Sudden RaidAurelia Rothchild"Put the mark or whatever it is, away," I repeated for the nth time, trying to match Lucian's pace as we walked out of the woods. I can't help but groan each second, trying to avoid all the snapping twigs, sharp tall grasses, and dangerous insects everywhere. Good thing I'm wearing a pair of trousers or my legs might have taken damage by now. Nothing stresses me more than an imperfect skin.Where is that mark even? I've been looking everywhere at my skin to find a mark or anything of the sort but I haven't found anything. My skin is still intact with no tattoos or marks, and if he ever tries putting one on my precious perfect skin, I'm going to sue him for it."You can't find it, Miss." Flinch who is jumping from tree to tree sat on a low-hanging branch to answer my questions. He is ahead of us so I had to raise my head to look at him. His brown messy hair and small little fangs at the edge of his lips made him look like a cat more than a wolf.They say we need to be careful in the woods. That's why Flinch and Gwen, the girl who rarely talks are watching over the place from above, at the trees I mean. And I have no idea how in the world they could climb those freaking tall pine trees around."So, you have a spokesperson now? Even us, royalties don't do that. We have our tongue to speak.""I just simply don't want to talk to someone who put a curse on me," Lucian replied sarcastically, putting on his tweed cap again."Why can't I find the mark? Or is it really existing? What if you're just trying to prank me?" I took another twig and started snapping it into pieces. Who knows, they might be trying to get me lost in the woods."We don't do pranks," Lucian stopped to face me and I almost bumped into him hadn't I got some good reflexes. Those fencing classes really paid off."And I won't remove the mark as long as you don't remove your curse on me."Is he threatening me?!"All right, let's have a deal," I proposed, and he only gave me a side-eye as we kept walking. And we've been walking for almost half an hour! Goodness, don't they have a chopper?!"Remove the mark on me and then I'll remove the curse on you."Of course, I haven't told them that I don't actually know how to remove the curse."Nah, I know what you're trying to do," He gave me a skeptical look. "I know a thing or two about nobilities, you don't keep promises."This is why I hate movies. They expose the rich too much."What makes you think I'm the same?" I raised a brow on him. "What if I am actually a good noblewoman who keeps her promises?" I tried sounding a bit more trustworthy, like what my parents do when they try to close a deal."You still don't trust us. That's enough evidence," Lucian pointed at the twig I've been snapping since a while ago to leave some trails. "And don't even bother doing that, we're not some savages. Do I look like one?""No. But at night yes."Scout, who has been quiet following us cleared his throat.Of course, Lucian won't be able to retaliate on that. Azrael is a huge jerk.Lucian heaved a sigh as if he was already tired of talking to me. How insulting! Doesn't he know it's a privilege to talk to someone like me?"How annoying."I stopped. What's that voice I heard in my head?! All of them stopped in their tracks when they saw me frozen still in my position."Did you hear that?!" I asked, my eyes widened. I just hear someone in my head, am I going nuts?!"Don't bother," Lucian waved a hand. "She just heard me." And then they all laughed and continued on their tracks.What was that?!"I didn't hear you talking!""Now that we're m-mates..." Lucian groaned as if that word pertaining to us sent shivers down his spine. "You could sometimes hear my inner thoughts and vice versa. It's one of the effects.""Effects? How many effects are there?"Goodness. I should be careful. What if I accidentally make him hear that I don't know how to put out the curse?!"Did you hear that?" I asked."Hear what?""What I just said?"He grunted. "It doesn't happen every time. But why do you look so scared?" He took a few steps closer, making me inch back. How dare he put his face close to mine?!"You're hiding something aren't you?""No, I'm not." I raised my head, not trying to break off the eye contact because they say it is what gives the lie away. I stared as long as I could with those ocean-blue eyes. It's pretty. Wait what?!"Wait."Just then, Lucian stopped, as do the others, too. Flinch and Gwen remained standing on branches, Scout behind us, Lucian beside me, putting a hand on my wrist."Don't touc-""Shh," He pressed a finger on his lip, his eyes serious so I remained silent. I'm not the type to follow orders, but for some reason, I found myself obeying. What just happened?But more than that I sensed something foreboding in the woods. Suddenly, it went too silent. No birds humming, no silent gush of the wind. Our eyes darted upward when we saw a flock of birds scurrying away."Run."Lucian pulled me roughly into a sprint and suddenly, all of us started running as if our lives depended on it."What's happening?! I told you it could've been a lot faster if we used a chopper!""We don't use chopper!" Lucian retaliated, even having the time to glare at me for a second before speeding up twice than before. I saw the others getting ahead of us, but Scout remained behind. As if he's deliberately slowing down to match our pace. How in the world are they so quick?! Especially Flinch and Gwen I couldn't even see their movements anymore! Are they sure they are of wolves' descendants, not monkeys?!"Hey, I can't keep up!""Right," Lucian groaned before stopping, my forehead bumping into his back."Ow!"He put his tweed cap down, exposing his blonde hair, pinning his cap on his waist again. Suddenly, he pulled me close, and the next thing I knew he was carrying me in a bridal style."Hey! What are you doing?!""Feeding you off the wolves?""WHAT?!"Then he chuckled, and I almost choked because it was the first time I saw him smile and laugh and it was like music to my ears. Better than Tchaikovsky. Wait what?!"I'm going to run as fast as I can. You know how it works, right?"Then I remember the night we escaped. He moved too fast it was so rough in the skin!"Could you please be gentler?!" I complained, wrapping my arms tight around his neck and I hated myself for that but my survival is more important than looking like a monkey in his arms."All right, spoiled lady. Hang on tight."The next thing I knew, we were moving so fast I couldn't see anything I had to shut my eyes because the wind stung. As much as I hated it, I buried my head in his chest because it felt like my head would fall off my body anytime. This time, he moved faster, as if the situation was more alarming than it was before.But then Lucian went into a sudden halt. So are the three."Alpha," Scout's voice was concerning. Lucian turned and Scout looked at us with a warning gaze."We're surrounded," Flinch suddenly dropped beside us, and although his statement was making me worry, he was still smiling from ear to ear."Hey, nepo babies!"A rough annoying voice echoed in the woods. Our heads turned, searching to see its owner until it decided to show itself."If it isn't the great Lucian!" A bulky guy, who seemed bigger than Scout, showed in front of us, a dagger carelessly hanging on his right hand, a scar etched from his eyes until his cheek. Now, that looks like an official werewolf."Filthy bounty hunters." Scout grimaced. Looks like he had a beef with these people."Oh, I hate Harlow's pack," Flinch complained, still smiling. "I simply want to bust their heads off."One by one, people showed up around us. I almost cursed seeing they were about two dozen. But of course, I refrain from cursing. My tongue is too precious for shabby words."Shadow Pack, we don't want any business with you," The guy with the scar, Harlow according to Flinch, declared. "We want..." His dagger slowly moves, trying to find its prey until it stops in a certain direction.Towards me."Her."