The Eleventh Luna Rose Trial Chapter 04

The Eleventh Luna Rose Trial Chapter 04

“You’re telling me it’s true? You really can grow a Silver Frost Rose?!”

The Silver Frost Rose is a Sacred Rose seed I happen to obtain three years ago. Its petals are even more extraordinary than those of the Crimson Gold Rose, and its healing properties are far more powerful.

A healing potion made from it can close wounds within five seconds and may even bring someone back from the brink of death, something a Crimson Gold Rose could never do.

Back then, I imagine becoming Nathan’s Luna one day and giving him this one-of-a-kind bonding gift with my own hands.

I curl my lips into a faint smile.

“If nothing goes wrong, it’ll be ready to harvest before the Luna Trial.”

Over the next few days, I move out of my family home and into a small cabin in the pack’s rose garden. I stop asking about Nathan and Olivia.

All I care about is this rose.

Until one day, the moment I step into the rose garden, several figures suddenly rush out.

The man in front has a vicious scar beneath his eye and a cruel smile on his face.

The rogue scent coming from him immediately tells me who he is.

He’s one of Nathan’s enemies, the same man who led the rogues who surrounded Phoebe years ago.

The Rogue King.

“Finally got you.”

My heart sinks, and I turn to run. But the rose garden is enormous, and I’m a step too slow. My back slams hard against a wall as the scarred Rogue King slowly approaches me.

“If you hadn’t meddled back then, we’d have gotten our revenge long ago! Now Nathan protects his sister and that Olivia woman so well that we can’t touch either of them. You think we can’t take it out on you instead?”

Without showing any panic, I reach into my pocket.

“I have nothing to do with them. You have the wrong person.”

The pack’s rose garden is secluded and far from the pack house. Even if I manage to call for help, anyone coming here would have to travel dozens of miles.

After hesitating for a moment, I press the emergency contact.

The phone rings for a long time.

Nathan doesn’t answer.

I grit my teeth and call Calvin instead.

The scarred man notices what I’m doing, and his expression changes, “Calling for help?”

He kicks me hard.

I crash to the ground, and the phone in my pocket accidentally switches to speakerphone.

“Helena?”

“I’m in the rose garden. Help…”

Before I can finish, I’m impatiently cut off.

“Helena, can you stop this? Today is Olivia’s first time trying on her wedding dress. Why do you have to ruin her special day?”

I freeze.

Festive laughter and music spill through the speaker.

“King Nathan said he’s going to make Olivia his Luna and let the entire werewolf realm know that she’s his Luna Queen.”

My mother’s voice comes from somewhere nearby.

“Who is it?”

“Mom, it’s Helena. I’ve muted her. We can’t let her ruin the Luna coronation.”

Laughter fills the other end of the phone.

I slowly close my eyes. When I open them again, there’s nothing left but calm.

I look at the scarred man.

“I can sense the life force of roses. If you hurt me, every pack doctor, pack member, and patient who depends on me will come after you.”

But he only laughs and points behind him.

“Who said I’m going to hurt you? You burned the woods to save that bitch back then. Today, I’ll repay you the same way. Let’s see how you like a little fire.”

The next second, flames shoot into the sky, and the entire rose garden goes up in flames.

“No!”

My hands and feet tremble uncontrollably.

“Don’t burn them. Please, I’m begging you. Some of those rose species are extinct…”

But the flames don’t stop.

One rose seedling after another turns to ash in the fire.

I rush into the flames. A burning wooden frame collapses and pins my hand beneath it.

Agonizing pain tears through me.

Then the phone in my pocket suddenly starts playing a wedding march.

I close my eyes and grit my teeth as I shield the world’s last Silver Frost Rose with my body.

But in the end, it disappears into the flames.

…

When I wake up, I’m lying in a hospital room in the pack’s medical center.

The pack doctor studies my examination report, his brows tightly furrowed.

“Your wrist is badly burned, and you’ve fractured the bone. If you want to save your hand, you can’t grow roses for a while.”

I stare at my hands, wrapped tightly in bandages, and remain silent for a long time.

“Thank you. I have one more request. If anyone comes looking for me, please turn them away and tell them I’m not here. I don’t want to see anyone before the Luna Trial.”

The pack doctor stares at me in shock.

“You’ve lost your ability to sense the life force of roses, and the pack’s entire rose garden is gone. You still intend to compete in the Luna Trial?”

I lift my eyes.

“Everyone thinks I only succeed because I can sense the life force of roses. But I’ve been growing roses for more than twenty years. What truly brought me this far has always been me.”

If my roses die, I’ll simply grow another one.

If they destroy me, I’ll grow my own future with my hands.

Soon, the day of the Luna Trial arrives, and whispers spread through the crowd.

“I heard someone managed to grow that…”

“That’s impossible. That rose has been extinct for years. Even generations of Alpha Kings have searched for it without success!”

“Wait, Helena is here? Her hands are ruined, and she’s lost her ability. She still thinks she can become the Luna Trial Champion?”

From the crowd, Nathan’s gaze falls on my bandaged wrist, his expression complicated.

He parts his lips as if he wants to say something, but I’ve already looked away.

An elder of the Royal Pack strikes the ceremonial bronze bell.

“Candidates, please bring your roses to the stage.”

I straighten my back and rise.

Just then, Beta Nick approaches Nathan and hands him a folded note.

“Alpha King, someone asked me to deliver this to you anonymously.”

“She said that if she is fortunate enough to become the Luna Trial Champion, this will be her request.”

Nathan lowers his head and unfolds the note.

The next second, his expression changes completely. He looks up, and our eyes meet.