to spare Alessia from being sacrificed to the werewolf. We thought we could raise you as our own." Alessia handed Natasha a glass of water, and she took a long, grateful sip before continuing.

"We intended to be kind to you and hide the fact that you weren't our biological child, hoping you wouldn't run away from this village. But do you understand, Ovelia? When you discovered you were adopted, that we intended to sacrifice you instead of Alessia, we breathed a sigh of relief. It meant we no longer need to pretend to be nice to you." Natasha's voice cracked at the confession, a mix of remorse and resignation lingering in the air.

The four of us remained kneeling, the weight of revelation pressing down on us like a heavy fog. I felt the stares of many eyes on us, piercing through the silence. I glanced at Ovelia by my side, and saw the sadness etched on her face—raw and unguarded. Her heart was breaking, and so was mine.