Chapter 42: ⁴²: dare

I was terrified. The only thing running through my mind was, how was I ever going to face Luna Selene now?

Panic surged through me as I frantically looked around, searching for the guards. A second passed. Then another. My heart hammered violently against my ribs as I waited for footsteps, for voices, for someone to emerge from the shadows.

But nothing happened. No one came.

Confused, I turned to Damian. He had called for the guards... so why hadn’t they come out of hiding?

"Pfft..." Damian let out a laugh at the sight of my bewildered expression.

"You look like a scared little cat, Miss Athena," he mused, amusement dancing in his eyes, making me even more confused about why he was acting like this.

"Don’t worry. There are no guards here, and I won’t take you back to Grandmother. I was just pulling a prank on you." He took a slow step toward me, a warm, easy smile spreading across his face. "I followed you because I want to help you and make sure you remain safe throughout your journey."

I stood there, completely stupefied.

What?

Was he here to help me?

Everything he had said until now... had just been a prank?

"Mr Moonvel... what are you saying?" I asked, staring at him in disbelief. "You’re here to help me?"

"Yeah." He nodded casually. "I’ll help you get back to your pack."

Then he pointed toward my pocket - the same one where I had slipped the crumpled map.

"You can take that map out, and we can start this journey together."

Almost instinctively, I placed a protective hand over my pocket. My fingers curled around the folded paper as I looked at him nervously. He continued smiling at me as though this conversation were the most ordinary thing in the world.

"Y-Yeah... the map..." I stuttered.

I carefully pulled it out, smoothing the creases as best as I could before unfolding it.

"Do you mean to say you’ll come with me... all the way to my pack?"

He shrugged.

"Yeah. I know how to get out of this pack, and I know the route up to the place where I found you, so I’ll be a great help to you, Miss Athena." He gently took the map from my hands before continuing, "But after that..." His eyes lowered to the worn piece of parchment as he studied it carefully. "...I’ll need this map to figure out how to reach your pack."

My fingers remained frozen in the air long after he had taken the map. I slowly curled them into a fist, unable to believe what was happening.

I barely knew Damian. We had shared little to no interaction before today, yet he was willingly offering to leave the safety of his own home just to help me. It didn’t make sense. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t understand why someone would do something so risky for a stranger.

"But... why would you help me, Mr Moonvel?" I finally asked.

My question made him lift his gaze from the map. The smile that had been resting so naturally on his face slowly faded, replaced by something quieter... almost melancholic.

"I-I mean..." I continued hesitantly, "this is my problem. Besides, you could get into trouble for helping me, especially when I’m doing this against Luna Selene’s orders."

"This is your problem," he replied softly, "and that’s exactly why I’m like this, Miss Athena."

His answer only left me more confused.

"What?" I asked, unable to understand what he meant.

"Nothing." He simply shook his head. "I was the one who found you in that river, Miss Athena. From the moment I brought you back to my pack, you became my responsibility. I have to make sure you’re safe."

His voice remained calm, but there was a quiet sincerity behind his words that made me pause.

"Besides," he continued, "Grandmother won’t be unhappy with me because I accompanied you. She’ll be unhappy if she finds out I let you leave on your own, knowing how vulnerable you are without your wolf."

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "So, you choose. Do you want me to accompany you, or should I go back?"

I was left with no way to refute him. Besides... he was right.

I had no idea what dangers awaited me on the journey back to my pack. Without my wolf, I was at a severe disadvantage. I couldn’t sense approaching threats, defend myself properly, or even travel as quickly as a normal werewolf. Every step of this journey would be far more dangerous than it should have been.

Having Damian with me would undoubtedly make things easier.

And once I reached my pack, I was certain Master Mayeel would know how to help me. He had always been one of the wisest people I knew. If anyone could explain what had happened to my wolf or even find a way to restore her, it would be him.

"Okay..." I finally said. "You can accompany me, Mr Moonvel."

I hesitated before continuing.

"But... are you sure you won’t get into trouble for helping me? Because if that’s the case, then you don’t have to do this."

His willingness to help genuinely touched me, but I didn’t want him risking himself because of me.

The moment he heard my answer, his face visibly brightened.

"Don’t worry, Miss Athena. I won’t get into trouble for this." His cheerful smile returned in full force. "Now let’s get out of this pack and get you back to yours."

Before I could respond, he reached for my hand. His fingers wrapped gently around mine before he started pulling me forward.

Straight toward the enormous tree I had stopped in front of earlier.

"W-Wait—"

Before I could ask why he was leading me directly into a tree, I felt my body pass straight through the thick trunk as though it didn’t exist at all.

My eyes widened.

The cool sensation of crossing an invisible barrier washed over me, and the next second, we emerged into a vast clearing exactly as the map had described.

A soft breeze brushed against my face, carrying the earthy scent of damp grass and wildflowers. Sunlight poured freely over us, making it hard to believe that only moments ago we had been standing before what looked like an impenetrable tree.

I turned to Damian, still trying to process what had just happened.

"That tree is just an illusion my mother created to keep our pack hidden," Damian explained with an easy smile. "Only members of our pack can see through it. Maybe Librarian Athena forgot to tell you about that little detail."

He looked at me reassuringly, the gentle smile never leaving his face."Now, let’s go back to your pack and see who that bastard is who dared to touch you!"