Caitlyn's POVJust as I was talking to my father, expressing my intention to search for Talon, his figure suddenly appeared around the corner.Initially, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, as Talon was heading precisely in the direction where Kaisa was.This caught me off guard, and a sinking feeling lodged in my chest.In the past, I might have resigned myself to such a situation, but now that I had chosen a new path for myself, I faced all adversities with determination. So, armed with this conviction, I carefully followed Talon's lead.However, as I reached Kaisa's room, I observed Kaisa rushing down the alley from the other side in a state of panic. Right after, both of them were ushered toward the palace by a man bearing a scar on his face. I promptly had a bad feeling and turned back to find Bard."Are you telling me that the Alpha was summoned to the palace by the king?" Bard frowned, his concern evident."Yes, I witnessed it first
Caitlyn's POV"Caitlyn, are you... are you okay?"Talon gave me a somewhat shocked look, then turned his head back to the crystal pendant that had been twisted in half."Well, I'm fine. I heard that the king wanted to meet me, so I came." I twisted my head to look at the king; his expression was a bit deep at the moment, making it impossible to discern his emotions. So, I slightly inclined my body and bowed to the king on the stage. "Your Majesty.""Hmm. You're the human woman Talon chose?"The king nodded gently, then looked at me playfully."Yes, but I've heard that it seems the king supports Alpha Kaisa to be Talon's mate?"I finished by glancing at Kaisa, who stood not too far away, her expression looking a bit stunned as she obviously didn't expect me to mention her name out of the blue."I'll be honest; you have a lot of courage. Kaisa is a very good child, and I've been worrying about the choice of her mate for so many years. So, after
Caitlyn's POV"You look surprised, Talon!"Upon hearing the king's declaration, Alpha Shaco's face immediately lit up with ecstasy."Talon..."The unfolding situation surpassed my expectations, prompting me to subconsciously turn towards Talon, who stood beside me. Talon sensed my concern and responded with a reassuring smile, gently shaking his head.I comprehended that Talon intended to convey a message of not worrying, though I had yet to learn anything about Talon's origins from the beginning until now. Despite Talon's outward calmness, I could sense an underlying unease emanating from the wolf within him, a subtle growl of discomfort.Nobody knew what might occur when Yone arrived later.I cautiously surveyed my surroundings, mentally calculating a potential retreat route. If the king harbored any hostile intentions towards Talon, I felt confident in my ability to create an escape route during my transformation.I sank down, attempting to
Caitlyn's POVNo one expected Kaisa to be the first to speak up, and her words caused Talon to stifle a sigh of relief. Talon stood still, gazing at Kaisa with more than a hint of bewilderment."So, what do you think?" The king also appeared somewhat surprised, followed by a playful smile as he twisted his head to look at me. "It would be my honor." I nodded with a smile and then bowed towards the king."Talon, we should go." As I walked to Talon's side, I gestured for him to leave the palace with me intact. After all, Bard and the others were anxiously waiting for news outside the city walls.However, Talon remained motionless, his eyes looking at me evasively. He slowly pursed his lips, seemingly hesitant. "Caitlyn, I'm afraid I still have some things to take care of. Either you go back first, or I'll come find you a little later."Talon's tone was flat, and for a moment, I was left guessing what he was thinking. Yet, I detected a hint of an unusual politeness in hi
Caitlyn's POV"What? You mean Talon actually has a new love?"After hearing my story, Leona stood up with a face full of indignation."You can't say that. To be honest, he didn't explicitly mention choosing Kaisa. I just think that lately, Talon hasn't been looking at me with the same determination as he once did."I pursed my lips and looked up at the stars outside the window. Perhaps, even I didn't realize that I still subconsciously choose to defend Talon at times like this."I'm telling you, any hint of hesitation is disrespectful. You've sacrificed so much for him—you've miscarried your child, you've even put your life on the line. It's not too much to ask for a clear answer."Leona frowned tightly, her face looking a little red from anger."By the way, tell me more about what kind of person that Kaisa really is."Seeing that I didn't say anything for a long time, Leona couldn't help but come to me again."Well... she's a perfect woman.""Hey, how
Caitlyn's POVUpon hearing Leona's words, I hesitated. Honestly, I wasn't ready to meet Talon right now."Don't hesitate. Aren't you genuinely worried about Talon choosing Kaisa?" Leona glared at me, unmistakably pushing me out of the room."Don't come back until you've seen Talon tonight," her voice echoed behind me, closing off any chance of retreat.I strolled into the moonlight, heading in the direction where Talon was, relying on my memory. It wasn't a long walk, but I proceeded slowly, troubled by the emotions I should harbor towards Talon. I wondered if what Leona said was true – that he was just acting in front of others, but hadn't genuinely grown apart from me."Caitlyn, is that you?" I stood beneath Talon's room, torn between retracing my steps when a familiar voice came from behind me. There was a hint of shock and unhidden elation in that voice. As I slowly turned around, Talon's figure appeared around the corner."Caitlyn, I didn't think you'd come to
Caitlyn's POVTalon evidently sensed the abnormality of the moment, and with a flicker of excitement in his eyes, he kissed even more passionately.Under Talon's kisses, I felt myself slowly melting, and my body grew warm. My remaining consciousness signaled a crisis; I shouldn't be reduced to a tool for Talon to satisfy his desires.Talon's eyes flashed with a strange reddish light as his kisses intensified, and his hands climbed up my back."No, don't," I struggled to stop Talon's advances, but he acted as if he hadn't heard me. His hands, seemingly oblivious, traced the seams of my dress."No, not here," I pleaded, lifting my head, my eyes misty. In Talon's eyes, my outcry likely appeared as nothing more than a shameful plea.Sensing the impropriety of his actions, Talon reluctantly left my lips. "Come on, let's go to my room," he suggested with a playful smile, licking his lips.Although I understood the impending situation, reason told me to stop here, not
Caitlyn's POVSince the last encounter, the king seemed to have genuinely dispelled his suspicions about Talon and never summoned him alone again. The two-month deadline, once spoken by Kaisa, became an unspoken topic of conversation for everyone."Well, what does Talon think about it?" Leona approached with a curious expression just as I returned to the room."Talon is still choosing to remain silent about me. I just can't figure out if he just thought all this time I wasn't qualified to fight alongside him." I recalled Talon's serious expression from the previous night, feeling a bit sad inside."Maybe what he said is true; he has his own hardships, and this is now the way for him to protect you." Perhaps, being a werewolf as well, it was easier for Leona to understand the responsibility that Talon carried."But there are many ways to protect me. Why did he choose this? He also mentioned becoming as cold as before in public in the future when we meet each other." I
Caitlyn's POVI sidestepped to evade the attack of the werewolf standing before me, masquerading as my father. Just then, a cacophony of noise erupted from outside the church, signaling that we had been part of their plans since the moment we breached in."You go first, I'll handle this," Bard commanded coldly, standing guard at the doorway with a stern expression. The heavy, blunt footsteps outside, akin to a horn urging me forward, sank my heart."Let's deal with the immediate threat," I urged. Seeing his failed strike, the werewolf in front of me grew annoyed and transformed into a wolf in the confined space. With a bloody mouth, it lunged straight at me. I even caught a whiff of the strong fishy odor emanating from its body."Go to hell!" I shouted. Just as I contemplated transforming into a wolf myself, Bard swiftly spun around and with a forceful blow, knocked the werewolf aside. It crashed into the hard wall, whimpering in pain."It must be Yone who p
Caitlyn's POV"Any idea where my father is being held prisoner?" I inquired.Upon hearing my question, Bard didn't hesitate for a second; instead, he appeared somewhat eager."Well, earlier I overheard Yone and Talon talking, and it seems Yone is the one holding my father captive."I attempted to conceal my anger with a calm tone. As I spoke, Bard fell silent for a moment before nodding softly."In that case, let's not waste any time. We should move tonight. If the king hasn't stationed anyone there, the two of us should be able to handle it," Bard suggested as he swiftly removed his bandages."Are you sure you're up for this?" I couldn't help but notice the shocking scars on Bard's body, causing me to inhale sharply."Just a minor inconvenience, nothing serious," Bard grinned before taking the lead."But won't it be risky for just the two of us?" I hesitated slightly, still half-expecting Talon to materialize by my side. However, I knew
Caitlyn's POVWhen I confronted Talon and Yone, I could clearly discern a hint of panic in Talon's eyes."Caitlyn, what are you doing here?" Talon asked, managing a strained smile."If I hadn't stumbled upon this, I still wouldn't have known that my father was imprisoned by your men. No wonder you've sworn a few times to rescue him, yet there hasn't been any action," I remarked, casting a skeptical glance at Talon."It's none of Talon's business. It was my decision.."To my surprise, Yone, who had previously tried to intervene between Talon and me, suddenly spoke up in Talon's defense, deepening my suspicion."There's no need for so much explanation. I'll settle this," I said icily to Yone, brushing off Talon's attempt to restrain me and striding toward the door.Meanwhile, Yone stood in the corner with a faint smile on his lips, suggesting that perhaps this outcome was his true intention all along."Caitlyn, it's not what you think. Let me ex
Talon's POV"Talon, as the Alpha of the pack, what you're doing right now is incredibly irresponsible. You mustn't forget the duty that rests upon your shoulders. There's simply no time for you to play so called love game anymore," Yone chided me, his tone subdued, ignoring my anger."Who are you to dictate my actions? Don't forget your own place."Be questioned by Yone, my frustration grew."I'm sorry, but I can't stand to witness the pack’s decline. Almost every aspect of the current situation is controlled by Tryndamere. He's reaching out to numerous packs covertly. In the end, we'll be left passive when we finally launch our offensive. We should have acted sooner instead of wasting time here for a useless werewolf."Yone bristled at my words. "Firstly, he's not just a useless werewolf. He used to be my father’s most loyal subordinate and he's Caitlyn's father. I won't allow any harm to come to him.""But he once deserted us!"
Caitlyn's POVListening to the bursts of cheers outside, I cautiously maneuvered my injured body through the gaps in the ruins, moving slowly and quietly. Fandom, sporting a smirk, appeared fully absorbed in the euphoria of victory and remained oblivious to my escape.However, as the cheering subsided, his demeanor shifted, his expression gradually contorting into a frown."Descend a couple of levels and investigate. She couldn't have gone down that easily," Fandom commanded, his tone betraying a sense of suspicion.Sensing something amiss, two werewolf soldiers hurried toward the ruins, frantically scouring the area where I had concealed myself. As time elapsed, Fandom's smile waned."Interesting," he remarked.After a thorough search, the two werewolf soldiers straightened up, exchanging nervous glances with the stern-faced Fandom. Meanwhile, I had been observing the spectacle from the sidelines, hidden from view.The werewolves, upon
Caitlyn's POVAccompanied by a gruesome cacophony of killing sounds, I noticed a burly figure struggling amidst the crowd at the perimeter of the abandoned hospital.With his roar, unlucky werewolf warriors were sent flying. Clutching an extremely delicate-looking woman in his arms, he stood protectively in front of her, regardless of the damage he incurred.Who else could this steel-like werewolf be if not Bard?Perhaps initially, no one expected Bard to dare to infiltrate the heavily guarded camp alone, hence the obviously insufficient initial defense. Yet, this provided Bard with the opportunity to truly rescue Leona from the jail with just his punch and his kick.However, at this moment, Leona seemed to have little energy left, her head drooping in Bard's arms as if she were fading away.The werewolf soldiers, slow to react, encircled Bard, but none dared to approach after witnessing his strength. They resorted to harassing Bard fr
Caitlyn's POVAfter returning to my place, I found myself replaying Yone's words in my mind, and coupled with Talon's peculiar reaction, I had a vague sense that there was something I didn't know.Pondering this, I felt a tightness in my chest, so I rose from the bed and headed to the balcony for some fresh air.The bright moon hung in the night sky, casting the heavens as an infinite, transparent sea—quiet, vast, and mysterious. The air carried a chilly edge, adding to the melancholy ambiance. The memory of Leona's final, resolute gaze caused a pang in my heart.Ever since I was a small-town girl, Leona had protected me like an older sister, standing unwaveringly by my side through betrayals and persecutions.Leaving her behind in that jail felt like an unforgivable sin. The mere thought of it made my chest tighten, prompting me to step onto the balcony and release a long breath.It was then that I noticed a stealthy figure lurking in
Caitlyn's POVAfter confirming that Fandom had left, Yone slowly walked back. I didn't know why Yone obscured my trail just now, but at the moment, I was still impatient to get Leona out of there.Because there was been too long a delay since I arrived, I was worried that Talon, who was meeting me outside, might not be able to wait to make any risky moves."Thank you, Yone, but if that's what it takes to get me out of Talon's way, I'm afraid I'm not in a position to comply," I said unassumingly as I stood in front of Yone while carefully watching his reaction."That won't be necessary; I just don't want Talon to lose its mind because of your stupidity," Yone remarked with a glance to the side, appearing a little disdainful.Seeing this reaction from Yone, I also decided not to pay any more attention to him and prepared to take Leona with me for another exodus.But just as I grabbed Leona's wrist, Yone twisted his head, his
Caitlyn's POV"Hide," Leona urgently admonished me before pulling me into the crevice, shrouded in darkness.I stood in the corner, holding my breath, relying on the hope that the visitor hadn't detected anything unusual. However, even if they had, I knew I might have to transform and forcibly extract Leona from this situation.With that belief, I listened intently to the distant footsteps echoing in the alleyway—thud, thud—each step feeling like a blow to my heart.Soon, a tall werewolf emerged before us, his silhouette flickering in the dim candlelight, casting ghostly shadows on the empty wall.For a moment, I froze, meeting the man's gaze, my breath growing heavy."You're Caitlyn, aren't you?" His voice carried a stern, murderous aura, his brow furrowed in suspicion."Yone," I murmured, my voice trembling slightly as I cautiously approached the light."You're the one who dispatched those people outside? It was done too careless