Caitlyn's POV
The familiar voice instantly roused me from my faintness. I raised my head and saw my father's imposing figure entering the church, a look of concern etched on his face as he hurried towards me.
"Are you okay?" he asked, gently gathering me in his arms and wiping the blood that Talon had inadvertently splattered on me just moments before.
There was a palpable tension in the air around my father, and I could sense that he was on the brink of losing his temper, although reason had prevented him from doing so.
"Pantheon! Do you realize the gravity of your actions?" Jayce resumed his human form, his face contorted with anger and annoyance as he addressed my father.
"I'd like to know the reasoning behind your attack on Talon, especially since he's currently a guest of the Alpha."
My father took a deep breath and slowly stood up to regain control over his emotions, which were teetering on the edge of eruption.
"Absurd! I was following the Lycan King's orders. The king ordered the capture of the son of a traitor. Pantheon, you wouldn't dare defy the king's orders, would you?"
Jayce wore a sardonic grin as he stood tall and condescending, scanning his surroundings.
After his words, the entire room coincidentally turned their attention to Talon, who leaned against a pillar. Talon struggled to stay on his feet, his face composed but clearly filled with indignation. I, sitting beside him, could feel the faint trembling beneath his clothing.
"That's not a matter of daring, but I would like to know the basis for your identification of Talon as the one you were seeking." My father stood between me and Jayce, his expression inscrutable.
Jayce, on the other side of the room, appeared flustered. "Could the king's orders be false? Pantheon, it seems you're simply seeking refuge. Don't worry; I'll report your actions to my father truthfully."
Jayce took a step forward, and the wolf soldiers in different uniforms followed, their faces marked by gloom.
"Father..."
I called out to my father with concern. If I hadn't rushed over recklessly, I'm afraid my father wouldn't be in the situation he has to confront now.
"Do you still want to take a shot at me?" Father shouted at Jayce, his hand gesturing an 'all's well' sign behind his back. "If you persist any longer, you should know the consequences."
A smile appeared on Jayce's face as if he had anticipated the outcome. My father took a step forward, and his entire demeanor instantly intensified as he slowly bowed down. At the same time, some of the soldiers from the purple moon pack on the periphery seemed perplexed, making Jayce visibly unsettled.
"What's going on? Are you guys plotting against us too?" Jayce subconsciously raised his voice and looked around at the wolf soldiers. I noticed a few of Father's trained soldiers clenching their teeth and appearing hesitant.
My father cleared his throat, then shook his head gently, and retrieved a picture from his pocket. This action immediately captured the crowd's attention, and everyone eagerly anticipated my father's next words.
"This is the secret letter I received. The child in it is the traitor's offspring. Although there have been some changes, you should be able to see that he doesn't resemble Talon. Please take note of this child's golden-colored pupils."
As my father's words sank in, everyone's gaze shifted to Talon in unison. Although his face was a bit dusty, his deep, pure black pupils were still distinguishable.
A loud murmur spread through the crowd; after all, Talon's reputation was well known to everyone present. If this was all a setup, imagine how brutal Talon's revenge would be. Seeds of mistrust were sown in everyone's minds, and they glanced occasionally at Jayce, who stood at the center.
"Please don't pay attention to this old man's nonsense; he must have used some trick to change the color of his pupils. Let's all go together; the king will surely reward us generously after we defeat them!"
Jayce clenched his teeth and took the lead, launching himself toward my father.
My father remained in place, slowly bending his body and sternly waiting for Jayce's attack.
Just as Jayce was about to approach my father, my father's head suddenly turned to the side to evade the attack. Immediately after, my father's body jerked forward, catching Jayce off guard. Jayce's chest collided solidly with my father's shoulders.
Jayce cried out in pain, quickly retreated, and gasped for air, a pained expression on his face as he covered his chest with his hand.
"What are you waiting for? Get him!" Jayce waved his arms, but the soldiers present only took a slight step forward, all eyeing his father with some scorn.
"You're all a bunch of losers!" Jayce shouted in annoyance as he prepared to transform back into a werewolf.
"Wait!" At that moment, a commanding voice suddenly came from a distance. Everyone turned their heads in unison and, upon seeing the approaching figure, the soldiers of the PURPLE Moon Pack saluted with a degree of respect.
"Father!" Jayce exclaimed with joy and rushed over. "Father, I've already found the person; it's definitely Talon. This time they won't be able to escape. The king will be very pleased when he learns..."
"Wait." Alpha Shaco noticed the image in my father's hand, furrowed his brow, looked at Talon nearby, and suddenly a smile spread across his face.
"Alpha Talon, this must all be a misunderstanding. Are you alright?"
Alpha Shaco smiled as he approached Talon. This action sent shivers through the hearts of those present, and I instinctively grabbed Talon's arm. Talon shook his head lightly before getting to his feet.
"It's nothing serious; we all serve the Lycan King, so some misunderstandings are bound to happen. I just hope that next time, we can thoroughly investigate before making any decisions. Otherwise, the consequences might become hard to bear," Talon said calmly. However, Alpha Shaco, who stood opposite Talon, suddenly paled.
"Alright, I'll make sure to discipline him properly when I get back."
"Father! He must have just..."
"Shut up!" Alpha Shaco interrupted Jayce before he could continue.
"Since it's a misunderstanding, we'll leave first," Alpha Shaco declared.
The corner of Talon's mouth curled up, and he gave a subtle wave of his hand to Alpha Shaco before slowly stepping back with us.
"Father!" Jayce seemed eager to say more but was once again silenced by Alpha Shaco.
As we moved a good distance away, I turned my head slowly to see Alpha Shaco's somber expression.