Lydia's blurry eyes cleared, and she felt normal, but her chest was still burning. Lydia held her chest and leaned closer to the ground, crying loudly as the pain intensified.
Alisha saw her and felt pity for her. She thought Lydia was crying because of the pain and shock of seeing the chubby girl's dead body, not knowing what Lydia was facing was something else.
"It is okay," Alisha spoke, but Lydia didn't stop crying until about ten minutes later, when the pain stopped. Lydia was now sobbing silently, her breath shaky.
Alisha helped her up, offering her a handkerchief to clean her tears, which she did.
"Thank you," Lydia said in between shaky breaths.
"Is this your first time seeing such a thing?" Alisha spoke like it was an animal that died.
Lydia swallowed hard and looked back at the chubby girl's body, which had now transformed into human form completely naked.
The sight was more horrible than seeing her in wolf form. Lydia looked away quickly, afraid she would have a blood shock again.
"Let's go," Alisha spoke, holding her hand.
They walked back and met the group of obryns who looked at them with confusion etched on their faces. They were wondering where the chubby girl was.
Alisha, guessing their confusion, looked at them, and a faint smirk appeared on her lips.
"You all can go back. She's dead," she spoke and took Lydia back with her.
Lydia felt a shiver run down her spine. She saw everything, the smirk and the way Alisha spoke like seeing someone die that way didn't matter.
"Are you used to seeing someone dead?" Lydia asked, and Alisha gave a light "hm."
Lydia felt uncomfortable with her answer. "It seems the Woody family have deep secrets," Lydia muttered under her breath and looked at Alisha once more.
Alisha took her back to her room and sat down with her on her bunk.
"Why did you help me?" Lydia asked when Alisha left her hand.
"Well… I just find you interesting, and I want you to be my friend," Alisha said with a warm smile that reached her eyes.
Lydia felt warm for a while before watching Alisha laugh inhumanly, startling her. "Sorry for that," Alisha apologized and continued, "I just find it funny that I am asking an obryn to be my friend."
Hearing those words, Lydia's heart tightened. "Of course she's a noble, and it's only normal for her to look down on me," Lydia thought, her eyes growing cold for a minute before turning normal.
If it were her former life, Alisha wouldn't even have the chance to lick her feet, but now she had to endure everything.
"Oh… I see. I am also surprised a noble wants to be my friend," Lydia said, using her words back at her, and watched Alisha's face darken. "No, I don't mean harm. I am just surprised, or will I call it privileged to be your friend," Lydia added, trying to sound normal, but no one could deny her words were sarcastic.
Alisha smiled, ignoring the thorns in Lydia's words. Looking at Lydia's violet orbs and tender face, she couldn't help but wonder what the queen saw in Lydia that made her like her.
The queen was a reserved and friendly person, but her taking a liking to a lowly obryn was something unexpected.
"What happened? Is there something on my face?" Lydia asked when she noticed Alisha looking at her.
Alisha laughed. "No, it's just that you are pretty," she said genuinely, and Lydia laughed at her words.
"Are you trying to mock me?" Lydia asked seriously. Alisha smiled and touched Lydia's face, startling her.
"Of course not, I mean it… Every man would want to fall for your face," Alisha spoke, her tone serious, and Lydia was taken aback.
She couldn't believe her ears, and yet she couldn't deny the fact that Alisha looked very serious.
"Ah- thank you," Lydia said nervously and took Alisha's hand off her face.
Alisha smiled and got up. "I will leave now, and I will visit you in three days' time," she said.
"Oh, okay. Thank you so much for today."
"You're welcome, Lydia. See you soon," Alisha said and walked out gently. Lydia watched her as she left; she couldn't believe she was helped, and her face was beautiful.
She looked around to see if there was a mirror and found a half broken one on the wall far from her bunk.
When she looked at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but gasp. "What is going on?" she muttered, surprised by her appearance. She looked more beautiful, and her skin flawless like she usually took her skincare routine seriously.
This was her real face! In her past life, right from when she was born, she was a beauty no one could deny, but when she came to this werewolf world she looked less beautiful, and now? She looked more beautiful.
"Yes… this is me…" she whispered, and a sweet smile appeared on her face. She was immersed in staring at herself until she heard an unpleasant voice.
"Can you leave the mirror?" Turning back, Lydia's eyes met with her rude roommate.
Lydia spoke no word and left the mirror, going back to her bed.
"Don't come close to my bed next time," her roommate added in a displeased voice, but Lydia still gave no answer.
"Are you ignoring me because you got helped by Alisha today?" she asked, and watched as Lydia laughed in disbelief; she couldn't believe it had reached her ear.
"Are you also jealous she helped me? Keep off and don't bother me," Lydia said and walked out of the room.
When she walked out, she remembered Mia and decided to find her. She walked for a while and observed something, any obryn she passed, some gave her a disgusted look, while some looked at her like she was a virus.
And then she saw the same obryn who was eavesdropping on her and Ophelia earlier. The girl was with other girls talking, and when they saw Lydia, they became oddly silent and gave her the same look the other girls gave her.
What is going on? she wondered. Then she felt something thrown at her. It hit her head and cracked open, the thick liquid flowing down her face. Then the stench hit her nose it was a rotten egg.
Lydia raised her face and saw the other girl who was with the chubby girl earlier.
"You! You are a curse! A werewolf who hasn't transformed, and with your bad luck you killed my friend!"
she shouted in anger, causing Lydia to freeze. They all now knew she hadn't transformed yet.