Chapter 24: Evelyn: I’m No More Than A Tool

Chapter 24: Evelyn: I’m No More Than A Tool Evelyn~ Back to my question, my wolf spoke gently, "It’s been a long time since a Luna awakened, so it makes sense that people want you to do the full-moon ceremony." She continued, "Not only to gain their trust but also to give them hope." I shifted my weight onto one leg and repeated her word, "Hope?" "Yes, hope," my wolf explained. "For years, we werewolves have lost so much since our Lunas were wiped out by humans. Because of that, our Alphas lost a big part of their power, and the new Alphas were unable to awaken their true power." "That’s why your presence, as the only Luna still alive, means something to them. It gives them hope, a reason to believe that werewolves can regain their former glory." I stood in silence for a moment before muttering, "What a joke." When I first found out that I was a Luna, all I thought was, ’Oh great, another problem on my plate!’ But after staying in the palace for a few weeks, I started noticing how some people looked genuinely excited about my arrival ... and others were clearly afraid. At that moment, I realized I was nothing more than a tool to them, something valuable only because I could bring back the glory days of the werewolf race. But where were they when I had nothing? There was a time when I ran from one pack to another after my entire pack was slaughtered by rogue werewolves. I begged them to take me in, at least for a couple of weeks until I could figure out how to survive on my own, but every one of them rejected me immediately. They looked at me with disgust because I couldn’t shift, and because I came from a small, worthless pack. They didn’t want to deal with someone like me because I was nothing but a burden to them. Until one day, an Alpha of a small pack offered to let me stay, but only if I agreed to sleep with every man in his pack. They were insane, obviously. How could a bunch of adult men ask a fucking twelve-year-old kid to warm their beds? Fucking disgusting pedophiles. If I ever meet them again, I swear I’ll punch their faces over and over again. "There’s no use in looking back," my wolf said. "Your past was bleak, yes, but like you said before, your future might be brighter." I actually doubted that. Now that I’ve become the key to the werewolves’ future, there will be some people who will definitely try to kill me. That’s just how it is. "At least you have your mates now," my wolf reminded me. "You won’t have to face the danger alone." I let out a long sigh and tossed the see-through dress back onto the bed. "Let’s just hope none of my mates are jerks." • • • I had no idea there would be so much preparation before the full-moon ceremony. Since the sun came up, the maids had pulled me out of bed and tossed me into a bathtub filled with strange-smelling herbs. The scent was so strong, I nearly threw up, but they didn’t let me get out until they scrubbed every inch of my skin with that weird herbal water. "These herbs are believed to wash away all misfortune," one of the maids explained cheerfully. "So before the full-moon ceremony, you need to be completely clean, not just from dirt, but also from bad luck, My Lady!" She looked so cheerful when she said it, like she honestly meant well. At first, I thought they were mocking me. I mean, I am known for being unlucky, but now ... I wasn’t so sure. Maybe they were just trying to follow their traditions. Maybe it really wasn’t personal. "You know, Evie ..." my wolf suddenly spoke in my head, "sometimes, I think you’re a little too self-centered." ’Excuse me?’ I replied mentally, raising an eyebrow. "You always assume people are thinking the worst about you," she said. "But let me tell you something, not everything is about you, Evie." I didn’t respond for a while and just watched the maids rubbing my bare skin with dried leaves that gave off a unique scent. ’I would honestly love it if no one thought about me at all,’ I finally said. ’But dear wolfie, for more than fifty years, people have been obsessed with me.’ So obsessed, in fact, that they loved to watch me suffer. That’s why, if people truly didn’t care about me anymore, I’d feel incredibly relieved. "Alright!" Daisy, the cheerful young maid, suddenly said brightly. "I think it’s time to get you dressed, My Lady. You’ve seen the gown for tonight, right?" I gave a small nod. "Mirelda left it in my room yesterday." The moment I said her name, one of the other maids muttered, "I wonder where she is. She already used up all her absences this year, and now—" The maid next to her quickly nudged her arm. "Shh. We’ll talk about that later." At least they had the manners not to gossip in front of me. Well, maybe that’s also because I personally chose which maids would assist me for the ceremony. All I can say is, my habit of secretly observing people finally paid off because I didn’t choose the wrong ones. Not long after that, they brought me back to my room and helped me change into a slightly sheer dress. Since the full-moon ceremony was all about purity, they didn’t apply any makeup to my face and simply left my long hair loose. "Most women look a little pale without lipstick or blush," Daisy said, pausing to look at my reflection in the mirror. "But you ... My Lady, you’re perfect!" The other maids clapped their hands excitedly, cheering like they were watching the final scene of a theater show. "I believe your ceremony will go wonderfully, My Lady," Daisy added with confidence. "We can see your Luna mark on your back, so don’t worry, the Moon Goddess will definitely make you shine tonight!"