Caitlyn's POV
Accompanied 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 from the sidelines, awaiting reinforcements. But Bard had no patience to spare, as Leona's life hung in the balance after the arduous battle.
Although it was evident that everyone understood Bard's scary power, they continued their peripheral attacks, causing Bard's wounds to multiply.
Gasping for air, Bard struggled to prop himself up with one hand to prevent collapse. As the enemy ranks swelled, Bard let out a roar, the mournful howl almost rupturing the eardrums of the surrounding werewolf soldiers.
In that momentary distraction, Bard's legs pushed the ground fiercely, propelling his burly figure into the air, nearly escaping the fray.
"Leona, hold on a little longer, it'll be alright soon," he reassured her. But just then, an arrow with a feather pierced Bard's back, causing him to plummet like a broken kite.
However, even as he fell, Bard valiantly shielded Leona from harm, cradling her in his arms. The enemy lurking in the shadows, however, showed no intention of letting Bard escape so easily.
With a resounding crack that rippled through the air, a second arrow streaked towards its target, this time aimed directly at Leona, who cowered in Bard's arms. Bard might have possessed the ability to evade the arrow, but Leona, having endured so much pain, evidently lacked the stamina to do so.
"No!" Bard's eyes widened, gradually turning a fiery red with anger. Yet, just as the arrow seemed destined to strike Leona, it suddenly veered off course, barely grazing her clothes. As the bewildered crowd looked on, I, having transformed into a white wolf, finally made my presence known. It had been my intervention that had spared Leona.
"Bard. Take Leona and go. I'll handle this," I said, nodding towards Bard, then refocusing my attention on the shadowy figure of the archer.
"Ms. Caitlyn, I..." Bard began, but I cut him off.
"Don't forget, Caitlyn is destined to be our pack's Luna," Braum interjected, looking up at me with reverence. He then urged Bard to depart with Leona.
My sudden appearance drew the attention of the werewolf soldiers, who now viewed me as their new target. Their momentary hesitation allowed Bard to escape with Leona, but the calm was short-lived.
The figure lurking in the shadows emerged. It was Fandom, who was wearing a cold smile and a hint of disdain in his eyes. He was the same man who had imprisoned my father, and his appearance fuelled my anger to a boiling point.
"Where is my father being held captive by you?" I demanded, glaring fiercely at Fandom as memories of my father's suffering flooded my mind.
"You are quite surprising, a mere human woman possessing such remarkable abilities. Allowing you to escape from the palace was clearly a mistake," Fandom said, shaking his head before tossing aside his bow and arrow. It was evident he sought a direct confrontation.
"There are more surprises in store for you. I'd gladly relieve you of your head if you wish," I whispered through gritted teeth, struggling to maintain my composure.
"Quite amusing, seems that you treacherous scoundrels are still brimming with confidence."
Fandom pursed his lips for a moment before scanning his surroundings as if in search of something.
"Where's the other rat? What? Now he has become a coward who always hide behind his woman? The king still wishes to talk to him."
Fandom glanced over at a werewolf standing nearby, who shook his head, evidently not having found Talon's trail yet.
"Against the likes of you, I'm sufficient on my own. I advise you to be reasonable and release my father earlier; perhaps I could still spare your life."
The wolf within me let out an intimidating growl, causing the Fandom in front of me to subconsciously frown. It appeared that no one had dared to confront him so directly in quite some time.
"Interesting."
A smile crept onto Fandom's face, though it hardly seemed genuine.
Fandom gradually approached me as he spoke. The closer he came, the more I sensed a looming aura of oppression emanating from him, as if he were a mountain slowly bearing down on me before a storm.
I hadn't anticipated Fandom to be the most formidable adversary I'd ever encountered.
Just as I stood there, Fandom suddenly shifted, his figure rapidly expanding in my vision. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a giant gray wolf, his pupils glowing with a faint golden light.
With a roar, Fandom lunged toward me. I hadn't expected him to be so swift. My body trembled with fear, my breath catching short, and my feet instinctively yearned to flee. Yet in my moment of hesitation, Fandom's attacks rained down upon me.
Pain coursed through my entire being. It felt as though I had been struck by a speeding train. My body was sent hurtling through the air, crashing mercilessly into ruins and stirring up clouds of dust that obscured everyone's sight.
I found myself buried beneath a heap of debris, groaning from the agony pulsating through my body. As thoughts of Talon flickered through my mind, I realized they were nothing more than futile fantasies.
As despair washed over me, the jubilant cries of victory echoed from outside. Through a crevice, I caught a glimpse of Fandom's manic expression.