The Heir I Couldn't Beat

Something Was Wrong

Maybe he was deliberately pretending nothing had happened, waiting for me to show up so he could find a chance to get back at me.

I immediately went on high alert.

My foot quietly moved half a step backward.

But Caedmon lifted his head at that exact moment.

The moment he saw me, he smiled warmly.

“You’re here?”

I didn’t answer.

His gaze settled on my face before drifting toward the snacks beside him.

“Hungry?”

He patted the spot beside him.

“Eat first.”

“You’ll need the energy if you want to keep fighting.”

I stared at him suspiciously.

What was wrong with this guy today?

Normally, whenever we met, he was either arguing with me or deliberately provoking me.

And now he had actually prepared food for me?

Something was definitely wrong.

I didn’t move.

Caedmon waited for a while.

When I still stood there, he suddenly let out a soft scoff.

“What?”

He raised an eyebrow at me.

“Got something to hide? Afraid to eat?”

My face instantly stiffened.

“Who’s afraid?”

“Then why aren’t you coming over?”

“I…”

I gritted my teeth.

I knew it.

There was definitely something going on.

He was trying to provoke me.

Trying to make me afraid.

As if I would fall for that.

“Fine. I’m coming.”

I walked over and sat on another rock across from him, deliberately putting on an expression like I couldn’t care less.

Caedmon suddenly smiled.

He didn’t say anything else.

He simply picked up a fork and speared a piece of roasted meat from the plate.

Right in front of me, he put it into his mouth.

Then he chewed slowly.

Very slowly.

Until he swallowed every last bite.

I stared at him, but my suspicion didn’t ease in the slightest.

Could it be…

He really hadn’t noticed?

Caedmon set down the fork and looked at me.

“What?”

His eyebrow lifted.

“Too scared to eat?”

The fire in my chest immediately flared up.

“Who’s scared?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Then eat.”

“…”

I looked at him.

Then at the roasted meat on the table.

He had already eaten it.

If there really was something wrong with it, he would know.

Besides—

If he dared to eat it, what did I have to be afraid of?

Even if things went badly, the worst that could happen was spending a day with an upset stomach.

I could handle that.

I gritted my teeth, picked up the fork, speared a large piece of roasted meat, and shoved it straight into my mouth.

“What do I have to be afraid of?”

The rich aroma of cumin instantly filled my mouth.

I chewed hard twice and swallowed.

Then I lifted my chin and looked at him.

“Happy now?”

Caedmon looked at me.

Then he suddenly smiled.

I don’t know why.

But the moment I saw that smile, my heart gave a strange little jolt.

Something…

felt wrong.

Caedmon looked at me, the corner of his lips curling upward.

“Good.”

He stood up.

I immediately stood as well.

That strange feeling from earlier was quickly pushed to the back of my mind.

Whatever he was planning—

I was going to win today.

“Let’s begin.”

The moment the words left my mouth, I charged forward.

This time, I didn’t give him any chance to test me.

My fist shot straight toward his chest.

Caedmon twisted aside and caught my wrist with his other hand.

I was ready for it.

I twisted my arm sharply, broke free of his grip, and immediately drove my foot toward his waist.

He raised his leg to block.

BANG!

The impact exploded through the clearing.

I used the recoil to retreat several steps.

Then I charged again.

We quickly became locked in combat.

Every collision sent a dull, heavy thud through the clearing.

This time, I could feel myself getting even more excited than yesterday.

Maybe it was because the Moonheart Crystal was right in front of me.

I seized an opening and swung my fist toward his shoulder.

Caedmon raised his arm to block.

I immediately changed direction.

But then—

My body suddenly froze.

A strange sensation rose from deep inside my chest.

It wasn’t pain.

It was more like…

Something that had been asleep for a very long time had suddenly awakened.

I frowned and instinctively stopped attacking.

“What’s wrong?”

Caedmon stopped too.

I didn’t answer.

Because in that instant, I clearly felt it.

My wolf.

It had always been quietly sleeping deep within my consciousness.

But now—

It was as if it had suddenly opened its eyes.

A strange presence slowly spread through my blood.

“Whuu—”

A deep wolf’s growl echoed inside my mind.

I suddenly lifted my head.

And at that exact moment—

Caedmon’s body stiffened as well.

His gaze suddenly sharpened.

The next second, another deep wolf’s growl came from within him.

“Whuu—”

I froze.

His wolf…

Had awakened too?

But something even stranger happened.

The moment both wolves awakened at the same time, I felt a strange force.

It was as if something between us had gently pulsed.

My wolf didn’t feel any hostility toward Caedmon.

Quite the opposite.

It seemed to be responding to his wolf.

I had never experienced anything like it.

I stared at Caedmon.

He was staring back at me.

Neither of us said a word.

Yet I could feel the wolf that had just awakened inside me, sending out a low, quiet response toward Caedmon.

I frowned.

What was happening?

Why was my wolf resonating with Caedmon’s?

Suddenly,

A deep wolf howl echoed from somewhere in the distance.

I whipped my head around.

Deep within the forest, the ancient trees began to tremble.

Then another howl sounded.

And another.

From different directions.

They were getting closer.

More and more howls joined in, until they seemed to come from every corner of the forest.

Suddenly, a faint silver light appeared throughout the woods.

It slowly spread from deep within the forest.

Like the veins of something that had been sleeping for a thousand years.

The ground beneath my feet began to tremble ever so slightly.

I lowered my head.

The earth beneath my feet seemed to be breathing.

And my heartbeat began to follow its rhythm.

“Caedmon…”

I whispered,

“Do you know what’s happening?”

He didn’t answer.

His gaze shifted toward the depths of the forest.

For the first time, I saw seriousness in those usually calm eyes.

“I don’t know.”

That was all he said.

The duel was completely forgotten.

Caedmon and I hurried back to the clan and reported everything that had happened.

The elders arrived soon after and immediately sealed off the entire forest.

The clan guards were stationed at every entrance, and no one was allowed anywhere near the area.

But I couldn’t care less about that.

What had just happened was too strange.

I decided to ask my father.

He was the Alpha of the Valenreth Pack, and one of the people in the clan who knew the most about our ancient legends.

I rushed back to the clan.

But just as I reached the door to my father’s study, I suddenly stopped.

Voices came from inside.

“Alpha, we’ve already investigated.”

It was the familiar voice of one of the guards.

“Someone entered the vault last night.”

My heart skipped a beat.

The vault?

“The investigation so far shows that the only person who entered the vault last night was Miss Eira.”

“We haven’t confirmed whether she was the one who took anything yet, but…”

My mind went completely blank.

Wait.

What?