The murmur was getting louder at that moment. I was shocked and looked at Papa, who was horrified upon learning the news.
If Papa was shocked, I was, too. Suddenly, I instantly got cold feet for that.
Especially to that young man named Demetrius Leveaux, the last descendant of the Leveaux Duchy and the next Alpha in line of the Nocturnal Crest pack. I did not know why, but he had a sense of familiarity just by seeing him.
I believed he was not the same age as me. It seemed like he was the same age as Ingram. He looked young and did not reach his coming-of-age yet.
What caused the stir among the people around here was his features. He had this heart-shaped face like mine, a contoured nose, and cupid bow rosy lips.
Those features were mine! It was as if he was my carbon copy!
Why in the Moon Goddess’ name did he look like me? How come someone would even dare to look like me?
However, he had these profound chartreuse eyes sparkling with gloominess and remorse when looking at everyone.
How come someone would have my features, but his eyes seemed the same as the eye color Valerian had? Could it be that it was just some coincidence?
As for his Beta, Niccolo Andreu had also bestowed me familiarity. I couldn’t be wrong now.
He looked like the rogue Alpha I met before I had my last breath and met him again when Valerian died for the second time around.
I held my chest, feeling my chest was about to explode. Both of them had this sense of familiarity around them. I couldn’t perceive what it could be.
It felt like there were hundreds of rats digging into my heart at this moment.
“I did not know that Valerian Leveaux would have a descendant.” Alpha King Helio was the one who cut off the loud murmurs. He looked curious about the way he was stroking his chin.
The young man named Demetrius bowed before him. “I am his contingency plan, Your Majesty, in case something would have happened to him and his pack.”
My eyes widened. Contingency plan? Valerian had already prepared that beforehand?
But that did not happen in the first timeline when I was at. Valerian did not get to have any preparations for that. If he would, I should have known from when he was gone after a year, he died.
“I see.” His Majesty nodded. “How old are you, young duke?”
“I am 16 years old, Your Majesty.”
That earned murmurs shocked that as young as him would handle the dukedom and the vast pack.
What surprised me was the masculine voice that was already deep for someone so young as him. Well, that shouldn’t be surprising since Ingram was like that.
“And this man right here…”
My eyes instantly landed on the back of Niccolo Andreu. For some reason, the name, Niccolo, had rung a bell in my mind. I felt like I had encountered it before, but I was uncertain where I could have heard it.
“Niccolo Andreu, Your Majesty. I am part of His Grace’s contingency plan. I shall be the young duke’s second-in-command of rerunning the Nocturnal Crest pack.”
I shivered to hear that voice again. I couldn’t be wrong now. That was really him.
He was really the rogue Alpha!
“Very well.” His Majesty stood up so he could leave. “Henricus, handle the rest of the ceremony. I am going to retire.” He ignored his impostor daughter.
Henry approached Princess Eustacia and whispered something in her ear. She looked troubled before she nodded and said something to him. Henry softened and kissed her forehead, which almost made me gasp.
It would seem like brotherly love to everyone, but I knew better. They had a look of passion kindling in their eyes.
It would be a matter of time before their relationship would be exposed. I wondered what Henry would do once Eustacia was exposed that she was an impostor. I wondered how it would play this time since I felt he hadn’t found his sister yet.
Or perhaps, he already did. I wasn’t certain.
“Demetrius, Niccolo, please have some refreshments. I believe you are tired from your trip to attend the mourning ceremony,” Henry said politely as he nodded to Sir Lanfrid. “Please follow him. My assistant will lead you to our drawing room.”
Demetrius nodded. “Thank you, Your Royal Highness.” He turned at Niccolo and nodded.
I followed them through gaze while I wanted to follow them where they were headed. I felt like those two were connected to me as I felt an emptiness when they were out of my sight.
What was this feeling? Why was I harboring emptiness and loneliness when that shouldn’t be happening?
“We should head back.”
I looked up at Papa, who had already stepped back to leave. All of us, my siblings, exchanged glances, seeing that Papa was not in the mood today. Even the trip when we returned back to the Cantavalle estate was filled with pure deafening silence. Neither of the heir candidates was speaking, seeing how Papa held on to his cane.
He certainly did not expect the turn of events.
He probably realized that Valerian was playing him.
Then, I was right in the first place. I was really dancing around Valerian’s plans. But in exchange for that was his life and the last will that he would let someone inherit the dukedom.
“All of you…”
We all flinched when Papa gathered our attention the moment we all, even my other siblings from the other carriage, looked at him. His tone, which was masked with an unpleasant, frigid tone was already enough that he was pissed today. “Yes, Papa?” we asked in unison.
I was now nervous since I did not know what he was thinking. This was beyond the things I would need to settle. This did not happen in my previous life, so I must be careful about the things that would happen that were not under my control.
Papa sighed in exasperation, looking like he wanted to let out a fire from his mouth. His cognac eyes ignited in rage and abomination while he looked at the manor. “Perform an investigation about Demetrius Leveaux. I want to know where he came from and where that fucking duke hid that man! I want to know how on earth did that fucking man manage to make me a fool! This is supposed to be over, but he had many plans even though he is dead already!” He slammed the carriage door, causing it to fling like a boomerang rolling over the ground.
“Yes, Papa,” we said in unison, bowing our heads.
All of the Cantavalle children were dispatched to perform a severe investigation for the next few days. We were ordered not to go home until we found reliable and indispensable information about Demetrius Leveaux.
That was when Ismael and I had to team up when we met unexpectedly in Savanach Mountain.
“Have you found anything about him?” Ismael asked while we were on the cliff, watching the ghost village of the Nocturnal Crest pack.
“No…” I sat next to him. “I already dispatched my henchmen to find every nook of information about that young man. I still couldn’t believe that he looked like… me. But his eyes were Valerian’s…” I said dejectedly.
That suddenly made me remember the deity named Dameta. It certainly felt familiar since that deity looked like me as well. And now, I found another person that was my carbon copy.
“Are you certain you did not meet him years ago and were impregnated by him?”
“What?” I looked at him in disbelief. “What is that supposed to mean?” What the hell was wrong with him? I knew we both had a massive grudge against each other, but this was way overboard that he had to think such a nonsensical idea.
Ismael eyed me up and down. His once enthusiastic cognac eyes were gone and exchanged with murky, depressing expressions. “Nothing…” He looked away. “I could have mistaken that Demetrius Leveaux is your son.”
“My son?” I parroted in disbelief. “How come would I have a son, idiot? If you think I would get pregnant, I should have been conceiving when I was eight or nine years old.” I smacked his head. “You are an idiot!”
“That hurts!” He frowned. “But you can’t blame me!” He huffed. “He has your features and your mate’s features. How could not anyone mistake him as your son?”
I rolled my eyes. “You are uttering such nonsensical remarks. That would be impossible for me to have a son.”
Ismael scoffed. “Right, right. I should take my leave, 1st sister.” I only nodded before he jumped from the cliff and transformed into his wolf form.
When left alone, I sighed, feeling distressed just by thinking about Demetrius Leveaux.
“Son…” I chuckled, finding it hilarious. “Pathetic, Ismael…”
In my previous life, I had never encountered a name, Demetrius, as Valerian and I’s pup. We only thought that our future pup would be a girl that I would name as Valerie or Veronique, as Valerian wanted.
I mindlessly placed my hand on my flat stomach. I was caressing it as if I was pregnant. I could have wished so, but I was careful to take my fertility control. That was why I couldn’t get pregnant.
“If I am pregnant with Valerian’s pup and our pup turns out to be a boy, perhaps, Demetrius is not such a bad name…” I uttered out of nowhere before my eyes settled on the promise ring I was wearing.
It would soon get rust, so I must cherish it while its metal was not wrapped with a cloud of metallic dust.
That was when my eyes got misty. Just remembering Valerian was enough for my heart to get wrenched. My longing for him was still the same as the moment I lost him in my arms. I stood up, looking at his ghost pack with longing.
I missed him… I missed him so badly.
I did not even get to see his burned body. Arthur already dragged me so I wouldn’t have to see my honeydew being disposed of.
“It has been more than a week…” My voice croaked, not wanting to live in this world. This scenery was familiar to me. When Valerian died, I used to visit this pack with so much longing. “Valerian…” I couldn’t help crying.
I let him die again. It was my fault again.
Was there no other way that I could save him again? Did the Moon Goddess have enough of me that I did not get to save him for the opportunities she had bestowed on me that was why she did not bestow me another chance?
Or Dameta… This was Her doing. Why couldn’t She give me another chance to correct everything?
“Honeydew…” I sobbed. “Honeydew…” I couldn’t control my emotions now. It was hard not to think I wouldn’t be able to be in his arms again. “I just want you to be alive… Is it wrong to wish for that? Valerian… You promise marriage to me! Where the fuck is it?!” I couldn’t help raising my tone as my voice echoed throughout the forest. “You bastard… Are you mad at me that I did not save you for the third time?” I wailed in tears. “I am sorry, alright? I always hurt you in the end. Please… I want to be with you… In the next life… I promise that I am not going to hurt you again. I will love you more…”
I knelt on the ground, covering my face with my hands. I was flowing with overwhelming tears. I couldn’t be able to express how much I missed him adequately.
“We should have eloped when we have the chance…” My words broke me.
I had full regrets again. The cycle was still the same. I was not granted to have a happy ending with Valerian.
Sniffing, I looked at my sword and reached for it. I couldn’t understand any more of what was happening to my life.
I had had enough of this suffering. “I just want to be with him… Is that a selfish request to be granted?” I stood up and faced the sword’s tip towards my chest.
Before I could pierce myself, a presence was behind me, and that person snatched my sword from my hand. I gasped and turned at the intruder to bark at who that was.
“You…” My eyes widened upon seeing the person I couldn’t remember his name in my previous life and saw the familiar emerald green eyes. However, now that I knew it back in the mourning ceremony, I knew that name had already been engraved inside my head. “Niccolo…”
Niccolo met my eyes with rage on his expression. “What are you doing, woman?!”