Clover laced up her running shoes, a gift from Maribelle, and headed into the forest, feeling a sense of freedom wash over her. The early morning air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, providing a rejuvenating energy that she needed as she ran along the narrow path that wound its way up the hill.
The tension and stress of the past few days, which had been weighing heavily on her shoulders, began to melt away as she maintained her jogging pace. It was as if they were an ice cream left in the sun. Here, in the immortal realm, the season was unexpectedly early spring, a surprise to Clover who was accustomed to the mortal realm's late fall, where winter was just around the corner.
Clover's mind wandered back to the events of last week, when she was at Cassandra's home, and she had discovered that she was harboring a sinister entity. Although she wasn't certain if it was actually within her, for she had never interacted with it.
It wasn't until three days ago, when Brianna, or Bri, spoke to her, that she realized the entity's presence. Bri, it seemed, had been keeping the entity at bay, preventing it from interacting with its host, her. Clover's demon and Nephilim aspects viewed the entity as a nuisance, a pest that needed to be controlled.
Today, Clover decided to change from her usual routine and instead of stopping at the top of the hill, she would continue on to the river below. She had been looking forward to a swim, and Maribelle had introduced her to this secluded spot.
Clover had come prepared, packing snacks, a swimsuit, a towel, and other essentials. As she approached the river, she was struck by its beauty, teeming with a variety of aquatic life. She was relieved to note that there were no reptiles in sight, making it a perfect spot for her to relax and enjoy a refreshing swim.
Clover took out a towel and put it on a rock near the river. She removed her running shoes and lay down on the rock to enjoy the fresh air and catch her breath. After a while, she ate an energy bar and changed into her swimsuit. Then, she jumped into the river.
The water was not very deep, she could stand with her legs, and it only came up to her chest, the cool water felt perfect and energizing. As Clover floated in the river, she wished Maribelle was with her.
But Maribelle had to go to Cassandra's because Cassandra had called her urgently. The witch needed help with something, and Maribelle was a good choice because she was her apprentice. Clover was still floating lazily in the river, without a care in the world, when Isaac, the gamma from the wolf clan she lived with, arrived to find her.
He was a workaholic who always pushed the pack members to their limit during training. Isaac cleared his throat to get Clover's attention. She turned to see who had disturbed her peaceful moment, and found Isaac looking at her with anger in his eyes.
This was the first time she had seen him angry. She was startled, only to realise it the gamma, Issac. "What? I just finished my routine running session, so I decided to take a swim to relax my muscles," she explained, feeling like she needed to justify herself, even though it wasn't necessary.
"That's not it," Isaac said. "I told you to take one of the guards with you when you run through the forest for your own safety, Clover, especially since Maribelle isn't here with you. Danger is everywhere here, and sometimes it's closer than you think." He picked up a towel that was nearby and said, "Here, let's go. You have a visitor waiting for you." He looked annoyed.
"Are you still angry with me? I'm sorry, okay. I'll think before acting next time, I promise," Clover said, feeling sad. She didn't like it when Isaac was angry with her. She looked up to him like a brother, and sometimes he reminded her of her own brother, Brandon.
"Don't mind me, I'm just angry about who came here to see you," Isaac said, gathering up all the things Clover had brought with her, while she got dressed.
"Is it Wizard Romulus? Or Cassandra?" Clover asked, sounding curious.
"No, the crown prince of this kingdom, Prince Vernon," Isaac said, his face looking grumpy as he revealed the visitor's identity.
"A Prince? Is he that bad? What does he want from me?" Clover asked, her curiosity piqued by Isaac's obvious dislike for the mysterious prince.
"Not really, I just don't like the Lycans in general," Isaac said, his expression serious. "They are dangerous and unpredictable. For what he wants from you I don't know, since he's a prince, he had to monitor his Kingdom's well-being."
Clover stood for two seconds, absorbing what Isaac had said, before her eyes widened in shock. "Lycans? As in werewolves that can walk on their hind legs?" she asked, her voice filled with surprise. She had thought that only werewolves and werefoxes were the only remaining species from the canine family. "I thought they went extinct," she added, her mind racing with the implications of Isaac's words.
"No, they're alive and kicking, unfortunately, and one of them is seeking your audience" Isaac said, his tone matter-of-fact. "Even dragonshifters still exist," he added, leading the way back to the clan, his words dropping like a bombshell, leaving Clover to process the revelation.
The word "dragon" instantly transported Clover back to the dream she had when she was still in the mortal realm. Those blazing eyes, which had seemed to pierce through her very soul, sent shivers down her spine once again. She felt as if the creature was watching her for real.
For a moment, she wondered if it was indeed a dragon that had haunted her dreams. But she quickly pushed the thought aside, telling herself it was just a product of her imagination. What was even more surprising, though, was that she had never dreamed about the mysterious lady again.
She couldn't help but wonder if the lady was also real, and if their encounter had been more than just a fleeting dream. When Isaac turned to say something to Clover, he found her lost in thought.
He couldn't help but smile to himself, fascinated by the human-like behavior that still lingered in her despite her newfound knowledge of the immortal world. Humans were indeed interesting creatures, and their obliviousness to the existence of immortals only added to their charm.
Clover behaved just like mortals, even after she learned that she was no mortal, and she even refused to use her power.
Upon their arrival, Sandra, Mari's step mother, immediately ushered Clover to her room to prepare her for a meeting with the Prince.
"Come on, dear, we need to get you presentable to meet with the prince," Sandra said, her hands moving deftly as she helped Clover into the elegant dress.
"If Maribelle were here, she would have known exactly what to do. I hope you don't mind, but I've asked one of our Luna's handmaids to assist us. She's an expert in etiquette and protocol, and she'll be able to help you make a good impression."
As Sandra spoke, she gently smoothed out the wrinkles in the dress, her eyes scanning Clover's reflection in the mirror. "You look lovely, dear," she said, smiling. "The prince is going to be charmed by you, I'm sure of it."
Clover felt a flutter in her chest as she gazed at her reflection. As she stood in front of the mirror, she couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation wash over her. The dress, a beautiful and elegant gown, seemed to shimmer and shine in the light, but it was the memories that it stirred up that made her heart racing.
She remembered the last time she had worn a dress like this, the way it had made her feel like a princess, but also the way it had landed her in trouble. It was as if she was cursed, doomed to never wear beautiful dresses without something going terribly wrong.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, but her mind was racing. What if history repeated itself? What if she wore this dress and something bad happened again?. She looked at her reflection, and for a moment, she felt a surge of anxiety before she calmed her nerves.
Then she posed a question to Sandra. "But why would he want to see me? I hope I don't make a fool of myself," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sandra's expression was reassuring. "I don't know, dear, but you'll be fine, I'm sure," she said. "Just be yourself, and let your natural charm shine through. The prince is a kind and gentle soul, and I'm sure he'll put you at ease."
As they finished getting Clover ready, the handmaid arrived, curtsying low as she greeted Sandra and Clover. "I'm here to help with the final preparations, milady," she said, her eyes scanning Clover's dress and hair. "Shall we add some finishing touches, perhaps a sprinkle of powder or a few strategically placed curls?"
"Anything will do," she said, she was terrified to meet the Prince, and wished that Mari was there to guide her, but instead she was accompanied by Isaac, who walked beside her with his usual stoic expression, offering no comfort or reassurance.
Five days of constantly changing villages, they finally arrived at the border of the shifters' kingdom, Brandon and Bernard slipped in unnoticed with the help of a merchant family, who had disguised them as their helpers. Dressed in rags, they traveled by a tattered carriage, blending in with the merchant's entourage.
The merchant family, who belonged to the fox clan, known for their kindness but also their cunning nature, dropped off Brandon and Bernard at a secluded area near the forest. After settling their payment, the two Elites slipped into the forest, disappearing into the trees. They set up a camp on the edge of no man's land, careful to avoid detection.
From there, they began to survey the local township, gathering information about the mortal maiden who was the subject of local gossip. As they observed the streets, they noticed that several of Duke Maverick's men, disguised as locals, were also patrolling the area. This confirmation that they were in the right kingdom sparked their interest, and they started to trail Duke Maverick's men, tracking their movements to uncover their intentions.
After five days of gathering intelligence, Brandon and Bernard had finally obtained the information they needed to locate Clover. They had discovered that she was in the werewolf clan, which was relatively close to the lycans clan, where many of Duke Maverick's men were based.
The remaining men, who were stationed in the lycans clan, were found to be keeping a watchful eye on the Crown Prince, and were secretly feeding information back to Duke Maverick. With a sense of urgency, Brandon and Bernard decided they needed to head to the Werewolf clan as soon as possible, to prevent anything from happening to Clover.
The next morning, they packed their belongings and prepared to set off. However, Bernard's curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't help but wonder about Duke Maverick's motivations and behavior, sparking a desire to uncover more about the Duke's intentions.
"I wonder why this Maverick guy was keeping an eye on the Crown Prince?" Bernard asked as they walked towards the Werewolf clan.
"I don't know, but from what I've gathered, it seems that Maverick wanted to know what the Prince was searching for, and if it was indeed Clover, he was trying to get to her before the Prince did," Brandon replied, his face etched with frustration. "With his knights already in place, he had got the upper hand in terms of capturing her quickly, which is why we need to move fast and get to her first," he added, his voice laced with urgency and concern.
"If that's the case, we can only hope that the Werewolves will protect her, even though she's not one of their own," Bernard said, his voice tinged with concern and hope, as he thought about the safety of his cousin Clover.
"I too hope that," Brandon said, his voice low and sincere. As they hastened their pace, the silence between them grew thicker, each lost in their own thoughts and worries about Clover's safety. The forest around them began to grow darker and more dense.
The underbrush thickened, making it increasingly difficult for Brandon and Bernard to navigate. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and the only sounds were the rustling of small creatures through the underbrush and the soft crunch of leaves beneath their feet.
As the evening drew to a close, Brandon and Bernard arrived at the outskirts of the werewolf border land. They decided to set up camp for the night, exhausted from their journey. Tomorrow, they would meet up with the werewolf Alpha to inquire about Clover.