Chapter 340

340 Voice of the Wild, Guardian of the Forest, Nature’s Puppeteer, Lurking Wolf

The woman hurried through the wide open door and froze at what she found in the room. Bound tightly in rope was a young frail girl sleeping in an untidy bed. There were scratches all over her body and fresh cuts probably from the rough treatment she received from the rogues.

Her hands had been tied behind her back and the knot around her legs connected to them, keeping her in an uncomfortable position that didn’t allow her any relief.

Salty trails of the deluge of tears she’d let down could still be seen staining her innocent face. One look at the girl was enough to realise that she had cried herself to sleep and run out of energy to struggle against the ropes that bound her.

The old woman got to work untying her. Deep red bruises were forming ugly rings on her wrists and ankles. Lacerations made by the rough rope mercilessly drew blood from the bruises. The sight forced her to cringe in disgust, ‘I hope those heartless brutes get what’s coming for them and then some...’

Once the girl’s limbs were free, the woman made an effort to carry the girl, but only managed to make half the journey to the main door before setting the girl on a sofa, panting heavily with exhaustion.

“In my younger days... she would have been... as light as a feather,” the woman breathed heavily, falling into the space left beside the girl tiredly. This was the only sofa in the small cabin.

Aside from it, there was a brilliantly crafted wooden stool on the other side of the table. It wasn’t still so beautiful anymore, however, scratches riddled its once beautiful polished surface, “It’s like they were trying to rid the man of everything good in his life.”

The girl sleeping beside the old woman looked like a healthy six-year-old. Besides the cuts on her wrists and ankles, she bore no scars on her body which was meant to be an impossible feat for someone that lived this deep in the forest.

“Your father has raised you peacefully... even though he’s only a lowly hermit,” the woman exclaimed before making another attempt at carrying the girl out of the cottage.

.....

She made it out the door and placed the girl at the threshold, “You were talking to yourself again,” the bear exclaimed.

“Yes, yes, I was... and that there...” pointing to the girl leaning against the wooden door frame, “That was me, okay. I was the one that carried that girl from her room to this place,” the woman announced, nodding in acknowledgement of her own feat-a seemingly permanent grin of delight set on her face.

“You’re going to have to hold her while I rush the two of you to the nearest hospital,” the bear replied, “If you ask me, you’ve barely hit your stride.”

“You’re no fun, Brian. You know that. No fun at all,” her jovial expression fell.

“I would be better having fun if I knew you were going to be safe. Make sure you’re comfortable before we start our journey. You could have stayed hidden as you have been. That was always so much easier,” the last part was said quietly, an opinion the bear couldn’t hold in much longer.

The woman, having rested, set the girl on the bear’s back and climbed on with her. She took note of the girl’s steady breathing and regarded the man they had tied up.

Nodding her head in disapproval, she dismounted, fetched the ropes that had previously bound the girl and reinforced the man’s bonds, making sure to leave him in a position that was much less comfortable and impossible to move in or escape. His hands had been tied together behind him and his legs pulled as far back as possible.

This position was much more strained compared to the one the little girl was in. Children also tend to be more flexible than adults. “Karma has to work some way... hmph.”

The discomfort was set to torment him only the moment he awoke and he would be relieved only when the king’s Warriors came to get him.

The woman ordered the eagle to stay watchful of the man as they left and started their journey back to the capital. The girl needed to get to a hospital, “Soooo, am I leaving you at the edge of the forest or are we storming the city?”

“We are storming the city, Brian. We are storming the city,” the woman screamed in excitement at her own plan. Reckless as it was, she was trying to attract as much attention to herself as she could which was the entire opposite of the purpose of her being.

...................

The ambulance took the Luna to the hospital in a rush, only allowing Cole and King Davin to ride with them. The two kings watched everything happen in heavy silence. King Davin’s daughter and King Cole’s mate. The two of them were no longer fighting each other. Or more like King Davin was done attacking Cole.

The new king of Lycaon had enough to worry about as it was. Katie was in an emergency room as fast as the paramedics could go and her family was soon gathered in the waiting room, patiently awaiting the doctor’s results.

“Caden, where is he?” Cole asked the beta alpha that had managed to make it first.

“He’s on his way with the rest of the Chase family that was present,” the man responded, “He’ll be here soon.”

“Cole, do you have a plan in mind?” King Davin’s curiosity finally broke through.

“I’m not sure at the moment. I knew this was going to happen eventually. Katie wasn’t getting any better. I wasn’t the only one who was worried though and I was working with the Chase family on the matter. They say they found some form of an answer,” he responded, his voice distant yet again.

'

After a few more minutes of waiting, they could soon hear the rushing steps of a small number of people. Cole guessed they’d arrived but didn’t bother to stand up to meet them. Micah walked in first, followed by the rest of his family.

To the king’s(the two Kings) surprise, they saw one other person with them. A man covered in dirt, following Thorrin like a lost lamb. As it so appeared, Cole remembered the man from earlier, but now that he was seeing him again, he wondered what made him so important. Thinking back to their conversation in the Throne Room, he realised he’d rushed the Might Warrior in his explanation.

“What’s he doing here?” was the first question out of the newly crowned king’s mouth.

“He is the reason I can’t find the person I’m looking for. She’s gone by many names over the years, The Voice of the Wild, the Guardian of the Forest, Nature’s Puppeteer, The Lurking Wolf... the list goes on and on,” Thorrin explained.

“Those are names attributed to the myths of someone that can control nature. No one has ever seen her in person,” Cole responded, somewhat agitated.

“I... If I may speak, I met the Voice of the Wild...” without even meaning to, all attention was now turned to the man that had just spoken.

He wasn’t one to speak in the presence of a large gathering, not to mention one comprised of the most prominent hunter family and both royal families of werewolves. He’d spent his whole life staying away from these same three factions that ruled the world... and yet, here he was, capturing their undivided attention.