CHAPTER 91: CHAPTER 91: THE PAST - II

Many days passed after that muddy afternoon. Selene was not allowed to step outside the house. At first, she thought her mother was only teasing her, but soon she realized she was really grounded.

No matter how much she begged, cried, or made a fuss, her mother simply refused. "Stay inside, Selene," the Luna would say, her voice firm though her eyes carried softness.

Selene knew it was not only because of punishment. She was not stupid. Even if her mother tried to hide it, she could tell. The other pups were not allowed to play with her anymore. It was not that they didn’t like her; she knew very well they liked playing with her, but they were afraid—afraid of their parents.

If their parents found them playing with her, they would be beaten and even grounded for days. She never knew why they had made rules like that. Why couldn’t they play with her? She was such a cute child. She had even confronted their parents directly, but they would only stiffly smile at her and say, "You are our alpha’s daughter. We do not want naughty children to bully you." But she knew it was a blatant lie. How could they bully her when she was the real bully?

So because of their parents, the children kept their distance from her, only daring to play in secret sometimes, when no one was keeping eyes on them—but even that had stopped for now. Selene felt bored and restless. The grand house felt more like a cage than a home. She was never made to leave a house full of walls; she wanted to go outside.

She even thought of that skinny boy, Kay. She hadn’t seen him since that day. A small frown touched her lips. Did he starve? she wondered. She used to secretly share the snacks she didn’t like with him. He looked so thin and small, like he never had enough to eat. Without her, was he even managing well? Did he have enough to eat? She wondered.

One afternoon, while she sat by the window with her little notebook, trying to scribble something to pass the time, a gentle voice spoke behind her.

"Little miss, what are you drawing?"

Selene’s head spun instantly. She immediately forgot her notebook and jumped up, running toward the figure who had appeared at her door. "Mammy!" she cried with joy.

It was Maela, her wet nurse. To Selene, she was not only a caretaker but also another special person in her life after her mother. So Selene always called her Mammy. She equally loved and respected her like a mother.

Maela crouched and pulled her into a hug, her hands rubbing her back as she coaxed her little miss. She could see how bored Selene was, locked inside these walls. Even if Luna loved her daughter dearly, she was too busy to spend time with her every day. And Selene also knew this, so even though she was bored, she never pestered her mother.

So Maela became her sunshine in those long days. She played many games with Selene, told her silly stories, and made her eat food when she stubbornly refused. Slowly, Selene’s giggles returned, and she forgot all her dissatisfaction about not playing outside. And after a tiring day with Maela, she would easily fall asleep, curled up in comfort without needing her mother.

When Selene finally drifted off, Maela carried her carefully to the bed, laying her down like a fragile treasure. She kissed her little cheeks softly, her heart aching with both love and worry.

That night, Maela looked at her little miss and felt a deep sadness tug at her heart. She had to leave because her own mother was very sick, and Maela had no choice but to return to her family, her former pack, before she moved out to Moonveil Pack with her mate.

She knelt beside the sleeping girl, watching her tiny chest rise and fall with even breaths. Her little fists clutched the corner of the blanket, and her rosy face looked peaceful. She silently made a wish that her little miss would always stay like this—happy and rosy, without any struggle, and never have to see the hardships of the world.

If she told Selene she had to leave, the little girl would surely cry. Selene had only Maela to play with. Even Luna was so busy that she could not spend time with her every day. Maela had never understood why the Luna kept her little miss from going outside or wandering freely in the house, but she fully trusted her and never questioned her.

With a heavy heart, Maela quietly packed her things. Every fold of her clothes felt heavier than the last. She glanced one final time at Selene, wishing she could stay, wishing she didn’t have to leave. But she knew she couldn’t; she had to meet her mother.

Finally, she took a deep breath and stepped out of the room. She would go to her own pack that night to care for her sick mother. In the meantime, she could only hope that her miss would not miss her too much and that it would not take her much time before she came back.

But Maela did not know, as she walked into the night, that this decision would become her deepest regret. For the rest of her life, she would blame herself for leaving Selene alone that night.

***

Selene woke up with a start. Her heart thumped wildly as a scream echoed inside the house. For a moment, she thought she was still dreaming and had not fully awakened, her eyes blinking rapidly in confusion.

But then it came again, this time even louder and filled with pain. Her small face turned pale as her ears pricked up. It sounded... like her mother.

"Mommy?" she whispered in her tiny trembling voice. Her little feet touched the cold floor, and she tiptoed toward the direction of the sound with a pounding heart from fear and worry.

The house was dark and silent except for the occasional echo of that panicked cry. Each step she took made her chest ache. Her mind raced with many questions. What happened? Why is she screaming?

When she reached the source, Selene froze, her eyes widening with shock. She found herself clutching the edge of the doorway; she could not even take a step forward.

"No... Mommy!" She screamed with a choked voice, tears already pooling in her eyes.