Princess's Revenge: Slave to the Soulbound King Chapter 29

Adelaide

I closed my eyes, letting my body go limp against the cold stone floor as I awaited the fatal blow. My lips parted in a whisper so soft it was barely audible: "Lycanthar..." I spoke his name like a prayer, like a farewell. Blood seeped from my shoulder wound, warm rivulets flowing over my pale skin.

That whispered call seemed to pierce through the fog of his rage, awakening some buried fragment of reason. The massive claws that had been aimed directly at my face suddenly changed direction, striking the stone ground beside me with terrifying force. The floor cracked instantly, creating a jagged crater that sent fragments flying through the air in a cloud of dust and debris.

The violent tremor made me open my eyes with a shudder. Lycanthar had staggered backward to his makeshift den in the depths of the cell, his crimson eyes flickering with conflicting emotions—lingering fury, confused bewilderment, and something that might have been a spark of clarity. He crouched low, a warning growl rumbling in his throat as his fangs remained partially bared, but he made no move to attack again.

I lay helplessly on the frigid stone, one hand pressed tightly against my mangled wound, trying desperately to stem the flow of blood that continued to seep between my fingers. My breathing became rapid and shallow as waves of pain crashed over me.

The guards outside heard the thunderous crash and Lycanthar's roaring, and quickly pushed open the heavy iron door to investigate. They immediately spotted me lying in a spreading pool of blood and the enraged Wolf King in the distance, recognizing the severity of the situation.

"Fetch Commander Draven immediately!" one guard shouted to his companion while cautiously raising his weapon, though they all knew such arms were useless against the Wolf King.

Within minutes, Draven arrived with Vespera, who had been discussing matters with him when the alarm was raised. They pushed through the doorway and froze at the sight before them—blood staining the floor, me collapsed in a corner, and the massive silver wolf clearly in a state of extreme fury. "This is impossible..." Draven murmured in disbelief, shaking his head. "She was supposed to calm him, to restore his sanity..." Vespera's worried gaze fixed on my prone form.

Lycanthar sensed the new intruders and his massive frame tensed immediately, fur bristling as he released another bone-shaking roar that echoed through the chamber. Draven instinctively moved into a defensive stance, his hand moving to his sword hilt. Vespera quickly crouched down and gently but firmly lifted me into his arms. "Hold on, Adelaide. We're getting you out of here."

Seeing someone else touching me, Lycanthar's eyes burned even brighter with crimson rage, like flames of liquid blood. He unleashed a deafening roar and his enormous body shot forward like lightning.

Draven swiftly drew his twin blades while Vespera formed a defensive position. "Hold!" Draven commanded. With one arm supporting me, Vespera raised his free hand and cast a shimmering emerald barrier that temporarily blocked the Wolf King's assault.

"Go!" Draven ordered, launching a feint attack to draw Lycanthar's attention. Vespera carried my nearly unconscious form as he and Draven coordinated their retreat toward the exit. We barely escaped Lycanthar's claws as the guards immediately slammed the reinforced iron door shut.

The Wolf King hurled himself against the barrier, leaving visible dents, but the magically reinforced door held firm. His furious roars and the sound of his impacts echoed through the corridors like voices from hell itself.

---

Vespera carefully placed me on the wide stone bed in the healing chamber, my clothes soaked through with blood and my skin an unnatural pallor from blood loss. My consciousness drifted in and out, eyes unable to focus as my lips trembled with unspoken words that emerged only as weak moans. The court healer rushed forward, efficiently cutting away my torn garments to examine my wounds.

"The wounds are deep," the healer said grimly, hands already preparing herbs and bandages. "She's lost significant blood and needs immediate attention to prevent infection. The Wolf King's claws carry powerful magic that ordinary humans can barely withstand." Draven and Vespera exchanged worried glances before stepping aside to give the healer space to work.

"Send for my sister," Vespera instructed a guard. "Tell Seraphina this is urgent." The guard immediately departed. Draven moved to the window, hands clenched into fists, his brow furrowed with confusion. "I don't understand. The Wolf King showed protective instincts toward her before, but today he suddenly attacked her with such fury..."

"It is unusual," Vespera agreed quietly, his eyes falling on my pain-contorted features. "Perhaps something changed about her that triggered his anger."

Minutes later, Seraphina hurried in, her petite frame wrapped in pale purple robes, her eyes filled with concern. She quickly assessed my injuries, hovering her hands above my wounds as she channeled soft purple light.

"Take a deep breath," she said gently, though I might not have heard her. "This might hurt a little." The light intensified, illuminating the entire room as my body trembled slightly under the magic's influence. The wounds began healing at a visible rate and the bleeding gradually stopped.

Draven approached, his voice low. "Can you heal her completely?"

"The wounds will close, but scars will remain," Seraphina replied, sweat beading on her forehead from concentration. "Her body will recover, but the psychological trauma will take much longer to heal." She continued the spell, helping my breathing stabilize.

When the healing was complete, Seraphina gently wiped the sweat from my forehead, then frowned as she leaned closer to my neck and clothing, sniffing carefully. Her expression suddenly became grave. "This is the cause."

"What?" Draven and Vespera asked simultaneously.

"She carries the strong scent of male werewolf pheromones," Seraphina explained, her fingers lightly touching my collar. "These pheromones mark territory and ownership, directly challenging the Wolf King's claim on her." She looked toward the two commanders. "The blood scent masked it before, so you couldn't detect it. But to the Wolf King, this was the most direct provocation and violation imaginable."

I weakly opened my eyes as consciousness returned. Hearing Seraphina's words, my mind immediately flashed back to Giselle's strange behavior this morning—her evasive gaze, trembling hands, and her almost panicked flight from my presence. A terrible suspicion formed in my mind. "Giselle..." I whispered her name, my voice hoarse with pain. "She was acting very strangely this morning..."

A dangerous glint flashed in Draven's eyes. "It seems we need to have a serious conversation with this Giselle." Vespera nodded in agreement while Seraphina continued tending to me, softly explaining that I would face a difficult recovery period ahead.