After some time, everyone around and near the forest heard Tianna screaming for help as she rushed toward the entrance and they became alert.
"Miss Tianna! What is it?" The soldiers immediately used their werewolf speed to reach her and see if she was alright.
"I... I... My sister, she is in trouble," Tianna whispered, breathless.
As soon as they heard it was Delilah in danger, their expression immediately changed, and they became less active in asking what was wrong.
"Your sister is creating trouble again?" One of the soldiers asked.
"Please pardon us, Miss Tianna, but I think your sister will pull you down soon if she keeps at it. There is a limit to how much even our prince can bear," Another soldier pitched in, and Tianna pressed her lips into a thin line.
She looked at the guards with an innocent expression, her eyes brimmed with tears.
"You can't say things like that. Regardless of how she behaves, she is my cousin and has come here only because I needed family support. Earlier you were calling her a maid when she came to take care of me only. Please help me. A bear attacked us out of nowhere. I ran out of there in time to call you guys for help," Tianna said.
Meanwhile, Prince Elwin who walked out of the royal palace since he was leaving for his meeting with the elders, furrowed his brow when he heard the commotion because of heightened senses.
"What is going on?" He asked no one in particular.
The guards who heard of what was going on through the mindlink of the soldiers that were open for all to ensure high security of the royal palace, stepped ahead and told Prince Elwin everything.
Prince Elwin's eyes immediately turned dark.
"I told them to take some guards with them. That's what I hate when these girls don't listen to the orders," Prince Elwin snarled in anger before he walked to the backside of the royal palace where Tianna was asking for help.
"What is going on here?" He asked, and the soldiers immediately stood alert.
"Miss Tianna -" Prince Elwin started, sighing when he saw the girl's eyes full of tears.
Now he couldn't even scold her when she was already like this. He clenched his jaws.
"Who has gone to the forest to save Miss Delilah?" Prince Elwin asked, and the soldiers looked at each other, unsure.
"Sir, we were about to go there -"
"It has already been ten minutes since Miss Tianna came here and you are yet to go? What are you waiting for? For the girl to be killed by that bear? Will you take responsibility when people gossip that the royals don't know how to treat their guests?" Prince Elwin asked, his gaze stern, and the soldiers immediately bowed in apology.
"We will leave immediately, sir," The soldiers said.
Prince Elwin sighed and clapped his hands.
As soon as he did that, one of the horses from the stable was released. He jumped on the horse before pulling its strings, turning him to the forest.
"Turn into your wolves," Prince Elwin said.
Meanwhile, the King's secretary who also heard about what happened in the forest as soon as he reached the hidden palace, didn't waste a second and grabbed his horse from the hidden palace's stable and turned towards the forest.
"Sir, what about me? I want to come too," Jacob rushed behind his sir who left already, making the subordinate sigh.
However, he didn't give up and changed into his wolf form, following his boss.
It took him ten minutes on his horse to reach the area where Delilah was stuck with the bear and to say he was amazed by the sight in front of him would be an understatement.
Jacob turned back into his human form, wearing the clothes that he had been holding in his mouth.
"Sir, this-"
Rrrrrrrrr... The bear roared in animosity as it looked at the King's secretary and his secretary.
At the same time, Prince Elwin and his soldiers reached the place, his gaze shifting to the man on his royal horse, who was looking at the girl with mixed emotions, and couldn't help but sigh.
Rrrrrr... The bear roared again when he saw more and more people piping in the area.
"Are we sure we were anxious about this girl?" Prince Elwin looked at the girl, who was sleeping without a care in the world, her head on the bear's stomach while the bear engulfed her in his embrace as if she were his child.
"Mmmm," Katherine murmured, loving the softness of the thing she was sleeping on. She moved her hands, her fists clenching on the bear's fur.
Everyone thought that the bear would snarl at her or something, but to their surprise, the bear only cooed softly before evening Delilah's dress like a human would've done.
"I swear something is wrong with this girl," Prince Elwin said as he got off his horse.
Tianna, who reached the place, looked at her cousin who was sleeping on a bear as if it was not a living bear but a teddy bear, and didn't know what to say.
"I... It was roaring in anger at us earlier. I don't know how this happened," Tianna stuttered softly.
"I am sure you are telling the truth," Prince Elwin didn't doubt the girl for a second.
"What are we supposed to do now? That bear is being protective of her as if he gave birth to her or something. And she is sleeping like a dead wooden log," One of the soldiers said.
Prince Elwin looked at the man who was still on the horse, hoping to get some kind of hint from him.
The system, which was wide awake and looking at everything happening in front of it, couldn't believe it either.
Not only these people, but the demonic system hadn't expected that Katherine would fall asleep either.
"Stop moving, damn it!" Katherine finally groaned, opening her eyes and looking at the bear, who cooed happily, making her sigh.
"Aren't you a good fluffy thing?" She patted its head, her hand freezing mid-air when she felt the powerful presence behind her.
Rrrrrrrr... The bear growled again when the soldiers tried to approach her, making her sigh.
'Please tell me I didn't embarrass myself for the second time in a single day,' Katherine sighed.
'There is no need to tell you that when that's the truth,' The demonic system said, making her sigh.
She turned around with a soft smile on her face.
"Oh, you guys," She said awkwardly before standing.
She was about to step forward when the bear held her dress, making her stop.
"What is happening, Miss Delilah? Have you befriended a bear now? I must say, the power of your love is indeed too strong," Prince Elwin joked, and Katherine suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.
She turned to her side, her gaze meeting with the mysterious man, who for some reason, was looking at her a bit too intensely and goosebumps appeared on her skin.
"I... Mind giving me a hand? Please?" She asked the mysterious man, a pleading expression on her face.
Out of the people standing around her, she didn't know why, but this quiet man felt like the most reliable person.
Prince Elwin looked at the man too. There was no way he would get down from his horse to help her, right?
"Miss Delilah, why do you need his help? Are you planning to get the bear killed? It clearly doesn't want to leave you," Jacob said to his leader, and Katherine smiled softly.
Right. Why would they help her?
"Is that so? I guess no one can help me then," Katherine whispered before turning around and looking at the bear.
She sat on her ankles and looked at the bear in the eyes, patting its head softly.
"I have to go. You are a really gentle bear. I am proud of you. You go back to your family while I go back to my -" Katherine paused.
Family? Was there anyone in this kingdom or back at the pack that Delilah could call her family?
Her hesitation didn't go unnoticed by Prince Elwin, who was gazing at the girl with a curious expression.
There was no way this bear was listening to her, right?
"Rrrrr," The bear clicked its tongue, and Katherine smiled.
She was really afraid of this bear when it came near her.
However, after that, her system told her that the wolf inside Delilah's body was an elemental wolf that was close to nature, and that's why the animals would be attracted to her and feel friendly vibes from her.
When Katherine confirmed it with the bear's nature, she let her guard down and accepted what fate offered her.
"I will come to meet you. I promise," Katherine said and was about to add more when she heard a thud sound.
She turned to her side where the mysterious man finally got down from his horse and stepped ahead, surprising everyone with his interference.
The Elder Prince's secretary was known for his limited communication and cold dominant nature. Thus, for him to go to the girl to help her -
The bear stood from its place, leaving her dress before it turned around and left.
Katherine looked at the man, her brows furrowed slightly.
Was it just her or the bear left in a hurry all because the man neared her?
The mysterious man walked to her, extending his gloved hand to her.
"Thank you," Katherine took his hand.
She was expecting him to help her stand, but what she hadn't expected was for the man to pull her with a jerk before picking her in his arms, making her squeal.
He went to his horse and placed her on the horse like a sack of potatoes before patting his horse, who immediately started running towards the royal palace.
Katherine looked at all the people standing in the same area, including that Mysterious man, with wide eyes, and couldn't help but pout.
Katherine - "..." Why am I being sent away like I am some heavy sack? (*_*)(*_*)
The horse could take the weight of two people, right?
The demonic system chuckled at her before clicking its tongue.
"Or maybe because he didn't want to sit with you. I mean, look at your dirty clothes," the system reminded her, and Katherine hummed.
"That could be the case. Besides, let's not forget. Chivalry is dead in this royal palace. No one wants to help poor Delilah," Katherine sighed.