After taking a good bath and getting changed out of the threadbare rags she had been given as clothes, Eve took a seat at the modest table, which was surrounded by four chairs. She barely had time to get comfortable before Cecilia flicked her forehead with her index finger.
"Ow," uttered Eve, who instinctively rubbed the spot with a frown, looking more necessarily annoyed than hurt. She simply averted her gaze, ignoring the reprimanding stares from her sisters.
Not letting this go, Cecilia proceeded to take the empty seat next to her, and scolded Eve. "How could you be so careless with something that concerns your life? What if you hadn't been free tonight at all? The effect of the perfume would have worn off at any moment, Eve. Not to mention but you are aware of a wolf's heightened senses. Helga and I have taught you all you need to know in order to survive here. You could have been discovered if the effects vanished, then what?"
"If that happened, I'd have made it someone else's problem," Eve replied, unfazed by her sister's glare. Her attention was more on the food decorating the table, and she didn't hesitate to serve herself a meal. "Besides," she added, taking a bite. "Everyone is busy with the annual Moonbond hunt to care."
While Cecilia huffed in exasperation at Genevieve's cheeky reply, Helga had already slipped into the dressing chamber and returned with a small glass vial containing shimmering purple liquid. She placed it in Eve's neatly bandaged hand, while Cecilia busied herself with filling Eve's plate up.
Neither of the twins knew if they would get to see their Eve anytime soon, so they made sure to give her the best hospitable treatment before she leaves.
"Fortunately," Helga began in a soft-spoken tone. "I managed to get this two days ago." Joining the table, she watched as Eve turned the vial in her fingers, inspecting it with an appraising look. "You took a ridiculous risk waiting this long. I would have brought it myself, but the Alpha would know about it. What if someone realized you're not actually a beta, but a human on your way here?"
The way Helga lowered her tone at the last part, as if saying that word was an abomination in the land, had Eve feeling uncomfortable. She lowered the vial in her hand, taking note of the concerned look on their faces. Most of the time, she wished they would stop fussing over her when she was more than capable of taking care of herself, but knowing these two, it took a lot of effort to even convince them to stop coming over to the servants quarters.
The perfume given to her had been her lifeline since the moment she was brought to the werewolf society, because the perfume had the ability to mask her human scent.
Yes, it was that potent.
However, the effect wears off after twenty-four hours.
Humans were being strictly forbidden from entering Valestria. Due to long-standing conflicts and irreconcilable differences, both sides have chosen to live apart, bound by an unyielding agreement, and no human was to set foot on werewolf land. If one was discovered, they'd be accused of being a spy and killed on the spot, with no repercussions whatsoever. The terms had been agreed upon long ago, leaving humans with no ground to protest.
That was why, for as long as she could remember, Eve had relied on the perfume to blend in amongst werewolves.
In a pack, alphas and omegas held the highest value, followed by betas and then the regular shifters. However, while male betas often served as the Alpha's right-hand in every pack, female betas had a far less prestigious role. If there are more male betas in each pack, then they become trained warriors, depending on the pack they came from, but only one is chosen to be a beta to all.
As known, female betas were not warriors fighting alongside alphas, but rather simple caretakers, tasked with maintaining the pack's physical well-being. Despite being energetic and highly skilled on their own, their status was closer to that of a servant than equals. As unfair as it was for them, Eve had used it to her own advantage.
Unlike alphas and omegas, betas did not possess any distinctive scent. Only their true mate could recognize it.
This made it easier for Eve to disguise herself as one, since the perfume masked her human scent completely. The only drawback? Passing as a beta meant resigning herself to servitude, where she has to work tirelessly to maintain her cover. In terms of shifting, most female betas shift later than everyone else, and since they're merely caretakers in the pack, no one really pays attention when they shift or not. Though Eve had been cornered a few times, she always found a way to avoid being turned into a scapegoat.
As for how she was found, Cecilia and Helga had discovered her wailing in an alleyway one evening on their way back from their usual work routine. It had been raining heavily that evening, and she had been left there, helpless. At that time, they hadn't realized she was human; they had only seen a drenched, squalling infant, and leaving a newborn to be battered by the rain was hardly an option.
Eve had long since given up trying to make sense of the logic– or lack of thereof– behind her abandonment. If her parents hadn't wanted her, fine. But to discard a baby in the alley, of all places? To Eve, that suggested either desperation or stupidity. Perhaps her parents were humans who unknowingly stumbled in here, and they were desperate to flee, but an infant had been too much of a burden for them. It was a rational decision, if one stripped away sentiments.
Not that it mattered anymore. She had no memory of them, and any feelings she might have once had about it had withered into nothing more than a passing curiosity.
"No one will know," Eve finally responded to her sisters as she hid away the perfume beneath the folds of her sleeve. "I spoke to Alpha Gareth earlier at the stream today. He's willing to persuade his father to grant me leave from the pack. It's the best option, really. I don't belong here, and you two know it just as much as I do. If I can make it out of here by tonight, I'll write a note or something, and inform you about my whereabouts."
"Wait— you're leaving tonight?" Cecilia and Helga's gaze widened in shock, mirroring each other's disbelief. They watched as Eve stood up after clearing her plate, making her way to their drawers instead. "You're getting approval tonight?"
"Mm," Eve nodded, taking out a small pouch from within. She weighed it in her palm before tucking it carefully into her robes. "My savings should be enough to get me out of Valestria. That's partly why I came here tonight. This might be our last conversation, depending on how things go. I also need a few clothes."
Helga was about to argue when a knock on the door interrupted her. She hesitated before standing, her gaze flickering between Eve and Cecilia before she went to check on who was at the door. Opening it, a maid stood with her head bowed.
"Lady Helga, Madame Noelle wants to speak with you and Lady Cecilia. She says she has a message from the royal EverLeigh family, and that she needs you two to join her in the main parlor."
"A message from the royal EverLeigh family?" Helga's pupils dilated, and she nodded. "Okay, we'll be down shortly."
The servant bowed and left afterwards. Helga immediately approached her sister after closing the door, and she glanced at Eve. "Wait here, Madame Noelle has called us both to the parlor. It's likely something concerning the palace. We cannot keep her waiting if so."
"The palace? But–" Cecilia glanced at Eve, unable to just leave after hearing that their Eve might be leaving them tonight.
"You should go," Eve said, bowing her head. "I'll wait."
Helga exhaled sharply, but didn't argue. Cecilia cast Eve one last uncertain glance before she departed with Helga. Their job had to be their priority, and Eve understood. She always had.
Left alone, Eve leaned back, tapping a finger against her arm. "A message from the palace," she mused. "I wonder what it could be. Either way, I'm better off minding my own business."
Glancing around the chamber, Eve's sharp eyes assessed the snacks on the table with a discernible air. Her omega sisters had more than enough, really. It would be a waste not to take some. With swift hands, she helped herself to some of the snacks, mentally justifying her actions as a mere redistribution of excess resources.
As she tucked a carefully chosen assortment into her sleeves, a knock on the door made her pause. Immediately, she froze, her fingers stilling over a candied plum. Another interruption in her sister's absence. She then exhaled through her nose, reminding herself that she had already used the perfume.
There was no need to overdo it, she reminded herself. Still, a small, strategic touch wouldn't hurt. Plucking the vial from its hiding spot, she dabbed a miniscule amount onto her neck before concealing the vial from view. When she went to open the door, her gaze landed on another servant, who stood with her back straight, her tone brisk.
"You must be Genevieve Havisham," the maid said. "The Alpha wants to see you immediately. He's waiting for you in the main lobby."