1

Agnes had been riding her horse for hours, and her throat was parched. She spotted a clear stream and decided to stop to drink some water. As she bent down to take a sip, she heard footsteps approaching. She turned to see two burly men, grinning maliciously at her.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" One of them sneered. "Looks like a pretty little thing, doesn't she?"

Agnes stood up, her hand reaching for her wand. But before she could act, I appeared from the shadows, my eyes fixed on the bandits.

"Get out of here, now," he growled. "Or face the consequences."

The bandits didn't back down. Instead, they laughed, drawing their swords.

"I don't think you understand," the other bandit said. "We're going to have our way with the girl, and then take all her valuables. And there's nothing you can do about it, dog."

In a split second, I transformed into my Lycan form, my eyes glowing bright yellow. The bandits hesitated for a moment before charging at me, their swords clanging against my skin. I let out a fierce growl, sending them both flying backward.

As I watched the bandits scamper away in terror, Agnes emerged from the shadows, her wand still in hand. She looked up at me, her eyes wide.

"Cain, thank you," she whispered. "You saved me."

I shifted back to my human form, feeling slightly out of breath.

"Don't mention it," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'm just glad I was here to protect you."

Agnes smiled at me, and I felt my heart race.

"You're amazing," she said softly.

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks.

"Uh, thanks," I said awkwardly.

We stood in silence for a moment, the sound of the stream trickling in the background.

"You know," Agnes said suddenly, breaking the silence. "I think I owe you one. Dinner, maybe?"

I grinned.

"I think I can manage that," I replied.

As we walked away from the stream, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. Maybe this encounter would be the start of something more between us. But I couldn't let my guard down. With the sorcerers and some of the Lycans out to get us, we had to be careful.

"Thank you, Cain," Agnes said, her voice shaking slightly. "I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here."

"Of course, my love," I replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "I will always protect you, no matter what."

Agnes nodded, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "We need to find a safe place to rest for a few days. I don't think it's safe to travel alone anymore."

I agreed, "There's a village a few miles away from here. It might be a good idea to go there and take refuge for a while."

"Agreed," Agnes said, nodding in agreement. "Let's go."

They mounted their horses and headed towards the village, keeping a close eye out for any potential dangers along the way. As they rode, I asked, "Are you alright, Agnes? You seem shaken up."

Agnes nodded, "I'm fine, it's just...I never imagined I would be in a situation like this. It's terrifying."

I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "You don't have to be scared, Agnes. I'm here, and I'll always protect you."

Agnes smiled, feeling comforted by my words. "Thank you, Cain. I know I can always count on you."

We continued our journey in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. As they reached the village, they were relieved to find it quiet and peaceful.

As we entered the village, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The village head greeted us with a wide smile and offered us a place to stay. He seemed overly friendly and didn't ask for any payment in return, which was strange considering we were complete strangers.

"A place to stay? That sounds wonderful," Ava said, glancing at me for confirmation.

I nodded, trying to keep my guard up. "Thank you, we appreciate it."

The village head led us to a small hut on the outskirts of the village. As we settled in, I couldn't help but feel uneasy. The hut was too quiet, and I couldn't hear any noises coming from the village. Ava seemed to sense my unease, too.

"What's bothering you, Cain?" she asked, looking at me with concern.

"I don't know. This place doesn't feel right," I replied, scanning the hut for any potential threats.

"I understand. But we need to rest for a while before we continue on our journey," Agnes said, sitting next to me. "Let's try to get some sleep, and we can leave early in the morning."

I nodded, trying to relax. But my instincts were on high alert, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were being watched.

The village head offered us food.

I looked skeptically at the bowl of soup that the village head had placed in front of me. "I don't know, Agnes," I said, glancing at my pregnant mate. "Something doesn't feel right about this."

Agnes reached across the table and took my hand. "Cain, we can't be rude. The village head has been nothing but kind to us, and it would be disrespectful to turn down their hospitality."

I sighed, knowing she was right. "Fine, but you keep a close eye on that soup."

Agnes smiled and began to eat. I followed suit, trying to ignore the nagging feeling in my gut. The soup was surprisingly good, and I found myself eating more than I had intended.

As we finished our meal, the village head came over to our table. "I hope you enjoyed your food," he said with a smile.

"It was delicious, thank you," Agnes replied, giving him a grateful smile.

The village head's smile widened. "I'm glad to hear that. We don't often get visitors in these parts, and it's always a pleasure to share our food and hospitality."

I nodded, still feeling uneasy. "We appreciate your kindness. But I have to ask - why are you being so nice to us? It's not every day that strangers show up in your village."

The village head's smile faltered slightly, and I could see a glint of something in his eyes - fear, maybe? "We are a small village, and we don't see many outsiders. But we believe in extending kindness to those who come to us in need."

I narrowed my eyes. "Is there something else you're not telling us?"

The village head looked nervously around the room, then leaned in closer. "There have been rumors of sorcerers and lycans in the area. We were worried that you might be here to cause trouble."

Agnes gripped my hand tightly, and I could feel her pulse racing. "We're not here to cause trouble," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "We're just passing through."

The village head nodded, his expression softening. "I believe you. But please, be careful. The sorcerers and lycans are not to be trifled with."

I felt a sudden weakness wash over me as I sat at the table, my hand trembling as I held my fork. Agnes looked at me with concern. "Are you feeling alright, Cain?"

"I don't know," I muttered, feeling a cold sweat break out on my forehead. "Something's not right."

Just then, the village head appeared, a broad smile on his face as he offered us more food and drink. But my instincts told me that something was off. I shook my head, declining his offer.

Agnes, however, was more trusting. "Thank you, that's very kind of you," she said, accepting the food and drink. "We really appreciate it."

As she took a bite of the bread, I watched her anxiously. But it was too late. The effects of the poison were already taking hold of me. My strength began to escape from me as I struggled to keep my eyes open.

"I knew you would come here," the village head said, his smile turning into a sneer. "You and your kind are not welcome here. But don't worry, we won't kill you...yet."

Agnes looked at him in horror. "What are you talking about? Why are you doing this?"

"It's simple," the village head replied. "We have an agreement with the sorcerers. We help them capture Lycans and they give us protection. And now that we have you, we'll make sure the sorcerers reward us handsomely."

I tried to stand up, to fight back, but my legs gave out beneath me. I fell to the ground, my head spinning.

"You won't get away with this," I growled, struggling to keep my eyes open. "I'll kill you all."

The village head laughed. "Not when you're like this, you won't. Don't worry, we'll take good care of your mate and your unborn child. They'll make fine prizes for the sorcerers."

And with that, I passed out.