Chapter 5

　　Ayla POV

　　The moment our eyes met, I felt a strange pull, as if my whole being recognized him as my mate. His scent filled my senses, and my wolf stirred within me, confirming what I had only heard about in legends. But I couldn't let myself be distracted. I still had a job to do.

　　"Let go."

　　He smirked, unfazed by my resistance. "Feisty, but not enough to intimidate me. Come with me."

　　"No," I stood my ground.

　　I pulled my arm away forcefully and pushed past him. I could sense the confusion and gossip among those present, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I had a mission to complete. The situation was already difficult, especially given the presence of the entire Royal Family.

　　I tried to leave, but the Royal Guards swiftly blocked my way, and I realized that he had used his mind to prevent me from escaping.

　　"What's going on, Ayla?" Masha asked worriedly, but I remained silent.

　　Suddenly, I sprang into action, taking down the guards who tried to approach me in the blink of an eye. My movements were quick, and with my atypical skills, I defeated them one by one, leaving them unconscious on the ground. The remaining Royal Guards hesitated to approach me, their fear evident in their eyes. I wiped the sweat from my brow before turning to face the Alpha King again.

　　"Let me go," I appealed, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rising tension.

　　"Will you return?"

　　My eyes were focused solely on him because of his query. His tone sounded as if he longed for the response he hoped to hear.

　　"Do you want me to?" I countered.

　　Unflinchingly, he replied, "I've been waiting for you for half of my life. You already know the answer."

　　"Ayla, the Royal Guards are fighting in the southern part of the Evercrest! They need you there!" Masha urgently informed me.

　　I simply nodded, acknowledging her message. I knew she understood my silent response.

　　"Hurry!" she urged.

　　"Time is running. I want an answer," the Alpha King pressed, his gaze locking with mine, leaving me momentarily speechless.

　　"I'll try…" I managed to say before quickly slipping away and finding cover behind a nearby tree.

　　Taking a long breath, I summoned my wolf. "Ready for battle?"

　　"Is he our second mate, Ayla?!" She practically bubbled over with excitement.

　　Raising my gaze to the moon, I mused, "I don't understand the Moon Goddess's intentions, but we have a fight ahead. Are you happy about this?"

　　It was a rhetorical question, considering Ruby's enthusiasm.

　　"Well, he's undeniably attractive!"

　　Embracing the fury coursing through my veins, I transformed into a wolf, my eyes shifting as the change took hold. Ruby's fur took on a dark reddish-brown hue with striking red sapphire eyes.

　　"Don't get too flirtatious, Ruby," I warned playfully.

　　She laughed and stuck her tongue out as I turned and ran south. My eyes narrowed as I sharpened my senses and sprinted into the field. I bit a rogue who charged at me and broke its neck, not giving it a chance to retaliate. I then dodged to the left, colliding with a black wolf that was about to attack me from behind. The wolf groaned in pain and after a moment or two, collapsed and died.

　　I leaped and twisted in the air to avoid the metal arrows flying towards me. I spotted rogues in human form aiming at us. These rogues, either expelled from their pack or choosing to live in the wild, had long fur and emitted a foul odor. They could be either good or bad.

　　I swiftly changed my form behind a tree, donning my leather outfit and boots before climbing the tall trees to target the enemies. They tried to hit me, but my reflexes were too fast. I landed smoothly and kicked one of the rogues to the side, causing it to drop to the ground with a thud.

　　I strangled another rogue who attempted to attack me, pressing my razor-sharp claws against its neck. I punched the one to my right and ruthlessly twisted its neck.

　　I noticed the other Royal Guards arrived. Masha must have already informed them that we needed backup. The high number of rogues attacking was unusual today. They were desperate to assassinate the Alpha King, but not on my watch, especially now that I had a special bond with him, even though I was unsure of what to do next.

　　Lost in my thoughts, I was caught off guard by a rogue flying at me, and it managed to stab me in the stomach. My mouth opened wide in shock, my hands sweating. The piercing pain took a few minutes to fully register, and I could feel the hot blood gushing from the wound, as if my heart sought to pump it out of my body.

　　"Fuck!" I cursed under my breath.

　　Before the rogue could strike again, I slaughtered the remaining one by ripping his head off, causing a sickening crack.

　　"Ayla!"

　　I winced before turning to face Masha. A hint of concern was visible on her face as she examined my fresh wound. The blood continued to leak, and the thick fluid felt neither warmer nor cooler than my own skin. The blade was not ordinary and had left me in a bad state.

　　"I-I'm okay," I stammered.

　　She shook her head, scared to death. "I don't think so. That blade is poisoned!"

　　I inspected the weapon used to stab me. For a fighter like me, I was no stranger to situations like this. This was nothing new, but I couldn't shake the feeling of weakness. Perhaps it was the poison taking effect, though it would soon heal and fade away because I knew Masha would never let me die.

　　Masha held me up to prevent me from falling as the poison began to take its toll on my body. Gradually, my breathing became unsteady, and all I could remember before losing consciousness was that my vision blurred and turned black.