Chapter 182: Bidding Farewell
{Third Person}
Just as Lila was wondering whether she had imagined everything, the sound of the door opening made her flinch violently and turn sharply toward the entrance.
Torin stepped into the room.
The moment his eyes landed on her, relief flashed across his face, but it was quickly replaced by concern.
"You’re awake."
His voice was calm, but Lila immediately noticed the tension in his expression.
Torin crossed the room without wasting time. He had been deeply unsettled ever since she was brought back to the guest house.
Seeing her unconscious had been shocking enough, but what disturbed him even more was the condition she had been in. She had looked pale, shaken, and terrified even in her unconscious state.
He had never seen her like that before. Not even once. When he reached the bed, he stopped and studied her carefully.
"What happened to you?"
The question hung heavily in the air for seconds. Lila opened her mouth, intending to answer the question, but then she froze because she had no answer.
Torin’s brows slowly furrowed. He could see it more clearly now that she looked completely shaken.
Her usual sharpness was gone, replaced by visible confusion and fear, and that alone unsettled him.
"Lila," he said again, his voice quieter this time, but more serious. "Where did you go tonight?"
She swallowed hard. "I..." Her voice came out weak and uncertain.
Torin narrowed his eyes as he moved a little closer. "Who did this to you?"
Lila stared at him helplessly. Her lips parted slightly before closing again. No words came.
The truth was that she could not explain it even if she wanted to.
The memories in her head refused to connect properly. They felt fragmented, distorted, like broken pieces of a nightmare she could no longer fully understand. The more she tried to remember clearly, the more confused she became.
Finally, her voice trembled as she whispered, "I... I don’t know."
Torin went still. That answer disturbed him more than anything else she could have said.
He knew Lila. She always had something to say. She always had an explanation, a defence, or someone to blame. Even when cornered, she never appeared weak.
But the woman sitting before him now looked completely different. She looked frightened and vulnerable. And worst of all, genuinely confused.
Torin stared at her in silence, his unease deepening. Something serious had happened tonight, something terrible enough to leave her like this.
Right then, he began to suspect that Lila had involved herself in something far more dangerous than she understood.
---
Much later that night, after the banquet had fully ended and the palace had gradually quieted down, Barron sat with Alexander in his bedroom.
Jasper was also present, standing nearby as usual, silent and attentive.
Alexander had already changed into lighter clothes and was seated by the bed, looking far more relaxed than he had during the banquet. Even so, there was still a cold sharpness in his eyes as he looked at Barron.
Barron, on the other hand, looked far too pleased with himself.
The moment he returned earlier, and Alexander saw his expression, he already knew that something important had happened.
Now, seated across from his cousin, Barron finally began recounting everything.
He started with how he led Lila away from the banquet hall, how he deliberately lured her into a quieter part of the palace grounds, and how he used his wolf form to scare her.
Jasper remained expressionless as he listened, but the slight twitch near his brow suggested he was unsurprised by Barron’s methods.
Alexander simply listened in silence as Barron eventually got to the important part.
"She broke faster than I expected," he said with a disappointed click of his tongue. "But before fainting the second time, she said something useful."
Alexander’s gaze sharpened slightly.
Barron leaned back. "She clearly intended to reveal something about Amara to Zarek. Under fear, she blurted out that Amara is not really a Caldwell."
Silence settled in the room.
Alexander’s expression did not change, but the air around him seemed to grow colder.
Jasper’s eyes lowered slightly in thought.
After a long pause, Alexander finally spoke. "This confirms it." His voice remained calm. "She was the one who wrote that anonymous letter and sent it to the Werewolf Kingdom."
Barron nodded immediately. "There’s no refuting it," he said. Then a grin slowly appeared on his face.
"It was a good thing you noticed her tonight and sent me to stop her from approaching Zarek." His smile widened. "Otherwise, the mess she would have created tonight might have ended with heads rolling from the Human delegation."
Alexander remained silent for a moment. He did not disagree because Barron was right.
Had Lila successfully approached Zarek and revealed what she knew, there was no telling how far things could have escalated tonight.
The Human delegates were still guests in the Werewolf Kingdom. Any chaos tied to a political bride’s hidden identity could easily have turned into a diplomatic disaster.
After a while, Alexander spoke again. "I’ve been thinking." His gaze drifted toward the window, his expression unreadable. "I don’t think Lila knows Amara is not human."
Barron’s brows lifted.
Alexander continued calmly. "If she knew that much, fear would have made her confess everything to you."
Barron considered the words carefully. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
Lila had been terrified beyond reason. Someone in that state would not have the composure to selectively hide information.
If she knew Amara was part mage or anything beyond simply not being a true Caldwell, it likely would have come out.
Barron slowly nodded. "That makes sense." Then a smile touched his lips. "Which means all she knows is that Amara is not her biological sister."
Alexander gave a small nod. "That is likely the extent of her knowledge."
A long silence followed. The matter had become clearer now. Lila was dangerous, but only because of what little she knew and how recklessly she was willing to use it.
Alexander’s eyes grew colder, then he spoke in a tone so calm that it felt more dangerous than anger.
"If there is a next time... kill her." His voice remained flat.
Barron immediately looked at him as the words landed heavily in the room. Even Jasper went still for a brief moment.
There was no hesitation or emotion in Alexander’s voice. Only a cold decision.
Barron stared at him for a second, then a broad smile spread across his face. He almost looked delighted. "Understood."
There was unmistakable satisfaction in his voice. "I will make sure there won’t be any mistakes next time."
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The next morning arrived quietly.
There was a tense finality in the air as the Human delegates were preparing to leave, and the palace grounds were already busy with servants moving around, helping with luggage and making final arrangements.
In Amara’s room, Mrs. Woods and Sonia helped her freshen up and get dressed.
Neither of them said much at first, but both could tell that Amara was eager. Ever since she woke up, she had been restless, clearly looking forward to seeing her friends one last time before they left.
Once Sonia finished arranging Amara’s hair and Mrs. Woods gave her a final approving look, Amara was ready.
Mrs. Woods smiled warmly. "You look lovely, my Lady."
Amara returned a small smile, though her thoughts were elsewhere. "Can we go now?"
Mrs. Woods chuckled softly. "Not even breakfast first?"
Amara shook her head almost immediately. "I will eat later."
Mrs. Woods exchanged a brief look with Sonia before sighing. There was no point trying to stop her.
"Very well."
Not long after, Amara left for the guest house with Mrs. Woods accompanying her.
When she arrived, the guest house was already bustling with activity. Servants moved in and out, carrying boxes and loading luggage into the trunks of the waiting cars. The delegates were clearly making their final preparations for departure.
The moment Amara stepped inside, several heads turned. Her parents were among the first to notice her.
Anthony and Matilda both stiffened visibly. Meanwhile, Hazel, Rachel, and Davina lit up the moment they saw her.
"Amara!"
The three women immediately rushed toward her.
Amara smiled at the sight of them. Before she could greet her friends, however, formalities demanded something else.
Her gaze shifted toward her parents. Only out of obligation, she lowered her head slightly. "Father. Mother." Her tone was polite.
As for Lila and Torin, Amara did not spare either of them a glance. She ignored them completely. Still, inwardly, she could not deny that something about the current situation pleased her.
The fact that they now had to bow respectfully to her in greeting settled something deep inside her. Especially Lila.
It was a small thing, but satisfying nonetheless.
Anthony quickly recovered from his initial surprise. His eyes moved toward Mrs. Woods, then back to Amara before asking, "Why are you here?"
There was unmistakable unease in his voice.
Matilda looked equally nervous as she asked Amara, "Who allowed you to come here?"