CHAPTER 496: THE DREAM TEAM

As if on cue, everyone descended upon the boy with a barrage of protests and scolding.

"What were you thinking?"

"Go back home right this second!"

"No way in heaven or hell!"

Remus cowered back but still growled like a wounded pup trying to protect itself.

"Enough!" Arabella’s voice rose above all, "Can’t you see you are scaring him?" she added once everyone went quiet.

"I am sorry, darling, but he simply cannot come," Morgana crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.

"I know, I know," Arabella sighed.

"I am not asking for permission! I know you are going somewhere dangerous. You cannot go without me! I can help!" the little leaps he made on the spot were very reminiscent of Ada whenever she was flustered or angered.

"Remus, how did you know where to find me?" her eyes drifted towards Morgana.

Did the cloaking spell fail?

"Father returned to the caverns with your scent on his back. Ayyura was enraged by it since she is in love with him," as usual, he needed to... overshare, "But I knew something was wrong, but he wouldn’t tell me and father has always been a terrible liar so, I insisted and he kicked me in the rear, but-"

"Remus!" she stopped his rant, "Please get to the point, I am afraid we really have no time to spare," she grimaced.

"Oh..., Right!" he cleared his throat, "I knew he was lying so I tried to follow your scent but I couldn’t find it so I knew something was definitely going on, so instead, since you are always with that silver haired maniac, I followed his scent until it vanished and I kept following this path because it leads to the border,"

For the spastic little runt he was, he sure had a good eye and a straight line of thinking.

But... Silver haired maniac? Really?

"I see," Arabella knelt to his eye level, "You are very brave and kind," she nodded, stroking his hair, "And I am sorry, but we cannot take you with us. It is simply too dangerous,"

"No!" he cried, "You need me!" he repeated and repeated.

"Can one of you make him return home?" Ada looked between Morgana and Floriel when asking.

However, before any of them could let a word out, Allegra who seemed to strictly focus on the road behind them spoke, "That won’t be necessary," she turned towards the group, "His father is coming our way,"

The boy gasped and froze in place, "I wasn’t paying attention!" he squeaked before running to duck behind Arabella, "I will get the beating of the century," his voice turned even smaller.

Less than a minute after that and much like Remus had appeared from the horizon line, Cynric and another wolf did too.

His voice filled the air the instant he shifted back to a humanoid body, "How many times do I have to tell you-"

with crazed eyes he sped towards the boy who cowered behind the young woman, but instinctively, Allegra stepped in front of Arabella, effectively shielding the two and stopping Cynric dead in his tracks.

"You haven’t fully healed yet, vampiress. I do not want to hurt you so move out of my way," he grunted through tightened jaws.

"You have saved my life so I do owe you as much as I owe her," she gestured back towards Arabella, "Which is why I will take my chances against you if I have to," she looked him straight in the eyes, barely blinking.

"You can take your chances with me instead. How about that, you filthy blood sucker?" the second wolf, Ayyura, whom everyone had ignored up until then finally shared her peace while rapidly marching towards Allegra.

One growl from Cynric was all it took to root the wolf woman in place. After ensuring Ayyura wouldn’t interfere, he turned back towards Allegra, "I am just here to take my son back home,"

"No!" Remus screamed again, "She is going to a dangerous place! I can’t let her go all by herself!" he cried.

"But Remus, I am not by myself," she tried to reason with him.

The boy took one look around at everyone and screeched again, "No! They can’t protect you the way I can!"

"Alright, that is enough,"

That time around, Cynric did not bargain. He put his hands under Allegra’s armpits and lifted her out of the way.

She did not struggle or fight back like she had threatened. Instead, it was Arabella that stood in his way.

"He will go back home. I would never have allowed him to come with us," her hand landed on Cynric’s chest, "Just, please, calm down. There is no need for ripping claws or breaking bones,"

Cynric took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes, "So, you are really determined on crossing that line, huh?" a faint smirk appeared on him.

"I have no other choice," she repeated the same chorus that jingled through her mind the whole night.

Cynric’s eyes flickered between each of their faces then straight ahead, above Arabella’s head before looking down at his sniveling son who peaked from behind the young woman.

"Fine," he pushed a sigh of exhaustion, "Ayyura, take him home,"

"What?" she took one step towards him, "If you are going then I am going to-"

"You will go home and watch over my son and should anything happen to him this time around, I will crush your head to bits. Mark my words," the Alpha pressed on every word, releasing them through gritted teeth.

"You do not have to come," Arabella’s eyes fell to the ground.

"Open your eyes already, girl!" it was Morgana that responded, "None of us are here because we have to,"

"We all are because we wish to," Edgar who had been silent that far finally spoke up, offering a warm smile along.

"So, will you go home now?" Cynric raised an eyebrow at his son who sniffled his own snot and nodded with a pout.