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Chapter 8 - A glimpse of hope.

Shit! Shit! Shit! I paced around my room, racking my brain for any details I could recollect from the novel. It had been so long that I barely remembered the title.

"Roselle!" I called out, my heart racing as I fought to remain calm.

The door swung open almost immediately, Roselle rushing in.

"Yes, Your Grace? You called?"

"Yes! Fetch me a pen and paper!"

"Sorry, Your Grace… pen and paper?" she asked, her disbelief evident.

"Yes!" My voice roared harsher than I intended. I hadn't meant to snap at her, but I was trying to get myself together.

I know I'm not the original Iris, but what if things still end up the same way? I thought silently, my heart spiking again.

Roselle hurried out to fulfill my request. I walked over to my bed, struggling to control my breathing as beads of sweat began to form on my forehead.

Shortly after, Roselle returned with a parchment and ink, along with a feather quill. I was puzzled again; I had completely forgotten that ballpoint pens and modern writing tools weren't a thing here.

I forced myself to push through the adrenaline coursing through my body and began to write down everything I could recall.

Now that I was Iris, my primary concern revolved around her character, and all I remembered about her was negative.

She was a spoiled brat who grew up without the love of anyone around her and clung desperately to Vincent's heart.

Her love for him morphed into a twisted obsession, and when the female lead entered the picture, Iris tormented her mercilessly.

I remembered rooting for her downfall; her death had been a satisfying moment for me. But now, trapped in the body of someone whose demise I once relished, I felt the weight of irony.

"How hypocritical," I scoffed, a bitter taste in my mouth. It stung to acknowledge that I had let my original body drown in the river yet here I was fighting to stay alive in another person's body.

A deep sigh escaped my lips as I sunk my pale face into my palms. The cool night breeze caressed my skin, a fleeting comfort as I tried digging deeper but I had reached a dead end… for now.

Determination surged within me as I flung my head back up. My gaze fell on the paper in front of me.

"Vincent is the hero of the story" I read out loud, standing up from my seat while keep my eyes glued to the paper. I continued reading each point I had written down.

"Iris falls in love with him… but he doesn't love her… they get married… Vincent falls in love with an Omega who is the female lead… Vincent leaves Iris…" I stopped, my stomach twisting at the inevitable conclusion

"Iris kills herself…" my voice almost faded into a whisper, the weight of the words pressing down on me. I let out a deep sigh and collapsed back into my chair. "I guess we're sort of similar" I muttered chuckling in disbelief at my own words.

"I wonder what was going on in her head" I pondered. "No!" I shook my head. "No unnecessary thoughts Annalise… Focus!" I said slapping my cheeks lightly.

"I need more information" . I knew who to call for that. A wave of dizziness washed over me and I felt fatigue tugging on my eyelids. I was way past the bedtime I grew accustomed to.

"Maybe tomorrow…I'll definitely ask tomorrow" I murmured as I walked over to the bed and tucked myself surrendering to the pull of sleep.

The next morning, I woke up feeling a renewed sense of determination. I needed to find a way to escape Iris's fate.

"I need to stop the wedding," I muttered under my breath. That was my goal… for now.

"Lena!" I called, beckoning the new maid to come forward. It was a hot afternoon, the heat clinging to the air as I sought refuge in my usual spot in the garden.

Roselle and Selene were assigned different tasks by Hannah, so they couldn't accompany me.

"Yes, Your Grace," she answered, her faint voice barely more than a whisper.

"Tell me everything you know about this kingdom," I ordered, noticing the shock in her wide eyes.

I had expected that reaction; everything I did or said seemed to catch them off guard.

"Your Grace…" She averted her gaze, her voice trembling as she continued, "I think reading about it would be better."

"Ugh!" I rolled my eyes at her response. Of course, I had considered reading about the kingdom's history in a book, but when I had requested it earlier that morning, the size of the tome alone had discouraged my efforts.

"I'm not reading that," I said, frowning. I liked reading but only when I chose to read and my kind of books were definitely not historical nonfiction in this case.

The book now sat in my room, a reminder of my reluctance, and it seemed I would have to confront it eventually. After all, a mere maid wouldn't be able to provide me with all the information I needed.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace… I didn't mean to offend you," Lena said, rushing to her knees as if I were about to execute her.

My reaction seemed to terrify her, and I noticed her trembling. Considering Iris's nasty attitude and reputation, it made sense that everyone around me was on edge, watching my every move. A twinge of guilt washed over me at her pitiful state.

"I'm fine, I promise," I assured her with a smile, but she still looked like she was on the verge of tears.

Later that evening, I finally mustered the courage to face the large book in front of me, its hard yet beautiful cover beckoning me to delve into the kingdom's secrets.

If I was going to find a way to escape, I needed to know more about the werewolf kingdom I had unwittingly entered.

After two hours of dragging my gaze across the words, fighting the urge to doze off, I finally conceded defeat, having collected only a few pieces of information. The kingdom of Estoria had twelve provinces, each headed by an Alpha Duke of varying ranks who served as ministers reporting to the King of Alphas.

My father or rather, Iris's father was the Alpha of the Valenhart family, a noble werewolf pack and the second-ranking Duke of Everett Province. He oversaw the agricultural sector of the kingdom, and the Valenhart family was renowned for its loyalty to the royal family.

I scanned the pages further, hoping to find something about the separation between the Alpha King and his fated Luna, but there was nothing written.

"Fuck!" I cursed, slipping down the sofa on the balcony where the hallway ended. It had become a new favorite spot of mine, the cold breeze refreshing enough to keep me awake.

Dark, slippery thoughts crept at the edges of my mind. Even though I was in a precarious situation, I felt alive… something I hadn't experienced in my original life.

A mix of euphoria and guilt spread through me… and strangely, I enjoyed it. Those voices that followed me all the way to my death in my past life were no longer there.

I didn't know when a smile found it's way to my face. I suddenly realized shaking my head, I forced myself to focus on my reading.

I also learned another crucial detail: I was currently residing in the Moon Castle, an extension of the main palace where the king himself resided and most court affairs were conducted.

"Maybe I'm overthinking this," I mumbled, inhaling deeply. The moonlight from the glowing orb illuminated the beauty of the forest surrounding the castle where I sat. Distant howls echoed through the night, a haunting reminder of the world I now inhabited.

This new life was a beginning for me, and I wasn't ready to throw it away. Perhaps this was God's way of apologizing, and I was willing to accept it.

"I just need to see Vincent… hmm! Yes! That's what I need to do!" I steeled my resolve, my hands clenching into tight fists as excitement surged through me.

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