HIDDEN HER

Chapter4(Saved)

I push off the thought building in me. I could not afford to trust now— not after all that happened.

The pain of betrayal still burned deeply in me.

"What price do I have to pay for saving me?" I asked softly and carefully.

"Price?" She turned towards me, her face softening even more. "Let's just say It's not yet your time to die.

Her words made me flinch. I wondered whether there was something deeper behind her gesture but I quickly buried the thought. I had been the helper, giver, and warrior my whole life. I had never needed saving— at least, not this way.

"You saved me and I don't even know your name or why you would risk yourself for someone like me."

The archer stepped away but never took an eye off me. "The first meeting, I call it coincidence. The second meeting, I call it fate. If we ever meet again, then it is fate."

She adjusted her cloak, giving me a calm stare before jumping high into the air. My breath caught as I watched her grab a low-hanging branch of an oak tree and swing herself up with the agility of a wild animal.

With grace, she moved from branch to branch, as if the trees themselves were guiding her path. Her cloak fluttered behind her like a shadow, and she disappeared into the dense canopy in a matter of seconds, her movements fast and precise.

I stood frozen in wide-eyed disbelief at what had just happened. She had disappeared from sight, as if she had never existed.

Picking up only real possession I had left when I left Mooneve—my sword. I couldn't help but replay my fight with Leo. The clear, stinging memory rushed back to me, and I grimaced as I shifted my position.

Leo had sent me assassins this night because he feared immensely for my return, but I would make him regret that decision.

I would return to Mooneve and take back what was rightfully mine.

"I will come back, Leo," I whispered into the night, the words filled with both defiance and determination. "And this time, no forgiveness."

The forest remained silent in response.

With that thought in my mind, I turned and headed towards Hillswirls.

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In the heart of Hillswirls, the marketplace buzzed with life. The air was fresh and smooth, and most had scents from the cooked meats, sweet pastries, and freshly baked bread. People of all ages hurried through the narrow streets, their voices blending into a world of laughter and conversation as children played in the open spaces.

As I moved deeper into the marketplace, the noise gradually died down, replaced by a more orderly flow of people. The tall, elegant buildings with their arching windows and beautiful carvings spoke of the wealth and power concentrated here.

At the far end of the square stood a very high, tall, imposing building of Alpha’s palace.

I walked toward the grand gates of the palace, passing guards dressed in deep purple cloaks as they stationed themselves about the vast courtyard with sharp and watchful eyes. The door to the courtroom loomed ahead.

Approaching closer, some guards who recognized me paused and bowed with joy. The famous warrior Alpha of Mooneve—the name Ace Boston was well-known here.

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In the great hall of the palace of the Alpha, the air was filled with authority and traditions. I knelt before Lord Duca, the Alpha of Hillswirls. His presence filled the entire room radiating power and charisma as his older subordinates gazed at him with respect.

The hall hummed with muter whispers; each eyes gazed intently on me.

Lord Duca’s emerald, green eyes sparkled as he weighed me, his wolfish smile revealing the controlled anticipation in his composure. "So you are Ace the son of my dear friend and the great warrior of Mooneve," he said, his voice roaring through the chamber. "I have heard much about you."

He rushed toward me and embraced me, his royal embroidered gown flowing with authority. "To finally meet you face to face… exhilarating

I kept my gaze lowered, calm but unyielding, out of respect for his friendship with my late father. There was a little murmurs in the hall.

"You are welcome to Hillswirls," he continued, his voice friendly but firm. "It is an honor for us to have you." His laughter filled the hall, and his presence seemed to command the attention of all those present.

"Thank you, my Lord. My father spoke highly of you," I replied still with my gaze lowered--not out of fear, but as an act of respect.

Lord Duca raised one hand, signaling for silence. "A moment of silence for my dear friend, please."

Silence fell across the room, the whispers died in thin air as the Alpha’s authority settled inside that chamber. "Oh, my good friend. May his soul rest in peace," he added, and his voice had a trace of sadness in it.

I felt a pain of grief for my father—a man who gave everything to Mooneve, a man whose very being had brought me into who I was…I would honor him by taking back Mooneve.

The sound of Lord Duca's signal to the guards filled the moment, and slowly the room returned to the quiet humming. The sweet murmur was restored, but I was still focused.

Then, a voice rang out across the room, breaking the moment of reflection. "Behold, the beautiful princess of Hillswirls, Princess Ava!"

My breath caught in my throat. I froze, my mind racing as a figure entered the room. She was striking, her presence commanding, yet there was something familiar about her.

Her face was half-hidden by the folds of her cloak, but her eyes—sharp, intense—locked with mine for just a moment. There was a flicker of recognition, but no—this couldn’t be her. Could it?

She tilted her head slightly, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips before her gaze moved away.

I knew I had seen those eyes before, but I couldn't quite place where.

Who was she?