Luna of the Cursed Alpha King (Helga and Siegren)

THE SUDDEN SOUND of knocking caused Helga to flinch, as she was in the midst of putting the final touches on the welcome celebration for her sister-in-law. Sierra had initially refused the idea, claiming she didn't deserve a party after her past actions, but with the combined convincing efforts of Helga and Siegren, she eventually agreed reluctantly. "Come in," she said, and Sierra opened the door slowly before entering.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" the Princess asked before approaching the two women.

"We're just putting the finishing touches on everything. Take a look at all the details and let me know if you want any modifications made, from the menu down to the decorations." Helga smiled as she beckoned her to sit with her, "Although we carefully selected all of your preferred options, we still wanted to ensure that everything meets your expectations."

A small, grateful smile graced Sierra's lips as she nodded in response to the Queen's kind and considerate words. Despite everything that had happened between them, Helga was still making an effort to connect with her and build a relationship as a family. It didn't make Sierra uncomfortable, but it did make her question why she deserved such treatment. Her mind wandered to the past, to her actions and mistakes, and she couldn't help but feel like she didn't deserve everything that was happening to her now.

But perhaps, she was just being too hard on herself and wallowing in self-pity. She thought it was time to let go of those negative thoughts. Instead, she should start fresh and work towards making amends, starting with building a stronger bond with her sister-in-law, Siegren, and the rest of the pack.

"I'm fine with anything," Sierra joined Helga on the sofa and glanced over the list of food for tomorrow's banquet. It had been quite some time since she attended such an event, so she wasn't sure what dishes would be well-received by everyone. Ever since surviving the accident, Sierra had been living a simple life with the pack that took her in. Her meals usually consisted of basic stews made from meat or vegetables, accompanied by bread and water. Thinking back, she hadn't experienced many luxuries during the time she lived in the countryside, and maybe that was the reason why it was hard to adjust to being royal again.

"Your brother said you like apple pies, so I included that on the menu," Once Helga uttered those words, Sierra's body went rigid. Her heart began to race unexpectedly; it never occurred to her that her brother would recall a small detail like that. Suddenly, the memory of her childhood when she used to share her apple pie with Siegren filled her head and caused her to smile.

"Yes, I love apple pie. It's been a while since I've tasted one, though." Sierra let out a small laugh, and Portia couldn't contain her own smile, as a memory came flooding back to her. "I remembered how one time, Her Highness cried when her apple pie fell on the floor because Lucian bumped into her," she recalled causing Sierra to choke on air and her cheeks to turn red. But instead of dwelling on the moment, she saw it as an opportunity to share more about herself, hoping it would help Helga get to know her better. She regaled them with stories from her childhood, and Helga and Portia followed suit. The three of them were lost in each other's company, their laughter filling the room, when a soft knock at the door 

interrupted them. Siegren's head peeked through, his eyes filled with warmth. He didn't want to disturb their moment since he could hear them laughing from the hallway, but he

needed to speak with his wife urgently.

"What's wrong?” Helga asked as she watched him enter.

"Are you busy?"

"Uhm, no. We were just recounting our childhoods," She got to her feet and walked over to Siegrenn, her mind racing with thoughts of what could have happened. After all, she was aware that he had gone to the dungeon with Ezra, so she couldn't help but wonder if this had something to do with that.

"Do youContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

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could come outside with me for a minute?" he said before looking at Sierra and Portia, "I'll borrow the Queen for a moment...” The two of them nodded in unison and Helga quickly excused herself, joining Siegren as he made his way towards the door. As they walked, he wrapped his hand around her waist, drawing her closer to him. She couldn't help but feel a blush spreading across her cheeks at his display of affection. She then flicked her gaze towards him, asking, "Has Miranda revealed any information about the warlock yet?"

Yes, she confirmed that the warlock's identity was Gabriel, and he was originally from Narva," His words echoed in the silenc, causing Helga's finger to twitch slightly and her heart to beat faster with anxiety. She didn't know why but the knowing that the warlock was from Narva made her nervous. Still, she did her best to conceal her emotions, worried that Siegren might notice how tense she suddenly became.

"So, are you planning on sending someone to Narva specifically to search for him?”

"I'm going to command a group of royal guards to travel to the South where he's currently residing." Siegren replied, "According to Miranda, the warlock was searching for the grand witch's daughter."

"What?"

A chill ran down Helga's spine as her face turned as white as freshly fallen snow. Her once warm hands grew cold and clammy at the mere mention of the grand witch. In that instant, she realized that he was referring to her mother, the only grand witch in Narva, and that the daughter he was searching for was none other than herself. Her heart raced as she tried to recall anyone named Gabriel who may have been connected to her mother, but no matter how hard she strained her memories, nothing came to mind.

"Did Miranda describe what the warlock looked like?" she asked, attempting to maintain her composure, but her nerves were starting to overwhelm her.

"Yes, but let's finish this conversation later. continue this later. Right now, Ezra is waiting for you in my study. He asked to meet with you and apologize again," Siegren's words cane as a surprise to her, causing her to lift her eyebrows in disbelief. It wasn't the fact that Ezra wanted to apologize again that caught her off guard, but rather the fact that her husband had granted his request. She felt a mix of confusion and curiosity bubbling up inside her, but before she could voice her thoughts, they had already arrived at his study. And when he opened the door, she caught a glimpse of Lucian standing behind the sofa where Ezra was seated.

"Your Majesty," With a deep breath, he rose from his seat and lowered his head in a respectful bow. His features revealed nothing but genuine respect and sincerity, which brought some comfort to Helga as she knew this would be the final time she would see him. She couldn;t explain it, but she sensed that Ezra had finally come to his senses and understood that his foolish behavior would only lead him astray.

"Can I talk to him alone?" Helga wondered, earning a puzzled look from both men.

"No, what if he-"

"It's fine, Your Majesty." She smiled confidently, gazing at Siegren as if assuring hin that she could handle the situation. “Please?”

"All right," He couldn't hold back the defeated sigh that escaped his lips before turning his gaze to Ezra. His eyes narrowed and held a warning, “Remember what I said earlier." "Y-yes,” Ezra gave a nod of agreement before Siegren signaled for Lucian to join him. As soon as the two men were gone, Helga made her way to the sofa and took a seat. She then motioned for Ezra to as well, causing his heart to race at the brief eye contact they shared. Even after being with Miranda just a few moments ago, he knew that his heart had belonged to Helga all along.

"Why do you feel the need to apologize again? What kind of deal are you planning to make this time?" she asked, breaking the awkward and tense silence that had fallen in the room. "Is it possible for me to speak informally with you? I would like to have a conversation with the Helga I know, rather than the Queen you have become." A small, awkward smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a vulnerable side that added to his numerous injuries. Helga couldn't help but recoil slightly, taken aback by the unexpected sight of Ezra as she remembered him, the man she had once loved. It was a jolt to her senses, stirring up old memories that she had buried deep and wished not to remember.

"All right," She nodded, and Ezra felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He took a moment to collect himself before finally speaking up and saying what he had been meanig to say.

"I understand that you've probably heard this before, but I feel the need to apologize once again for all of the harm and pain I caused. I realize it's too late now and there's no turning back. I have to accept what I've done and face the consequences of my actions." he began, his voice gentle and pleading, and Helga noticed how much effort it was taking him to express himself. "I won't ask for your forgiveness this time because I know I don't deserve it... But please know that—”

When the Alpha King's warning echoed in Ezra's mind, he stopped and took a moment to ponder. He decided not to tell Helga that he truly loved her, as he had promised. Instead, he wanted to express how much the time they spent together from childhood to adulthood meant to him. He was also ready to confess that there was a time when he resented her because his parents favored her and gave her more attention and praise than him, even though they were all part of the same family. Looking back, he remembered those were the reasons behind his cruel treatment towards her; he wanted to see her confident demeanor crumble.

He let out a deep sigh, finally realizing the immaturity of his actions and feeling ashamed. He couldn't help but question what he had been doing all this time. However, dwelling on it would not change anything now, and confessing everything to her would only make him look pathetic.

"Know that you what?" Helga's voice broke through Ezra's thoughts, startling him. He turned to look at her once more, taking in every detail of her face as if he were trying to capture it in his mind forever. For all he knew, this could be the last time he would see her.

"Know that I'll always regret what I did." he replied, his lips curving into a genuine yet sad smile, "I truly hope that you find happiness and peace with the Alpha King, as you've always longed for."

Helga's head snapped up in surprise as Ezra stood up slowly, her face etched with a mixture of disbelief and confusion. She didn't expect that those words would be uttered out of Ezra's mouth. She was about to respond, but he beat her to it by bowing respectfully, and when he straightened up, a warm and kind smile graced his face.

"Goodbye, Helga. Thank you for everything you have done for Incarnadine Pack and for me. This might be shameless, but if we happen to cross paths in the future, I hope we can find a way to reconcile." he held his gaze and continued, "And until then... please live a happy life, and become a Luna that will be loved and respected by everyone."