Her eyes immediately landed on tall, broad-shouldered man who had stormed in like a brewing storm wrapped in Alpha dominance. His expression was twisted with rage, disgust practically oozing from his narrowed eyes.
Elara blinked at him in confusion, her body too weak to even sit upright. But then—flash.
Who was this man who had just stormed in here she had no Idea whatsoever!!
But then....
Memories again of the original owner rushed into her mind like a flood, like someone else's life was being rewound in her head. Images. Pain. Rejection. Coldness.
This man… this was Alpha Cassian.
The original owner's father.
Her father.
So this was him—the man the original Elara had spent her entire life trying to please, trying to earn a crumb of affection from, only to be met with disdain, mockery, and punishment.
No love. No warmth.
Just this.
Just him.
"You're awake," he sneered like it was a crime. "Tch. Of course you'd survive. You've always been like a damn curse."
Elara's fingers twitched beneath the blanket.
Without wasting time he started
"You vile, ungrateful child!" he barked. "You've humiliated the entire Moonlight Pack! Do you have any idea the disgrace you've brought upon me?!"
Disgrace? She nearly scoffed. She was barely alive and yet this man's first instinct was to scold and insult? No concern. No worry. Not even the slightest question of how she was feeling.
Typical.
"Father," she said hoarsely, forcing the word past her throat like it tasted of ash.
His eyes darkened even further. "Don't you dare call me that so casually after what you did! Trying to kill your own sister out of petty jealousy?! You tried to drown Selena in the river just because Kael paid her a bit more attention? How twisted can one person be?!"
Elara stiffened.
Kael. Selena.
Those two again of course....
So that was the story they were spreading?
That she—this Elara—had pushed her innocent little sister into the river out of jealousy? And somehow, she fell in too? Nearly drowning both of them?
Wow.
What a pretty little lie.
Her jaw clenched, but she forced a cough instead. The body she was in was still far too weak. Any sudden outburst, and she'd collapse on the spot. She was practically in an unknown den and she couldn't just confront them one on one untill she had the upper hand of knowing where this place was. So she had to be smart. Calculated. Not reckless.
Not yet.
"…What do you want me to do, then?" she asked softly, eyes lowered.
Cassian's eyes burned with fury. "What do I want? Hah! You're lucky I haven't thrown you into the dungeons."
He stepped forward, towering over her, voice like thunder.
"You will go before the entire pack," he said slowly, coldly, "and kneel—three times—to Selena. You will apologize, with your head bowed to the dirt. In front of everyone. And maybe, just maybe, you'll earn a sliver of forgiveness for your wickedness."
Silence.
Elara's blood boiled.
Kneel?
THREE times?
To a lying, manipulative, white-lotus snake?
Was this man out of his damn mind?!
From the original Elara's memory, it was obvious Selena was the younger sister. And even more obvious—she was not the one who needed an apology.
The girl she now embodied had been betrayed. Backstabbed. Framed.
Selena had invited her "sweet big sister" to the Academy's lakeside for a peaceful talk—and then shoved her into the freezing water. Without hesitation.
All for a man.
A fucking man.
Kael—her supposed boyfriend—had been dating Selena behind her back while acting all noble and innocent to her face. The original Elara had been heartbroken, confused, and blinded by sisterly love.
And she drowned for it.
She would've died, if not for this transmigration.
Tch. Cowards and snakes. Both of them.
And this "father"?
Ha.
Either he loved Selena beyond reason, or he absolutely hated her. Or maybe both. Maybe she was just a stain to him—something he regretted creating.
Elara took a deep breath, swallowing the sharp words that burned her throat.
She couldn't act out now. Not when she was still weak, clueless, and outnumbered.
"…I'll apologize then," she said, meek, hesitant, voice fragile as a breeze. "But… only if I can see Selena first. Please. I need to understand what happened with my own eyes. I don't remember anything clearly… If I really hurt her, then I'll feel truly sorry. I'll do whatever is necessary."
She put her whole act into it. Wide, glassy eyes. Voice shaking with false guilt. Pitiful and broken.
Cassian stared at her, suspicion swimming in his eyes.
Then, after a long pause, he grunted. "Fine. You may see her. But don't get any ideas. If you even breathe wrong near Selena, I swear, I won't hesitate to dispose of you like the cursed waste you are."
That word again.
Dispose.
Elara's gut twisted with disgust and hatred. Who the hell says that about their own child?
She kept her head low. "I won't try anything. Trust me…"
Then whispered under her breath, "At least… not now."
He didn't hear.
Good.
"Get dressed," he snapped, turning to leave. "Her chambers are on the east wing. Go."
The door slammed again.
Silence settled.
Elara let out a slow, poisonous breath. Her lips curled into a smirk.
Selena.
She was finally going to meet the girl who tried to kill her and cry her way to glory.
She was excited.
But then—
Wait.
"Her chambers"?
Where the hell even was that??
She groaned softly and dragged her hand across her face. "Damn it… I don't even know what wing I'm in."
Great.
Absolutely great.
Not only did she transmigrate into a body with no strength, no allies, and a whole-ass scandal waiting for her—now she had to go play house in a mansion she didn't even know the layout of.
Wth!!?