Hope Is Not Optional — Manuel Flores 55
Chapter 55
Selene
Warmth. That was the first thing I felt.
The morning sun brushed against my face. My heartbeat pulsed steadily in my chest, a quiet rhythm that reminded me 1 was still alive. I blinked slowly, my vision blurring for a second before everything came into focus.
The ceiling above me was familiar. The soft lavender curtains. The scent of wildflowers and parchment in the air.
I was in my room.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief and pushed myself up, my body still heavy, as if the world itself was pressing against my shoulders. My head throbbed lightly, and I lifted a hand to my temple, trying to piece together the fragments of yesterday. And the memory of last night came back.
No wonder everything felt so disoriented this morning. I had pushed my limits far more than I should have. Reading the fox’s mind had already drained me, but shifting into Mira had taken every ounce of strength I had left.
The door creaked open, pulling me out of my thoughts. Evelyn stepped in, balancing a tray in her hands. Steam rose from a bowl, and the scent of herbal soup filled the room. When her eyes met mine, she froze for a second then gasped.
“My lady!”
She hurried to the table, setting the tray down before rushing to my side. Her hands trembled slightly as she leaned close, worry written all over her face.
“Are you okay? How are you feeling? Should I call the physician?”
I couldn’t help but smile. For some reason, this scene felt awfully familiar.
I shook my head. “I’m fine, Evelyn. How long have I been unconscious for?”
She pressed her lips together before answering, “A week, my lady. You wouldn’t wake up no matter what I did. The physician warned me not to force you awake, or it would only make things worse. So I just had to wait. Thank the Goddess you’re finally up. I-I didn’t know what I’d do if you didn’t wake.”
Her voice cracked slightly at the end. The sincerity in her words made me smile.
“I’m sorry for worrying you,” I said. “I was just recovering. My body needed time to heal and to remember itself again.”
When I thought about her words, I looked at her. “You mentioned the physician,” I said. “Did he come to check on me?”
Evelyn nodded quickly. “Yes, my lady. Every day. He came to make sure your body was stable. He said your energy was shifting too fast for a normal wolf, but that it wasn’t dangerous.”
She paused, her eyes softening into a bright smile. “After you transformed into the white wolf last week, everything changed. Nobody dares to bother me anymore. The ones who used to bully me all avoid me now. They think you’ll punish them if they even look at me wrong. They didn’t even gossip about you again, afraid you would hear.”
A small laugh escaped me. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding eagerly. “Even the Alpha’s personal guards came yesterday to check on your health. They treated you with respect. I still can’t believe that you are the one with the white wolf. I’m so happy, my lady. I couldn’t even sleep.”
I smiled at her, it was nice to see someone was genuinely happy for me without pretending to, waiting for the right moment
to stab me in the back.
12:54 Tue, Dec 23 MG.
Chapter 55
I reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “Thank you, Evelyn, for staying by my side.”
She blushed slightly and bowed her head. “Always, my lady.”
‘She’s loyal,’ Mira said. ‘Keep her close. This time, we won’t make the same mistakes.
I nodded. ‘I will protect her and the people I care about.
“Oh-before I forget,” Evelyn said suddenly, her voice bright with excitement. She hurried toward the table, where the tray sat, and carefully lifted a small cup. The faint green liquid inside shimmered slightly, steam curling in the air.
She turned and brought it to me, her eyes proud, like she was presenting a treasure. “I made this every day while you were asleep, in case you woke up. It’s the strengthening herb tonic. I brewed it myself. You need to drink it, my lady, it’ll help restore your strength.”
I stared at the drink. That familiar green hue. That sharp, herbal scent. gods, I missed this concoction.
I used to drink this all the time in my past lives until I started doubting Evelyn. Back then, I’d thought maybe she was trying to poison me. So I stopped drinking it. And as a result, I grew weaker. My body couldn’t even sustain my wolf’s strength. Only later did I realize that Evelyn’s mixture wasn’t poison, it was salvation.
I sighed and took the cup, swirling the liquid once before bringing it to my lips “Still green, still dreadful,” I muttered, and then downed it in one go.
The taste hit instantly. It burned my throat all the way down, leaving behind that earthy aftertaste I could never quite get used to.
Evelyn giggled softly. “My lady…”
I set the cup down and waved my hand dismissively. “Don’t get sentimental on me. Tell me what happened last week after I fainted, especially about Sienna.”
Evelyn blinked, her lips twitching like she was holding back something. I caught the faintest hint of a smile forming before she quickly looked down.
“Forgive me, my lady,” she said hurriedly.
I tilted my head, smirking. “Don’t worry. Speak. If you’re smiling, it must be an interesting story.”
Her face flushed red as she nodded. “W-well… actually, after you fainted, Prince Adrian covered your body with his fur cloak and carried you to your room himself.”
I blinked. “…Adrian?”
Evelyn nodded eagerly, the excitement returning to her voice. “Yes! It was so romantic, my lady. All the women in the courtyard were jealous of you. He didn’t let anyone else touch you. He looked like he was worried you might catch a cold.”
I almost choked on my own breath. Romantic? That bastard?
If only Evelyn knew the truth. In every one of my past lives, Adrian wouldn’t have blinked if I were bleeding out in front of him. Now suddenly he cared because I fainted?
I rolled my eyes. “Spare me the unnecessary details, Evelyn. What about Sienna? Did she transform after I passed out?”
Evelyn’s eyes gleamed as she leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “No, my lady. She couldn’t. The Alpha commanded her to shift, but she made excuses, said she was sick, and too weak. Everyone was watching, and when she didn’t shift, the whispers started. Some even said she lied about having a wolf. And when it got too much, she fainted, or pretended to. It was so obvious she was faking it; she couldn’t even keep her eyes fully closed. You should’ve seen it, it was hilarious. Her maid and stepmother were putting on this dramatic show, even though they knew she was pretending.”
Chapter 55
A slow smile crept across my lips.
“Some things never change, do they?” I murmured, pushing myself up from the bed. My muscles ached, and I stretched lazily, letting out a quiet sigh. “Well, I should get going too.”
Evelyn blinked, confusion flickering across her face. “Get going? Where, my lady?”
“To the main courtyard,” I replied. “There’s a scene that concerns me, and I think it’s about time I made an appearance.”
Her brows knitted slightly. “Yes, my lady,” she said hesitantly, clearly unsure what I meant.
“Oh, and Evelyn,” I added, pausing as I turned toward her. “Prepare two male outfits for me.”
“Two… male outfits?” she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “Yes. I have something to do outside.” My gaze drifted toward the box hidden beneath my bed. “And I can’t go out wearing the same disguise as before.”
Evelyn’s confusion deepened, but she said nothing, only gave a reluctant nod as I turned away, already planning my next
move.
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12:54 Tue, Dec 23
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