The next day, Scarlet woke up on the shore, the sun's rays beating down on her naked body. As she lay there, exhausted, battered and bruised, she knew that she had to find a way to escape. She clutched her mother's pendant at her neck tightly as her precious treasure, as if it was her only hope and safe harbor.
She groaned as she tried to sit up, her head pounding with a throbbing headache. She looked around, trying to get her bearings.
Reminders of the brutal attack flooded back to her. She remembered running for her life, her family scattered in all directions and they were all killed. She remembered being tackled to the ground by the rogue lycans, confronting the lycan king, and then nothing.
When she tried to stand up, she realized that she had nothing on her except for a tattered dress. It had been ripped to shreds during the attack and her transformation, leaving her completely naked.
She walked along the shore for what seemed like hours until she stumbled upon a beautiful springs with waterfalls by the lake. She could see that the water was crystal clear and the shady trees and dense shrubs surrounding the lake provided a sense of serenity that she desperately needed.
For a moment, Scarlett forgot about her hardships and simply stood there, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the scene before her. She knew that she had to keep moving, but for that brief moment, she allowed herself to be lost in the serenity of the spring.
She sat back against the rock, trying to think of a plan. She needed to find clothes and shelter, and she needed to find out where she was.
As Scarlet admired the stunning scenery around her, she suddenly heard a rustling in the distant bushes. She tensed up, her muscles primed for a fight or flight response, but she decided to find a secluded spot nearby where she could rest and take in the peaceful atmosphere of the spring.
And then, she saw a figure appear from the distance.
It was a handsome man, his muscular body glistening in the sunlight as he walked over the cool spring water.
Scarlett was taken aback by the sight, but she didn't want to alert the man or get into any trouble.
Her heart skipped a beat as she watched him walk towards the rock, then he took off all his clothes and put it on the large rock. It seems that the man had deliberately left them there before swimming into the spring.
To her utter disbelief and embarrassment, the man was now standing there completely naked!
She couldn't help but admire his strong, confident stride when he seemed completely at ease in his surroundings, as if he belonged in this natural wonderland. He had striking blue eyes and short black hair, and his muscular figure glistened in the sunlight.
Somehow, his presence added to the peaceful atmosphere of the lake, as if he was a part of the beauty that surrounded him.
Scarlett continued to watch him from a distance without making the slightest sound, feeling a sense of awe and wonder at the sight before her. It was as if she was waiting for the right moment to pounce on her prey, but it wasn't the case.
She could see that the man was a powerful figure, someone who commanded respect and admiration from all those around him. She was convinced that he was a lycan, probably a leader of some clan.
He was tall and well-built, with broad shoulders and a lean, muscular physique. His chiseled features were defined by a strong jawline, full lips, and piercing eyes that seemed to look straight through you.
His short hair was thick and dark, framing his face in soft waves that cascaded down to his broad shoulders. His skin was smooth and bronzed, glistening in the sunlight as if he had just emerged from the water.
As he moved, his muscles rippled beneath his skin, a testament to his strength and athleticism. He carried himself with an air of confidence and ease, as if he was comfortable in his own skin.
And then… her eyes slowly moved downwards. She felt the heat of embarrassment spread rapidly across her cheeks as she quickly turned her gaze from his private part. But she’d already seen it!
Scarlett blushed as she realized this was the first time she had ever peeked in on a man when he was as naked as the day he was born.
Her attention was immediately drawn to the man's clothing pile, which was laying on a large rock not far from her spot. A mischievous idea occurred to her to steal the robe. She thought about borrowing it for a while and giving it back to him later.
Before she took action, she waited a few moments for the man to dive underwater and took her chance by sneaking up to the rock.
Scarlett didn't wait any longer as she couldn't resist the temptation and quickly snatched the robe, remove her awfully tattered clothes and put it on over her naked body. She stroked the crimson robe immediately as she got it in her hand. It was as fine as silk and as thin as cotton, with a few embossed seams. This type of cloth looked shiny under the light.
What a beautiful robe!
The robe fitted her perfectly!
It was like a gift from heaven!
Scarlett stared at the man in the distance as she muttered to herself, “I apologize, sir. I’m completely naked and this robe looks nice, could you lend me your robe and consider it as a good deed today? I promise I’ll give it back to you one day.”
With that, she ran faster into the forest with the robe, she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of comfort in the man's robe. It was warm and clean, a stark contrast to her own worn and ragged clothes. But she also knew that the guilt of stealing it would weigh heavily on her mind.
Scarlett had not gone so far before hearing a distant howl behind her. “Damn it! Who has stolen my robe?”
As soon as she heard the man shouting behind her, she ran as fast as she could into the forest, feeling a mixture of fear, guilt, and embarrassment.
***
Tobias Richfield was swimming in the lake, enjoying the calm of the cool water and the tranquility it brought. As he emerged from the water, he noticed something strange: his robe, which he had left on a big rock near the shore, was gone. When he realized what had happened, he let out an enraged growl.
He couldn’t find it anywhere except the rags lying by the rock. He frowned as he picked up the rags and fiddled it in his hand.
This seemed to be the material of women’s clothing…
Tobias looked down his own body and felt irritated when he realized only his white shirt and black pants remained. He had never been in this state since starting his journey.
That bad girl came out of nowhere!
A sinking feeling settled in his chest as he realized that the girl had stolen his precious possession under his nose. He quickly put on his remaining clothes and called for one of his most trusted guardians, Joel Serge, to come to him.
Moments later, Joel and his guards came up from the bushes nearby.
Tobias looked at him for a moment and then asked, “Where did you go to entertain yourself when I was swimming? What took you so long to come after hearing my call?”
They shook with fear and bowed down to the ground, despite the fact that their king was as gentle as the breeze and rain during the springtime. “Excuse me, My King! We’ve been waiting somewhere miles away from the lake...”
"I see." Tobias fiddled the tattered clothes with his fingers and asked, "Did you see someone come near the lake?"
"No, My King."