THE CURSED MOON HEIR

CHAPTER 7: THE WOLF’S CALL

NOAH’S POV

The rhythmic sound of galloping hooves echoed through the forest as the royal escort continued its journey toward Lunaris. The farther we rode from Oakridge Forest, the heavier my chest became. My wolf had spoken only once since we left.

“Find her… before they do.” After that… Nothing, no explanation, no visions, only silence.

I had tried countless times to reach him through our bond, but every attempt was met with the same suffocating emptiness. It wasn’t like him, my wolf had always guided me for as long as I could remember. In battle… During difficult decisions… Even when danger lurked nearby, He had never abandoned me. So why now? Why warn me about that girl only to fall silent? I tightened my grip around the reins.

Roselyn… Who exactly were you?

“My Prince.” Gideon’s voice broke through my thoughts. He guided his horse closer, matching my pace with practiced ease.

“We’ve been riding for hours.”

I nodded absentmindedly. “So we have.”

“You haven’t spoken to anyone,” he said.

“I didn’t realize I was expected to,” I replied.

A faint smile crossed Gideon’s face. “You aren’t.”

He looked ahead before continuing. “But everyone has noticed.”

My eyes swept over the escort. Nearly fifty elite royal guards rode behind us, their silver armor glimmering beneath the afternoon sun. The moment our eyes met, every one of them straightened. None dared speak, none dared question me. They quickly looked away, just as they always did.

Fear, Respect, Duty.

These three things had always followed me wherever I went, yet today… Something was different. Even without hearing their voices, I could feel their curiosity.

Gideon leaned slightly closer. “They’ve never seen you leave a royal ceremony unfinished.”

Neither had I.

“You’ve spent years building a reputation.”

“I know.”

“Aloof.”

I remained silent.

“Unshakable.”

Still silence.

“The kind of prince no one dares approach.” His words weren’t criticism, they were facts.

“The moment you ordered us to leave oakridge, everyone was confused.”

“I had my reasons.”

“I know.” He paused. “But they don’t.”

For several moments, neither of us spoke, the forest stretched endlessly around us, birds sang from the towering oak trees, Everything appeared peaceful, yet my mind refused to be at peace.

Finally, Gideon asked what he had clearly been holding back.

“Do you intend to forget about that girl?”

I answered without hesitation. “No.” His brows lifted slightly. “I don’t… I can’t.”

My wolf’s warning echoed through my mind once more. “Find her… before they do.”

“I don’t know who she is, I don’t know why my wolf reacted the way he did, I don’t even know why I told her I’d been looking for her.” I released a slow breath. “But I know one thing.” Gideon waited. “My wolf has never lied to me. If he believes she’s in danger… i won’t ignore it.”

A look of understanding crossed Gideon’s face. “What will you do?”

“I’ll report today’s events to my father. My coronation preparations cannot simply be abandoned.”

Gideon nodded

“But after that…” I looked toward the distant mountains that separated Oakridge forest from the capital. “…I’m going back.”

Gideon wasn’t surprised. “I thought you might.”

“I need answers, And if she’s truly in danger…” My voice hardened. “…then I intend to find her before whoever is hunting her does.”

The conversation ended there and, for the first time since leaving Oakridge, my mind felt clearer. I had made my decision, duty first, then I would return.

It was the only choice that satisfied both my responsibilities as Crown Prince and the instincts of my wolf.

Suddenly— My wolf jerked violently inside me. A sharp pain exploded through our bond. I inhaled sharply, and my horse stumbled beneath me.

“My Prince!” Gideon immediately reached for his sword. “What happened?”

I barely heard him, Inside me… my wolf was pacing wildly. Not with fear but with panic. His emotions crashed into mine like a tidal wave. Smoke, Blood, Steel, Death. I grabbed the saddle to steady myself.

“What is it?” I demanded through our bond. For several terrifying seconds there was silence. Then my wolf roared so loudly that it echoed inside my skull.

“NOW!” That single word carried overwhelming urgency. I felt his desperation, his fear, rage, everything at once. Then another sentence struck me like lightning.

“She’s running!”

Roselyn! My heart pounded. “What happened?” No answer, only unbearable panic. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. My wolf wasn’t warning me anymore, he was pleading. Every instinct inside me screamed the same thing, Go back… Now.

I pulled hard on the reins, my black stallion reared high into the air. The entire royal escort came to an abrupt halt. Confused voices spread through the ranks.

“My Prince?”

“The road is clear.”

“Why are we stopping?”

I turned my horse around. “We’re returning to Oakridge.”

Silence, Complete silence. No one moved, several guards stared at one another in disbelief. Had they heard correctly? Return? One young warrior whispered to the man beside him.

“Did His Highness just say we’re going back?”

“I… I think he did.”

“But why? We have already left the village.”

Another lowered his voice even further. “The Prince has never changed his mind before.”

“This isn’t like him. First he ended the welcoming ceremony. Now he wants to abandon the journey to Lunaris?”

“Could it be because of that human girl?”

The murmurs spread rapidly through the escort, no one understood.

Noah— the feared future Lycan King, was a man whose decisions were absolute. He was cold, reserved, impossible to read. Yet today… Everything about him was different.

“Silence!” Gideon’s commanding voice cut through the whispers. His sharp gaze swept across every warrior.

“The Crown Prince has given an order, If any of you have forgotten your duty…remember it now.”

Instantly, every voice disappeared, no one questioned him again.

I looked at Gideon. “You aren’t going to ask why?”

He met my eyes calmly. “I’ve served beside you long enough to know one thing.”

“What?”

“If your wolf has forced you to turn back…then someone needs saving.”

For the first time that day… A faint smile touched my lips.

“Thank you.” He nodded once, Then drew his sword. “Royal Escort!” Every guard straightened. “Turn around!”

Dozens of horses wheeled at once, steel armor clinked as the escort changed direction. I looked toward Oakridge forest and somewhere beyond those ancient trees… Roselyn was fighting for her life.

I dug my heels into my horse’s sides. “Ride!”

The forest thundered beneath the pounding of hooves as the future Lycan King raced back toward the place he should never have left.