I held my breath as I stared at the intimidating sight of the black Werewolf towering over the car. Each second that went by without any movement from either side only intensified the air around us. 

“Haewon.”

Even at the soft sound of my father calling my name couldn’t break me from my focus. I knew I needed to move but I couldn’t get my body to listen to me. 

A loud growl filled the quiet air and followed by it was the sound of ripping metal as the black Werewolf tore the roof of the car away and effortlessly tossed it aside among the trees beside the road. My hands clutched at the seat tightly as the car shook with his movements. 

With that show of strength, Steel jumped out from his seat and shifted in the process. He tackles the black Werewolf across the pavement of the road, trying his best to distance the black Werewolf from us.

“Red, we need you at the main road now.” Seeing Steel buying the rest of us time, Bronze spoke into the earpiece quickly before shifting as well. Like stone, I didn’t react or move as I watched the struggle between the black Werewolf and Steel. My father reached over to unbuckle my seatbelt after his, noticing that I still haven’t recovered from the shock.

“Haewon, focus,” my father warns me before Bronze swings both our bodies upon his back as he races down the rest of the road. 

When we thought we were distancing ourselves, I turned around to find that we were wrong. My eyes widened seeing the black Werewolf right on our heels. I instinctively gripped tighter onto Bronze’s athletic suit as my father notified the Knight.

“Faster, Bronze.” Despite the atmosphere, I commend my father for being able to keep his calm exterior well. Bronze returns a grunt before pushing off harder. But, it seemed our speed was no match for the assailant and it probably had to do with the fact that my father and I were dragging Bronze down. 

If I weren’t watching carefully, I would have missed the dark brown blur that sped past us and tackled the black Werewolf back. I looked over my shoulder to see the two tumbling over one another across the road. 

“Yongguk?” I kept my eyes on his back while he faced the black Werewolf and my grip around Bronze’s neck tightened at the thought that Yongguk had only healed recently and he was off facing danger once again. 

But while I was lost within my thoughts, my father reached over to gently touch my head, silently comforting my thoughts.

So once again, I looked over Bronze’s shoulder to see the castle coming into view. But there was something different as Bronze sprinted across the grass towards the castle. Directly in front of the entranceway, I can see our three Knights in their Werewolf forms, guarding it. And I noticed their eyes not on us but on the forest behind us. I took a quick glimpse over my shoulder as Bronze dashed and thought my eyes were playing tricks on me – there were Werewolves, hiding among the trees. 

Before we got to the front of the entranceway, the Knights dashed out to give us our and the guards from the inside immediately open up the large wooden door to allow us to enter. Bronze helped me off his back and my gaze went towards the front of the forest. No, they were really there. My view began to slowly get blocked off as the guards didn’t waste another second to shut the entrance. 

The Knights don’t shift back right away as they looked down at us. 

My father turned over and slightly frowned after seeing me. “The Lone Werewolves are getting out of control. Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” I didn’t hesitate to answer. How could I have been so passive in a situation like that? I should have at least reacted in some way but I was frozen. Why did I hesitate in a dangerous situation like that?

“That must have been a frightening event for you.” Hero shifts back to his human form before coming over to check me over.

I shook my head in denial. “I’m really okay.” I was frustrated more than anything at my behavior – I didn’t deserve the care they were expressing for me.

“Then, why are you shaking?” Hero looks down at my hands and I quickly clasp them together. He looks at me in concern before speaking again. “Let’s get you to your room, you should rest.” He motions for me to start walking. 

“Yongguk is still hurt, Hero.” I stayed stuck in my spot. “You need to go after them.”

“Princess, Red can take care of himself,” Hero tries to comfort me. “You know how strong he is.” 

***

Yongguk growled lowly as he remained focused on his opponent. The black Werewolf was massive and Yongguk can simply tell by seeing how that chain nearly chokes him due to his size. He wasn’t bigger than Yongguk but he was noticeably larger than the other Lone Werewolves Yongguk had previously dealt with. 

But, there was something else that stood out to Yongguk when he looked at the Werewolf in front of him. 

Unlike the others, the black Werewolf seemed unrestrained. His eyes held a more uncontrollable urge to attack – like a pure animal. Yongguk watched him crouched forward on his two hands and hind legs with his mouth pulled back to reveal sharp teeth and loud snarls. His eyes were trained on the Knight, who was trying his best to avoid taking any more blows. 

While Yongguk hesitated, the black Werewolf snapped his jaw, threatening the young Knight. But with his father right behind him, Yongguk wasn’t worried to how this fight would end. 

Yongguk patiently waits for the assailant to launch the first attack and like how he predicts, the black Werewolf didn’t stand idly around for long. He jumps towards Yongguk’s shifted body, pushing him back on the pavement. There was something Yongguk didn’t take into account; it was the strength behind the Werewolf as he felt his body being rendered powerless. Seeing his son in a bind, Steel ran forward from behind, wrapping his arm around the Werewolf’s neck and head in order to incapacitate him. 

With Steel distracting the Werewolf, Yongguk got back onto his feet and with quick movements; he grabbed the black Werewolf from behind and flips him upon the ground. All he has to do is place the bindings on the Wer