"Valerie... you’re beautiful," Liliana said softly.
Liliana Forst, a girl with dull hair and a pale face, stood in a corner of the room where her twin sister, Valerie Beaumont, was hosting a party.
Her gaze was fixed on Valerie, who looked elegant in a luxurious gown, surrounded by her two brothers, who were Alphas.
No one in the room knew that Liliana Forst and Valerie Beaumont shared the same blood. They were twins.
Liliana and Valerie were twins who had been expelled from their pack at the age of fifteen, accused of killing the pack leader at the time. They lived in mutual dependence in the wilderness until a pack of bears searching for food separated the two.
Liliana fell into a ravine while trying to save Valerie. When she opened her eyes, her entire body was covered in wounds.
But when she woke up and went to look for Valerie, there was no trace of her to be found. Valerie had vanished as if swallowed up by the earth. Eventually, Liliana discovered that her younger sister was at the home of an Alpha in the Beaumont Pack territory.
Liliana never knew what had happened to Valerie back then, to the point that she seemed to no longer recognize her and had changed her last name to Valerie Beaumont.
Tears welled up in the corners of Liliana’s weary eyes.
"Liliana."
The voice belonged to a Beta assigned to guard Valerie. Liliana looked up at the man.
"Miss Valerie knows that your birthday is exactly the same as hers. She’s invited you to join her in her coming-of-age ceremony before the Moon Goddess."
Liliana stared at the Beta in shock. Was Valerie really inviting her to her coming-of-age ceremony? Had she remembered who she was? Her heart pounding, Liliana asked, "Has she remembered me?"
The Beta frowned at Liliana’s question. "Hurry up. Don’t keep Miss Valerie and Mr. Alpha waiting."
Without giving Liliana a chance to answer, the Beta immediately grabbed her arm and dragged her over to Valerie.
"Miss Valerie, I’ve brought this filthy servant," he reported.
Valerie turned her head and looked at Liliana. "Sister Liliana... isn’t today also your coming-of-age day? Why are you still wearing such shabby clothes?" she asked. "Do you still harbor hatred and resentment because my friends locked you in the school basement for three days? Is that why you want to ruin my coming-of-age ceremony today?"
"I-I didn’t mean to, Valerie..."
"Plakk!"
Before Liliana could finish her sentence, a Beta named Thord had already stepped forward and slapped the girl hard across the cheek.
"Remember your place, you lowly servant! How dare you try to ruin Miss Valerie’s party and even call her by her first name without a title of respect?" he snapped.
Liliana clutched her cheek, which immediately stung and swelled. In the past, Thord and Rod, the two Betas assigned to guard Valerie, would often hurt her whenever she showed disapproval or failed to comply with Valerie and her friends’ wishes.
"Miss Valerie," Liliana finally said in a soft voice, "I’ve never harbored even the slightest bit of hatred. But this is the only set of clothes I own besides my academy uniform. I don’t have any other clothes to wear."
"Ugh..." Valerie pouted as she clung to the arm of Alaric Beaumont, her adoptive brother. "Brother, why is Liliana lying to me? Hasn’t our family been paying her a generous salary all this time? Besides, haven’t I also been giving her new clothes every month?"
Adrian, Valerie’s other adoptive brother, stepped closer. "Valerie, you’re too soft-hearted toward a servant as ungrateful as her," he said.
"That’s exactly right," Alaric added. "Why don’t you ever change? You’re always so easily fooled by lowly people."
"Brother..." Valerie grabbed Adrian and Alaric’s arms at the same time, as if to show Liliana and all the guests present that she was the one most beloved by the future leaders of the pack. "You know, don’t you, that my birthday is exactly the same as Liliana’s? Even though she’s just a servant in this household, I feel there’s a slight resemblance in her face. Don’t you really notice it?"
Adrian furrowed his brow, then glanced briefly at Liliana. "Her? There isn’t the slightest resemblance between you two, Valerie. How can you compare your beautiful face to that of a lowly servant like her?"
Alaric nodded in agreement. "After all, you are the most beautiful to us. No one else can compare to you."
Liliana remained silent, allowing herself to be humiliated in front of all the guests. She was used to being treated that way. Even in the past, they often humiliated her in front of the entire student body at the academy. That was why she had frequently been the target of bullying throughout her school years.
Seeing that Liliana showed no reaction whatsoever, Alaric finally continued speaking. "Since Valerie is willing to give you the chance to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony under the light of the Moon Goddess, I’ll let it slide this time."
Adrian remained silent, but his hand gripped Valerie’s slender waist tightly as the two stood before the altar where the ceremony was being held.
Liliana nodded wearily, then stepped back to stand behind Alaric.
Only someone completely oblivious would fail to notice the slight resemblance between Valerie’s and Liliana’s faces. However, Liliana’s face bore a deep scar she’d received while saving Valerie long ago. Therefore, when the two Alpha leaders declared that the two were not alike, not a single guest dared to doubt them.
"Now, step up onto the altar. After this, you will officially be considered an adult. Call your wolf, Valerie," Adrian said calmly from beside the girl.
Valerie nodded firmly. Wearing a pristine, shimmering white gown, she stepped forward to the center of the altar. Her black hair fluttered in the breeze, while the moonlight bathed her entire body, making her look as if she were the embodiment of a goddess.
Five minutes passed, then a milky-white wolf slowly appeared behind Valerie.
"A white wolf... one level below the power of a silver wolf!" whispered the guests, who were now gazing at Valerie with looks of awe and respect.
Valerie opened her eyes, smiled contentedly, then stepped down and hugged Adrian and Alaric. "Guys, did you see my wolf?" she asked excitedly.
Adrian and Alaric returned her smile, then proudly ruffled Valerie’s hair.
"You’re always amazing, Valerie."
"That’s right," added Adrian. "You really are the best among all of us. Now let’s head back to the courtyard to celebrate your special day."
Valerie nodded in agreement, then turned to walk alongside Alaric and Adrian. But her steps halted the moment she spotted Liliana, who was still standing beside her Beta guardian.
"Brother, Liliana has also reached adulthood. Let her go up to the altar to summon her wolf," Valerie suggested.
Alaric and Adrian glanced briefly at Liliana, then nodded casually.
"Go ahead. Don’t delay Valerie’s celebration any longer," Alaric said briefly.
Liliana looked at the two Alphas in front of her, then glanced briefly at Valerie, before finally stepping up onto the altar and standing tall in the center of it.
The moonlight fell directly onto her pale, gaunt face. Her body looked smaller than Valerie’s, even though she was born first.
However, after waiting quite a while... nothing appeared beside Liliana.
Empty. No wolf materialized.