Margo trembled internally as she hugged the baby closer. It drew to her that Prince Maxim was now her responsibility.
"Don't worry, little Prince. I'll keep you safe," Margo whispered sadly. She felt like a failure for letting her Queen escape, but she couldn't do anything about it.
Margo stayed in the same spot for a few minutes to gather herself and focus on a safe escape. As she was about to step, she heard a loud growl on the other side of the wall.
It was drawn to Margo that the enemy reached the room quicker than she expected. Her instinct told her to save the Queen, but she needed to keep the Prince alive at all costs.
Margo slapped her cheeks to regain her senses. She placed Maxim inside the bag before transforming into a werewolf and ripping her clothes off. She didn't care if she had nothing to wear when transforming into a human form.
Then, Margo held the bag's handle using her mouth before sprinting as fast as she could.
The hidden passage was pitch black, and several spider webs and rats lurked, but Margo's eyesight adjusted to the darkness.
Margo could smell the mixture of blood and flesh seeping from the walls, and it urged her to vomit, but she swallowed it back.
"I need to be strong," Margo whispered to herself.
After a few minutes of running, Margo reached the end of the tunnel. She transformed into her human form and searched for a lever to open the door.
"Tsk! Where is it?" Margo snapped, and her trembling hands felt the walls until she found what she sought.
Pulling down the lever, the wall shook and slowly opened. They were at the back of the Palace, and what she saw outside shook her to the core.
The mixture of blood, tattered flesh, and bodies scattered on the grass, lying lifeless. Painting the scenery red as if the sun gave birth to the earth.
Margo's legs trembled, but the adrenaline helped her cope. She transformed back into her wolf form even though it made her bones ached. She could only hold back her emotions as she ran away with the baby in her mouth.
"Oh Goddess," Margo whispered as she kept seeing familiar faces of the people she knew and bonded with for many years, only for them to lay lifeless on the soft grass.
Margo continued running as fast as she could, ignoring the deaths around her. She was thankful that no enemies were close to that area. She didn't know where to go, but she decided to go straight until she was far from the Palace walls.
"If I cross that river. Maybe they will have difficulty finding me," Margo muttered as she remembered the infamous river trailing along their pack area. She planned to swim to the other side until she heard distant voices and paws hitting the ground.
Margo panicked. She couldn't risk Maxim's safety if she got caught.
"Shit! Those bastards!" Margo cursed under her breath. She fastened her pace even if it would strain her leg muscles.
It didn't take long before Margo spotted the river. The heavy currents made her hesitant to continue her plan, but it was her only choice.
Margo placed down the bag and immediately reverted to her human form in all her naked glory.
"Prince Maxim," Margo whispered as she touched Maxim's cheeks. It made her chuckle that Maxim didn't cry at all; otherwise, it would have been troublesome.
Margo didn't waste any time, beginning to create a makeshift boat from tree branches and leaves for bedding. She tied it all together using her hair as a rope. When she was done, she put Maxim and the bag inside.
Then Margo bit her finger, causing blood to appear, and wrote Maxim's name on the cloth.
"I'm sorry, Prince Maxim but this is all I could do for you. May the Moon Goddess be at your aid and guide you to safety," Margo tearfully said before placing the makeshift boat on the running water, hoping someone would find the Prince and took him in.
The heavy currents quickly took the makeshift boat away until it was no longer in sight.
Margo stayed and made sure the boat wouldn't tip over. "Moon Goddess, heed my prayer. Please ensure Prince Maxim's life and let him live in peace throughout his life," she muttered, clasping her hands tightly together.
Tears fell nonstop in Margo's eyes. Knowing the enemies grow closer to her location, she knew her life would end sooner or later.
At that moment, Margo felt her body burned in pain. She looked down and saw thick, black flames engulfing her body.
"What the hell!?" Margo screamed. She turned around and saw the Alpha of the DarkMoon pack holding a black fireball with a wicked smile on his face. "Donovan!"
"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A naked woman, but I'm not attracted to that kind of body," Donovan stated proudly with a smirk laced on his lips.
"You!" Margo gritted her teeth and tried to attack, but Donovan increased the black flames on her body.
"Don't try to struggle. It's pointless," Donovan chuckled in amusement. He liked how he was in control of the situation. "I smelled a royal blood in this area, but all I found is the lady-in-waiting of the dead Queen," he added.
Margo's eyes widened at the information. "D-dead! What do you mean— AH!"
Donovan increased the flames even more since he disliked being questioned. "Let's get this done. Where is the baby?" he asked. He knew they hid the royal baby away from him.
Margo smiled through the pain and looked straight into Donovan's eyes. "F^ck you!" she exclaimed and pointed a middle finger at him. She was aware that she would be killed no matter what.
"This b^tch!" Donovan got pissed at Margo's response that he burned her to dust without any mercy. He watched with awe at her death before turning around to his men.
"Search the area for a baby. I'm sure that b^tch hides it somewhere!" Donovan ordered with rage. He was eager to sit on the throne, but a mere baby delayed it.
"Yes, Alpha!" the warriors stated in unison and began searching the area.
Donovan sighed and stared above. Grey clouds covered the clear sky, and rain started pouring in, followed by lightning and thunder.
"Ah, it seems you're angry, Moon Goddess," Donovan smirked. "But only the strong wins in the end," he added without remorse.
"Your Grace, we have found a baby on one of the servant's room!" a warrior reported after it reached Donovan.
"Why do I care about a mere servant's baby!?" Donovan snapped angrily and was about to kill the knight when he relayed another message.
"The baby is wrapped in a cloth with the royal crest, Your Grace." the warrior knelt down on one knee, lowered his head full of sweat, and readied himself if the Alpha would end his life.
Upon hearing the warrior's words, Donovan's expression changed as he laughed loudly with satisfaction.
"HAHA! Good job, my warrior. Now, bring me to that bastard!" Donovan exclaimed while laughing menacingly. His blood rushed through his brain at the thought of getting his hand to the most crucial pawn in his game.