"Some people were loved for the crowns they wore. Others were loved for the hearts they carried."
— Murasaki Sumi
016.
"And here..." Isla stopped. "Is the nursery."
Seyra sighed in relief, happy that this was all over. Her back was aching, and she was dehydrated. They’d spent about an hour going around the big shelter, seeing the pup’s infantry, the training grounds, the feeding hall, the medical wing, the playground, and even the small garden where the older pups were taught how to grow basic herbs.
They had also passed through the sleeping quarters, the classrooms, and the recreation hall before finally making their way to the nursery.
Astrid had complained about almost everything.
The feeding hall was too noisy.
The playground was too dirty.
The training grounds were too small.
The classrooms were too plain.
And she had nearly screamed when one of the pups tried to hug her in the recreation hall.
Seyra had lost count of how many times she had rolled her eyes.
But now, finally, the tour was over.
Or at least, she hoped it was.
Isla opened the nursery door, revealing rows of tiny beds arranged neatly across the room.
The youngest pups were inside, some sleeping peacefully while others played with their toys.
Seyra smiled.
Unlike the other parts of the shelter, the nursery was quiet and warm.
"Wow," Astrid muttered, looking around.
For the first time since they arrived, she didn’t immediately complain.
Seyra glanced at her suspiciously.
"Okay, these ones are actually cute. Unlike those other ones." Astrid reached out to touch one, but he moved back. His eyes darted to Seyra, and he looked at her with big, bubbly eyes.
Seyra smiled and almost stepped forward, but Astrid, annoyed, reached out to grab the pup by force.
The pup yelped and bit her hand.
"Ouch!" Astrid immediately pulled her hand back and glared at the little creature. "You little—"
She raised her hand to hit it.
Seyra moved quickly and grabbed the pup before her hand could come down.
"Don’t!" Seyra snapped.
The pup trembled in her arms, burying its tiny face against her chest.
Astrid held her bitten hand, her face twisted with anger. "That filthy thing bit me!"
"You tried to grab it."
"So that gives it the right to bite me?"
"It was scared."
"I don’t care!"
Astrid raised her hand again, but Seyra turned the pup away from her. "Try it, and you’ll have to go through me first."
Astrid glared at her. "Are you seriously defending a stupid pup over me?"
"It didn’t attack you for no reason."
"That thing hurt me!"
"Astrid," Isla finally spoke, her voice firm. "You need to leave."
Astrid’s head snapped toward her. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Leave the nursery."
"You can’t order me around."
"I can when you’re threatening the pups under my care."
Astrid scoffed. "I am the future Lady Royal."
"And right now, you are a visitor in my shelter."
Astrid’s face darkened.
Isla turned to look at Seyra then back at Astrid. "I’ll handle the report and give it to Seyra. You can go wait outside."
She reached for the papers she had been carrying and handed them to Seyra.
Astrid opened her mouth, clearly ready to complain, but Cassiel grabbed her arm. "Come on."
"Cassiel—"
"Let’s go."
He began dragging her toward the door.
"Let go of me!" Astrid protested, struggling against his hold.
Cassiel ignored her and continued pulling her out. Astrid turned her head toward Isla, her eyes filled with rage.
"You’ll regret this," she spat. "You are the first person I’ll fire after I become Lady Royal."
After the doors closed, Isla let out a deep breath and massaged her forehead. "It still baffles me how that girl is your sister."
Seyra forced a smile. "It baffles me too." She patted the pup, who was now calm in her arms.
Isla smiled. "You are more deserving of that Lady Royal title, Seyra." She looked at the closed doors, her face twisting in annoyance as if she could see Astrid there. "She doesn’t deserve it."
Seyra sighed. "I think she does. She fits the pack’s beauty standards. I am nowhere near her level."
Isla looked repulsed. "And who told you that beauty defines a Lady Royal?"
Seyra shrugged. "That’s what everybody says."
"They’re wrong."
"Still," Seyra said, looking away from Isla. "I really am not interested in being a Lady Royal. I’m fine with being invisible and not having everybody’s eyes on me."
She knew what came with being popular in the palace. And no one would even want her to give them orders. Not that she wanted to do that anyway.
Isla nodded in understanding and picked up some files from the desk. She nodded at the helpers around her, and one of them came to take the little pup from Seyra.
He had fallen asleep in her arms.
"Let me have him."
Seyra nodded as the pup was taken from her.
After the pup was well tucked in, Seyra turned to face Isla. "Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Okay."
"Could you please not write a bad report about Astrid?"
Isla frowned.
"If she doesn’t get this title, she will blame me. They would all blame me. My life as a maid in the palace is already miserable enough. I don’t want to be branded the jealous reject who shattered her sister’s dreams."
Isla looked at Seyra and sighed. "But she doesn’t deserve it, Seyra. Look at what she displayed. Even the helpers around here can bear witness to how rotten her heart is."
"I know, but when she becomes Lady Royal, the Alpha will get to see her for who she truly is by himself. Then he would decide on what to do to her himself."
Isla hesitated.
Seyra clasped her hands. "Please."
Isla sighed in resignation and nodded her head. "And please be careful in the palace. Stay long enough, and I will plead with the Alpha for you to come help me out around here. Then you’d finally be free."
Seyra forced a smile. "It’s not that easy to request something and get it from the Alpha, Isla. That man kills for sport."
Isla didn’t answer. She just smiled and shook her head.
Seyra walked out with the reports in her hand.
Astrid snatched them from her the minute she got to where they stood. With a frown, she opened the reports and read through the contents.
"Good," Astrid smirked. "Time to go let everyone know how much I adore the pups at the shelter. Such beautiful, angelic beings."
Seyra scoffed and folded her arms.
"Hypocrite." Red growled.
"Get into the car and let’s get out of here. I need to go wash this place off my body." Astrid stretched out her hand to Cassiel, who held her and helped her get into the car.
Seyra was about to get in when she saw Isla waving something at her. Seyra raised an eyebrow, but before she could move, Isla was already heading toward where she stood.
"Here." Isla stretched out two gold coins to Seyra. "A certain pup asked me to give them to you. He said he wanted to give them to you on the mating ceremony day, but his aunt pulled him away. He asked me to give them to you whenever you came to visit."
Seyra’s eyes widened as she remembered the little boy who had asked her to stop crying. "Dathan."
Isla’s smile widened. "Yes. He was really persistent. He said you treated his wound when he was still a pup and you two were like best friends. Now he has shifted to his human form and didn’t forget you. He really adores you."
Seyra smiled. She knew him. He wouldn’t leave her alone when she was working at the shelter. She was happy he was finally able to shift.
Astrid laughed. "Pathetic." She slammed the car door shut.
Seyra ignored her. "I can’t accept the coins, Isla. But tell him I will come by the shelter one day and cook a delicious meal for him, just the way he likes it."
Isla nodded with a smile.
Seyra got into the car and closed the door. She ignored Astrid’s jabs and looked out the window as they pulled out of the parking lot.
For the first time since the rejection, her chest felt lighter, and she smiled, genuinely, this time from her heart.
If only this moment would last.