Chapter 44: ⁴⁴: back to start.

I spun around toward the place where I had sensed the presence. Before I could even comprehend what it was, something enormous burst out of the bushes with a deafening snarl.

It lunged straight at me.

"Argh!"

A cry escaped my lips as I crashed onto the ground with a heavy thud. The impact knocked the air from my lungs, and I squeezed my eyes shut instinctively.

A sharp, burning pain tore through my arms. The creature’s claws dug into my flesh, ripping through the fabric of my sleeves as warm blood immediately began to trickle down my skin.

I forced my eyes open. Towering over me was a massive bear.

It was easily the size of a small truck, its thick brown fur matted in places, its razor-sharp claws pressed dangerously close to my body. Hot breaths escaped its muzzle as it snarled viciously, baring rows of terrifying teeth that looked more than capable of tearing me apart.

For a split second, pure fear rooted me to the ground. Without my wolf... I stood absolutely no chance against a beast like this.

Before I could even attempt the hopeless task of pushing the enormous animal off me, a thunderous growl echoed through the forest.

A black blur shot past my vision.

The next instant, the bear was violently knocked away from me and sent crashing several feet across the ground.

I quickly pushed myself up onto my elbows, wincing as pain shot through my scratched arms.

The bear regained its footing almost immediately, roaring furiously.

Only then did I realise what had happened.

Damian. I had almost forgotten he was with me. He had shifted into his wolf.

Standing protectively between me and the bear was an enormous jet-black wolf. His thick, glossy fur rippled with every tense movement, and his powerful frame radiated overwhelming strength. Every muscle beneath his dark coat was perfectly defined, making him appear both elegant and terrifying at the same time.

A low, threatening growl rumbled from Damian’s chest as he pinned the bear beneath him, leaving it with almost no room to fight back.

For a moment, I simply stared. His wolf was... majestic. Powerful...Regal.

Everything about him screamed noble blood. He was Luna Selene’s grandson. Perhaps that was why.

Given how secretive their pack was, who knew what kind of bloodline or abilities they possessed?

The bear struggled beneath him, desperately trying to free itself, but Damian didn’t budge an inch.

His jaws lowered slightly. I immediately realised what he intended to do.

"Damian!" I shouted. "Give him a chance to run away! There’s no need to kill him if he leaves!"

My voice echoed through the forest.

The moment the words left my mouth, Damian paused.

Then, without hesitation, he leapt backwards, placing himself squarely between me and the bear. His massive body remained tense, every muscle ready to spring forward again if the beast made the slightest aggressive move.

The bear stared at him for a brief moment.

Perhaps it finally realised it was hopelessly outmatched.

Without wasting another second, it turned and bolted into the forest as fast as its powerful legs could carry it, crashing through bushes and trees until the sounds of its retreat gradually disappeared into the distance.

Silence slowly returned to the forest. I carefully climbed to my feet, my arms stinging with every movement.

Damian shifted back into his human form. Without wasting a second, he hurried toward me, worry written all over his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked anxiously. His eyes immediately fell on my arms. "You’re bleeding."

Before I could answer, he gently grabbed my forearms and carefully rolled up the sleeves of my shirt, revealing the fresh claw marks beneath.

His expression tightened the moment he saw the injuries.

"I’m fine! They’re just a few scratches. They’ll heal within an hour," I said, trying to reassure him.

I had suffered wounds far more gruesome than these during my training with my dad, injuries that would have left many people dead. Compared to those, these scratches were practically nothing.

Or at least... they should have been.

Damian looked at me, his eyes still filled with concern.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly. "If you’re feeling even the slightest discomfort, tell me." Guilt crept into his voice as he lowered his gaze. "I’m sorry. I was walking ahead and didn’t look back until that bear attacked you. It’s my fault. I should’ve been more careful."

His apology caught me off guard.

"Hey... It’s okay." I gently slipped my arms out of his grasp before pulling my sleeves back down over the claw marks. Looking up at him, I forced a reassuring smile onto my face. "I told you, I’m perfectly alright. Let’s keep moving, or we’ll end up getting late."

"Okay..." Damian replied, though he still looked unconvinced.

I smiled and nodded at him.

The next moment, however, he reached out and took my hand.

"But from now on, we’re walking like this," he declared firmly. "And you can’t refuse."

Before I could even process what had happened, he started walking again, gently pulling me along beside him.

I stared down at our intertwined hands.

His grip wasn’t tight or forceful. It was warm... steady... almost protective.

For a brief moment, I didn’t know what to do. Then I slowly lifted my gaze toward the sky. The golden light of the afternoon had begun to fade, giving way to streaks of orange and violet that stretched across the horizon. Evening was approaching faster than I had realised.

A quiet sigh escaped my lips. I could only hope we reached my pack soon. Because, contrary to what I had told Damian...

I wasn’t fine.

The wounds on my arms weren’t healing the way they normally would. Instead of closing almost instantly, they continued to sting with every movement.

Even worse, I could feel the lingering effects of the medicine that had been suppressing the pain of my dagger wounds beginning to wear off.

"Look," Damian suddenly said, after another hour or hours of waking, breaking the silence.

He pointed ahead as we climbed the final stretch of the trail.

"From here, no one would ever guess there’s a massive spring basin hidden underneath."

I followed the direction of his finger and actually the only thing I could see was a vast fall, with only rocks and rocks, no wonder we never knew about the world beneath it.

We just kept walking and then the forest slowly gave way to rocky terrain, and before long, we were nearing the top of the cliff. In the distance, the familiar silhouette of the ancient temple gradually came into view, standing proudly against the darkening sky.

The moment I saw it... My heartbeat quickened. Every step toward the summit made my chest feel heavier. The memories I had tried so hard to bury came rushing back.

Finally, we reached the top. The instant my feet touched the flat ground, I stopped walking. A deep breath escaped my lips as my eyes settled on the very spot where I had stood that day.

The place where everything had changed. The place...from where I had been pushed to my death. The memory hit me like a wave, making my stomach twist painfully.

"What happened?" Damian slowed to a stop when he felt me tug on his hand. He turned around to face me, concern immediately replacing the calm expression on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, studying me with worried eyes.

ZUV

Are you all excited to know what had happened during those six months or do you want to go back to the room where Kael and Athena are doing....nobody knows what ♪⁠～⁠(⁠´⁠ε⁠｀⁠ ⁠).