Chapter 51

[ 1,311 words ]

Seraphina’s Point of View

Children drowning again? This has to stop… enough is enough. I balled my fist at the thought of such careless accidents happening repeatedly.

By the time everyone gathered at the lakeshore, the children had already been pulled from the water by maids and guards.

Pure anger surged through me as I surveyed the chaotic scene.

Bella was crying uncontrollably as soon as she saw her brother among the children who had been pulled from the water, his body lying still and unmoving.

Her sobs grew louder, filled with fear and desperation as she rushed toward him.

It was exactly the same horrifying scene as before, just like when we visited her father’s pack… the same lifeless stillness.

Maybe this was a misfortune that had followed her here… but could I really feel any satisfaction when innocent children were involved? The thought alone left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Or was it because she chose to befriend that wretched Ivy, instead of me? My gaze shifted to them. Ivy stood beside Bella, offering comfort. This sight made my teeth clench.

Right, I myself had been standing beside Princess Aria, the Alpha King’s eldest daughter. I was just about to greet her, to exchange pleasantries, when the sudden commotion broke out and stole everyone’s attention.

“Call the doctor!” the Luna Queen ordered.

“There’s no need for the doctor,” I said suddenly. All eyes turned to me at once, some filled with disbelief, others thinking I had lost my mind.

“My cousin sister, Ivy, once saved little Luke along with other children when they drowned,” I continued ignoring their gaze. “It would be much faster for her to help these children now, before the doctor even arrives,” I added, standing my ground despite their doubtful stares.

All their eyes moved away from me and settled on Ivy with expectation.

“Won’t you, Ivy? You saved those children before… you can save these ones too, right?” I asked, fixing my gaze on her, pressing her to respond. I was silently seething.

Why wasn’t she saying anything? The silence stretched, making my heart beat faster. The Queen hurried toward her, desperation was clear in every of step.

“Ivy, is it true what your sister is saying? Can you help them, please?” she asked, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked at Ivy with hope.

“I can try,” Ivy said, trying to calm herself despite the tension, as she quickly scanned the area. “But I’ll need a few people to help me,” she added, already stepping forward with that infuriating composure.

That was exactly how she handled it back at Pearlside Pack… always needing people, always showing off.

“I’ll help,” Bella said immediately, pushing through her tears, ready to assist.

“And I too…” Princess Aria said, stepping forward as well.

“Me too,” I added quickly, following her as she joined. Wanting to impress Princess Aria, to overshadow Ivy.

“Each person, one child,” Ivy instructed.

Each of us took responsibility for one child, moving under Ivy’s direction. Since Princess Aria couldn’t attend to both of her younger siblings at once, she chose to focus on her brother, Samir.

Meanwhile, I moved toward her sister, Poline, kneeling beside her small, still body, pushing aside my thoughts as I prepared to help.

“Follow my steps you, and your heart. This is how you do it,” Ivy said.

It sounded so easy when she explained it, but my heart pounded as I knelt beside the child, trying to stay calm.

I followed my instincts, just as she had instructed, and carefully placed my mouth over her, blowing air gently into her. Around me, the others did the same with their assigned children, each focused.

One by one, the children began to cough and sputter, spitting out water, gasping for air as life slowly returned to them.

But Poline still remained motionless, unlike the other children who had started coughing out the water. My heart seized in fear, and every eye in the clearing shifted toward me.

Why wasn’t she waking up? My hands trembled uncontrollably, and fear gnawed at me from the inside.

The Queen ran forward us, tears streaming down her face. “Poline, my poor baby!” she cried, her voice breaking.

Watching her, anxiety clawed at my chest, my heartbeat erratic. Had I somehow made things worse? Had I cost Poline her life?

Ivy quickly moved me aside and knelt beside Poline. She began performing the resuscitation, breathing into her mouth, pressing her chest repeatedly.

I watched, praying silently. Because if anything goes wrong, I’ll be labeled as one who made things worse.

After a few tense moments, Poline sputtered and spat out water. Then, finally, she let out a loud cry.

This made everyone breathe out in relief. The Queen scooped her up into a tight embrace.

My chest heaved. My heart skipped a beat at the thought of what could have happened if Ivy hadn’t been there. I forced myself to take slow breaths, trying to calm the whirlwind of fear inside me.

Though, my hatred for Ivy burned hotter than ever

*

*

*

Once everyone had regained their composure, the parents gathered their children and began heading home, eager to let them rest and recover from the frightening ordeal.

The joyous atmosphere of the Merriment Festival had vanished, the celebrations cut short by the chaos that had unfolded. What should have been a day of fun and laughter ended in tension, leaving the festival subdued.

I couldn’t help but notice how much of everything seemed to center around Ivy, as if she had orchestrated it to make me look incompetent.

But I was on my way to the King’s palace, because I summoned… not just me, but everyone who had helped save the children. I hurried along the path.

When I finally arrived at the palace hall, I realized Ivy hadn’t arrived yet.

I scanned the grand hall, wondering where she could be and if she would arrive on time for the King’s audience. This made irritation burned inside of me.

By the way, the King was speaking, his voice filled with admiration as he praised all of us who had helped save the children.

Just then, Ivy entered the room. The atmosphere shifted instantly, and people began whispering excitedly about how she had bravely and skillfully saved the children.

All eyes turned to her, filled with awe and respect. My teeth clenched. Of course… it was exactly as I had feared. She would steal every bit of attention, every ounce of praise, and leave me standing in the shadows.

“Here you are,” the King said, his voice warm and full of admiration.

“Your courage, quick thinking, and composure saved those children’s lives. Truly, your actions were remarkable, inspiring, and beyond anything we could have hoped for. You’ve shown extraordinary intelligence, and qualities worthy of the highest praise.”

Even the Queen nodded, mirroring the King’s admiration.

I couldn’t help but feel that the praise he was showering on her was far too much, making my teeth grit in frustration.

“Thank you so much,” Aria said, hugging Ivy tightly. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the display.

“You can always come to the palace to visit and chat with me often,” Princess Aria added warmly, clearly enjoying Ivy’s presence far more than I could tolerate.

Wait… even Princess Aria had befriended Ivy. I felt a hot surge of frustration and jealousy rise within me. I had been the one to tell everyone that Ivy could save those children, yet now it seemed as if I didn’t even exist.

Everyone’s attention, admiration, and praise… the very recognition I had longed for were once again focused on Ivy. She stood at the center, confident and adored, while I was left on the sidelines, burning with envy and bitterness.

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