The Rejected Luna and The Cursed Nephilim

Come Back Home

I quietly looked at the man walking next to me. He was a bit taller than me, but for some reason, he seemed much taller and distant.

The man said his name was Ric before we left.

"Ric."

Ric? That's a pretty strange name, I must admit.

Ric walked quietly, not saying a word. His face looked like he was deep in thought. What could be on his mind?

Hold on, Isabella. Why the sudden interest in others? You have usually been the least bothered about what's going on in people's lives all this time.

I let out a quiet sigh and turned ahead, strolling down the forest path. My dress was all torn from the thorny bushes, so I held it up as I walked. I had no clue how much time had passed as we walked, and I ditched my high heels to avoid hurting my feet on this long journey.

"Ugh," I groaned in frustration when my dress got caught on a bush again. I tried pulling it with my hand, but now it was stuck on the curve of the dress, making it hard to free it easily.

Ric noticed I was having trouble with my dress. He stopped, turned back, and came over to where my dress was stuck in the bushes. He crouched down and used his hands to untangle it, concentrating on the threads wrapped around the bush with his green eyes.

Feeling uncomfortable and guilty for always depending on someone I barely know, I hurriedly said, "Ric, you don't have to untangle it. I can just cut it—"

"Shh, almost finished," Ric cut in, not looking up.

I hushed up right away. It was kind of embarrassing. As a noble werewolf, I struggled with basic stuff and relied on others. It felt like my pride was being crushed into bits.

I gently nibbled my bottom lip. When I come back, I will thank Ric with a small present for being so nice to me. Maybe a chest of gold would be good enough, or should I throw in some fresh meat and fruits? I mean, from what I have seen at Ric's abandoned castle, he did not seem to have much food besides his beer and booze.

"It's done," Ric announced.

Ric got up and clapped his hands to dust them off.

"Thanks," I said.

"No worries," answered him.

He nodded and put his hands in his pockets as he walked. I hurried to keep up, lifting my dress to avoid tripping like last time.

"Hey Ric, can I ask you something?" I piped up, feeling pretty curious this time.

Ric turned to me and gave a little nod. "Sure, go ahead, Wolf Princess."

Wolf Princess.

That was what Ric called me ever since we were heading back to the Eclipse Pack's place. It meant he knew about my background and the big secret of me getting rejected by Adrian. But here's the thing: Ric did not smell like a werewolf to me, so he should not have been able to get into the Eclipse area. The security there was super tight, not just anyone could get in.

So, Ric might know someone from the Eclipse pack, or...

I asked, "Are you an assassin?"

Ric froze. His steps faltered, like I hit a nerve. He turned around, his expression blank, but I could tell he was surprised.

"Why do you think that?" he asked, smiling slightly. His eyes darted around, showing he was nervous and searching for an excuse. I have been good at reading people since I was little, so figuring out his thoughts was a breeze.

I took a deep breath and walked past Ric, who was standing still. I had my hands behind my back and gave a little shrug.

"There are a couple of reasons. First, you know about me and what happened that night. The Luna inauguration is a special event only for werewolves invited by Eclipse, and no one else is allowed."

Ric cut in, "Maybe you don't know–"

"Actually, I do. I handle all the guest lists," I said with a quick smile, easing Ric's tension.

Bingo. Looks like I guessed right.

"Next, you took down my kidnappers and those Hyenas with lightning-fast, almost invisible moves. I've heard about an assassin who shows up once a month to hunt werewolves. I thought it was just a story, but here you are in front of me," I said.

Ric remained silent.

I touched my fingertips and looked at the bright blue sky as the sun came up, accompanied by a few flocks of birds flying south—getting ready for winter migration.

"Haha," Ric's laugh was short, so short and bland.

I spun around to find Ric glaring at me with a fierce and intimidating gaze. Concealing my hands behind my back, I felt them shake with fear. Despite this, I managed to put on a calm expression, responding with a slight smile.

"You've figured me out, so, what now?" Ric asked, tilting his head.

I could not just give up and die. Right from the beginning, I sensed something was off about this guy. But I knew I had to make the most of the situation.

My whole life, I have been taught to take charge, not to surrender or break down in front of foes. Instead, I have learned to seize rare chances and turn them to my advantage.

I just shook my head a little. "Nope. Since you also know who I am, we're on the same page now, okay?"

"Huh?" Ric's face, all set to go into attack mode and keep his secret safe, now looked puzzled.

I grinned and moved closer to him, talking right in front of Ric's face. I had to tilt up a bit since he was taller than me. "I'm not dumb enough to act like I don't know what's in your secret underground room, Mr. Assassin."

"You—"

"Sshh. No talking."

I hushed him, pressing my finger to his lips, his eyes widening in surprise at my sudden gesture.

"The Eclipse Guards are experts at finding spies. You could have tried to silence me to keep your secret, but could you outsmart them? I'm pretty sure Eclipse has tightened security since my recent kidnapping. Plus, you still need me, right?" I smirked, my red eyes meeting Ric's green ones.

He looked surprised, as if I could read his mind.

I was just guessing, though. Despite being a skilled assassin, he spared me and agreed to take me home for no reason.

He must had something under his sleeve.

I did not know why he picked me or what he wanted.

I tried to show him I was on his side, but really, I was just looking out for myself.

Ric looked at me for a while before whispering something too quiet for me to hear.

"Huh? What was that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

I leaned in closer to catch what he said, thinking it might be important.

Ric noticed and stepped forward, whispering to me with his hoarse voice, "I didn't know you enjoyed teasing me, Princess. Until next time."

"Wha-what?" I was shocked, not getting what Ric said.

My face turned red with embarrassment and a tingling sensation spread through my body. When I tried to ask him what he meant, he was gone.

He disappeared. There was no trace or sign that Ric was around here.

Just me, blushing like crazy.

"L-Lady Isabella?"

I turned around and found an Eclipse guard standing there, staring at me with a shocked expression, as if seeing a ghost or something.

I then raised my hand and smiled awkwardly, trying to cover my face flushed because of that annoying guy. Just you wait, next time we meet, I'll give him a taste of his own medicine.

"H-Hello. I'm back."