A Werewolf's Unexpected Mate-Chapter 21: Werewolf Assault: Secrets Unleashed
Ace’s POV
Ray and I approached the man lying motionless on the road, his body sprawled against the dusty ground like a discarded shadow. The late afternoon sun cast long streaks of light across the path, illuminating the fine fabric of his clothes. He doesn’t look like a bandit, I thought, my curiosity piqued but my guard still firmly in place. His attire was too refined, too deliberate for a mere highway thief.
Just as I reached out to check his pulse, his eyes snapped open, sharp and alert. In one fluid motion, he seized the sword hidden beneath his chest and swung it toward me with lightning speed. I barely managed to sidestep the blade, the cold steel grazing the air where my neck had been moments before.
"A!" Ovelia’s voice rang out from the wagon, laced with panic. Her concern was palpable, and it sent a jolt through me.
"Is this a trap?!" Ray growled, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the surroundings for any sign of an ambush. His hand hovered over the hilt of his sword, ready to draw at a moment’s notice.
I glanced at the wagon, feeling a tense knot in my stomach. Ann had moved closer to Ovelia, a protective stance ready in case more werewolves emerged.
Ray unsheathed his sword, the blade gleaming in the sunlight as he pointed it at the man. "Why are you lying in the middle of the road?" he demanded, his voice firm but with a flicker of unease in his eyes.
"Why should I tell you? Maybe you’re the bandits pretending to be merchants, ready to rob me again!" the man spat, his voice dripping with anger. Before I could react, he transformed into a werewolf, his body shifting with a sickening crack of bones. Brown fur sprouted across his skin, marking him as a member of the Crimsonheart pack.
He dropped his sword and lunged at me, claws extended like deadly daggers. I barely managed to dodge his swipe aimed at my face, my heart pounding in my chest. He moves with a ferocity that speaks of experience, I realized, blocking his strikes with my blade. Each blow was powerful, but I held my ground, refusing to let him overpower me. I knew he was stronger, but he didn’t deserve to face my werewolf form—not yet.
"A! Hold him still! I’ll knock him out with one blow," Ray called out, his voice laced with determination.
"Don’t kill him," I replied urgently, my tone steady despite the chaos unfolding around us.
Ray positioned his sword, gripping the hilt tightly. I could see his plan clearly—he intended to strike the werewolf’s abdomen with the hilt, rendering him unconscious without fatal harm. The tension in the air was palpable, a silent promise of the next move in this dangerous dance.
The werewolf lunged at me again, his fist aimed squarely at my chest. I intercepted the blow, feeling the sheer force of it reverberate through my arms. Gritting my teeth, I gripped his arm tightly, locking him in place. Sensing the opportunity, Ray moved in swiftly, slamming the hilt of his sword into the werewolf’s gut.
"Ahhrgggg!" the werewolf roared in agony, his voice raw with pain. His strength faltered, and I released my grip, but he fought against his collapse, his eyes blazing with defiance. Just as he seemed ready to retaliate, Ray swung his sword again. The werewolf dodged partially, but not without a deep gash tearing across his chest, blood seeping from the wound.
"Ray, I told you not to kill him!" I shouted, frustration boiling over.
"I didn’t kill him! He’s still standing, tougher than he looks. I reduced the force of that blow because I thought it would be enough to knock him out," Ray shot back, his voice defensive but tinged with guilt.
The werewolf staggered, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "Ray... the first prince of Silverhowl Kingdom? So you must be the second prince, Ace... I’m not your enemy; I’m—" he began, but before he could finish, his body gave out. He shifted back into his human form, collapsing to the ground in a heap, unconscious..
"It seems this isn’t a trap or an ambush," Ray remarked, his tone softening as he glanced down at the fallen figure.
I turned to the wagon, where Ovelia and Ann were peering out, their faces etched with concern. "Ann, prepare bandages and medicine. We need to tend to this injured man; he doesn’t appear to be our enemy," I instructed, casting a sharp glare at Ray.
"I didn’t mean to hurt him like that! It was just reflex," Ray defended himself, his brow furrowing with guilt. "And now that you’ve revealed my name when he wakes up, our disguise will be useless."
I sighed, the weight of the situation settling over me. With a resigned determination, I bent down and lifted the unconscious man from the ground, his body limp in my arms. The road ahead was uncertain, but whether he was friend or foe, we couldn’t leave him behind.
As I carried him toward the wagon, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this encounter was only the beginning of something far more complicated—and far more dangerous.
Ovelia’s POV
As Ace approached the wagon, carrying the unconscious man from earlier, Ray walked beside him, his expression calm but alert. The man’s body hung limply in Ace’s arms, his face pale and his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of concern as I watched them.
"Are you both okay?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly as I leaned out of the wagon. My eyes darted between Ace and Ray, searching for any signs of injury.
They exchanged reassuring smiles, their confidence easing some of the tension in my chest. "We’re fine; we didn’t get hurt. We’re strong after all," Ray replied, a hint of pride coloring his tone. His voice was steady, but I noticed the faintest flicker of relief in his eyes, as if he, too, had been worried.
A wave of relief washed over me. They were safe. That was all that mattered.
Ace carefully lifted the man into the wagon, his movements deliberate and gentle despite the man’s earlier aggression. Ann immediately took charge, her hands steady as she began treating his wounds. Her movements were precise, her focus unwavering as she assessed the damage.
Ace and Ray climbed into the wagon, their eyes locked on the injured man. The air was thick with tension, but Ann’s calm demeanor seemed to anchor us all.
"His heartbeat is normal; fortunately, the wound on his chest isn’t too deep," Ann announced, her tone clinical as she cleaned the injury.
"It’s all Ray’s fault," Ace joked, a teasing glint in his eyes as he glanced at Ray
Ray’s shoulders stiffened, and he shot Ace a defensive look. "Like I said before, I didn’t mean to hurt him like that," he muttered, his voice tinged with guilt. He moved to the front of the wagon, taking the reins and setting us into motion.
As the wagon lurched forward, Ray glanced back at Ann. "Can you treat him properly while we’re moving?" He asked, concern creeping into his tone.
"Yes, Sir Ray," Ann replied confidently, her expressive eyes shining with determination. She adjusted her position to steady herself against the wagon’s movement, her hands never faltering as she worked.
"Ann, is there anything I can do to help?" I offered, eager to assist in some way. My hands fidgeted in my lap, restless and unsure.
"Yes, Lady Ovelia. Just relax. It helps me feel at ease when I see you calm," she said with a warm smile, her focus never wavering from the task at hand. Her words were gentle but firm, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration for her skill and dedication.
As I watched Ann work, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. She was so capable, so composed, even in the face of uncertainty. It was a side of her I hadn’t fully appreciated before.
"Will he wake up soon?" I asked, my voice tinged with worry as I glanced at the man’s pale face.
"I think he’ll stir in about an hour," Ann replied, gently wrapping a bandage around the man’s chest wound. Her hands moved with practiced precision, securing the bandage snugly. "Sir Ace," she added, her tone shifting slightly, "if he wakes and tries something malicious... should I kill him?" Her eyes glimmered with uncertainty, but there was a steely determination beneath it.
The question hung in the air, heavy and unsettling. I felt a chill run down my spine, but Ace’s response was immediate and firm.
"Don’t worry," he reassured her, his voice steady and commanding. "If he makes a wrong move upon waking, I’ll ensure he can’t harm you and Ovelia."
Ann and I exchanged relieved smiles at his words, the tension in the wagon easing slightly.
"The sun is setting, and I’m starving. I hope Ovelia made us some snacks before we left the kingdom." Ray called from the front, his voice carrying a hint of melancholy.
Yet, I felt a flutter of happiness at his mention of my cooking. "When we return to the kingdom, I promise to whip up some snacks again," I said, a bright smile lighting up my face.
"I’m counting on that," Ace interjected, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Me too," Ann said warmly, a genuine smile gracing her lips.
"Of course, I promise," I assured them, meeting the hopeful gazes of the three of them. My smile widened, and theirs mirrored mine, the warmth of the moment pushing back the lingering unease.
After an hour, darkness had fully fallen, and the man finally opened his eyes. I noticed the seriousness etched on Ann, Ace, and Ray’s faces as they watched him closely.
He sat up slowly, propping himself against the wagon’s wall, his hand clutching his wounded chest. His gaze swept over us, a mix of confusion and recognition dawning on his features.
"Prince Ace and Prince Ray," he murmured, his voice hoarse but steady. "I’m sorry for attacking you earlier. I thought you were bandits disguised as merchants."
Ann and I exchanged surprised glances. He knew Ace and Ray?
"It’s alright," Ace replied, his voice calm and measured. "We initially thought you were just a bandit lying in the middle of the road. What’s your name?"
The tension in the wagon was palpable, but there was a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, we could trust this man after all.
"Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Kai Hayes, a Lieutenant of the 2nd Division Army of the Crimsonheart Kingdom," said Kai, his tone straightforward yet warm.
"Wow, a lieutenant?" I replied, gazing at him with newfound respect. A smile broke across my face, and he returned it, his expression softening. There was something disarming about him, something that made me feel at ease despite the circumstances.
"Don’t stare at him too long, Ovelia," Ace interjected, his voice low but filled with an undercurrent that I couldn’t quite decipher. I felt a strange flutter in my chest. Was he jealous? Impossible—he didn’t feel that way about me.
"A lieutenant traveling alone? And why were you lying in the middle of the road earlier?" Ray asked, cocking an eyebrow in curiosity.
"I’m alone because of a mission, but that information is confidential. I was resting in the forest when I woke up to find my horse gone—bandits took it. I didn’t chase them; they were too far. So, I had to run in my werewolf form for three hours to get to Meadowlark Village. Honestly, I just collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of the road," Kai explained, a hint of embarrassment coloring his cheeks.
"What a careless lieutenant," Ann chuckled, her laughter brightening the atmosphere.
"Apologies for being a careless lieutenant," Kai responded with a wry smile and a playful tone in his voice.
Listening to Kai, I sensed he wasn’t a bad person at all. There was a sincerity in his words, a vulnerability that made him feel human despite his earlier aggression.
"Everyone, I can see Meadowlark Village ahead!" Ray announced joyfully, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
We rushed to Ray’s side, eager to catch a glimpse of our destination. The village’s lights twinkled in the distance like stars come to life, their warm glow promising rest and safety.
"Finally, we can rest," Ace sighed, a relieved smile spreading across his face.
I could feel the joy radiating from my companions. Although we hadn’t reached Meadowlark Village before nightfall, at least we had made it here safely.
