Chapter 5

　　Mira's POV

　　After leaving the hospital, I went straight to a teahouse and bought a box of premium tea at a high price, planning to give it to my father, who loved to brew tea.

　　In my previous life, under Seraphina and Vivienne's manipulation, I had opposed Marcus at every turn. Eventually, my father had been angry enough to disown me as his Alpha heir. He had tried to marry me off to the Alpha of Silvercrest Pack just to secure Silvercrest Pack's support in business and Pack affairs.

　　If my relationship with my father hadn't deteriorated to that point, Seraphina and her daughter would never have found the opportunity to murder us both.

　　So I decided to repair things with my father first and protect everything that belonged to Mooncrest Pack.

　　That evening, I returned to the estate with the tea.

　　My father was sitting in the living room, fuming. Seraphina was kneading his shoulders, her voice soft. "Marcus, don't be angry. Mira has always had this kind of temper. She's your daughter. You can't really throw her out of the house, can you?"

　　"Can't I?"

　　Marcus's anger boiled over. "This ungrateful child. She knew full well I can't stand Elias's family, and she still brought them here to provoke me! Effective today, cut off her Pack allowance. Change the estate's access codes. As far as I'm concerned, I don't have this daughter!"

　　A fleeting cold smile crossed Seraphina's lips. She exchanged a glance with Vivienne.

　　Vivienne immediately sat down beside Marcus, playing the dutiful daughter. "Daddy, I'll be here to look after you. Don't fight with my sister. I'm worried about your health."

　　Marcus sighed deeply. "It must be genetic. You're just like your mother, understanding, sensible, smart. And then look at Mira. Your mother raised her too, and what happened? She's just like her shameless biological mother, always causing embarrassment."

　　Seraphina said gently, "Marcus, let's not bring up the past. Mira is grown now. She's ashamed of her mother herself. After all, her mother had barely given birth to Mira when she got involved with a Beta from the Pack. That scandal was all over the place. People still bring it up."

　　Seraphina's reminder dragged him back to the memory of being betrayed.

　　He gazed at Seraphina with deep feeling. "I'm grateful to you. You comforted me through that time. You stayed with me. And you gave me a daughter as wonderful as Vivienne."

　　I walked into the living room just in time to see this picture-perfect family of three.

　　I tightened my grip on the gift bag, finding it all a bit ironic.

　　Swallowing the bitterness inside, I spoke quietly. "Dad, I'm home."

　　Marcus and the others were all startled.

　　"You have the nerve to come back?" Marcus barked. "What? I set the dogs on Elias's family and you're here to settle the score?"

　　Before, I had fought with him over Elias time and again. Marcus assumed I was back for another fight.

　　Seraphina hurriedly played the peacemaker. "Mira, your father's blood pressure is up because of what happened with Elias's family. Could you keep it down? Don't upset him, all right?"

　　Vivienne chimed in. "Sister, Dad isn't young anymore. I'm begging you, don't provoke him."

　　Hearing the pair's familiar routine, I offered a small smile. "Auntie, Vivienne, what are you talking about? I came back to apologize to Dad."

　　The words fell. Marcus stared at me in surprise. "You came back to apologize?"

　　I walked over and sat beside my father, handing him the gift bag. "Dad, this is this year's new tea. I bought it for you."

　　Marcus's anger deflated considerably when he saw the premium tea.

　　After all, I had rarely shown him any care, let alone given him gifts. My attention had been entirely on Elias. Now that I was suddenly giving him a present, he was touched. Though he still said firmly, "Even if you buy me tea, I'm not supporting you and Elias!"

　　"I'll listen to you."

　　I said, "I broke up with Elias. I'll move back home. I'll look after you, just like Vivienne does."

　　Seraphina and Vivienne's expressions shifted the moment I finished.

　　Marcus asked, barely believing it. "Really? You really broke up with him?"

　　I nodded. "Yes. I've done a lot of thinking these past few days. I was too immature before. Everything you did was for my own good, and I kept making you angry. As for Elias, he and his family aren't a good fit for us. Even I couldn't stand his relatives, let alone you."

　　My rare concession, not just an apology but a clean break with Elias, left Marcus overjoyed.

　　He laughed out loud. "My daughter has finally come to her senses! I always knew it. My daughter could never truly fall for a low-born werewolf like him, someone who only knows how to cling to others."

　　Seraphina never expected that Marcus, who had been furious just moments ago, would wipe the slate clean the instant I showed remorse.

　　I could feel Vivienne's gaze burning into me. She hated me. I knew that. In her eyes, I should have been cast aside by my father for good. But now I was moving back in, reclaiming my father's attention, and re-entering the fight for the Alpha inheritance. How could she not hate me?

　　Marcus, with a great weight lifted from his shoulders, was practically beside himself with relief. He told Seraphina, "Quick, bring my tea set. I want to properly taste the premium tea my daughter bought me!"

　　Seraphina forced a smile. "Of course. I'll go get it."