Return of The Alpha Heiress

Chapter 87: Richard – We Have Changed

The Clarissa before me reminded me of the Clarissa I had known five years ago.

Back then, she was only eighteen.

Thinking about everything the Alpha Green family had put her through at such a young age made my chest ache.

I bent down to put her shoes on, keeping my gaze lowered, unwilling to let her see the sadness in my eyes.

Her gentle voice flowed into my ears.

"You really would do anything for me?"

I looked up quickly, just in time to catch a flicker of cunning in her beautiful eyes before it vanished, replaced by a calm, unreadable gaze.

"Yes. I would do anything for you," I answered without hesitation.

For a brief moment, I was still captivated by that sly look.

She was more intriguing now.

The smile on my face faded when she asked again,

"Even if I told you to kill someone for no reason?"

I felt like Clarissa was deliberately trying to make herself sound menacing.

Perhaps she didn’t want me close.

Perhaps she was afraid of being hurt again.

Even so, if she truly wanted someone dead, I was certain it would be someone who had wronged her.

Even without her asking, I would kill that person myself.

So I replied firmly,

"Yes. No matter who it is."

Clarissa’s expression didn’t change.

She stood up after I finished putting on both of her shoes.

"You don’t have enforcers escorting you yet, right? I’ll arrange the best enforcers from my team—"

"Do whatever you want," she cut me off as she walked toward the door. "But my escort team will still be led by someone I choose. Whoever you assign must follow my person’s orders."

"Alright," I nodded.

She opened the door.

To my surprise, a tall, broad-shouldered man stood outside. His features were rough, and he looked to be in his mid-thirties.

"This is my head guard, Eson," Clarissa introduced him.

Obby immediately assessed the man.

He was strong. Strong enough to withstand the pressure Obby emitted.

When Clarissa turned back to me, her brows knit together, displeasure flashing across her face.

"Is this how you welcome my people?"

So she noticed.

She knew I had been assessing Eson.

Before I could respond, she waved a hand dismissively.

"You’re a Lycan King candidate. You’re entitled to do whatever you want."

She then looked at Eson. The man nodded at me.

I returned the nod and followed Clarissa, who had already started walking.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized Eson had been standing outside the meeting room the entire time.

He must have heard everything.

That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Now he understood my position and wouldn’t dare act recklessly unless he wanted to make an enemy of the entire empire.

"I admit I assessed your guard," I said. "But only because I wanted to know if I could trust him with your safety. He’s strong. Where did you meet him?"

Clarissa didn’t slow down. She didn’t even glance at me.

Instead, she replied flatly,

"Are you still the quiet Richard I used to know?"

"I—"

Silence.

I didn’t know how to answer that.

Truthfully, spending five years around Oliver had changed me quite a bit. But still...

"I’m not usually this talkative with anyone else," I defended myself. "I’m only like this with you."

She cleared her throat.

"Hm. Alright."

I was about to ask why she reacted that way when we heard commotion coming from the front corridor.

We turned the corner and reached the source of the noise, the main hall lobby.

Oliver dashed toward me the moment he saw me.

"Commander Black," he called formally, though it sounded strange to my ears. "We’ve sent the injured warriors and enforcers to another pack. They’ll be treated there."

I nodded.

"You may rest."

But Oliver didn’t move.

Instead, he craned his neck, peering past me.

Noah and Larry were also in the lobby and quickly approached.

"I returned earlier, but The Healer’s guard said you were in a meeting with her and couldn’t be disturbed," Noah reported, sounding slightly intimidated by Eson.

Cough.

I coughed without realizing it.

Did they hear... anything strange from that ’meeting’ earlier?

More importantly, I turned to Larry.

His attention was entirely on me.

He hadn’t spared a single glance at the woman standing behind me.

The woman who was, in fact, his own sister.

How am I supposed to introduce Clarissa to him?

In the end, I chose the formal approach.

"Everyone, allow me to introduce her. This is The Healer, Lady Rissa."

Only then did Clarissa step forward, revealing her beautiful face to Larry, Noah, Oliver, and the enforcers and alphas present.

Larry stared at her.

Suddenly, Clarissa spoke.

"Brother Larry!"

She rushed toward him, her eyes already shimmering with tears.

Larry finally recognized her.

"Clarissa... you’re alive?"

Clarissa nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Tears I desperately wanted to wipe away.

But I stayed silent, unwilling to intrude on their reunion.

"The Healer is Larry’s sister?!" Oliver shouted.

His voice was so loud that even those at the far end of the lobby immediately understood what had happened.

Many knew Larry was Alpha Green’s son, especially the alphas from the West Region.

That The Healer was suddenly revealed to be his sister naturally shocked them and sparked curiosity.

Before things spiraled out of control, I ordered everyone to return to the lodging prepared for them.

When they hesitated, I turned to Oliver.

"Make sure everyone returns to their rooms."

Oliver shot me a dissatisfied look.

I knew he was probably the most curious one here.

But I glared at him.

Finally, he turned away and dispersed the crowd.

I then looked at Larry and Noah.

"Let’s return to the meeting room. Report the results of your investigation."

I turned around.

Clarissa followed and spoke briefly,

"As The Healer, I should be informed of the situation as well, shouldn’t I?"

I scanned her from head to toe, worried she might be exhausted after everything that had happened.

She shot me a sharp look.

I said nothing and continued walking.

Along the way, Clarissa and Larry talked closely.

She told him she survived because she awakened before her punishment was carried out, and her abilities as The Healer had also manifested at that time.

She also said she hadn’t returned to Green Pack or informed anyone there that she was alive.

She was afraid they would harm her again.

My fists clenched as I listened to the hardships Clarissa had endured.

But why...

Why was she willing to talk so much only in front of Larry?

I wanted her to talk to me too. I wanted to hear everything.

...