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7

The palace halls were bustling with activity as the sun began to rise over the distance. In the Alexia, the Lycan princess' chamber, a team of skilled maids worked diligently to prepare the lycan princess for breakfast.

With gentle hands, they guided Alexia into a luxurious gown of deep purple velvet, adorned with intricate gold embroidery. The dress shimmered in the dim morning light, bringing out the warmth in her amber eyes.

Next, they worked on her hair, braiding it into a delicate crown of shining chestnut strands that cascaded down her back. The more Alexia stared at her reflection in the mirror, the more she smiles, without a doubt struck by the transformation that had taken place.

Just five years ago, she had been a lowly omega, deemed useless and unworthy by the pack. But now, she was the princess of the Lycans, a woman of power and grace.

She touched her cheek lightly, as if afraid that the slightest movement might break the spell that had transformed her into this new person.

A bittersweet smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she regarded herself in the mirror. Who knew she could be this beautiful?

As the maids stepped back to survey their handiwork, they exchanged satisfied nods, pleased with the Alexia's appearance.

One of the maids spoke, her voice soft and respectful, "Your Highness, you are ready to join your parents for breakfast."

Yes, this is here. Now regarded with thorough respect and treated like an egg that must never slip.

Alexia turned away from the mirror and allowed the maids to slip her feet into a pair of delicate slippers made of silver silk. With measured steps, she followed the maids out of her chamber and into the hallways of the building.

As Alexia's head dipped with curtsy upon reaching the dinning hall, her parents eyes brimmed with pride just by simply watching her.

As the Alexia took her seat at the table, the lycan queen and king's eyes followed her every movement. They had missed their daughter for so long, and finding her five years ago had been nothing short of a miracle.

"We are so proud of you, to see you grow into such a strong and beautiful lycan, after all we feared we had lost you..." The Lycan king's voice was the first to be heared.

Meanwhile, the queen reached out and took her daughter's hand, squeezing it gently. "We thought we would never see you again. When I saw you five years ago, I couldn't be more happy."

The queen continued, her voice cracking with emotion, "When we found you five years ago, it was like a piece of our hearts had been returned to us. We could not believe that our lost princess had come back to us."

"We were overjoyed. We knew that the lycan gods had blessed us." The king added, a big smile playing on his lips.

"And now," the queen continued, her voice growing stronger and even more emotional. "We are proud to call you our princess once more. The future of our kingdom is now bright with you by our side."

As though the thought that they had lost their daughter many years back wasn't heartbreaking enough, she couldn't produce a child. Although her husband was unaware, she's always lived in great fear of the future of the throne.

When she encountered Alexia in the woods, it was almost unbelievable. She could only recognize her by her scent. Her face and everything has all changed, as expected, since Alexia was only a toddler since she lost her.

The Lycan queen regret and likewise hated herself for not being there to watch her daughter's growth.

Alexia looked at her parents, her hands beginning to get sweaty as she pushed away the past memories from her head, "I missed you too, Mother and Father."

It wasn't a lie. One day at the brothel doesn't go pack without her having to wonder what it felt like to have a parent. Someone to care and take care of her. She'd always been the one watching over herself.

"I always dreamed of having parents, of feeling the warmth and safety of a family. Even when I was alone, I held on to that dream."

She paused, her eyes dilating with unshed tears. "I never thought that dream would become a reality, but now it has. You have made me feel loved and wanted, and I am so grateful for that."

"We are grateful too. Grateful to have you back in our lives and grateful that we can share this meal with you."

With that, the queen and king began to eat, but their eyes never left their daughter's face.

Alexia took her first bite, savoring the food as she enjoyed the company of her parents. Even though she had spent five years with them now, it still felt surreal.

As the meal drew to a close, the lycan queen and king rose from their seats, their expressions turning serious all of a sudden. "We must attend a meeting, my dear. We will see you again soon." He placed a gentle kiss on his daughter's cheek.

She bid them farewell and watched as they departed from the dining hall. After some time had passed, she felt a restless energy coursing through her veins, a longing for the open air and freedom for some reason at the same time.

Quietly, she slipped out of the palace, taking care not to draw attention to herself.

As she wandered through the palace gardens, her thoughts turned to the ways in which her life had changed since her return.

While she was grateful for the love and acceptance of her parents, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss in the pack.

"The lycan king treats his subjects with fairness and kindness," she mused to herself. "And yet, there are still whispers of discontent in the air. Why is that?"

"There's no pack that peaceful without a tiny bit of trouble brewing somewhere.' she thought.

She recalled the whispers she had heard in the halls, hushed conversations about the tensions between the various Lycan clans. Internally, she knew something was wrong somewhere but was unable to discern it.

Eager to uncover the source of these whispers, Alexia moved quietly through the gardens, her footsteps silent on the soft grass. She soon came upon a group of lycan pack members, huddled together in a secluded area.

Their voices were hushed, but her sharp hearing allowed her to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"The king can't last forever," one of the lycans said, making sure his voice was as low as it could be. "And when he passes, a female will take the throne. It's unheard of for a woman to rule the kingdom!"

Another lycan chimed in, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Yes, and what's to stop her from making changes that would benefit her own clan at the expense of others? The king may be fair and just, but can we say the same of his daughter?"

"She's not even a true Lycan. How can we trust a female who's never even shifted?" The first Lycan added, finding the situation amusing.

The group murmured in agreement, their faces darkening with anger and distrust.

Despite how much she tried to restrict herself, she couldn't help and clenched her fists, feeling the heat of a burn in her chest.

How could they say such demeaning words?

Alexia quickly turned away from the group. She knew that listening to their hateful words would only fuel her anger, so she made her way back to the palace, her steps quick.

They just came to an unbelievable conclusion without even knowing her.

It's not that hard to see sooner or later, they are going to be against her in the pack. Men rules better... of course, that's everyone's assumption.

When she arrived at her parents' chambers, the king and queen were back and waiting for her.

"Is everything alright, my dear?" Her mother asked, her brow furrowing with worry. They looked to have just arrived not so long ago.

Before Alexia could reply, her father cuts in, "I know this might catch you off guard but early tomorrow morning, we must leave for the Cold Moon Pack." He dropped the bombshell, as if it was nothing..

Alexia froze, her eyes widening in both surprise and shock. "The Cold Pack?" she repeated, her mind racing to process this unexpected news. "But...but why? Why are we going there, and why so suddenly?"

Her father sighed, his expression not only grave but serious.

"A situation arose in which we need to seriously tend to. And then, we might spend a few weeks there so you should follow. Listen, we must go there to assess the situation and, if necessary, intervene." He explained.

"I know this is unexpected, but we must go." Buttressed, her mother.

Her parents words felt like a foreign music to her ears. The mention of the Cold Moon Pack sent a chill through her veins, reminding her of the pain and heartbreak she had endured there.

It was where her first mate had rejected her, where she had lost her pregnancy, and where she had been cast out as an omega and exiled by her second chance mate's mother.

The memories flooded her mind, and a dark cloud of shame and sorrow engulfed her. She shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts away.

"No," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I...I can't go back there."

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