Three Strikes and You're Out

When I woke up again, I found that I was a spirit tailing behind Brianna.

"Hi, can I have one apple pie?" Brianna worriedly put in her order at the bakery.

Alas, the bakery owner immediately tried to kick Brianna out when he saw the dirty clothes on Brianna.

"You little rascal! Don't mess with my business!"

Brianna fell onto the floor. The werewolves who walked past the bakery shunned her with disdain as though she was trash.

She tried to get up by holding onto the glass counter, but the bakery owner gave her a shove again.

"Stop! You filthy little thing! Don't touch anything in my shop! This is a premium store. A bastard child like you has no place here!!"

The owner pinched Brianna's ear as if he were going to teach her a lesson.

"I have parents! I'm the daughter of Alpha Alaric!" Struggling in pain, Brianna yelled, "Luna Clara is my mom! She's sick! I'm here to buy her an apple pie."

The bakery owner was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter. Hands on his waist, he spat at Brianna.

"Little liar! Think you could fool me? If you're Alpha Alaric's daughter, I'll claim to be Alpha Alaric myself!

"Look at yourself in the mirror! You can't even act like nobility. Get lost, you little liar!"

Then, he shooed Brianna into the street.

But Brianna wasn't about to give up. She dusted the filth off her shirt and tried to enter the bakery, only to be kicked in the stomach by the owner.

She groaned. This time, she was in too much pain to get up from the floor.

In the depths of despair, she saw someone extending a hand to her.

"My child, are you alright?"

A male werewolf who walked past the bakery carefully helped Brianna up and asked with concern.

His towering silhouette drove her to call out, "Dad…"

It wasn't until she saw his face that she lowered her head in disappointment. He wasn't her father.

She thanked him softly.

Feeling pity for Brianna, the man pulled out an apple pie from his paper bag.

"Sweetheart, I just bought this. Why don't you take it home and share it with your family?"

After the many cruel and hurtful encounters on that day, Brianna teared up when a good Samaritan showed her care.

She accepted the apple pie and continued thanking the male werewolf.

"It's fine, my child. Everyone goes through difficult times. When I hit rock bottom, my children were bullied. It was Luna Clara who had kindly lent us a helping hand. She and Alpha Alaric sent food to my children, helping us through that difficult period.

"If you really want to thank me, how about praying with me for Alpha Alaric and Luna Clara to live happily forever after? Let's pray for their family's happiness."

Caught by surprise, Brianna was reminded of the scene where her father, Alpha Alaric, dragged her mother, Luna Clara, out of the castle doors.

She remembered how Alaric had forced Clara to drive a blade into her heart just to collect her blood.

Brianna's head hung low. One couldn't see the expression on her face.

She mumbled, "Got it. I wish them… happiness."

I felt more horrible than the time I was forced to plunge a dagger into my heart.

I watched the dull and despairing expression on Brianna's face as memories flooded my mind.

Alaric and I were still madly in love at that time. Knowing I loved cozy cottages, he'd specifically built a log cabin for me next to the castle.

He'd built every piece of furniture and grown every pot of flowers in that cabin.

Knowing how much pain I had gone through when I'd delivered Brianna, he held my hand and told me through tears that he was content with having just one child.

He vowed to love his daughter and raise her to be the most legendary Female Alpha.

On his birthday, he whispered to me, telling me that he had prayed for Brianna's and my happiness forever when he blew out his candles. He promised to stay by our side and protect us.

But our happiness was shattered on the day Elena, the witch, made her return.

Armed with her old bond with Alaric, she wouldn't stop whining. She begged Alaric to keep her in Wolffang Pack, claiming she was pitiful for not having her own clan and family.

She repeatedly played the victim card to win Alaric's sympathy.

Finally, Elena had heartlessly placed a curse on herself so she could accuse me and Brianna of poisoning her with Wolfsbane. She wanted Alaric to be disappointed in us.

Things had changed ever since that poisoning allegation.

Back to the present, something came into the mind of that male werewolf as he studied the weak and demure little girl.

He asked, "By the way, where's your father, sweetheart? You're just a child. How could he let you roam around?"

Taken aback, Brianna was about to reply when she heard another young girl speaking.

"Dad!" A lively young girl ran over to the male werewolf while munching on a piece of cake. "Dinner's almost ready! Mom's waiting for us. Let's go home!"

He gently caressed his daughter's hair and nodded. Then, he held her hand and walked away.

Brianna watched the father and daughter until they were out of sight. The envious look on her face was replaced by loneliness.

Staring at the apple pie in her hand, she mumbled the answer she didn't get to say aloud, "My father… is dead."