I arranged some twigs and branches over the fire, then fetched some water and set it on the pot. I put the fish in first, and then added the mushrooms. The mountain spring water was cool and sweet, adding a refreshing element to the dish.
Soon enough, the cave was filled with the aroma of food. I sneaked another bout of magic and made myself a wooden spoon to stir the soup with. Once it was cooked and cooled down, I carefully fed Rufus.
I ate some myself, and then followed it up with a few of the sweet fruits.
The wind outside howled louder as I finished my meager meal. I collected the dry straw scattered at the entrance of the cave and put them under Rufus, hoping that it would help to keep him warm.
Rufus was still fast asleep. I sat next to him and dozed off. The next thing I knew, Yana was urgently telling me to wake up.
“Come on, hurry and wake up! Rufus is rousing.” Yana was hopping anxiously in my mind.
I was still a little dazed, though. I blinked my eyes open and found myself in Rufus’ arms. He furrowed his brows and let out a groan. His hand twitched inside mine. He was going to wake up any second now.
I scrambled out of his embrace, overcome by the need to flee.
“Hurry up! He’s about to open his eyes!” Yana urged. “If he discovers you, you’ll be done for!”
Her words were unnecessary, as I was already rushing myself. But Rufus had somehow grabbed my arm in a vise grip. I did not dare to struggle hard against his hold, or I might suddenly wake him up. “Your clothes! Your clothes!” Yana reminded me.
But my clothes were all tangled up in Rufus’ body, and I couldn’t risk prying them without waking him. My plan was to release myself from his grip, and then hightail it out of the cave without a backward glance.
Before I could do anything, however, I heard Rufus ‘ cold voice saying, “You’re done for.”
I froze in shock. All I could think about was that I was well and truly doomed, indeed.
Crystal’s POV
I froze in place, terrified that Rufus had finally woken up. A few seconds passed. I slowly turned around, only to find him still unconscious. Rufus had simply been talking in his sleep.
I breathed a sigh of relief, though I did not dare to stay in the cave for a moment longer. I yanked my hand free from Rufus’ grip, and then sprinted away as fast as I could.
I didn’t even chance a backward glance. Rufus had a keen sense of his surroundings. I needed to put some distance between us, or he would immediately track me down using my scent.
I belatedly looked down at my naked body and felt my face grew hot.
If I had known this would happen, I would have left at least my undershirt on. As it was, I was mortified by my state of undress.
As if to make matters worse, I heard the sound of voices and footsteps coming from the woods. I quickly turned into my wolf form and hid in the thickets to see who it was. They were soldiers, a lot of them, presumably here to search for Rufus.
It seemed that the werewolves had won last night’s battle. Now that Rufus’ men were here to rescue him, I could be at ease. However, the cave was still a ways to go, and there were several forks along the path. I need to guide them to where Rufus was.
I jumped around and stepped on the leaves, deliberately making noise to attract the soldiers ‘ attention.
“What was that?” One of the soldiers looked around, and I hurriedly ducked among the bushes.
“Must have been a squirrel,” his comrade replied. “Come on, we must hurry and find the king.”
They divided themselves into three teams, each one going in a different direction. There was no track leading to the cave, and the vicinity was pretty remote even inside the forest, so none of the soldiers thought to head that way.
I was getting anxious at this point. I grabbed a branch and threw it over. It landed on the feet of who I presumed to be the head of the troops. He was wearing a gray and blue uniform, which was unique and different from the others’. The man picked up the branch and looked in my direction. I revealed my tail, pretending to be a forest critter, before disappearing back into the woods.
Still, to my utter dismay, no one came after me.
I had no choice but to try again. When I arrived back to the spot where I had left them, they were still wandering around aimlessly.
What a bunch of useless idiots!
Frustrated, I let out a tiny howl, and then used witchcraft to transform myself into a little white raccoon.
Yana was very pleased by this. “Finally! You turned into something else besides a gibbon. You know, you’ve transformed into some pretty weird-looking creatures before.”
“It’s not like I do it on purpose. The technique has its flaws. My transformations don’t always go according to plan.” I ruffled the fur on my head, feeling a little odd about my new appearance. But I would have to make do. This spell only lasted for half an hour at most, and could only be used once a month. This was also why I rarely used it unless absolutely necessary.
I leaped forward from behind the trees and stood in front of the officer in the gray and blue uniform. I beckoned at him with my short arms and made several raccoon sounds.
The man crouched down and asked, “What are you trying to tell me?”
I continued to titter as I pointed toward the direction of the cave. I threw myself to the ground and acted like I was injured.
I had to repeat the skit a couple of times, luckily the officer understood at last. “Are you saying that there is an injured person over there?”
Yes! That was exactly what I meant!
I clambered back up and bolted back into the forest. This time, the soldiers were quick to follow me. When we were only a few meters from the cave, I slipped to the back of the group and sneaked away when no one was looking.
Crystal’s POV
After guiding the soldiers to the cave where Rufus was, I returned to the Cherry Bay Pack. I slipped into a hunter’s house in the suburbs and stole some clothes. After I put them on, I made my way to the city to check the current situation.
Two more guards were stationed at the city gate. They treated me more strictly than when I’d come here during the day. They wanted to see something that could prove my identity.
I had left my ID card in my coat, which was now at the cave.
Since I couldn’t produce it, I gave the guard an awkward smile and said, “Sorry, I forgot to carry it with me.”
Then I turned around and walked away, heading in the direction of the back entrance of the city. There was a crack on the wall I had discovered during my daytime investigation. It could prove to be useful now.
It was quite early in the morning. The city was still brightly lit, and the streets were filled with patrolling soldiers. It looked like something had really occurred this time.
I found a phone booth and dialed Laura’s number.
She answered quickly and said in an agitated voice when she realized it was me, “You have finally called me. How is the situation now? Where is Rufus? I received information that the Alpha of the Cherry Bay Pack is dead.”
“The Alpha is indeed dead. The vampires murdered him. They also intercepted Rufus and his men. Rufus was injured and fell unconscious. He will be brought back to the imperial capital shortly,” I reported concisely to Laura. She exclaimed in anguish when she heard that her son was injured. “Where did Rufus get hurt? Is his injury serious?”
I remained quiet for a while before answering in a grave voice, “Yes, it’s serious. He hasn’t woken up yet. I don’t have all the details of the situation yet. When I found him, he was already doing poorly. Fortunately, as his mate, I could at least help heal his wounds, ensuring his condition didn’t decline. However, his exact state is yet to be determined. He will have to undergo a thorough examination after returning home. The soldiers must have found him by now.”
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