A Werewolf's Unexpected Mate-Chapter 99: Farewells and Foreboding

[Ovelia’s POV]

Ray ran his fingers through his tousled hair, the motion disturbingly casual given his words. "Pity they blew themselves up," he mused, his smile widening. "If I’d gotten my hands on them, I would have peeled every secret from them before I let them die." His gaze was distant, as if already planning the interrogation.

Ace’s silver eyes turned to ice. "Ray," he warned, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. "Enough."

Kai began walking toward the inn. "So Shin and I were right," he called over his shoulder. "Those bastards were working with the bandits after all."

Ray kept pace beside me, his wound glistening in the sunlight. "From what the hunters said before they died," he added, "they specifically wanted those prototype black magic restraints from the witch."

Philip’s merchant instincts surfaced immediately. His blue eyes sharpened as he calculated. "Meaning they funded the witch’s work," he concluded.

Ann frowned, her fingers tapping against her dagger hilt. "But where would hunters get that kind of coin? Mana stones don’t come cheap, especially not in quantities needed for mass production."

"They can mine for mana stones, but the mining zone is restricted and for authority only," Colt said, looking at the sky. "They must have powerful backers."

"You guys make valid points," Ace conceded, though his jaw remained clenched tight enough that I could see the muscle twitching. "But speculation without proof is worthless."

Shin exhaled through his nose, already looking exhausted by the impending workload. "Then I’ll be busy tracking hunter hideouts and gathering intel."

"Don’t forget to check for hidden workshops," Ray added, touching his wounded cheek with a grimace. "Those bastards were manufacturing firearms."

"Firearms?!" Ace’s roar made several birds take flight from nearby trees. His entire body went rigid with fury, his hands curling into fists at his sides.

Ann’s grip on her dagger turned white-knuckled. "Every kingdom banned those decades ago. The designs were destroyed." she whispered, her voice uncharacteristically shaky.

"This is dire news indeed." Mrs. Melinda said, her face pale until Chief Gareth placed a comforting hand on her shoulder

"I’ll investigate and send word of any findings," Kai promised, his usual cheer dimmed by the gravity of the situation.

Chief Gareth nodded solemnly. "We’ll share any information our travelers bring in."

"I must report this to King Alfred immediately," Philip added, already mentally preparing his message.

"Thank you, everyone," Ray said sincerely. "We’ll do the same."

From my pocket came a tiny, disgruntled voice: "Noisy mutts." The fairy’s wings fluttered irritably against the fabric.

I knew frighteningly little about werewolf hunters beyond their reputation for cruelty. The realization settled heavily in my stomach. If I wanted to protect those I cared about, I needed to become stronger.

We reached the inn’s courtyard where Kai’s and Colt’s men stood ready by the wagons, their postures stiff with anticipation. The sight drove home the finality. Our time in Thunoa Village had truly ended.

Kai stretched his arms overhead with an exaggerated groan. "Guess this is it," he said, his usual smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Time to part ways."

"Yeah," I whispered, studying the dirt at my boots to hide my disappointment.

Mrs. Melinda clasped her hands together, forcing brightness into her voice. "Won’t you stay for lunch before you go?"

Ace’s expression softened as he shook his head. "Thank you, but we need to reach Meadowlark Village before dark."

"Of course," she said quickly, already backing toward the inn. "Just wait a moment—I have something for everyone." She grabbed Chief Gareth’s arm, pulling him inside the inn with her.

Ann suddenly snapped her fingers. "Wait—Meadowlark’s music festival is tonight!"

My head jerked up. "That sounds wonderful!"

"It is," Ace confirmed, some tension leaving his shoulders. "The streets fill with performers and food stalls."

Ray’s entire demeanor lightened as he imagined it. "Once you hear their music, you won’t be able to stop moving to the beat," he said, his hips already swaying slightly.

Excitement bubbled in my chest, momentarily pushing aside the earlier gloom. I couldn’t wait to experience the Meadowlark Village music festival.

Philip sighed wistfully. "For merchants, it’s the perfect selling opportunity... but I must report to King Alfred first."

Colt kicked at the dirt. "I’d love to go too, but Atlassian Kingdom needs that bridge repaired."

Kai turned hopeful eyes toward Shin. "Can’t we stop by the festival?"

Shin didn’t even look up from adjusting his gloves. "No. The prisoners will wake by nightfall. We deliver them to Shadow Ridge Prison first." His tone left no room for argument.

Kai’s shoulders slumped as he released a long-suffering sigh, already mourning the missed celebration.

Ace tapped the side of the wagon as Philip walked by. "Before I forget," he said, his voice carrying over the clatter of loading supplies, "Heron mentioned you had an order with him. He packed everything in our wagon already."

Philip’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really?" A relieved smile spread across his face as he wiped his hands on his merchant’s tunic. "That saves me a trip back to his shop." He moved to the rear of Ace’s wagon, carefully extracting several wrapped parcels and transferring them to his own newly-acquired wagon. The wooden cart, hitched behind his horse, marked an upgrade in his merchant operations.

As Philip finished arranging his goods, the inn door creaked open. Mrs. Melinda emerged, carrying cloth-wrapped lunch boxes, her cheeks flushed from the kitchen heat. Chief Gareth followed close behind, also carrying cloth-wrapped lunch boxes with his large hands. Shin’s monkey scampered out after them, clutching a bunch of bananas in its tiny hands before leaping nimbly onto Shin’s shoulder.

"Here," Mrs. Melinda said, her voice thick with emotion she was trying to suppress. She pressed a large lunch box into Ann’s hands before turning to do the same with Philip. "I couldn’t let you travel on empty stomachs."

Chief Gareth also distributed large lunch boxes to Colt and Kai, his usual gruff expression softened. "Travel safely," he said, his deep voice rumbling. "Our village gates will always be open to all of you."

Kai accepted the food with an unusually solemn nod, cradling the bundle carefully. "Mrs. Melinda, Chief," he said, his usual boisterous tone subdued, "we’ll never forget your kindness. I’ll make sure everyone in our kingdom hears about your wonderful village and its delicacies."

Beside him, Shin offered a rare gesture of respect—a deep bow of his head, his normally impassive face showing the barest hint of gratitude.

"Take care," Ace said simply, but the weight behind those two words carried more meaning than any lengthy farewell.

As Kai and Shin turned to leave, my hand moved without thinking. My fingers closed around the fabric of their trousers, stopping them mid-step.

Kai turned back immediately, his brow furrowing with concern. "Is something wrong, Lady Ovelia?" His usual playful tone was gone, replaced by genuine worry.

My pulse pounded in my ears as I reached out mentally to Lady Firera. "Why do I feel like this? Why am I so attached to them? I only met Kai three days ago, and Shin just last night."

Lady Firera’s response came gently but firmly. "I don’t think it’s attachment. You’re afraid of being alone again. Or perhaps you simply wish to know them better before they go."

The truth of her words sent my heart racing faster, thumping against my ribs like a trapped bird. The warmth of the sun, the scent of the packed lunches, the sound of the monkey chittering on Shin’s shoulder—all of it suddenly felt painfully vivid, like this moment was etching itself into my memory.