Caitlyn's POV
To avoid causing my father any worry, I quietly tiptoed home and headed straight to my room.
After gathering my belongings, I genuinely intended to leave a farewell letter for my father. However, just as I unfolded the letter paper and prepared to write, my father gently pushed open the door to my room.
"Father." I stood up in a bit of a panic.
"Well, there's no need to say more; I know all about it." My father shook his head gently and waved his hand at me before sitting down close to me.
He remained silent, gazing at me with a lingering look in his eyes. In that moment, the dim light reflected on my father's face, making it appear as if he had aged ten years all of a sudden.
"Father, don't worry; I will definitely come back when I have complete control of my power. When I return next time, it might be my turn to protect you." I smiled, attempting to ease the sadness of parting with a more relaxed tone.
"Actually, when we left town, I had already anticipated that this day would come. I've also reflected a lot during this time. At one point, I simply wished for us to stay in that town and live carefree for the rest of their life. However, fate always enjoys playing tricks on people, and it unfolded like this." My father sighed softly; the orange light intensified the crystallized look in his eyes.
"But now, I've come to realize that you have your path to walk, and I can't confine your freedom. Caitlyn, as your father, no matter what happens to you out there, I'll always be at home waiting for you whenever you want to return." My father finished by standing up, patting me on the shoulder, and walking out without looking back.
The door to the room opened, and the cool moonlight cast a lengthened shadow of my father. Observing his increasingly stooped appearance, a pang of sorrow surged through my heart.
"I will not let you down!" I vowed in my heart, solidifying the promise I made to my father.
"Caitlyn, how are the preparations going? Are we ready to go?"
I sat in my room for a while longer, and just as a puff of fish-belly white rose in the sky, I heard Zed's voice outside my window.
"Coming," I answered softly and shuffled out.
Zed was wearing a white cloak with a wide hood blocking his face. About a dozen other werewolves, clad in the same attire as Zed, saluted when they saw me come out. One of the nearer ones took my package, and the feeling of being waited on made me a little uncomfortable.
"I'll just handle this myself."
"It's about time you got used to it. In our pack, the purity of your bloodline determines your place, and the way you look now, you're sure to be even more uncomfortable by the time you get back to the pack," Zed said, a smile playing on the corner of his mouth.
He then led me towards the exit of the palace.
"I've inquired about it for you. What happened yesterday didn't affect Talon, and as of now, he's safe. But if the king wakes up, then I don't know if he'll be able to find out who the assassin was."
I followed Zed into a nondescript black sedan; after all, at a time like this, concealing one's whereabouts was crucial.
"Which means the person who committed the assassination might not have been Talon?" I pursed my lips as I posed my question.
"I'm not sure about that, but my people tell me Talon's pack seems to have made significant moves in the past two days as well. So, you might want to be more concerned about your strength before the next fight begins," Zed said, calming me down a bit before turning his face to the side, closing his eyes, and soon snoring.
Seeing Zed in this state, I instantly fell silent. Initially, I was always alert because I was worried about Talon's well-being, but as the street scene outside the window slowly moved back, I gradually drifted into sleep.
By the time I opened my eyes again, Zed yawned and informed me that I still had a week to go before I arrived. This news nearly broke me, but there was nothing I could do except accept it in silence.
The days on the way were boring, but Zed still shared quite a bit of information with me.
Although the Fullmoon Pack's strength was respectable, the internal dynamics were not as solid as an iron barrel.
With the continuous decline in population, the pack had splintered into three factions. Apart from his conventional lineage, Zed had two uncles who each led their own factions.
While Zed held the nominal position of Alpha in the Full Moon Pack, both of his uncles consistently vie for his position.
"But it's fine; for now, I'm managing. Your arrival, especially, will bring joy to Grandpa."
"Grandpa?" The unfamiliar yet familiar title momentarily made it difficult for me to comprehend.
"Yes, he's the previous Alpha who led our Fullmoon Pack to the pinnacle," Zed said with pride, relishing in the glory brought by the Full Moon Pack.
Observing Zed's beaming face, I realized he silently bore a lot behind the scenes.
"Alpha, we're almost there," the driver interrupted, causing my heart to tense up.
I obediently looked out the window. Surrounded by a quiet forest, a snow-capped mountain loomed in the distance, filling my nostrils with cold air.
Below the snow-capped mountains, a large area with towering buildings resembled more of a small city than a massive manor. The sight before me left me speechless, realizing that the transcendent power held by the Fullmoon Pack rivaled even that of the Lycan.
Upon closer inspection, the seemingly busy streets appeared sparsely populated. It seemed that Zed's concerns about the hidden dangers within the Fullmoon Pack were indeed valid.
"Zed! You're finally back. I heard you have a big surprise for me. Could it be the Luna of our pack?" A loud and cheerful laugh, unmistakably belonging to the old man, echoed outside the door as the car came to a stop.
I frowned involuntarily and glanced at Zed warily.
Zed wore a bitter smile and shook his head. "It's Grandpa."
My heart fluttered, curiosity and anticipation rising.
Was I finally going to meet the grandfather I'd never known?