Chapter 175: Chapter 175

TRISTAN:

“No, take her back! Give Dahlia back to us,” I shouted.

The vampires around us poised themselves for an attack and smiled. They could sense the blood palpitating in my veins as I tensed up. They were getting excited on the prospect of violence as their true nature dictates.

“Finders keepers” was all I heard from the damned king of the vampires.

Maybe this was all a lie. Maybe the king of the Blasted Ones was toying with my sanity…

How did I end up in this? Why did I give Dahlia to them?

It felt like I was in a sort of reverie. Everything felt hazy. It was as if things were coming at me in slow motion.

I could only watch as Dahlia’s golden brown hair billowed in the wind. King Helion towered over her. He clutched her by the wrist, and when she refused to tear her eyes away from me, he grappled at her shoulders and took her away more forcefully, twisting her face away from mine.

I could only watch as trails of tears fall from her lovely face. I heard her scream, but I can’t move.

“Brother, snap out of this,” Livia hissed in my chest. I didn’t realize I was still supporting her frame until she spoke. “Let’s take her back!”

Just as she said this, Livia went away from my clutches and turned into her wolf form – a white wolf with a golden diamond-shaped spirit stone on her forehead. She began to bare her fangs, aiming to snap the necks of the Blasted Ones among us.

I still can’t believe it! Even Livia had recognized Dahlly, so why didn’t I?... Why couldn’t I?...

‘Fool! We told you that sleeping wench wasn’t our mate,’ Arthur snarled inside of me.

‘Her scent had always been strong. You were just a stubborn kid,’ Albus seconded.

My wolves were right. I was a fool!

I quickly summoned Arthur to take over our body. I was still feeling numb from the shock of seeing Dahlia getting dragged by that blasted Helion.

Why didn’t Dahlia tell me the truth? Why did she keep it from me? Did she not trust me enough?

My reverie was broken with a tear in my flesh. A Blasted One has succeeded in wounding me that blood oozed uncontrollable at the left side of my torso.

I looked at Livia’s wolf, and she too was bathed in crimson blood.

Another gash from a Blasted One’s sharp claws wounded me by the neck. They became even more excited when they saw the blood flow out from me.

No! Livia would lose her life here if I don’t do something!

Just then, I felt a searing pain by my left wrist. I glanced at it and saw the wolf teeth mark shine with a bright light.

I remembered King Maurus and the rights I received from him.

I growled using the mind-link he had passed on to me when he performed the rights of succession.

I needed every wolf I could get to rally behind me in getting my mate back before it was far too late!

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KAIST:

I bolted violently from the bed, and almost immediately, I heard the relieved murmurs and voices all around me.

“Your majesty, are you awake? What happened?”

I looked at Duke Hurst’s worried face, and I felt wracked with guilt. The last thing I remembered was Dahlia’s voice saying “I’m sorry” over and over again.

I knew what Dahlia had planned to do when she kissed me out of her own accord. I’m sure she was on her way to the lion’s den if not there already at this very minute...

“We have no time to lose. We must hurry,” I immediately said.

I tried to rise up, but Duke Hurst tried to stop me.

“Where,” Duke Hurst asked, “Where must we go?”

“Laudicia! Dahlia’s there!”

“But, Prince Kaist, she’s -”

“I know what you will say, but I assure you, she’s there!”

“Prince Kaist, my daughter is right here beside you… The one who escaped through the night was your mate and Count Abell.”

I knew what must be going on in the minds of those around us. I saw in Duke Hurst’s face that he has no intentions of pursuing his son-in-law too since it turned out that he eloped with someone else as long as she wasn’t his only daughter.

“Duke Hurst, I apologize for not being able to tell you in my letter, but something happened to your daughter, and she,” I said, referring to the girl sleeping next to the bed they had put me in, “isn’t Dahlia, but someone else.”

“How can that be,” Thesla asked.

“The one you called Samalah has been casted a spell upon. As a result, she switched bodies with this woman, so she conceded to pretend to be her for the time being…”

“By the Goddess, I think what the prince is saying must be true! No wonder I could detect an unexplained loss of internal energy in this woman… She must have exhausted her energy to cast such a powerful spell,” Sir Morland worriedly expressed.

“Tht’s right! The real Dahlia had the red ruby. That was why I wanted to send her away from here, but I see she has decided to save everyone in the village by her own means!”

“Then, she would be safe, right, since her mate is with her,” Thesla suggested.

“I doubt it. Count Abell couldn’t recognize Dahlia for some reason. I’m afraid Dahlia’s life would be put in further danger if we don’t do something soon!”

Just then, I heard a loud growl inside my head.

I looked at Duke Hurst. I knew he had heard it too, and several of his men belonging to the White Fang Pack had the glazed look at their faces.

“It’s… It’s the alpha’s call!”

I had no time to explain to Duke Hurst that Count Abell received father’s succession rights to the pack and the throne.

We heard the call again. Our bodies tensed, and everyone from the White Fang Pack most especially started to shift in their werewolf forms as a response.

This time the message was loud and clear.

“Father’s chosen successor is calling us,” I roared towards them before I took in Ignis’ wolf form, “We have to heed the call to aid him quickly in the plains of Laudicia!”