No matter how dark and lengthy the road, with conviction and determination in their hearts, their steps became resolute.
As Maggie and Marvin crossed the long stone chamber and encountered the light, Maggie was overjoyed to finally see Aldrich after their separation.
In a corner of the stone chamber, there was a large rock with a few fresh fruits scattered at its base, and Aldrich was sitting on the edge of the rock.
“Aldrich…” Maggie rushed over excitedly.
She had so much love to express, and she wanted to tell Aldrich that he held a significant place in her heart, a place she couldn’t live without.
However, Aldrich cautiously led her aside, saying, “Maggie, keep your voice down.”
“Seeing that you’re safe is such a relief. We almost got attacked by a brown bear…”
Aldrich interrupted her and didn’t even respond to her hug. “Listen, Maggie, you and Marvin need to leave here.”
“Is it because of this woman?” Marvin’s voice was as icy as ever.
A beautiful woman appeared from where Aldrich had just left the stone floor. Her skin was as pure as snow, her long golden hair seemed to glisten in the moonlight, her sparkling and bewitching eyes were captivating.
She wore a necklace with a gem pendant hanging from it, connected by a golden thread. The gem was embedded with an energy bead.
She walked gracefully, even more agile than the forest’s deer, and her aura was so pure and clean that it was impossible to determine her species.
Maggie couldn’t take her eyes off her. She heard this excessively beautiful woman call Aldrich “my wolf.”
“My wolf, is this the food you’ve brought?”
Aldrich immediately released Maggie’s hand and walked to the woman. “No, they’ve entered here by mistake. Can you open the stone door to let them leave?”
“Leave…” The beautiful woman’s eyes started to fill with malice. “You want to leave!”
“I will take you away.”
“Air, food, water sources, there is no shortage here. Why do you still want to leave…”
“Please, stay away from him,” the woman suddenly flew over to Maggie and bared her sharp teeth. Even her pure eyes turned blood-red.
She grabbed Maggie’s neck. Maggie kept hitting the woman’s hand, and Marvin tried to attack the woman, but Aldrich held him back. Maggie burst into tears when she saw this scene.
Did this woman’s value outweigh hers, causing Aldrich to choose to abandon her? She thought that such a scene would come a long time later, but it was happening right before her eyes.
Marvin punched Aldrich. “Do you know what you’re doing, you murderer!”
“Calm down. Can’t you see this woman is a Lunarisvampire? Provoking her means Maggie won’t survive!”
“Lunarisvampires!” Marvin was shocked.
Aldrich pushed Marvin away, anxiously approaching the woman. “Please, don’t harm her. You said you didn’t like blood…”
“But she wants to take you away, and that’s unacceptable,” the woman stared intensely at Maggie.
Maggie reached into her pocket to touch the energy bead. Suppressing the choking sensation around her neck, she managed to speak clearly, “He’s my wolf!”
“You bastard, you have your own wolf cub. Why are you trying to steal my wolf? I’ve finally found him, and no one can take him away!” The woman howled.
The woman bit into Maggie’s neck in anger. Aldrich instantly transformed into a silver wolf and pounced, further infuriating the woman. Marvin’s gray wolf joined the fight, and the three of them were entangled in a fierce struggle.
With her newfound freedom, Maggie lay on the ground, gasping heavily. The woman’s powers gradually waned, and the gray wolf’s massive claws wounded her arm. Just as its claws were about to strike her throat and ear, the silver wolf intervened.
They quickly reverted to their human forms. Marvin bellowed at Aldrich, “Aldrich, she’s a Lunarisvampire! Do you even know what you’re doing?”
“At least not right now. She’s also part werewolf!”
“What…” Marvin trembled and withdrew his hand. “A hybrid…”
Even though the woman was injured, she clung tightly to Aldrich, muttering, “My wolf… my child… where are you…”
Maggie realized that there was a misunderstanding. She hesitated and asked, “Her wolf… does she consider you her child?”
It was an embarrassing misunderstanding, but it was the truth.
Aldrich explained, “She led the silver wolf here, but she didn’t harm me. She doesn’t remember her identity, only that she lost her child. She’s full of mysteries, a hybrid, with no wolf of her own, able to control her desires and not drink any blood. Her aura is so clean and pure…”
“She’s very valuable, so you want to deceive her into leaving with you?” Maggie voiced Aldrich’s intentions.
Aldrich furrowed his brows. “Not deceive her. I want to take her out for treatment.”
Maggie took out the energy bead. “As you wish.”
In Maggie’s palm, the energy bead radiated a bright light as she chanted an incantation, illuminating the expressions on everyone’s faces.
A thread of pure white light flowed into the woman’s body. This time, Maggie had more control over the energy and could sense the woman’s physical condition. Gradually, color returned to the woman’s pale face, her skin revealed freckles, and her silky hair fell out in clumps. The glow from the energy bead gradually faded, but the woman remained with her eyes closed.
Marvin was puzzled. “Isn’t this supposed to heal her? Has there been a backlash?”
Aldrich supported Maggie. “How are you?”
Maggie shook her head, her voice filled with sadness. “This is what she should look like after healing.”
During the healing process, Maggie seemed to share the same feelings as the woman. Following the white light, she witnessed the woman’s failing organs, congealed blood, her suppressed spirit, never relaxed, and every moment she was alive was like a walking corpse.
“This isn’t right. Lunarisvampires are supposed to be eternally youthful, undying,” Marvin continued to question.
The energy bead necklace on the woman’s neck emitted a light, as if beckoning Maggie, its master.
Aldrich reached out to take it, but Maggie stopped him. “No, removing the necklace will kill her.”
Following Aldrich’s pointing finger, Maggie noticed a wet spot in the woman’s hair where her tears had fallen.
Marvin exclaimed, “She’s been awake all along!”
The woman opened her eyes, her gaze unfocused. She looked around the room in sorrow, tilted her head back, and emitted a long, deep, and despairing howl.