Chapter 71: The Betrayed Partners

I inserted my hand under my hunting shirt and felt a scar imprinted near my stomach. It burned my flesh because of the high concoction of wolfsbane. Even the antidote did not help to heal my scar.

Sighing, I knew that I shouldn't be surprised about this since I still had some other scars other than this. I had them since I was little when Papa had ordered us to use a weapon with wolfsbane coated in it.

"Is there something wrong?"

I glanced at Niccolo, who looked worried. "No, nothing." I handed him my sword. "Hold on to me. Alright?" He nodded.

I transformed into my wolf form. Niccolo caressed my snout, causing my wolf to purr.

I was getting confused with the way my wolf was acting. She was purring as if Niccolo was our mate when that was not the case.

That was not Valerian, you idiot!

But my wolf ignored me and continued leaning against Niccolo's touch. Niccolo chuckled and softened.

"It has been a while, my little wolf."

His words sent shivers down my spine. Niccolo smiled before he mounted my back.

I was trying to process everything when I snapped back as soon as my wolf started sprinting by following the scents of Britanny and Warren. Their scents were still strong, so I knew that I could be able to find them as soon as possible.

I slowed down when I thought we were near the location where I could see some smoke coming from a bonfire. I made a five kilometers distance to avoid alerting Britanny before Niccolo mounted down.

My wolf body gradually returned to my human body. Niccolo approached me and bestowed me my sword.

Then the next thing he did make my eyes widen.

Niccolo kissed me!

It was quick, yet it was enough to put my whole being in turmoil.

Niccolo noticed that before his lips stretched out into a sinful smirk when he caught me off guard. "I did not know there would come a time that I could make you have this kind of expression," he said teasingly.

What he said made me frown. "Can you not?" I could feel my cheeks being tinted red from embarrassment.

Before I could distance myself, Niccolo took my hand and brought it to his lips to kiss the back while looking at me sensually.

Something caressed in my heart when I saw Valerian in him since that sensual gaze with a beguiling smile was something I could only see in Valerian. My heart ached for some reason before Niccolo drew closer to kiss me on my forehead.

I looked up at him, feeling vulnerable all of a sudden. My wolf purred more from his action.

It was as if my wolf saw Valerian in him as I did.

"Come here..." He gently drew me toward his body before he wrapped his arms around me. "Do not look troubled."

I was surprised since I did not expect him to notice my emotions. I bit my lower lip, feeling guilty that I was letting myself be close to another man.

I was about to say something when he kissed my forehead before he distanced himself. I was dumbfounded and saw a lazy smile plastered on his lips.

"Let's go?" Niccolo gestured his head, telling me that we should move forward.

I quickly nodded and cleared my throat to wake myself up while feeling my heart about to burst out. "Um..." My mind went haywire for a moment before I looked up and saw some branches on the trees. "Let's jump from branch to branch. We must watch them from above."

"Roger that."

Niccolo and I separated as we fulfilled to take back the beast tails we took. We were planning to take theirs since they started this game.

And it would be a payback time for my sister to kill me. I would let her taste the hell through my sword. I would let her experience what I had gone through.

I spotted Britanny, who was leaning in the tree. Her legs wrapped around Warren's waist as they shared wild kisses, getting busy with their carnal desire. That made me glance at Niccolo from a distance.

It was also the time that he was also looking at me. I instantly looked away when I realized I was not the only one remembering what had happened earlier.

I felt... embarrassed somehow.

I castigated myself and kept myself looking for the beast tails where they gathered them near the bonfire. I even looked for Britanny's weapon, and so was Warren's.

They were settling beside the bonfire. I observed Britanny since I knew sneaking out might be a good idea, but she could also grasp the situation. I must think of something that would catch her off guard.

I turned at Niccolo again and began to open and close my hands so I could communicate with him through this but doing a morse code message.

'I need you to distract them for me. Can you fight them alone, especially Britanny?'

Niccolo looked at them when Britanny started to moan as soon as Warren was fucking her. Then he nodded. 'I can do that,' he said before he prepared his sword when he was about to throw it as if he was going to do a javelin throw.

It looked like he was aiming in Warren's direction.

I waited, but I quickly turned around when I heard some presence moving quickly like me. I became alert since I felt the presence was not the only one. I could feel two people coming this way.

At a few distances, I saw two people, a man and a woman, coming in Warren and Britanny's direction.

Britanny became alert and halted Warren.

At the same time, Niccolo threw his sword, and the two people came to appear and shoot them with arrows.

"FUCK!" Warren yelled in pain when it pierced his back and his front. Even Britanny was hit on her cleavage.

"Shit!" She hissed and pushed Warren away from him, growling in pain since the arrow also hit her. She looked up and saw the two people that came out of nowhere. "You... Rachellian Lothim?!"

"Claude Hackworth?!" It was Warren who said that.

I did not see their faces as their backs were facing me. But my jaw dropped when their names were mentioned. I couldn't believe it...

Lady Rachellian Lothim was Britanny's partner, while Lord Claude Hackworth was Warren's partner.

These two foreigners were from the land of the Waevalon Kingdom and had joined this year's competition. I only got to know them yesterday when I wanted to learn who would be on Britanny and Warren's team. I did not get to see them, but I was confident that I hadn't heard their names in the past. But Henry indeed announced that they came from abroad.

What were they doing here?

Did they come here and follow them to avenge that they were betrayed?!

"Well, well... It is payback time for what you did for both of us," Lady Rachellian said as she cocked her head from side to side, giggling.

Wait... That voice...

It sounded... familiar. Where did I hear it?

Lord Claude yawned. "I am not really fond of going after some weaklings, but my mate is pissed, so I need to abide with her," he said. It looked like he was having fun.

I creased my forehead from what he said. What did he mean by that? Lady Rachellian was Lord Claude's mate?

What the fuck?!

Lady Rachellian clapped her hands. "And I know that we have some audiences here. We are not the only ones here. Am I right?"

As soon as she turned around, I could have sworn I had shivers down my spine upon seeing that beautiful face and that ocean-blue eyes.

No way...

Was she...

"Greetings, Lady Dominixe... and Lord Niccolo," she said, smiling from ear to ear while her gaze fixated on me. I saw her eyes sparkling. It looked like she was delighted when she saw me. "I have longed to see you..." she said meaningfully.