Chapter 24
Chapter
Twenty-Four
The chilly air thickened with tension and filled with the whooshing of silver arrows and the growls of Dad’s warriors. Amidst the chaos, the snowy forest became a battleground—red stains marred the snow, and arrows littered the ground.
Another loud cry for help cut through the battle noises.
“That was Layla,” I said, whipping my head around to search for her.
Her scream left a chilling shiver down my spine. Hayden stepped closer to me, his body heat seeping through my layer of winter clothing. His constant presence warmed my chest.
“After all she’s done to you, you still want to help her?”
I would never forget when fifteen-year-old Layla left me behind with vampires while she made a getaway in our car. Hayden saved me that time, too.
I stepped forward and squinted. I was sure that was Layla standing in front of a tree in the distance. Even though her shadowy figure stood frozen, she was alive. I let out a heavy sigh.
“If I don’t help her, I’d be like her. And she’s the epitome of what I don’t want to become. Now let’s go, Hayden.”
A mischievous smile appeared on Hayden’s face. I deepened the wrinkle between my furrowed eyebrows. This man would age me prematurely with his mysterious ways. Half the time, I couldn’t understand what he thought or said.
“That’s why you’ll be my Queen one day.” His voice sounded muffled with the echoes of whistling arrows, flesh hitting flesh, and men shouting.
For a moment, my body stilled. The way he emphasized the word my made my breath catch in my throat.
Don’t overthink it.
He just meant how I’d be the Queen of all werewolves one day.
The next scream shook me to the core and got me to move my legs faster.
As we tiptoed closer, I was sure we would be found out and shot at, but the chaotic battle around us muffled the crunch of snow underneath our boots. I spotted Layla’s back against a tree, while a tall man stood not too far from her with a drawn crossbow pointed at her chest.
He was close enough not to miss his target.
I drew in a sharp breath.
“Their leader,” Hayden said in a low voice next to me.
It must’ve been a good sign he hadn’t released the silver-tipped arrow into Layla’s body.
At least not yet. Hunters were our enemy.
They must have attacked us with one purpose—to kill the werewolves.
Perhaps they were mistaken that the werewolves had done something wrong.
I didn’t think Dad’s men had done anything to provoke the human hunters, yet the arrows flew fast and sharp.
But what was the hunter leader waiting for?
The leader’s dark-olive skin was in such contrast against the snow that it made this stranger appear handsome and dangerous at the same time.
His gloves reached his elbows over a brown jacket. On his leather belt, two rectangular bags hung from his waist. The crossbow seemed to be made by hand, and the silver arrows, clumsy and bent, peeked from behind his back. Crooked or not, the pointed arrow could kill Layla.
She was one lucky werewolf that I wasn’t like her. I didn’t scheme behind her back for ways to kill her. And I wouldn’t let the hunter leader bring her to her knees, although she certainly deserved it.
“Why is he not moving? Is he even breathing?” I whispered, and Hayden shrugged.
The side of my bodyguard's body was glued to mine, and his presence gave me strength to take a step forward.
The hunter stood frozen and, in a trance, stared at Layla. We were almost behind the tree that hid Layla from us.
“I’ll sneak up behind him. Stay here,” Hayden said and moved to the side.
I wasn’t very good at waiting. As soon as Hayden disappeared, I walked around the tree and stepped in front of Layla.
“Lower your crossbow, hunter,” I ordered, mustering my authoritative voice.
Dad would be proud of me, but not for recklessly walking before a drawn crossbow. But I couldn’t hide and watch my cousin die. No matter how much I disliked the girl, she was family. Her father died because of me, and I wouldn’t let the tragedy repeat.
The man blinked. He finally woke up from whatever daydream he’d been in.
The reluctance with which he moved his gaze away from my cousin sent chills down my spine.
He looked me up and down, and his nostrils flared.
My eyes widened at his gesture, which was more expected for a supernatural with extra sensitive smell.
The hunters were trained humans, but this man was scenting me as if he were a different species.
“You’re human?” His eyebrows furrowed in a line. “You don’t belong with the werewolves. Come with me. We help our kind.”
His deep voice held no hesitation.
His job was to protect humans from the werewolves, and he must have assumed I was kidnapped or mistreated. The hunter didn’t know who I was, which was very good. He still had the upper hand, though, and if he found out I was the werewolf King's daughter, he wouldn’t hesitate to release the arrow.
“Look. You have it all wrong. These werewolves don’t hurt humans,” I said.
The hunter narrowed his eyes. “What world are you living in? Such a naive young girl.”
I ground my teeth. Hoping for a future where all species could co-exist didn’t make me naive.
His voice sounded deep and calm. Listening to my instincts, I detected no malevolent energy radiating from him. But he still held an arrow pointed at my body.
“The werewolves are not the real enemy. The vampires are,” I said.
“Equally dangerous to humans.” His gaze traveled to Layla. “But it’s more fun killing werewolves,” he said while holding Layla with his scowling gaze.
She shuffled behind me, and her breaths turned raspy.
“It sounds like you have a personal grudge against werewolves,” I said.
“I hate those monsters, but it’s a story for another time,” the man said, finally switching his gaze to me. “Now move over so I can kill the she-wolf.”
His icy voice ensured that he would let go of the arrow if I gave away some space between him and his werewolf target.
I couldn’t believe being human could help me in a dangerous situation like this. The hunter seemed hesitant to harm me. For now.
“I can’t do that, hunter,” I said.
I could still taste the blood from my chapped lips in my mouth, and my stomach churned. I prayed the hunter valued human life enough not to change his mind and release his arrow.
The hunter leader blinked and tilted his head to the side as if confused and contemplating something in his mind.
“You’re willing to save this werewolf with your life?” he asked.
Any werewolf, not exactly Layla. It was an instinct ingrained in me to defend the werewolves, even if I couldn’t understand the reasons at the moment.
I rolled my shoulders back and stood tall, making sure to cover Layla’s body with mine.
Layla would never do this for me. It was the bitter truth, a fact that made my stomach quiver. And yet, Layla didn’t carry out any duties in the kingdom. I did. I was the first princess. My responsibilities came before my selfish reasons and personal conflicts.
“That’s right,” I said.
Layla rustled behind me, and her hands grasped my shoulders over my thick parka.
“Of course she’d save me. We’re family.” She didn’t even take a breath and continued ranting. “We’re the same blood. Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?”
“Layla, that’s enough,” I said in a low voice.
The hunter’s dark gaze darted between me and Layla, his eyes moving rapidly. He seemed to be connecting the dots, and I couldn’t help but think Layla was intentionally revealing our identities.
Did she want the hunter to discover I was the King’s weakness? Capture the princess, capture the King. But if Dad was gone, the werewolf kingdom would fall. Didn’t she think of that, or did her hatred for me fog any rational thoughts?
“We’re the princesses of the werewolf kingdom,” Layla said in a sickly sweet voice that made me more nauseous.
Layla still sheltered behind me while I stood at the front of the firing line. I held my breath and stared at the hunter’s tightening fingers on the crossbow string. His gloved hand twitched, and I gasped.
But before the hunter could move, a familiar, light-brown wolf jumped behind the hunter and bit his extended arm. The man didn’t flinch or make any sound, as though it wasn’t his first time getting bitten by a wolf.
The crossbow and arrow fell on the snow. I lunged for the weapon while the hunter shook a giant wolf off him.
As Dad had taught me many times, I drew the arrow tight on the string.
“Hayden, back off.”
Hayden’s wolf did as I said, probably thinking I needed a clear shot of the hunter, but I didn’t release the arrow.
“Shift, Hayden. I need you in your human form.”
Although the wolf faced the hunter and bared his canines at him, the man appeared calm. He covered his injured forearm with his other hand, putting pressure on the wound.
I would have more of a chance to negotiate with the hunter if he didn’t have a scary wolf threatening his life.
Hayden’s wolf watched me with clear blue eyes for the longest time as if he hesitated.
I sent him a small smile for reassurance, but my attempt to have Hayden back in his human form didn’t work.
Shaking his head, the wolf crouched, ready to pounce on the hunter.
But at least Hayden gave me some space while guarding me.
Layla moved next to me. “Kill him, dear cousin.”
I sighed. She narrowed her eyes at me.
“Kill him, Breanna. He was going to kill me.”
Dad had taught me to never take another life carelessly—not without a second thought or giving a second chance—unless I was in immediate danger.
Ignoring Layla, I said, “I won’t kill you, hunter, but I need you to call your men off and leave now.”
Layla gasped next to me in a rather dramatic way.
“What are you thinking, Breanna?” she shouted.
“Layla,” I snapped at her, “I need you to calm down, or I swear to the Gods, I’ll point the arrow at you.”