- The Wolf -

As the afternoon neared its end, Soomi found time to visit the garden, wanting to take a closer look at all the flowers blooming there. She’d asked Baekhyun if he wanted to accompany her, but he’d rather laze around on the sunny balcony of the mansion. The knights had left earlier, riding their horses to the next village. They had grown bored staying at the estate all day long, and Soomi didn’t blame them for wanting to explore the area a bit.

The princess strolled through the garden, stopping to admire an exceptionally bright yellow flower. Occasionally, she came across a butterfly and smiled every time one passed by. It was very peaceful out here; she understood why the King of Lux liked this place. It was easy to fall in love with the breathtaking scenery, the boundless ocean, the sharp cliffs rising from the water, and the vast forest behind the estate. The beautiful weather added to her positive impression.

“If only Baekhyun wasn’t a lazy bum,” she mumbled, shooting the house a dirty look. The balcony was on the other side, so she couldn’t see him, but he surely hadn’t moved an inch from his spot. If he didn’t want to accompany her, she would explore this place by herself. Strolling to the end of the garden, she left through the gate and turned to the left towards a flower field connected to the woods. Right now, she was free. There were no nobles who judged her. There were no stupid court rules she had to follow, and she didn’t have to be mindful of her manners either. She wanted to stay here forever; it was her personal paradise!

Soomi followed the path into the woods, where the air was a little cooler. The trees provided shade and shielded her from the hot summer sun. With a delighted smile on her lips, she roamed aimlessly through the forest without having a destination in mind. Hearing a rustle in the bushes nearby, she hoped to find a cute bunny or a deer. However, she was disappointed. No animal was within sight, but she kept her eyes open, wanting to see at least a squirrel or a bird.

Except for the occasional rustling in the foliage, she was surrounded by silence; the woods were lonely and made her feel strangely melancholic as she ventured on. When the sun began to sink, and the shadows of the trees grew longer, she opted to turn around so that she wouldn’t miss dinner.

Soomi heard another rustle, but this time, it was much closer and followed by noises that filled her with a sense of foreboding. She heard steps. Someone was walking through the foliage very close to her, keeping themselves hidden. Soomi was struck by fear as she looked over her shoulder, several shadows appearing between the trees. She didn’t waste a second and ran.

Loud shouts reached her ears, and her pursuers left their hiding spot. Horrified, she lifted her long dress and ran as fast as she possibly could with the heavy garment, cursing its layered skirt. Trees passed by in a blur. She barely saw them, keeping her eyes on the ground to avoid stumbling over loose rocks or roots. No longer did she enjoy the silence of the forest. The loneliness and isolation of the woods would be her doom should her pursuers reach her. Nobody would hear her screams—she was all alone and couldn’t expect any help. Panting, she pressed on, praying she wouldn’t accidentally stumble over her stupid dress. It kept getting stuck in thorns and bushes, but she ran on, simply tearing the fabric whenever it got caught.

“Stop!” someone yelled behind her. Desperately, she moved on, but she was tired and the tree line wasn’t even within sight yet. Fear and horror fueled her will to escape, and she forced herself to continue despite constantly losing ground. Her pursuers caught up fast. Who were they? How had they found her? Soomi had been sure she was safe during the honeymoon. She should have known good things never lasted long…

In her exhaustion, she missed a root on the path and stumbled. Her legs got tangled in the layers of her dress. She fell. Her pursuers reached her immediately, attacking her while she was vulnerable on the ground. Someone grabbed her wrists, turning her on her back and knocking the air from her lungs. Heaving, she widened her eyes, staring at the five strangers who surrounded her, wearing cloaks and hiding most of their faces. She still caught glimpses of them but didn’t recognize anyone.

“Let me go!” she screamed, fighting the man's tight hold. Whoever they were, they wanted to harm her, and she wouldn’t go down without a fight. Squirming, kicking, and screaming, she did all she could to escape. When the man’s grip became loose, she shook him off, but someone else pushed her back down before she could move away. The back of her head collided with the ground. Black spots appeared in her vision. Her body went numb. The strangers used the chance to bind her wrists with a rope, preventing her from moving her arms. Soomi still kept struggling despite knowing it was useless. She was outnumbered, unarmed, and all alone. What could she do? Hopelessness arose in her heart, and her chest clenched painfully. If only Baekhyun was here.

“W-What do you want?” she forced out, receiving a condescending smirk.

“We’re here to abduct you. You didn’t seriously believe we would let this opportunity slide, did you? You and the crown prince, alone in the middle of nowhere… it was easy to catch you,” one of them said.

“How did you know about our location? Who told you?” she yelled, bitterness shining in her teary eyes. Her voice was raspy from all the screaming. She felt tired and defeated.

“As if we would tell you,” was the only answer she received. “All you need to know is that you’re ours now, and we’ll do whatever we want with you. Not that your life is particularly important to us.” He touched her cheek in a manner that made her nauseous with disgust, and she flinched away from his touch, fear flickering through her eyes.

“N-No! Let me go!”

“This is too bothersome; knock her out,” someone grumbled. Intense pain bloomed on the back of her head.

Baekhyun was lying on one of the loungers on the balcony, enjoying the sunlight and the monotonous sound of the waves. He had been tired after the trip to the beach, but he felt better after a nap. Opening his eyes, he looked up at the sky where clouds began to form, obstructing the sun. He sighed in annoyance and sat up, stretching the muscles in his arms and rolling his shoulders. After he got up, he lingered at the handrail, observing the vast meadows and the beach. He had always liked visiting this place. It was a welcome change from his usual life at the castle. He hadn’t been here in a long time…

During the four-year war, his presence on the battlefield had been required constantly. There were no breaks, no time to relax or escape the terrible images that haunted him and stole his sleep. It had been four long years filled with grief and suffering during which he had often reached his breaking point. He had welcomed peace with open arms, finally ending the bloodshed with a union that was anything but stable, but he hoped for the best. Soomi had proven herself to be a kind and insightful woman. He didn’t doubt her anymore. She would become a good queen, regardless of whether they loved each other or not. His lips quirked up as he remembered the afternoon in the chapel when he had taught her a song, and in the end, she had beamed at him when she had learned it. Her proud smile had been adorable.

He went back inside and closed the balcony door behind him. Walking to their shared chambers, he looked for Soomi, but the room was empty, and everything looked untouched, proving that she hadn’t been here since before she left. Scrunching his forehead, the prince checked the other rooms before moving downstairs, where he encountered a servant.

“Have you seen the princess?”

“She was in the garden earlier, Your Highness, but I haven’t seen her in a while. Maybe she went for a walk,” the servant replied before moving on with her task.

Baekhyun’s eyes darkened as he strode through the entrance hall and pushed open the heavy doors. One glance at the garden sufficed to see that Soomi wasn’t there either. She wasn’t on the property