Caitlyn's POV
"Go to hell!"
The werewolf ducked behind me while I was off guard, holding a poisoned dagger in his hand. The moment I defeated Naafiri, he launched his attack.
"No!"
Sensing the danger, Kaisa couldn't help but raise her voice to warn, but it was obviously too late. I could feel the icy touch of that dagger on my skin.
Naafiri let out a cold laugh, covering his chest, but he couldn't help but cough violently from the previous injury. Soon, the smile on his face faded as he realized the werewolf's dagger couldn't go any further.
"What are you waiting for, idiot? Kill her!"
Naafiri shouted angrily.
"I... I can't."
The werewolf raised his head, panic in his eyes, then looked helplessly at Naafiri next to him.
He slowly raised his head and found that the dagger in his hand was blocked by something the moment he stabbed at my body.
No matter how hard he tried, he was unable to break through my defenses.
Before his words could fall, I struck his body with a hard impact using my shoulder.
Almost immediately, his entire body dragged along the ground, crashing straight into a tree. The dagger fell to the ground with a weak, inaudible thud.
I noticed Naafiri widen his eyes. It was obvious that what had happened was far beyond his expectations. The fact that my presence had led to the failure of his mission could almost be an early death sentence.
Naafiri howled with his head held high, his eyes bloodshot.
"Why is it that you were born to be an Alpha, and we, who just don't want to follow your father, end up as rogues? This is not fair!"
Naafiri's eyes widened with jealous indignation as she yelled at Kaisa.
"Don't utter such grandiose words, you traitor! Initially, my father perceived your need and generously accepted you to be a member of the pack, but eventually, you failed to express gratitude. Instead, you clandestinely conspired with other factions to plot against my father. This alone is sufficient to warrant your death! The moment you gave up your most important loyalty as a werewolf, you were doomed to become a rogue!"
Kaisa's face reddened with anger as she pointed at Naafiri, scolding him.
Naafiri was momentarily dumbfounded by Kaisa's words. He stared viciously at Kaisa, who was under my protection. His expression was still filled with indignation as he attempted to formulate a response.
I, who transformed into a giant wolf, glared down at Naafiri, an intimidating voice emanating from my throat.
Naafiri resentfully shrank to the side, preparing to seize an opportunity to escape.
However, at that moment, my body suddenly surged with weakness. Power instantly drained away, akin to the receding tide, and I collapsed onto the ground, reverting to human form.
The scene left everyone stunned, unsure of what had transpired. Naafiri, closest to me, hesitated momentarily, but his horror turned to ecstasy.
"She's not going to make it, quick! Seize the chance and kill them!"
Naafiri signaled to the other werewolf warriors, drew out her dagger, and cautiously approached me.
"What happened?"
Kaisa was also bewildered by my sudden change. She knew I could transform into a giant wolf but was unaware that the power within me could vanish uncontrollably.
"I... don't know." I shook my head in bitterness.
The situation had abruptly shifted, and both Kaisa and I found ourselves defenseless, forced to watch as Naafiri's sardonic smile widened.
"Truly blessed by the moon god. Now, I can exact my revenge."
Naafiri walked towards us, and I could discern the foul smell emanating from him at a distance.
"I'll kill them all!"
Kaisa clenched her teeth and struggled to her feet, but the toxins coursing through her body caused her to stumble once more.
"Don't put up a fearless struggle!" Naafiri's face twisted into a malicious smile as he raised the dagger high, ready to strike down on me, the nearest target.
The small white fox concealed in my arms displayed terror in her eyes, her body trembling with fear. For a moment, she forgot to flee.
Instinctively, I tried to evade it, but my body lacked any strength, leaving me helplessly watching Naafiri's dagger approach.
"I'm sorry, Talon. I didn't win this fight." I sighed softly in my heart and slowly closed my eyes, anticipating the impending death.
Just then, a crisp sound echoed in the air, and the expected pain did not follow.
Subconsciously, I opened my eyes to witness Naafiri's dagger flying backward, forcefully colliding with the tree trunk behind him.
Naafiri, holding his wrist with his left hand, looked around with a terrified expression.
"Who is it? Come out. Don't hide like a rat." Naafiri took cautious steps backward, scanning the surroundings for the source of the recent attack.
"It's rude for so many people to surround two girls." At that moment, a man emerged slowly from the nearby bushes.
He wore a white uniform, and his dark eyes resembled the night sky. The corners of his mouth held a faint, sunny smile, giving him an overall appearance of kindness and grace.
However, he also carried a lavender-colored bow and arrow behind him, clearly participating in the hunting competition as well.
"Who are you? Daring to meddle in my affairs, you're really looking for death!" Naafiri harshly retorted to the suddenly appearing werewolf, though his feet slowly stepped backward.
"Are you alright?"
The man ignored Naafiri's words, walking straight toward me. However, as he passed Kaisa, his footsteps slowed, and he frowned softly, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes as he looked at Kaisa.
Kaisa, in turn, stared at the man, her eyes revealing a touch of complexity.
"Who are you? Did Talon send you here?" I asked, eyeing the man warily.
"Talon?" The man frowned and shook his head lightly. "You don't have to care who I am; just call me Zed. I'll keep you safe until the hunting competition is over."
A smile spread across Zed's face as he looked into my eyes.
While I didn't know Zed's identity, my intuition told me he harbored no hostility toward me.
Despite a hint of curiosity in his gaze, it seemed as though he was trying to figure out something.