Chapter 3 The Heroine

Liandra

No. This had to be some kind of mistake. A coincidence. Anything but what I was starting to suspect.

I let out a laugh and shook my head, as if that would somehow knock some sense into me. “Ha! That's what you get for writing fantasy and romance with zero social life.”

Turning back to the woman, I tried to sound casual. “So, Miss, um... right. What was your name again?”

“It’s Elaina. Elaina Hawthorne.”

“Elaina Hawthorne,” I repeated, trying to place the name. Brown hair, caramel eyes, a beautiful face, and a maid's uniform.

My hand flew to my mouth as I sucked in a breath.

The strange light on my laptop, and everything that had happened before I blacked out came rushing back. I remembered sitting at my desk, struggling to finish a chapter, and clicking on that ridiculous system alert.

Then the light had swallowed everything.

I studied Elaina's features, suddenly paying attention to every detail. “You're an Omega...right?”

Her expression turned uneasy as she nodded. “Y-yes, my lady.”

I swallowed, searching for another explanation. Maybe Elaina was just a common name, and I was connecting things that had nothing to do with each other.

But then there was the castle. The strange world outside my balcony. And the man I'd met in the hallway.

My heart began pounding harder. “And... my fiancé is the Lycan Emperor, Feivel Augustus?”

“Yes.”

A scream escaped me.

Elaina flinched. “S-Should I call for a doctor?”

“No, no. Don't call anyone.” I rubbed my face, trying to calm myself down. “Just... give me a second.”

“Are you sure? You don't look well.”

“I don't feel well.”

She seemed ready to run for help anyway, so I forced myself to take a breath and offered her a smile. “I'm fine. I just need to think.”

But how was I supposed to think when everything around me sounded like something I'd written?

Restize. Carmilla Daemistre. An Omega named Elaina. A fiancé who happened to be the Lycan Emperor.

It couldn't be.

Was I actually inside my own novel?

And not just any character. I was Lady Carmilla Daemistre, the villainess who had done nothing but make Elaina suffer.

“No.” I grabbed her shoulders and met her eyes. “Do you know what authors are most afraid of?”

Elaina seemed unsure how to answer. “Being unable to finish their work, my lady?”

I paused.

“Well, yes. That too. But I meant meeting their own goddamn characters!”

I released her and paced around the living room, trying to get my thoughts together. “Okay, it can't be that bad, right? It's just another werewolf novel. Nothing to be nervous about.”

Except it was a werewolf novel. One full of fated mates, possessive male leads, and the cheesiest lines known to humanity.

And to make things worse, it was a story I'd written when I was eighteen.

Eighteen!

Back then, I thought dramatic misunderstandings and men who treated everyone like dirt were hot and romantic. Now, I couldn't even remember half the plot.

“Come on, Liandra. Think.” I kept pacing, desperately trying to piece the story together. “Doesn't Carmilla die in the end?”

I halted, noticing Elaina's growing concern.

I knew the main storyline, at least.

Elaina was supposed to rise from her position as an Omega and eventually become the Silver Lycan Queen. Carmilla, unwilling to accept that future, would do everything in her power to stop her.

And that was how she ended up destroying herself.

As for the rest of the story, my memory was frustratingly useless.

Then an idea struck me, and I clapped my hands.

“My... lady?” Elaina asked cautiously.

I needed information.

Elaina was the heroine. If anyone could help me figure out what happened next, it was her. Besides, making enemies with the main character seemed like a terrible idea when I already knew how her story ended.

So, I had to suck it up. Suck it real hard.

I approached Elaina and took both her hands, holding them against my chest. “I hope we can get acquainted while I'm here.”

She glanced down at our joined hands before meeting my gaze again. “Have I done something wrong?”

“No! Why would you think that?”

“You've never said anything like that to me before.”

I loosened my grip and gave her a reassuring smile. “Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?”

“Besides, you deserve to be treated well.” I gave her hands a gentle squeeze. “You can tell me if something or someone is bothering you, too.”

“I don't think that's appropriate...”

“What's not appropriate about talking?” I asked, genuinely confused. “Oh, unless you prefer writing things down? I can get you a notebook.”

“N-no! That's not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

Elaina's lips parted, but no answer came. She lowered her head, her face growing red.

I decided not to press her. Maybe she was just shy. “Anyway, I'll take really, really good care of you,” I promised. “If anyone gives you trouble, you can come straight to me.”

“Y-you don't have to do that, my lady.”

“I want to.” I smiled, pleased that I could finally do something useful. “Besides, we're going to be spending a lot of time together, so we might as well get along, right?”

I hoped that was enough to convince her. If I was going to survive this place, I'd need to start fixing Carmilla's mistakes before I even knew what they were.

“Is she bothering you, Carmilla?”

That familiar voice came from behind me.

“Damn it.”

I reluctantly let go of Elaina's hands and turned toward the newcomer.

The man stood a few steps away, his expression colder than before. His attention shifted to Elaina, and whatever warmth he'd shown me earlier vanished completely.

“No, she's not,” I answered quickly. “She's been really kind to me.”

His eyes narrowed. “You don't have to lie to me.”

Before I could ask what he meant, he caught my wrist and pulled me toward him with such ease that I nearly stumbled. I regained my balance and faced him.

“Omegas are pretentious liars,” he said, his attention fixed on Elaina.

“Wow. You really hate them, huh?”

“Of course I do. She's done nothing but harm you. To think you'd try to befriend her is beyond me.”

He said it with such certainty that I almost wondered whether we'd been talking about two different people.

Then he turned to me, his expression softening. “You really are kind.”

I gave him an awkward laugh and gently pulled my wrist free. “Right…”

I turned to Elaina, expecting her to be upset by what he'd said. Instead, she was watching him with such longing that she seemed to have forgotten the insult altogether.

I knew that look. I'd written it myself.

Elaina was supposed to be Feivel Augustus' fated mate.

The pieces began falling into place as I remembered just how complicated their relationship was. They were destined to be together, yet he treated her like she was nothing but trouble, while Elaina looked at him as if she couldn't help falling for him.

And somehow, I was standing right in the middle of it.