Chapter 4: A Wild Encounter

The cool, early morning light bathed the Velclair estate, filtering softly through the grand curtains of Ryuto's bedroom. He stirred beneath the heavy silk blankets, still groggy from the previous night. As his eyes slowly opened, the weight of someone's arm across his chest brought everything back into sharp focus.

Celeste.

She was nestled against him, her soft breathing rhythmic and peaceful, her arm draped possessively over his body. Ryuto's mind was still whirling from everything that had happened the night before, their shared passion, the intensity of it all, the crossing of a line he could never uncross. Part of him still couldn't believe it had happened, while another part of him felt a gnawing sense of unease.

He needed space. He needed to get out.

As if sensing his discomfort, Celeste stirred, her eyes fluttering open. A slow, satisfied smile crept across her lips as she looked up at him. "Good morning, my hero," she purred, her fingers tracing lazy patterns along his chest.

Ryuto tensed at the contact, his pulse quickening again, but this time not out of excitement. He forced a small smile, trying to keep things light. "Morning."

Celeste sighed contentedly, clearly still basking in the glow of their newfound relationship. She stretched like a cat, her nightgown slipping slightly off her shoulder, revealing more skin than Ryuto was comfortable seeing at that moment.

"You don't have to leave today, do you?" she asked, her voice soft, but with a possessive undertone. "We could stay here. Together. There's no rush to get back to adventuring, right?"

Ryuto gently shifted away, pulling himself upright on the bed. "I… actually, I do have a quest today."

Celeste frowned, the contented look in her eyes shifting slightly. "A quest? Already?"

"Yeah," Ryuto said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's a big one. A C-Rank quest that might help me move up to Rank B. There's a werewolf terrorizing a town called Hillsdale. I need to take care of it."

Celeste's expression darkened. "A werewolf? That's dangerous, Ryuto."

He shrugged, standing up and grabbing his shirt. "Dangerous is kind of part of the job description, remember?"

She sat up slowly, her gaze fixed on him with an intensity that made his skin prickle. "I don't like the idea of you going out there alone," she said, her voice lower, more serious. "You could get hurt."

Ryuto couldn't help but feel the weight of her words, but he also knew he couldn't let her control every aspect of his life, not after everything that had happened. "I'll be fine," he reassured her, pulling his shirt over his head. "I'm not going alone. Roland's coming with me."

Celeste's lips twisted into a small pout, clearly unsatisfied, but she didn't press the issue further. "Fine," she said after a moment, her tone softening slightly. "But promise me you'll come back safe. Or else…" She trailed off, her fingers brushing over her lips, her eyes glinting mischievously.

Ryuto gave her a faint smile, trying to shake off the strange tension that had settled between them. "I promise," he said, heading for the door. But as he left the room, he couldn't ignore the sense that something had shifted between them, something more possessive, more dangerous.

The bustling chatter of the adventurers' guild was a comforting hum as Ryuto made his way through the entrance. The hall was filled with familiar faces, adventurers of all ranks preparing for the day's quests. Ryuto immediately spotted Elena at the quest desk, her eyes lighting up as soon as she saw him approaching.

"Well, look who it is," Elena said, leaning forward with her signature playful grin. "The man of the hour. Heard you've got your sights set on a Rank B quest."

Ryuto nodded, trying to keep his mind focused on the task at hand. "Yeah. I'm here for the Hillsdale werewolf mission."

Elena handed him a rolled-up quest sheet, her grin widening. "A werewolf, huh? Not bad. This one's been causing a lot of trouble. Livestock, a few villagers… it's a real menace."

Ryuto glanced over the details on the quest paper, nodding to himself. The werewolf had been attacking the outskirts of Hillsdale, killing animals and even some people. The town was offering a large reward to anyone who could take it down.

"Think you can handle it?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've handled worse," Ryuto replied, tucking the quest sheet into his belt.

Just as Ryuto was about to leave, he felt a firm hand clap him on the shoulder. He turned to see Roland grinning at him, his armor polished and his sword slung over his back.

"Ready to kill a werewolf?" Roland asked, his tone light but tinged with nervous energy. "I've never fought one before. This should be fun."

Ryuto smirked, shaking his head. "Fun might not be the right word, but yeah, let's get going."

The journey to Hillsdale was uneventful, though the air grew colder and more oppressive the closer they got to the town. The thick forest that surrounded the area seemed to close in on them, the trees towering high above, casting long shadows on the road. Despite the daylight, the forest felt eerily dark.

By the time they reached Hillsdale, it was clear that the town was on edge. The villagers moved quickly, casting nervous glances at the surrounding woods, their eyes filled with fear. The mayor, an old man with a hunched back and deep-set eyes, greeted them with a mixture of relief and desperation.

"Thank the gods you've come," the mayor said, his voice trembling slightly. "That beast… it's killed half our livestock. And the people… we've lost too many already."

"We'll handle it," Ryuto said firmly, though he could sense the tension in the air.

The mayor gave them directions to the area of the forest where the attacks had been happening. It was deep within the woods, a place where few dared to go anymore. Ryuto and Roland exchanged glances, both feeling the weight of the task ahead.

"This is going to be fun," Roland muttered, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"Yeah," Ryuto replied, though his mind was already on high alert.

The deeper they ventured into the forest, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. The trees were thick and gnarled, their branches twisting together to form a canopy that blocked out most of the light. The ground beneath their feet was soft and damp, and the air smelled faintly of blood.

Ryuto kept his hand close to his sword, his senses on edge. The forest was eerily quiet, too quiet. Even the birds had stopped singing.

"We're getting close," Roland said, his voice low. "I can feel it."

Ryuto nodded, scanning the area. The ground was littered with signs of the werewolf, deep claw marks on the trees, paw prints in the dirt, and the occasional shredded carcass of an animal. The further they went, the more obvious it became that they were entering the werewolf's territory.

Suddenly, there was a rustling in the bushes ahead. Both Ryuto and Roland froze, their hands immediately going to their weapons.

"Stay sharp," Ryuto whispered.

The bushes rustled again, and then, without warning, the werewolf appeared.

It was massive, its body covered in thick, dark fur, its eyes glowing an eerie yellow. Its snout was stained with blood, and its fangs glistened in the dim light as it growled low in its throat.

But before Ryuto could react, the werewolf lunged, not at him, but at Roland.

The werewolf moved with terrifying speed, its claws extended as it charged at Roland. But instead of slashing or attacking him, it stopped just inches away from his face, sniffing the air around him with a strange, almost curious expression. The creature's glowing yellow eyes narrowed as it circled him, its growls turning into a deep, rumbling purr.

Roland stood frozen, sword drawn but clearly confused. "Uh… Ryuto?" he whispered, not daring to move. "Is this thing… sniffing me?"

Ryuto, equally perplexed, lowered his sword slightly. "I don't know," he muttered, his eyes never leaving the werewolf. "But something's definitely off."

The werewolf seemed utterly fixated on Roland, its large snout twitching as it inhaled deeply, as if memorizing his scent. Slowly, the creature's aggressive posture softened, and it stopped growling altogether.

And then, something completely unexpected happened.

The werewolf began to shift, its massive, muscular frame shrinking down, bones cracking and reshaping as fur receded and claws shortened. Within moments, the once-feral beast was gone, and in its place stood a young woman, barefoot, with tattered clothing barely covering her slender frame. Her wild black hair fell past her shoulders, and her golden eyes, still glowing faintly, locked onto Roland with an intensity that made him take a step back.

The woman smirked, her sharp canines peeking out from beneath her lips. "You," she said, her voice a raspy purr. "You smell… amazing."

Roland blinked, utterly dumbfounded. "Uh… thanks?"

Ryuto, still processing the sudden transformation, quickly stepped between the woman and Roland, his hand hovering over his sword. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice firm but wary. "And why have you been attacking this village?"

The woman, werewolf, Ryuto reminded himself, stretched her arms above her head lazily, completely unbothered by the tension in the air. "My name's Ruda," she said with a casual shrug. "And I wasn't attacking them for fun. I was hungry."

Ryuto's eyes narrowed. "So you admit to killing people?"

Ruda sighed dramatically, crossing her arms over her chest. "I couldn't control it. The full moon… it drives me crazy. I didn't mean to hurt anyone, but when the hunger hits, it's hard to stop." Her eyes flicked back to Roland, and she grinned. "But him… he's different. His scent calms me."

Roland, still frozen in place, looked utterly bewildered. "What the hell is happening right now?"

Ryuto lowered his sword but kept his guard up, his mind racing. He had come to Hillsdale expecting to kill a wild werewolf, not to find a woman who could shift between forms. And certainly not one who had some sort of strange fixation on Roland.

"We were sent here to kill a dangerous creature," Ryuto said, his voice firm. "If you've been terrorizing the village, we can't just let you go."

Ruda's grin faded, and she tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes gleaming with something between annoyance and amusement. "You could try to kill me," she said, a hint of challenge in her voice. "But I doubt that's what you really want. Besides, I'm not interested in hurting anyone anymore." She stepped closer to Roland, her gaze softening as she spoke. "Not now that I've found something that keeps the beast in check."

Roland took a step back, holding up his hands defensively. "Whoa, whoa, let's not get any ideas here. I'm just a regular guy. No need to get all… attached."

Ruda chuckled, her eyes flashing with amusement. "Oh, I don't think you're regular at all," she purred, taking another step toward him. "You smell… delicious."

Ryuto, sensing that this was getting way out of hand, stepped between them again. "Okay, enough of that," he said, his tone sharp. "We need to figure this out. You can't stay in this forest, Ruda. The villagers will keep hunting you."

Ruda sighed, brushing a lock of wild hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I figured as much. But what else am I supposed to do? They're afraid of me. And I get it, werewolves aren't exactly welcome guests."

Ryuto considered her words, feeling the weight of the decision on his shoulders. They couldn't let her continue living here, not if it meant more people would die. But at the same time, she didn't seem like the mindless killer he had expected to find. And Roland, whether he liked it or not, was somehow the key to keeping her from losing control.

"We can't kill her," Roland said, breaking the silence. "I mean, look at her. She's not some mindless monster. There has to be another way."

Ryuto clenched his fists, thinking fast. They could take her back to the guild, but she would likely be executed. They could leave her here, but the villagers wouldn't rest until she was dead. None of the options seemed right.

Finally, Ryuto sighed. "You're coming with us."

Ruda raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "With you? And what's that supposed to mean?"

Ryuto glanced at Roland, then back at her. "We'll take you somewhere safe. Somewhere you won't be hunted. But you can't stay here."

Ruda smirked, stepping closer to Roland. "And what about him? Is he coming with me?"

Roland, still thoroughly confused, looked at Ryuto with wide eyes. "Wait, I'm not, "

"You're not leaving my side," Ruda cut in, her voice low and sultry. "I'm not letting you out of my sight."

Ryuto groaned inwardly, realizing just how complicated this had become. "Fine," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "But we'll figure this out later. For now, let's get back to the village."

By the time they returned to Hillsdale, the sun was beginning to set, casting the village in a warm, orange glow. The mayor greeted them anxiously, his eyes darting between Ryuto, Roland, and the mysterious woman accompanying them.

"Is it done?" the mayor asked, his voice shaking. "Did you… take care of the creature?"

Ryuto exchanged a glance with Roland, then nodded slowly. "Yes, it's taken care of. The werewolf won't be a problem anymore."

The mayor sighed with relief, wiping his brow with a shaky hand. "Thank the gods. You've saved this village." He reached into his coat, pulling out a small pouch filled with coins. "Here's your reward, as promised."

Ryuto accepted the pouch, but his mind was still on the werewolf walking silently beside them. He had no idea how they were going to explain this to the guild.

As they turned to leave the village, Ruda cast one last glance at Roland, her lips curving into a playful grin. "You're not rid of me yet," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Roland shivered. "Great… just what I needed."

When they finally returned to the Velclair Estate, the moon was high in the sky, and the estate was bathed in pale moonlight. Ryuto felt exhaustion pulling at him, but the thought of going back to Celeste, and explaining everything that had happened, made him hesitate.

As they entered the grand hall, Celeste appeared from the shadows, her eyes immediately locking onto Ryuto. She smiled, her expression calm but possessive, as she walked toward him.

"You're back," she said softly, her fingers brushing his arm. "Did everything go well?"

Ryuto nodded, though he could feel the weight of her gaze. "Yeah, everything's fine. The werewolf is… dealt with."

Celeste's smile widened, her fingers trailing down his arm. "Good," she whispered. "Now that you're back… how about we pick up where we left off last night?"

Ryuto swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure. He could feel the tension rising between them again, the same heat that had led them down a dangerous path the night before. But before he could respond, Roland, sensing the awkwardness, cleared his throat.

"Uh, yeah, I think I'm gonna call it a night," Roland muttered, quickly heading for the stairs. "Good luck with… that."

Ryuto gave him a strained nod, watching as his friend disappeared up the stairs. Then he turned back to Celeste, whose eyes gleamed with mischief as she leaned in closer.

"You've been such a good boy," she whispered, her breath warm against his ear. "You deserve a reward."