A Damsel In Distress

Chapter Four: The Hunt Begins

"Do you know them?" Diana asked.

Alex sighed heavily. His heart pounded as though the earth itself should open up and swallow him.

For several moments, he remained silent, staring at the ground with his hands clenched tightly. The secret was finally out. He was furious with himself, regretting every moment he had allowed it to remain hidden.

Finally, he spoke.

"I am one of them."

Diana stared at him in disbelief. She had least expected such an answer, although, deep inside, several things were beginning to make sense.

"What do you mean?" she blurted out, trying to maintain an expression of shock and anger.

Alex turned his gaze towards the moon. His hands remained clenched as he released another sorrowful sigh.

"When the full moon rises, I visit the wolves and spend time with them. We are one family, even though I still possess a human appearance. I share their abilities, their instincts, and their nature."

The truth came crashing down on Diana.

Could this really be true? she wondered.

Her thoughts raced through their previous encounters.

Now she understood why Alex had been able to hear her name during the journey to her execution. She remembered how effortlessly he had hunted the wild pig, how sharply he could hear the faintest sounds, and how his eyes could detect the slightest movement from a distance. His extraordinary sense of smell and instincts had also amazed her throughout their journey.

Everything suddenly made sense.

Her suspicions had been right.

Alex was a werewolf.

Although he was quick to act and slow to anger, he belonged to the very creatures her kingdom feared.

Yet, as she looked into his face, Diana felt no fear. Instead, she felt a strange sense of relief.

Were we destined to meet? she wondered.

"You saved me," she whispered. "You protected me. All this time, you've been taking care of me."

Alex lowered his gaze, completely puzzled by her reaction.

"I... I feared you would hate me," he stammered.

Diana smiled gently and stepped closer.

"No."

That single word seemed to lift a heavy burden from Alex's heart.

Their eyes met.

"I've been around wolves for most of my life, and they've always made me happy. So why should I hate you?" she finally said.

For the first time in years, Alex felt genuinely accepted. The secret that had weighed heavily on his heart no longer seemed like a burden he had to carry alone.

A smile spread across his face. In a sudden burst of happiness, he took her hands and gently placed them against his chest before embracing her.

Diana was momentarily surprised, but she returned the hug, resting her head against his shoulder with a smile.

Realising whom he was embracing, Alex quickly pulled away. He chuckled awkwardly and looked in another direction.

To him, Diana was the kind of princess anyone would be fortunate to meet. And to Diana, Alex was a charming, selfless, and courageous young man whose secret had not changed the goodness she saw in him.

However, another thought troubled her. Although she had begun developing feelings for him, she wondered whether he already had someone he loved.

"Um... uh..." Alex began, adjusting his coat. "I'm sorry for behaving so foolishly. I didn't mean anything by it. I was simply relieved."

He giggled, avoiding her gaze.

Diana giggled too.

"Never mind. I didn't complain."

She moved closer, met his eyes, and gently kissed his cheek before returning to the cabin.

Alex remained standing, speechless, with a beautiful smile spreading across his face.

A distant howl suddenly brought him back to reality.

Their closeness was becoming undeniable, but their happiness would soon face its greatest challenge.

---

Back in Silvercrest, King Edward had grown increasingly impatient. Three days had passed, yet the execution party had failed to return with any report of their mission.

One afternoon, as the king rested in his chambers, a group of royal couriers arrived to deliver an urgent message.

Their sudden entrance interrupted his sleep, leaving him furious.

"Are you fools not aware that this is the time I usually take my most important rest? How dare you disturb me so rudely!" he thundered.

His face was stern, and his patience was wearing thin.

Knowing how severely the king could punish anyone who disobeyed his orders, the couriers bowed immediately, lowering their heads towards the polished floor.

Their leader stepped forward.

"We sincerely apologise, Your Majesty. May your reign last forever. We would never deliberately interrupt your rest. However, Your Majesty appointed us to deliver any urgent news concerning the execution. We have come as instructed. Captain Trenolx has returned to Silvercrest."

"You may leave," the king ordered.

"May Your Majesty live long," they replied before departing.

The news of Captain Trenolx's return immediately caught the king's attention. He was eager to hear the outcome of the execution and had been expecting the captain's report.

Unknown to him, however, troubling rumours had already begun spreading throughout the kingdom.

The princess is alive!

The news travelled from town to town, from Lightengale to the surrounding settlements, and eventually towards Silvercrest and the prestigious royal palace.

But it had not yet reached the queen.

Deep within the palace temple, Queen Talia had spent the past three days mourning her daughter's supposed death. Before the burning altar, she had wept, fasted, and prayed continuously, shutting herself away from the outside world.

Neither the desperate pleas of her servants nor their attempts to comfort her could persuade her to abandon her prayers.

She had lost considerable strength during those painful days.

On this particular afternoon, the queen was once again kneeling before the altar, her hands stretched towards it as she whispered her prayers.

Meanwhile, her ladies-in-waiting gathered near the temple entrance, speaking in hushed voices.

They had heard the latest news.

Emily, the queen's youngest and most trusted maid, was particularly eager to share it with her.

"Why don't we tell Her Majesty immediately?" she suggested.

Another lady hesitated, concerned about how the news might affect the grieving queen.

"Don't think like that," Cynthia responded optimistically. "Our queen is understanding. Besides, she would be overjoyed to know that her daughter is alive."

Emily volunteered to deliver the news.

She walked quietly towards the altar, where Queen Talia remained deep in prayer.

"Your Majesty!" she called cheerfully.

The queen slowly opened her eyes.

"I have wonderful news for you!"

"You may speak," Queen Talia replied solemnly.

"It's about Princess Diana. She's alive! The rumours say that a stranger from another kingdom rescued her."

The queen's face immediately brightened.

"I thought as much. He is no ordinary stranger. He is a werewolf."

Emily gasped.

"If you knew this, Your Highness, why have you been putting yourself through so much suffering?" she asked emotionally.

"I have been praying that God would grant the stranger success in rescuing my daughter. And now, He has answered my prayers!"

For the first time in days, the queen laughed with genuine relief.

Emily helped her to her feet.

"Your Majesty, you look weak and famished. Allow me to bring you something to eat."

Queen Talia smiled and gently rested her right hand on Emily's shoulder.

"Don't worry, my daughter. I am fine. Just do me a favour. Bring my sons to my chambers."

Even the two princes had been deeply affected by their sister's sentence and their mother's grief. The family seemed to have been torn apart.

Prince Allen had been staying with their uncle, Patrick, while Harley had shut himself away in his room, refusing to come out.

Meanwhile, Uncle Patrick had been assigned the responsibility of teaching and preparing Allen for the future throne.

Despite everything happening around him, King Edward remained unmoved. He believed that, eventually, his family would forget Diana as though she had never existed. Then he could concentrate entirely on Allen, his future heir.

"Your Highness, the queen requests your presence," a servant announced to Prince Allen.

"Oh! Has she come out already?" Allen asked absent-mindedly.

"Yes, sire. She has some good news to share with you."

"Oh, wonderful," he replied, dropping the glass he had been holding.

He walked towards the window and touched his reflection on the glass. His face looked pale, and sadness was still evident in his eyes.

Uncle Patrick encouraged him to hear his mother out.

"The only news I want to hear is that my sister is alive," Allen said.

"I understand, Allen. But you should go and listen to what she has to say. I trust my sister; she always has a good reason whenever she sends for someone. Besides, I'll be right here, waiting eagerly for your return."

Allen sighed heavily. His sister's absence continued to weigh on his heart.

"Cheer up, Allen. The past may bring you sorrow, but the future still holds great possibilities. I like you because you haven't inherited your father's heart."

He smiled.

Allen returned the smile and embraced him before leaving.

When he entered his mother's chambers, Queen Talia immediately rushed towards him. They embraced tightly, with Emily and Harley joining them.

"Allen! Diana is alive!" they exclaimed joyfully.

---

When King Edward finally summoned Captain Trenolx to hear the outcome of the execution, the report he received was far from what he had expected.

"The princess escaped," the captain reported.

The king's expression darkened.

"Who helped her?"

"We believe it was a werewolf."

The throne room fell silent.

King Edward clenched his fists.

"Then find them both!"

Across the kingdom, hunters and soldiers were dispatched. Rewards were offered to anyone who could capture Diana or kill the werewolf who had rescued her.

Gold and royal honours awaited whoever succeeded.

The queen and the rest of the family were once again thrown into fear. Nevertheless, they continued to believe in Diana and the mysterious werewolf protecting her.

---

Weeks later, Alex and Diana remained hidden in Noctyra.

During that time, their affection for each other had grown considerably, and the bond between them had gradually developed into love.

One afternoon, they walked beside a river near the fields that led towards Lightengale's Garden Forest.

"I never imagined I could be happy again," Diana admitted.

Alex gently took her hand.

"You deserve happiness."

She looked into his eyes.

"So do you."

For a moment, the world around them seemed to disappear. They stared into each other's eyes as their faces slowly drew closer.

But before their lips could meet, an arrow struck a tree beside Alex's head.

Hunters!

A dozen armed men emerged from the forest.

"There they are!"

Alex immediately pushed Diana behind him.

The battle began.

The hunters attacked relentlessly, and Alex fought fiercely, determined to protect Diana at all costs.

Yet their enemies seemed endless.

Diana refused to remain helpless. She picked up a fallen weapon and struck one of the approaching soldiers on the head before moving away from his reach.

Amid the confusion, one of the hunters raised his crossbow and fired.

The bolt flew directly towards Diana.

Alex spotted it almost instantly and leapt in front of her.

The arrow struck his shoulder.

His body staggered backwards before he collapsed against a large cluster of rocks.

"Alex!" Diana screamed.