A Werewolf's Unexpected Mate-Chapter 134: Reunions and Resolutions

[Ann’s POV]

From my vantage point on the clay-tiled roof, I saw the entire scene unfold below with the clarity of a hawk spotting its prey. I saw Sir Ace’s silver-haired form cutting through the crowd like a blade. I saw the precise, devastating arc of his punch connecting with the leering man’s jaw. I watched the man’s body become a ragdoll, flying backward to crash into the beverage stall with a splintering crunch. I observed Sir Ace’s cold efficiency as he paid the stunned merchant, his lethal focus as he grabbed the offender’s tunic and delivered a threat that, even from a distance, made my own instincts prickle in recognition. And then, the shift: the crushing, protective hug, and the kiss that was not one of princely duty, but of raw, desperate possession.

The crisis was over. Lady Ovelia was found, and she was safe.

A strange cocktail of relief and a sharp, competitive twinge washed over me. I had searched the rooftops, but it was Sir Ace who had reached her on the ground. And Gale... where was he? With their bond, he should have been the first to her side.

Without a second thought, I pushed off from the roof’s edge. I dropped through the air, landing with a heavy thud squarely on the now-damaged roof of the beverage stall. The already weakened structure groaned and collapsed beneath me in a final shower of splintered wood and torn canvas. I landed in a crouch amidst the wreckage.

I heard the crowd gasp, and a fresh wave of pity for the merchant rippled through them. I glanced over. The poor man was just staring at the complete destruction of his livelihood, his shoulders slumped in resigned defeat. He simply sighed, a sound of utter acceptance, and began picking through the debris.

My attention was already elsewhere. Ahead, I saw Lady Ovelia and Sir Ace walking away, her hand engulfed in his. I moved, my steps swift and silent, weaving through the crowd with an agility born of my training, avoiding collisions with an almost preternatural sense of space.

Sir Ace’s head turned slightly, his silver eyes finding me instantly in the throng. He had sensed or scented my approach.

"Lady Ovelia!" I called out, my voice cutting through the residual noise.

She turned, and the sight of her face—tear-streaked but lit with a genuine, relieved smile—unlocked a tension in my chest I hadn’t fully acknowledged.

"Ann!" she exclaimed, her voice thick with emotion.

I closed the remaining distance and wrapped my arms around her in a tight, brief hug. "I’m glad you’re alright, my lady," I said into her hair, the words sincere and heavy with the fear I’d carried. "I’m glad Sir Ace found you."

She hugged me back fiercely, her grip strong. "Thank you for worrying about me, and for looking for me, Ann," she said, her voice muffled against my head but filled with a profound gratitude that warmed me from the inside out.

All the coiled anxiety in my wolf, the fatigue from the frantic search, the cold edge of my earlier violent intent—it all washed away in that moment, leaving behind only a clean, deep relief. I truly did not know what I would have done, what I would have become, if harm had come to her.

[Ovelia’s POV]

The sight of Ann, safe and here, was a second anchor in the storm. "I’m so sorry for all the trouble, Ann," I said as we broke apart. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

She held me at arm’s length, her black eyes serious. "Do not apologize, my lady. Worrying about your safety is part of my job," she stated with her usual professional certainty.

"Part of your job?" I repeated, a small, unavoidable flicker of sadness touching my smile. I knew she was my protector, but I had begun to hope we were more.

"That’s not all," she said quickly, her gaze dropping to the cobblestones between us. She shifted her weight, a rare show of awkwardness. "We’re... we’re friends, after all," she whispered, the admission seeming to cost her something. I saw the very tips of her ears turn a faint, charming shade of pink. "It’s normal for friends to worry about each other," she added, her voice barely audible.

Hearing her say that, seeing her flustered honesty, filled me with a pure, bright happiness. "Right," I agreed, my smile widening. I reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. Her fingers curled around mine without hesitation.

"Ahem." Ace’s deliberate cough drew our attention. He stood watching us, a faint, amused expression on his face. "I know you both still have much to discuss," he said, his voice regaining its usual calm authority, though it was softer now. "But we need to locate Ray and Gale." He then reached out and took my other hand, his grip warm and firm.

Now, with Ann holding my left hand and Ace holding my right, I felt truly, completely safe. A small, shielded island in the festival’s river.

The three of us began to walk. My thoughts drifted to Gale. He must have felt everything I had—the crushing loneliness, the spike of panic, the cold fear. When I saw him, I would need to apologize for putting him through that.

I glanced at Ann on my left. As we walked side-by-side, I suddenly noticed something. I tilted my head, studying her. Before, the top of her head had only reached my chest. Now, she stood just above my shoulder. "Ann," I said.

She looked at me, curious.

"You’ve grown taller," I added, genuinely surprised.

Her eyes darted down to her own body, then back up to mine, measuring the difference. A slow, pleased smile spread across her face. "You’re right, my lady. That explains why the vendors have been calling me ’miss’ and ’lady’ tonight, instead of ’young lady.’" She sounded immensely satisfied.

"She is the only werewolf I’ve ever known whose growth seems to follow the pace of a particularly stubborn oak tree," Ace commented from my other side, a hint of a chuckle in his voice.

"Perhaps it will be another full year before I gain another inch," Ann said, her brief pleasure giving way to a sigh of disappointment.

I smiled, holding back a laugh. She was adorable when she was pouting about her height. But then, a faint, strange sensation tugged at the edge of my awareness—a distant echo of weakness, a tremor through the bond I shared with Gale. I remembered his absence, his silence during my panic.

I need to stay calm, I reminded myself firmly. I don’t want to send him any more negative emotions. I focused on the warmth of the hands holding mine, on the safety of my found family around me.

Gale, please be safe. We are coming to find you. We definitely will.