Scars to Remember

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A week passed and much to everyone's surprise, the Sverlia pack was in the lead—nothing shocking for the Ashbryn pack as they already knew what Scarlett was capable of. The two packs continued to avoid each other as much as possible and having their quarters on different floors helped too. 

From the very start of the competition, group combats were held where the packs that won were sent to the next round where they had to fight against the winners again. By now, half of the packs have been eliminated through simple combats and were sent home. As time passed, everyone was getting familiarised with each other's techniques making the competitions harder. Svarlia's pack haven't once shifted into their werewolves form that had made the other contestants a little hesitant about them. Nonetheless, they felt respect towards them knowing the rumors were indeed true. 

Today, they were given a day off where they could do whatever they wanted to do around the palace. Scarlett had first decided to spend the time in her room letting the other leave but soon got bored and left the room. She was wearing casual clothes and had a satin cloth over the lower half of her face unlike the bronze mask that everyone has always seen her wearing. 

She was walking through a random hallway when two children appeared from the other side and ran right into her making them all tumble on the ground. Scarlett blinked at the sudden turn of events and stared at the two kids who were sitting over her, both surprised like her. Although she felt no difference regarding the little girl who seemed to be two years old, the eight-year-old boy sitting on her stomach suffocated her.

"Oh come on Aurora and Mike, gave us some break!" Elestren ad Verena appeared from the direction where the kids came from and gasped simultaneously. 

"Elena!" Elestren immediately grabbed the girl and picked her off while Verena pulled the boy off her. "Are you okay?" Verena asked her and helped her stand up. 

"Yeah, and it's Scarlett" Scarlett replied and gave a tight smile.

"Huh?"

"My name, it's Scarlett," She clarified.

"You finally accepted your birth name," Elestren said looking at her with an unknowing expression. 

"I finally accepted my real self." Scarlett gave a small laugh. 

The two silently watched each other for a minute not sure what to say. The girl in Elestren's arm also stayed silent unsure of what was happening. Finally, it was Elestren who took the first step. "Damn, I missed you!" She moved forward and took her in a hug. Scarlett hugged her back while making sure she didn't crush the little girl in her arm.

"Mommy!" The little girl squealed making the two pull apart. 

"Mommy?" Scarlett raised an eyebrow and looked at the little girl. "Didn't expect I would see a day where someone would call you mom."

"Oh, we all saw that coming!" Elestren waved her hand non chalantly. 

Scarlett then looked at Verena and her son who were silently watching the two. "Hi!" Scarlett whispered.

Verena wiped the tear off her face and took Scarlet in a bone-crushing hug. "You are such a bitch for leaving like that,"

"Careful Rena! There are kids here," Scarlett pointed out making Verena lightly punch her in the shoulder. They finally pull apart and Scarlett looked at Mike.

"You grew up into such a handsome man," Scarlett gushed. 

Mike looked at her hesitantly then back at Verena. When Verena nodded at him, a huge smile took over his face and jumped right into her arms just like he used to do when she stayed at the Ashbryn pack four years ago, "Aunt Ella!" 

Scarlett huffed at the sudden weight, "You have become heavy too!" She complained making everyone laugh.

•☾•

"So, who is the man that is always beside you?" Verena asked. 

The three women were later gathered in Scarlett's room as she still felt awkward going around the Ashbryn pack. She had long discarded her mask and was munching on the potato chips she had brought along with her.

"That was Daniel,"

"He seemed hot even though we couldn't see his face properly," Elestren smirk and looked at her mischievously, "Are you two a thing?"

Scarlett looked away from them and stared at her fingers. "What we have...it's complicated."

"How so?" Elestren urged.

"What we started was a relation with no romantic feeling involved."

"Like friends with benefits?" Verena interjected.

"More than friends with benefits," Scarlett corrected, "Our stories, our suffering were similar. We understood each other and shared our pain with each other. Spending time together, it was as if we were sharing our pain."

Scarlett sigh and fell back guilt overtaking her, "But somewhere on the way, he developed feelings for me. I feel so guilty I feel like I took advantage of him, of his emotions when that was not the intention. The moments we spent together were beautiful but...I don't feel that way about him. I still have...I still have Fryer in my heart." She finally confessed, feeling the weight lifting off her shoulders. 

"Poor girl," Elestren cried and pulled Scarlett in a hug, "When are you finally going to get what you deserve?"

Daniel clenched his fists controlling himself to not break down outside Scarlett's door. Elestren was right, When was she going to get what she deserved?  Daniel felt his heartbreak thinking he was not what she deserved. 

He turned around and walked away. Just as he turned another corner, he ran into a person. He immediately grabbed the person before she could fall to the ground. An immense feeling of tingles ran through his body at the small contact they made. The two gasped making Daniel realize he was not the only one feeling that. The girl looked up making contact with Daniel's dark brown eyes. 

At this moment Daniel realized he had found what he deserved and even without asking who she was, he took her in his arms and finally broke down giving away all the emotions he has been hiding for years.