Chapter 13: Destined Partner?

Bridget warily scanned his surroundings, the silence so profound it tensed every nerve in his body. The pitch darkness of the forest revealed how dreadfully lost he had become.

Indeed, he had lost his way. As Bridget and his subordinates were chasing a winged tiger, they were suddenly attacked by giant carnivorous plants, causing everyone to scatter. Unsure of his men's condition, Bridget used the brief moments of rest while catching his breath to think. He hoped that no one from his tribe had become lost in the forest like he had.

For this place was perilous.

A forest feared and respected by the people of the North.

A forest of death.

Even someone as confident in his strength as Bridget wouldn't recklessly venture here, let alone others.

Thus, his nose continuously sniffed the air to detect any lurking creatures, and his ears stayed alert for the approach of any monsters. The slightest rustle would allow Bridget to react instantly.

He maintained this high level of vigilance until a stunning vision caught his eye.

Bridget saw a beautiful girl by a lake. Her black hair was like a soft silk sheet, her blue eyes as vast as the ocean, and her face, with perfectly aligned features, was a masterpiece of creation.

His heart beat rhythmically with vibrant tunes. The calm that had long dominated his mind was now disturbed.

He could smell a faint sweet scent emanating from her, the aroma of sweetness.

Every one of his senses rejoiced.

He knew.

She was his destined partner.

…

Layla was terrified upon realizing that the man near her was Bridget, the self-proclaimed and loathsome master she despised.

However, her shock was short-lived, as an embarrassing situation forced her to abandon all decorum.

She was naked!

Damn it!!! She had not anticipated turning back into a human, so she had prepared neither a space ring nor clothes! And even if she wanted to, being a poor wolf with nothing at hand, how could she possibly have one?!

She turned to flee but realized she had no clothes to cover herself, making it impossible to either stay or leave.

Layla's face turned uncontrollably red.

Boom!!!

Just then, the sound of falling trees erupted, and a hideous figure appeared before them, breaking the awkward silence.

A giant monster, over two meters tall, shaped like a toad, had a face that was a combination of a human's with two eyes made up of hundreds of other eyes. It stuck out a long, snake-like tongue and continuously vomited a disgusting slime. More horrifying was the slimy liquid that, wherever it fell, caused the plants there to wither and gradually die.

It was poisonous.

Immediately, Bridget stepped back, moving away. Having seen the girl leaving, he focused on dealing with the monster.

If Layla had stayed, she might have realized that this self-proclaimed master looked no different from a peacock trying to impress with his splendid feathers, all to charm a female.

Fortunately for him, Layla didn't see because even if she had, her only thought would be: A wolf dressed in peacock's feathers is a frightening sight.

Of course, before leaving, Layla made sure that the man could handle the ugly toad-like monster. She saw it had numerous wounds, and killing it was only a matter of time.

She just hoped he wouldn't be injured by the giant toad before it died.

Layla pursed her lips in thought.

"Ah!"

Just as she regained her composure, the world suddenly turned upside down, her vision shifted abruptly, and she fell to the ground.

When Layla opened her eyes to look at herself, she discovered... she had turned back into a wolf.

"..." Should she be grateful that she could run fast? If Bridget found out that the pet he was raising was actually a werewolf, she would surely be captured and tortured by the people of the North, as they would certainly think she was a spy sent by another tribe.

Remembering the fiery gaze of that man, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Obviously, as someone who had just been betrayed by a mate and had never experienced any other affection, Bridget’s love at first sight had become a sinister version in her eyes.

Fortunately, Bridget was unaware of this.

Layla stood up on her petite four legs, carefully sensing what was happening inside her body. She detected a small flow of strength circulating, slowly concentrating at her head and tail.

It was still trying to heal her injuries.

Layla fiercely controlled the impatience stirring within her. She needed to remain calm. She could not afford to be hasty.

Sometimes, the more emotional you get, the worse the consequences.

Right now, what she needed was to recover. What she lacked was strength.

She needed more strength.

But everything had to be based on her recovery first.

Layla sighed, dismissing impractical thoughts. She turned her head, wanting to return to where she had met Bridget.

In her current condition, that man was her only support during recovery. She wasn't sure if she could survive long enough to seek revenge with these unhealed flaws if she left him.

Layla felt both physically and mentally exhausted, carrying a grudge over a usurped home, the resentment of being harmed... and above all, the fury of being powerless. These burdens were so heavy that she could not think about what had happened. She feared she might lose control of her mind and return there for revenge.

Surviving yet desperate.

She unconsciously curled her body up, burying her pretty head into her soft fluffy fur. Perhaps the transformation had consumed a significant amount of energy, so now she had no strength left. She wasn't afraid of being eaten if she lay right there, because she knew... that man would come here and take her back. Layla wasn't sure why she was so confident, but she had such an intuition. Consider it a momentary blind impulse of hers.

With that thought, she didn't want to worry about anything else; she just wanted to nap a little, just for a bit. Then, when she woke up, she wouldn't carry that timid attitude anymore.

In the endless darkness of her mind, she heard the warm, familiar voice of her father:

"My dear, you are our treasure.”

"Remember, you will always receive the best things.”

Gentle, calloused hands softly stroked her left eye, which was beginning to warm up and spread throughout her body.