“Dusk, no! Go away!”
Dusk was not like Seren. He was a predator on a similar level of savagery as the wolves, and by nature, fierce animals were bound to fight to the death whenever they attacked. Bloodlust immediately permeated the air, and anger could be seen in the eyes of the wolves. Drayce didn’t want to see his pet hurt and finally pulled his sword out of his scabbard, but one of them managed to hit the eagle with its sharp nails, causing the bird to be slapped away.
“No!,” she cried out. “Dusk!”
The eagle fell at Seren’s feet. Seren crouched to hold his bleeding body, not even realizing how her arms shook. Dusk couldn’t manage to get up despite his efforts, but it was letting out a weak croon as if to show he still wanted to protect his queen on the verge of death.
Seeing him like this, Seren clenched her fists and glared at the two wolves. The look in her eyes changed—from fear to something else, as if something had entered inside her to shake her up.
Drayce stopped midway as he sensed a change in her through the change in the energy he felt from her. That seemingly gentle force of energy turned aggressive, and it shocked Drayce as that energy felt stronger than anything he came across till now.
‘So this scared little kitten could become like this.’
Despite the strong energy she was emitting, he approached her, standing only a few feet behind her without her realizing. He did not want a repeat of what happened to Dusk happening to her, no matter how small the chance was.
‘So this little kitten knows how to be angry,’ Drayce concluded as he saw her stand up with her blood-stained dress.
All along, Seren had always been a naive young woman akin to an innocent little girl, the kind who could never harm anyone. Even a tiny creature like a rat or bug was enough to scare her, to the point she would scream her throat out. Seeing her like this was totally unexpected.
After thinking for a while, Drayce lowered his sword, wanting to continue observing the abilities of his queen. It was not like Drayce didn’t care for Dusk; he was sure that Dusk would be fine as he was stronger than any ordinary bird. This could be considered his lesson, as it was his first time fighting with fierce wild animals, thus getting himself injured due to lack of experience.
More people had arrived by this time, both Arlan’s group as well as the other city guards from the Loyset Family. Everyone witnessed the two wolves standing in front of the Queen of Megaris as well as the hurt eagle lying by her feet. Before anyone could take a step forward to subdue the wolves, Drayce raised his hand, signaling them to stay where they were.
Unaware of her surroundings, Seren continued to glare at the wolves, as if any second now, she would burn them to crisps, but the very next moment, those wolves let out a pitiful whine before sitting in front of her like her pets. They lowered their heads on the ground as a show of submission and moved their tails like a pet asking their master to stroke their fur.
She was angry—angry to the point that she wanted to harm them for hurting Dusk—but seeing them like this, whimpering as if they were wronged, she found herself unable to hold on to her anger. Ignoring them, she kneeled once more and looked at Dusk helplessly. Seeing his body covered in blood, frustrated tears rushed into her eyes.
Drayce could again feel the change in the energy coming from her alongside her emotion. The energy of her anger was the strongest and most aggressive, while it seemed to be gentle and passive at normal times, and only Drayce could feel it.
“Get those wolves,” the merchant instructed his men, but Arlan motioned for him to stop.
“Not now.”
Feeling the confusion of the merchant, Arlan clarified, “As your prince, I command you to stand back and wait for further instruction.”
“I heed your command, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Arlan no longer paid attention to the others. He knew his friend really well. If he didn’t do anything to stop those wolves, then there must be a reason, or else, those wolves would have long been dead if Drayce wanted to. There was no way those wolves could even touch a strand of his hair on his body as his friend was way more dangerous than those wolves.
A predator of predators.
———–
Drayce crouched beside Seren who was kneeling by Dusk’s side. The two wolves were still sitting in front of her, looking at Seren as if they had done nothing wrong. When Drayce stared at them, the wolves stared back at him too.
Drayce narrowed his eyes on them. Those red irises looked like living flames threatening to turn them to ash.
“Mine!”
The fur at the back of their neck raised in alarm, turning the two wolves fearful, as if it was the competition among the animals to claim something and they have been utterly dominated. With hackles raised, those wolves turned to run as if their lives depended on it.
Seeing the wolves running away, the merchant and the city guards turned towards Arlan. “Your Highness, if those animals leave the merchant district…”
“Proceed on capturing them,” Arlan ordered. “Make sure no one else gets hurt.”
The pursuers bowed before running in the direction taken by the wolves.
The merchant looked at Arlan apologetically. “This is the fault of my guild’s incompetence. Please punish me, Your Highness.”
“You are fortunate that nothing had happened to the Queen of Megaris or nothing would have saved you from the worst moment of your life,” Arlan commented coldly, bringing goosebumps to that middle-aged merchant.
He kept bowing apologetically and heard Arlan say, “Compensate the injured and the damage caused by those wolves, and report everything back to Marquis Loyset .”
“Consider it done, Your Highness.”
