?Chapter 939:


    I locked my eyes on hers, curiosity bubbling up beyond my control. “Mrs. Pierce, since you are from the branch dedicated to the Saint, shouldn’t you, by all reason, be stationed at the white wolf n’s stronghold? What brings you here instead?”


    Maia exhaled a soft, lingering breath, a wistful, bittersweet smile flickering across her lips.


    Her eyes drifted downward as if she were wandering through the mists of bygone days. “Years ago, I found myself journeying here on a whim, chasing a moment of leisure. It was meant to be a lighthearted escape, yet, by some twist of fate, that very trip shielded me from the clutches of that horrific cmity. Life, it seems, delights in throwing us curveballs we can’t foresee.”


    “And what about Alden? How did he make it through?” I tilted my head, my intrigue nudging me to dig deeper.


    At the mention of Alden’s name, Maia’s features softened, a tender warmth glowing in her eyes. She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear with delicate grace and began to recount the tale in a measured tone. “After that cmity struck, my parents weren’t in, but they were locked away in the werewolf forest, enduring unspeakable torment. Alden came into this world amid that cruel wilderness.” I was dumbfounded, struggling to wrap my head around the brutal origins Alden had weathered.


    “Later, with the aid of the old mayor and a few brave souls, we took a daring gamble to spirit Alden away in secret. That was how he slipped through the enemy’s grasp and lived to see today.”


    I listened in silence, a torrent of feelings crashing over me. I never dreamed the tale weaving through it all would be so tangled and brimming with drama, far beyond anything my imagination had conjured.


    After a quiet pause, I raised my eyes, my expression grave as I pressed on. “Mrs. Pierce, your family stillnguishes in the forest. Don’t you long to set them free?”


    The air grew heavy, and the faint, bitter curve of Maia’s smile deepened with a weary resignation.


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    She shook her head, her eyes shadowed with fatigue. “It’s not as simple as you might hope. If we rashly storm in to liberate the white wolves, the king won’t turn a blind eye.”


    “They would face his merciless wrath in a heartbeat. We’re simply not powerful enough to stand toe-to-toe with him yet, so we hold back, wary of stirring the ho’s nest and worsening their plight.”


    I let out a slow, heavy breath, a tide of futility washing over me. Words escaped me for a moment.


    The haunting images of the white wolves, trapped and suffering in that forest, danced relentlessly in my mind, yet I was powerless to lift a finger.


    Just then, Maia rose and drifted toward the pavilion’s edge. Her gaze stretched into the horizon, her voice quivering ever so slightly. “If only the Saint were still among us.”


    Her mention of the Saint sent a ripple through my chest. Feigning innocent curiosity, I asked, “Do you have any inkling of where the Saint might be? Perhaps we could track her down.”


    Maia turned to me, her expression steeped in sorrow andpassion. “The Saint vanished amid that disaster. For years, we’ve scoured the earth for her, but not a whisper of her whereabouts has reached us.” The anguish etched on Maia’s face tugged at my heartstrings.


    Should I unveil the truth I held close?


    As I grappled with my inner turmoil, the sound of frantic footsteps suddenly pierced the air, drawing nearer by the second.


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