Hugo quickly moved back, transforming back to human, to pick up the transmission that fell when he transformed. He hastily contacted Edward’s wolves. But before he could even utter a single sentence, he felt a sharp object on his back.
Hugo shrieked, tracing his back with his bare hand to search for the knife Rousel threw at him. He didn’t know he’d recover easily! Slowly, Hugo turned around, pinpointing the weapon in the process. He pulled it out without hesitancy, squirming from the stab wound.
Hugo hissed. He could felt his gash throbbing. The blood flowing out from it, the cold flame burning him. Hugo threw the knife with force, releasing the transmission from his grip along the way. Now, Rousel has really done it.
He didn’t want to take him seriously. Despite being a part of this plan, he didn’t want to harm a friend. He couldn’t hurt his close friend. They’ve been together for six hundred years. It wasn’t easy to forget. It was why he tried to call for a back up right away.
Yet, Rousel seemed to have forgotten it already. He was more than willing to try any method possible to take him down. Rousel was serious from the start.
“I’m sorry….” Rousel let out a laugh, taunting him. “I thought you’d be able to dodge it.”
Hugo transformed to his wolf form, rushing towards Rousel with now an aim to get him. Rousel did the same, advancing. The two wolves clashed, fighting each other with their own strength and agility. Hugo directed his attention to Rousel’s neck. But Rousel accurately knew he was going to go for it.
Like he had memorized it.
His fighting skill. The way he continuously trying to think during the battle. Rousel knew it all. From hundreds of decades, he memorized his patterns. And Rousel wouldn’t let it go in vain.
Hugo flashed his fang, jumping to Rousel, but Rousel had already predicted it. He aimed for Hugo’s open neck, but even in mid air, in less than two seconds, Hugo recognized what he was up to. Hugo transformed back to his human form to kick Rousel’s head. Transforming back again right after to forged ahead.
Rousel might have already know his fighting skill. But that doesn’t mean he can stop him.
Afterall, he was one of the strongest warrior Axel have.
The two continued fighting, while Edward’s wolves on the base, upon receiving the short transmission of signal, felt alarmed. They contacted Hugo back, and thought of the worst case scenario when he did not responded. Half of them left the base in their wolf form, anticipating an attack in the Palace. It was Edward’s exact order to be cautious. They had to respond to any unusual action. They had to jump into conclusion, whenever there was a possibility.
Without permission nor consent, the Eastern wolves headed towards the Palace with speed that could match the stroke of lightning. They separate ways, but all direction were path that would lead them to the Kingdom. They surrounded the area. And it was how they saw Hugo and an unknown wolf fighting.
But one was already severely injured.
- - - - - -
“My Lady…”
Flora’s voice quivered as she continued to look at her grace with terror. The veins in Sophie’s body was now slowly showing, blatantly flaunting the disparity on Sophie’s skin. The poison was starting to do its job to kill what was inside her. But by the looked of it, it won’t only kill the baby, but also its bearer.
The edge of Sophie’s lips were becoming violet. The under of her eyes were turning brown, as if she was deprived of sleep. Sophie was in an awful situation that Flora cannot do anything but regret what she had done.
Kneeling with her shame and guilt, Flora held Sophie’s unconscious body. Though shaking, she removed the strands of Sophie’s hair away from her cheek. She lightly tapped it.
“Please… wake up.” Flora uttered with her face written with insanity. “My Lady…”
She had promised herself she would stop. Sophie did not deserve this…
But she had no choice. If she wouldn’t comply, Rebecca will kill her family. For the last time, Flora had chosen to be selfish and chose her family over Sophie and her baby, thinking it’d be the last time and she could get away from her afterwards.
Perhaps she would. But not from the horrible things she did.
From continuously betraying Sophie, to being Rebecca’s spy, and now, aiding a murder. Flora did not know how to feel about herself anymore. She felt disgusted. Unknown. Mortified. She had completely turned into a different individual.
One that was… wrecked.
Flora shut her eyes tight, hugging Sophie’s head on her tummy. She felt her heart being squeezed tight, like it was a punishment. She could not take it. She felt like… being over taken.
“I apologize, My Lady. Please. Please. Please. Do not die!” Flora’s vision started to blurry with tears. “
Flora’s emotions and sanity were faltering. Her guilt. Sophie’s current situation. What would happen after. It was mixing, taking away her control over her emotions. Right now, Flora was breaking out. She was overflowing with negativity, and her love for Sophie.
“S-sophie…” For the first time, Flora called her Grace on her first now.
Flora looked down to her with her visions unclear. She carefully held Sophie’s cheek and caressed it. Tears started to flow down her left eye, followed by another. Flora became completely lost and deranged. Which led her to say words she didn’t intend to say.
“I’ll pay for my sins, Sophie…” She held unto her tighter. “So will Rebecca.”
“What did you do Ms. Sophie, Flora?!”
Hugo trotted inside to get Sophie’s unconscious body. Edward’s men, who were following him, went inside and held Flora away from the senseless Luna.
“Do you know her, Hugo?” asked one of Edward’s men.
“Rebecca’s accomplice..” Hugo deadpanned before he returned his gaze to Sophie.
He trailed his eyes to every inch of his body, horrified with the Luna’s current condition. Hugo felt his needles prickling his heart. Axel had given him one simple job. He assigned her a special task that he cannot entrust to anyone…
“Call for a healer. NOW!”