After I finished destroying the flowers, my mood finally improved. Forget it. That she-wolf was long dead anyway. She was just Rufus’ past and had no significance anymore. I was Rufus’ future after all.
What was more, luck was already on my side. I encountered a she-wolf who was willing to help me after I entered the palace. Although she was a loner and weird, always wearing a gray hat that shielded her face from others’ sight, without her help, I wouldn’t have been able to get a place beside Rufus so easily.
As this thought ran through my mind, I abruptly recalled the questions Rufus had asked me and my stomach churned uneasily. Rufus had inferred that there had to be another person who had helped them last night. Knowing his character, I was certain he would conduct discreet inquiries. If he discovered this person, I might be in real trouble.
Adela’s POV
Last night, I had watched the battle between Rufus and the vampires from a hiding spot by the rocks on the edge of the cliff. It was very fierce and intense.
I had stayed put where I was, afraid that I might accidentally get injured if I came any closer. I didn’t dare to make a sound or a single move, until I saw Rufus falling off the cliff.
I remember freezing when I saw that, and I had struggled to swallow the scream that rose in my throat. I had no idea what to do.
Rufus, the strongest werewolf in the kingdom, had fallen in the hands of the vampires. Even if I had rushed in to save him, I was powerless against the vampires. I had never trained a single day in my life, and the vampires would probably kill me in the blink of an eye.
Then, just when I thought I was going to lose my mind, I spotted a nimble she-wolf leap over the cliff and disappear among the bushes below.
That had only made me hesitate more. I was itching to head down and see what was going on, but I was too scared to come out of my hiding place. In the end, I stayed where I was.
It wasn’t until all the vampires had been defeated by the rest of Rufus’ men that I was able to muster the courage to step out into the bloody battlefield.
It had taken me a long time to make my way down the cliff. It wasn’t an easy path to begin with, and I already had a slight night blindness to deal with. The only thing I could rely on was the faint glow from my phone’s screen. I remember stumbling several times and scraping my arms and knees.
On my way, I had almost roused a bear from its sleep, and I had to make another detour on my trek. Fortunately, I had been able to reach Rufus just before dawn.
He was curled up by himself inside a cave, his face mottled with pain. He had fainted, and was clearly in a terrible condition.
There had been no one else with him, no trace of the she-wolf except for the clothes she had left behind. I hadn’t the foggiest clue what could have happened between them, but I recognized the great opportunity that had fallen on my lap. I remember being so excited by the prospect that my hands were shaking.
I had taken my clothes off as fast as I could, tied them to a rock, and threw it into the lake. Then, I took out the potion I had carried with me this whole time and held it up under Rufus nose to let him sniff it into his system. The potion was designed to make him mistake me for his mate. Its effects would last for a month, which might not sound long, but it was enough time for me to complete the rest of my plan.
I made sure that Rufus took several whiffs of the substance before I went back to the lake. I filled the vial to the brim with water, and then let it sink into the lake, much like my clothes. And then, all that was left for me to do was to lie in his arms.
Everything had gone so smoothly, as if the Moon Goddess herself was helping me.
After a while, Rufus stirred in my embrace and started to open his eyes.
I remember how I tried my best to steady my breaths. I was so nervous, and scared that my thundering heart would expose my lie.
But the moment Rufus’ gorgeous eyes met mine, I forgot everything else. I could risk anything if it meant that I could be with him.
But Rufus was immediately hostile toward me.
I had prepared myself for this, of course. If he had been the type to pounce on me at first sight like most other lecherous werewolves, I wouldn’t have concocted such an elaborate plan.
And so, I proceeded to gently explain how I had saved him.
Rufus had shown no emotion as he listened, though he did eventually take me back to the imperial palace without a second thought.
He had been so calm about me being his mate, so much so that I started to think he didn’t care for his mate at all. Or was it just me he didn’t care for? I, on the other hand, had been on the edge since he woke up. I couldn’t shake off the suspicion that he had somehow learned of the truth, and was only going along with my acting to bait me for a greater punishment.
As if to make matters more complicated, Rufus ‘ wounds had indeed been cured.
Could that she-wolf from last night be his former mate? Wasn’t she supposed to have died a long time ago?
The more I thought about it, the more confused I was. What was going on? Had Rufus’ mate faked her death?
I was desperate for the answer and I knew I needed to ask that person!
Lucy’s POV
No sunshine ever reached the remote palace all year round. I tossed the wet clothes into the basket as I gazed out at Firman through the ivy covered banister of the porch. He had been fine this morning before he went to school, but he had been avoiding me since his return.
“Firman, come here,” I couldn’t help but wave him over.
He glanced at me briefly before ducking his head. He then trudged toward me as though his shoes were made of lead.
I reached out and touched his forehead. His temperature was normal, and there seemed to be nothing wrong with his face.
“What’s the problem, Mom?” Firman muttered under his breath.
Noticing the way he was dodging my eyes, I grabbed his wrist and pulled up his sleeve.
He tried to struggle against me, but in the end, he simply turned away.
Just as I had expected, there were two large bruises marring his skin. I could tell from the color that whoever had done this had used a lot of f0rce.
I was immediately upset, but my distress soon gave way to rage.
“Tell me, what happened?” I demanded. “Who hurt you?”
Firman was still unwilling to look at me. He stubbornly pursed his lips, and a familiar stubborn edge appeared in his eyes. It was very similar to his father.
Realizing that I must have frightened him with my harsh tone, I took a calming breath before speaking again.
“I’m sorry, Firman. I didn’t mean to scold you. I was just worried.” I got down on my haunches and gathered him in his arms.
At last, Firman relaxed and leaned into my embrace. He buried his face in the crook of my neck and sobbed.
As pained as I was on his behalf, I also hated to see him acting so weak.
“Can you tell me what happened now? Come on, don’t be afraid. If you say nothing, no one will know that you were bullied.”
Still, Firman kept his silence. After a long while, he mumbled, “My classmates hit me.”
“Which ones? Can you give me their names?” I pulled back and raised his head so that I could look him in the eye.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply