After Lydia's scream filled the room, an awkward silence followed. She and Ophelia stared at each other Lydia's eyes filled with fear, while Ophelia's held a mocking glare.
Ophelia sneezed and her head turned back to normal. Lydia was still looking at her in awe.
"This world is really strange," she muttered under her breath. She couldn't believe such a thing she used to watch on TV and read in books could happen in reality.
"You are a werewolf yet you are scared of me in that form? Sometimes I wonder if you belong to this world," Ophelia mocked jokingly, and Lydia swallowed hard, still looking at Ophelia strangely.
"Why that look? Still afraid?" Ophelia asked, and Lydia shrugged her shoulders, trying to act normal, but Ophelia saw through her and laughed.
"Don't worry, I won't harm you. But this..." she said, looking at the vial she had just sniffed, and paused for a while. She looked around like she was ensuring no one was watching her, then she gently slipped it into her pocket. She looked at Lydia, who was staring attentively at her.
"Shhh..." Ophelia said, placing one finger on her lips, and Lydia nodded slowly and closed her eyes as pain shot through her body.
And then she shouted the injection the head nurse gave her was taking effect. She was drenched in sudden sweat, her body twisting in unnatural ways.
Ophelia watched her, eyes narrowed, then walked toward the bed and kept watching Lydia shouting and twisting in pain.
"Strange..." she murmured. She quickly picked a syringe from her medical box, drew injection water from a bottle, and fast injected Lydia, watching her slowly calm down. However, Lydia's eyes were bloodshot, her breathing low.
"Haven't she transformed yet?" Ophelia spoke in confusion. The injection would work instantly for a fully transformed werewolf, but Lydia… it had taken a huge toll on her, causing her body to react negatively to it, almost forcing her into a transformation.
And if she transformed like that, it would be very bad , she would lose her mind and become destructive. Lydia stayed like that for some hours before her eyes returned to their normal color.
She sat up, feeling completely free. The pain was gone, and she felt light as a feather.
"Thank you so much," she spoke, her voice full of gratitude.
"You're welcome," Ophelia replied. "What did you see?" she asked, and Lydia sighed.
When her eyes were bloodshot, she wasn't aware of the present world. Instead, she was trapped in a strange red realm where everyone was like a puppet being controlled by a king dressed in red. The strange thing was that she seemed to recognize the king, but it was too absurd to tell Ophelia about her past life. She believed it was just her imagination.
"Nothing," Lydia lied and avoided Ophelia's eyes.
"Don't lie. You were in the red realm, and you saw a king," she said, causing Lydia to be shocked.
"H-how do you know?" Lydia asked and watched Ophelia smirk.
"It is something deep. Someone is trying to disrupt the peacefulness of the werewolves. He now controls the red realm." Ophelia said, then paused. "This should be a secret too… not all ears are fit to hear this." She added, then looked around and noticed a little doll with large eyes almost bigger than its head hanging on the wall.
"Shit!" she cursed and walked toward it, muttering some words over it before crushing it. It turned to dust and faded away.
"What was that?" Lydia asked, surprised by what Ophelia did.
"It's a special spy doll used by the Woody family. It's the family the head nurse belongs to," Ophelia explained as she walked back to Lydia's side.
"What did you say to it? Are you a witch too?" Lydia asked, curious.
"I'm a hybrid witch. My tribe was attacked and we were thrown out of our land. We were scattered throughout the eastern region, but luckily because of my medical skills, this park welcomed me and gave me shelter," she said, her eyes flashing with a sad emotion before it disappeared like it never existed.
Lydia felt sad hearing Ophelia's story. She knew what it meant to be separated from one's home and live at the mercy of another park.
"So sorry for that," Lydia spoke, and watched Ophelia smile.
"Haha, don't worry about me. I am fine," Ophelia replied with a light laugh.
"How does being a hybrid work? I mean… can you also transform into a werewolf?" Lydia asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh, about that… yes, I can transform and I have more advantages than a normal werewolf. I can use my magical abilities in my wolf form," she said, pleased with her origin.
"Oh wow… that is great!" Lydia said, wondering how cool it must be.
"You haven't transformed yet?" Ophelia asked, her voice low like it was a secret.
"Yes… I haven't," Lydia said, slightly embarrassed.
"Hmm… no wonder you're acting all weird. Hope no one is aware?" she voiced, and Lydia felt scared.
"No-no… except people from my park who live close to my house back in my park," she said, then added, "Should I keep it a secret again?"
Ophelia laughed at her words. "That is if you like, but mind you, you will be looked down on if your fellow obryns know you haven't transformed yet," Ophelia replied, and Lydia nodded.
"I won't tell anyone about it."
"Good. Now you have to be extra careful. You seem oddly special, but you should keep it to yourself. If you perhaps meet your mate, the necklace I gave you will lose its effect," Ophelia spoke and walked to the table, placing her medical box on it.
"You are lucky the queen took a little liking to you. The queen even asked that you be brought to the royal clinic, and she has everything under control. A serious investigation is going on about who the soldier's mate was," Ophelia said and watched Lydia look shocked. Lydia silently thanked the heavens that the queen liked her and was doing her best to investigate the case.
"I am glad… the queen is so nice," Lydia said and smiled.
Ophelia didn't respond. She searched through the table, picked the valuable medical items she needed, and placed them inside the box.
"Let's go," Ophelia said, watching as Lydia got down from the bed and walked toward her.
"Make sure not to tell anyone you haven't transformed yet," Ophelia reminded, and Lydia nodded. But immediately, they heard footsteps retreat
ing. Ophelia's eyes widened in amusement.
Someone had been eavesdropping on them.