Return of The Alpha Heiress-Chapter 56: Clarissa – He hadn’t Changed

A thousand years ago, the world was dragged into a great war between werewolves and vampires.

The war began with a calculated assault on territories ruled by werewolves and humans, an invasion orchestrated by the vampires’ supreme leader, The Sire.

It was during this war that, for the first time, the Lycan King confronted The Sire directly.

The final night of their battle became known as The Eternal Midnight.

They fought through the entire night, until the sky itself seemed to forget the boundary between darkness and dawn. And when the clash finally ended, the whole world felt the aftermath.

All werewolves howled in unison.

The vampires resonated as one, as if their blood had answered the same call.

Yet Eternal Midnight produced no victor.

The Sire, an eternal pure-blood vampire, did not die. His body was shattered by grievous wounds, forcing him into a deathlike slumber. With their leader gone, the vampire ranks collapsed almost instantly.

The Lycan King fell as well. He died while carving a wound deep enough to bring down an immortal.

Still, the werewolf forces he had trained and led stood far stronger than the remaining vampires. They succeeded in driving the enemy out of werewolf territory.

But before slipping into his slumber, The Sire left a curse.

That there would never be another Lycan King... until he awakened.

After the death of the last Lycan King, three great prophecies were delivered by the Empire’s Oracle.

The first foretold when The Sire would awaken, which would also mark the emergence of the next Lycan King. The prophecy stated it clearly.

One thousand years later.

The second prophecy revealed who the next Lycan King would be.

A descendant of the strongest wolf and the weakest wolf.

This prophecy alone reshaped the entire structure of werewolf society.

These two prophecies became the foundation for summoning all Alpha sons to the capital city for the Lycan King selection.

Larry and Richard, both born exactly a thousand years after the last Lycan King’s death, were required to go to the capital.

Whether they were the long-awaited Lycan King or not, from the moment they answered the summons, they officially became part of the Empire’s forces.

"You really won’t come home?" I asked Larry quietly. "Not even once?"

It sounded like the plea of a younger sibling who didn’t want an older brother to leave. It wasn’t that at all.

Larry was silent for a moment, considering.

"Not home," he said. "But if my assignment is nearby, I can come here."

I nodded, my gaze heavy. I had no way to contact Richard at all. Even if he was stationed nearby, I would never know.

And I would be leaving this place as well. Far away. By then, we might never meet again. Ever.

I let out a long breath.

Luna Eileen suddenly patted my shoulder.

"So you really care about your brother, Clarissa. Why don’t you attend the spring party with Larry?"

Spring Party?

After thinking it through, the spring party was my only chance.

Richard might still attend, even if he avoided the main hall. He could be in the garden. Or on a balcony.

The thought gave me a small spark of hope.

"I want to go," I nodded.

Luna Eileen smiled brightly and promised to prepare the best dress for me.

When I turned to Larry, he was watching me again with that unreadable look.

I ignored it, choosing instead to think about what I would say to Richard if we met.

...

The week passed quickly.

I wore a brown gown, chosen to match both my hair and Larry’s.

Shannon wore blue, as always. The color suited her perfectly. She would be going with Adrian.

Adrian picked Shannon up in the Black Alpha family’s car.

The car carrying Larry and me followed behind.

"Clarissa," Larry suddenly called.

I had expected the ride to be silent. I hadn’t imagined Larry, who rarely spoke at all, would be the one to break it.

I only hummed in response, my eyes fixed on the dark road outside.

"I’m leaving," he said calmly, "and I don’t think the inheritance Grandmother left me will be of any use to me."

I turned to him sharply. "What are you planning?"

"I’m giving it to you and Edwin," he replied.

Too calm. Far too calm for a conversation about an inheritance that Edwin once implied was enormous.

"Are you joking?" I blurted out.

He shook his head. This time, his gaze was serious.

I scoffed. "You think Alpha would allow that? And why give anything to me when I might not even be your real sister?"

He looked straight at me. That unreadable gaze returned.

"I believe you’re my sister," he said. "I’ve never been wrong about the people I choose."

One of my brows lifted. Where did that confidence even come from?

He turned his eyes back to the road. "Edwin once said I was sent to Grandmother because Mother was struggling after losing you, right?"

I nodded.

"It wasn’t quite like that. I was the one who chose to go with Grandmother," he said quietly, almost reminiscing. "I was only one year old. I didn’t know anything. But I chose her instantly."

"After that, there were many moments when I had to choose," he continued. "And every time, my choice was right."

If what he said was true, his subconscious instinct was frighteningly accurate.

"You don’t need to worry about Alpha," he added. "Grandmother didn’t only leave me wealth. She left people. People who can help manage everything."

"They’ll handle it quietly. Without Alpha knowing."

My jaw dropped.

"You’re defying Alpha for me?" I stared at him in disbelief, then laughed bitterly. "Why now? You never defied him when I was hit, insulted, or locked in the basement."

I would never soften toward this family again. He could betray me later. Everything he gave could be taken back.

"I admit I couldn’t do anything against Alpha," Larry said evenly.

"This may sound unreasonable, but only by lowering his guard against me, I can help you."

He turned to face me, but I refused to meet his eyes.

I looked out the window instead, though the glass only reflected his image back at me.

Larry. Hair neatly combed, yet naturally unruly. The same as ever.

I suddenly remembered the first time he came to pick me up from class to meet Luna Eileen.

His appearance hadn’t changed. His demeanor hadn’t changed.

He hadn’t changed at all.

Only Larry remained the same.

...