Great Secret

On one side were Armless and the five Electeds inside total darkness — considering whether to follow Max down into the black hole he jumped into — done handling thirty Blue Forces that tried to stop them from proceeding to the Royal Castle. They had made sure everyone of them was dead.

On the other hand,

Bamb...

...bamb!

...bamb!!

Hazel's little mighty punches tried to penetrate through a hard metal door standing in their way, Cameron's frustration growing darker with every attempt she was making. She was a strong lady but simply, it has been a long time since someone used the rusty door.

Cameron silently signaled for his Princess to stay out of the way so that moving two steps backwards, he next swiftly shifted into his Hunch form. For being an old Werewolf that had seen many battles, his shifting process seemed smoother than how the Blue Forces normally shift because it took him only a second to do so.

A second earlier, Cameron was standing still. A second later:

BBAAMBB!

His slightly furred hand ruptured through the middle part of the stubborn metal door. He added a kick for the door to blast it out of its hinges and to tumble on the ground with irritating rough noise. He gave Hazel a look that said "Praise me baby, come on."

Hazel gave Cameron a small chuckle, pressing her soft palm on her red lips. Ignoring the Royal Forces coming along with them, he shifted back and said in a bragging tone: "Someone is as strong as your man should be." Dusting away an invisible dust on his white, ceremonial royal dress.

On receiving the news of the Gold Gang's Electeds heading to the Royal Castle through the north-western Escape Tunnel, rather than likely hiding together with her mate to do as her father commanded her, Hazel decided to meet these people face to face and to deal with them personally.

What brought about this decision making of hers? Many reasons and among those reasons was that today was supposed to be her memorable ceremonial mating day, not someone's day to ruin some peace by wrecking some violence. If anyone wants to do so, then he must go through her first.

The Princess left without anyone knowing but her mate-to-be known about it. And Cameron could not allow her to go alone, fearing the fact that her own people might attack and kill her.

If her father was to know she was heading away from the Royal Castle... she prayed he would never know. But once the guests were to notice her absence then he would definitely know about it. So her prayers were simply odd to begin with.

Talking of the present, they were about to go underground. The wide but dark tunnel ahead of them had to lead to the north-western Escape Tunnel by passing under the River of Origin. In their current location, Hazel's safety was exceptionally much not assured. She could be attacked and she knew so. One of the reasons she allowed Cameron to come along with her, was for in case things might go the left way.

Like a gentleman, Cameron simply gestured with his hand for Hazel to walk ahead, then he followed, and fifteen Royal Forces in pure white followed afterwards.

"This should really be the path in mind of the underground attackers." Cameron stated to Hazel through gritted teeth. His inner wolf instinctively urged him to shift and puncture a hole through Hazel's face.

Hazel's face proved her confusion. "But how do you know all this while I don't? You prehistoric." She smiled charmingly, the pain of knowing how Cameron must feel like doing to her stinging her soul to the core.

"You were too baby to not learn so much." Cameron sighed. "From the Security Ensurer's report, a woman called Armless is the one leading the army-"

"And what is so special about this Armless you have been mentioning?" Hazel wondered.

"Tsk! Too baby to know her. She is someone who knew this castle like the back of her hand. I still insist that you don't want to be involved in this fight. Make me feel like your mate by handling minors like this one."

"Umm." Hazel shrugged. "Next time."

Each of the Royal Forces could testify Cameron was exceptionally good at hiding his feelings by speaking to Hazel as normally as casual. They continued to walk for quite a good distance with no word uttered.

The moment they started envisioning some rays of light making their paths into the tunnel, together with the sounds of water powerfully moving, Cameron grimly ordered the Royal Forces accompanying them: "Dear gentlemen, hang around for some while. We wait for them right here.

"Get ready to protect your Princess with all you got, she is here only to experience how good fighters you all can be." Cameron faced the Royal Forces with his hands crossed behind him majestically.

Their noise died. They looked at him with eyes ready to obey his command.

Him only.

Hazel smiled in hearing his false thoughts. "Now, half of you should divide into two, one on the left and the other one on the right." She explained in an easy-going tone, "The big remaining portion is to stand behind me as we wait for their arrival for you all to witness your Princess fighting."

Instead of unified words of approval, the Royal Forces only felt more like attacking Hazel head on because, currently, they were very far away from the Royal Castle.

Outside that castle, the Absolute Law commandingly allowed their wolves to harm her and kill her in claiming she was guilty of her father's Alpha Wolf's death.

Though, this was knowledge circulating only within the castle and in a sense, it was a great secret of the Royal Empire. To the people outside of it, the Imperial Beta was not the person currently running the realms, but Alpha Baren.

The Princess gently pushed away Cameron's hand in its attempt to embrace her close to him. Moving away to stand isolated, she silently looked ahead, listening to the powerful rushing sounds of water, waiting for them to show up.