Caitlyn's POV
Listening 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 witnessing this unexpected turn of events, fell into an uneasy silence. None could have predicted that I would brazenly sneaked away f in such a manner.
"Found her!" Fandom, undeterred by the challenge, swiftly issued orders. The werewolf soldiers, obediently following his command, dispersed in all directions to track my whereabouts.
Their search was meticulous, leaving no stone unturned. With such thorough scrutiny, it was only a matter of time before they uncovered Bard, who had fled with Leona after sustaining serious injuries.
"Hey! You Idiots!" I shouted, seizing the opportunity to emerge from hiding before swiftly darting in the opposite direction.
My sudden appearance alarmed the surrounding onlookers, who swiftly closed in on me. "Catch her!" Fandom barked orders, prompting the werewolf soldiers to redirect their pursuit from Bard to me.
However, my relief was short-lived as I found myself confronted with a new dilemma. The paths of escape were now blocked, and the injuries inflicted by Fandom's earlier assault left me unable to tap into my werewolf abilities.
Fandom taunted me with a sly grin, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I suggest you surrender sooner rather than later. Given the circumstances, luck won't be on your side this time."
"That's not necessarily true," I replied, a confident smile lifting the corner of my mouth. Then, I spotted a gap in the defense and swiftly rushed forward.
The two werewolf soldiers responsible for guarding the area clearly didn't anticipate themselves becoming the target of my breakthrough. A trace of consternation flashed across their faces as they almost subconsciously attempted to dodge, upon witnessing my strength.
"Don't be afraid! She doesn't have the power to transform!" Fandom's voice echoed from behind me, giving the werewolf soldiers courage. They regained their grip on their long swords and stood firm in front of me.
However, the change in the situation didn't slow me down. On the contrary, I slammed my foot down, causing a splash of smoke as I charged towards the guarding werewolf soldiers.
Roar! Suddenly, a giant wolf's howl pierced through the cloud of smoke. Almost instinctively, panic flickered in the eyes of the two werewolf soldiers.
Confronting my transformed state would likely result in their demise. No one would gamble with their lives, so the two men violently retreated a large step back, cautiously staring at the center of the road, quietly awaiting the dissipation of the smoke.
"No! That's never going to happen!" Fandom's eyes widened in disbelief. Considering my previous injuries, it seemed impossible for me to recover in such a short period. Yet, here I was, apparently transformed back into a giant wolf.
Fandom clenched his teeth and similarly focused on the dissipating smoke.
"Foolish, fooled by me again!" As the smoke cleared, my figure reappeared, but this time, I remained in my human form, not transformed into a giant wolf.
The werewolf soldier beside me was filled with disbelief, for the wolf's howl just now had seemed so real.
"You..." Fandom froze in place, seemingly realizing the ruse I had just executed.
I, realizing the werewolf soldiers' fear of me, intentionally generated a large amount of smoke and dust to obscure my figure. I took advantage of the obscured field of vision to mimic the wolf's howl during the transformation myself.
And naturally, the werewolf soldiers were concerned that I had reverted to a giant wolf, prioritizing their own lives over Fandom's orders, without a doubt. So, with little hesitation, they cleared the way, providing me with the opportunity to run away.
"Damn it!" Fandom's face turned blue as his fists flailed in the air with anger.
I managed to escape successfully, no longer concerned about the pursuers. I then rushed towards Talon's direction.
Earlier, Talon mentioned that he went to Yone to discuss the strategy for rescuing my father, promising to pick up Bard and me afterward.
However, if Bard and I hadn't fought our way through, there's a good chance we would have been imprisoned today as well. In other words, there must be something that happened to made Talon once again fail to keep his word.
Moreover, I was genuinely worried that Talon might be in trouble.
I recalled Yone's warning words, suggesting that in his mind, if something unfortunate happened to me, Talon could focus on his mission without distractions, rather than wasting time on my affairs.
With this in mind, my footsteps quickened as I sought to ensure Talon's well-being at this moment, fueled by a sense of foreboding lurking within me.
The mark Talon left on his neck was emitting a faint warmth, indicating significant emotional turmoil. "Talon, something must be wrong with you," I murmured, beads of sweat forming on my forehead.
Just as I felt my strength waning, I finally spotted the house where Talon was hiding, much to my relief.
"Caitlyn, are you alright?" Braum, passing by, rushed to my aid upon seeing my pale face.
"I'm fine. Where are Bard and Leona? Are they alright?" I replied weakly.
"They're fine. They returned before you did, and the doctors are attending to them. They shouldn't be in any serious condition."
"What about Talon?" Only upon hearing this news did I manage to calm my nerves, turning to Braum once more.
"Alpha is back as well, and he's with Yone," Braum hesitated briefly before confirming Talon's whereabouts.
Upon hearing Yone's name, I frowned and walked towards Talon's room, supported by Braum.
"Yone, you've gone too far!" Talon's angry roar echoed as I reached the stairs.