The Duke's Revenge Bride

Chapter 48

The chaos in the camp showed no sign of easing. The nobles who hadn't retreated yet were desperately trying to fend off the relentless attacks from the animals, with knights forming protective circles around key groups. Screams filled the air, the sounds of clashing swords echoing as the scent of blood grew heavier.

I caught a glimpse of Eren, Mike, Erwin, and Armin battling fiercely against a pack of wolves and a massive bear that had broken through the outer defenses. Their coordinated efforts were impressive, but the situation was escalating too quickly.

Levi turned to me, his expression grave. "You and Amelia need to get to safety now."

My father stepped forward, his tone matching Levi's urgency. "Listen to him, (Y/N). I'll join the others, but you two need to go. This isn't up for debate."

Amelia clung to my arm, her face pale with fear. "But what about you? Father, you could—"

"No time for arguments, Amelia," he snapped. "Go now!"

Levi met my gaze, his voice softening just for me. "Trust me, I'll keep him safe. Go."

Reluctantly, I nodded, pulling Amelia with me as we weaved through the chaos, heading toward the designated safe zone near the camp's edge. The area was filled with frightened nobles, many of whom were huddled together, their expressions ranging from terror to despair.

As we entered, my attention was drawn to the princess, who was pacing frantically, her composure completely shattered. Several noble ladies were attempting to calm her down, but their efforts were in vain.

"This can't be happening!" Petra cried, her voice sharp and hysterical. "How could the guards let this happen? We're not safe here! None of us are safe!"

One of the ladies whispered, "Your Highness, please, if you panic, everyone else will too."

But Petra wasn't listening, her fear radiating like a storm. She froze, her eyes wide with dread, and I turned to see what had caught her attention.

A deafening roar tore through the air, silencing everyone. It was deeper, more guttural than anything we'd heard before, vibrating through the ground and striking a primal fear into all of us.

"What... what was that?" Amelia whispered, clutching my arm tighter.

I scanned the horizon, my breath hitching as a massive shadow emerged from the treeline in the distance. Its form was hard to make out, but its sheer size was unmistakable. Whatever it was, it was bigger than any animal that should have been part of this hunt.

The nobles began to murmur in panic, and the princess's cries grew louder. "This is a disaster! Where are the knights? Where is my father?"

"Calm down, Your Highness," I said firmly, surprising even myself with the authority in my tone. "Panicking will only make things worse. The knights are fighting. We're safe here for now."

Petra's eyes narrowed at me, her fear momentarily replaced by anger. "Safe? You think we're safe with that out there?"

Before I could respond, the roar came again, closer this time. The ground trembled beneath us, and the safe zone no longer felt so safe. I glanced back toward the direction I'd come from, worry gnawing at me. Levi, my father, and the others were still out there.

Amelia tugged at my arm. "What do we do now, (Y/N)?"

I didn't have an answer, but one thing was certain—this hunt had spiraled into something far more dangerous than anyone had anticipated.

The roar grew louder, more menacing, until the beast itself emerged from the shadows of the treeline. Its massive form loomed over the group of women, its eyes glinting with predatory hunger. The creature's dark fur bristled, and its sharp claws dug into the ground as it stepped closer, baring fangs that sent a wave of terror through the air.