𝙻𝚄𝙽𝙰 [ 𝙰 L𝚎𝚎 K𝚗𝚘𝚠 Story ]

35~A trap?

Yu-ri's heart hammered in her chest, each beat a frantic reminder of the danger she faced. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she stood before Seonghwa, the very figure Seth had warned her to avoid. Every nerve in her body was on edge, screaming at her to flee, but her feet felt rooted to the ground.

Seonghwa's presence was suffocating, his gaze sharp and unrelenting. "It looks like you know me well. May I ask who you are?" His voice was smooth but carried an undertone of menace that made Yu-ri shiver.

She took a hesitant step back, her instincts screaming at her to escape. Seonghwa was a formidable threat—perhaps even a death sentence if she couldn't find a way out. Yet, despite the overwhelming fear, she forced herself to maintain some semblance of composure. "You don't know me," Yu-ri managed to reply, her voice trembling despite her efforts to sound firm. Her body was coiled tight, ready to shift into her wolf form at a moment's notice, but Seonghwa's next words froze her in place.

"Don't think you can run away. Just tell me who sent you and why you were spying on us the whole time," Seonghwa said, his tone unnervingly calm. It was as if he were discussing the weather rather than confronting someone he suspected of espionage.

Yu-ri's mind raced, weighing her options in the face of his calm but threatening demeanor. She was caught between fear and the need to protect herself. Her gaze flickered toward the forest behind her, the shadows seeming to offer no refuge. She knew that lying or obfuscating might not be enough to dissuade him, but she also had to avoid revealing too much.

Yu-ri's mind raced furiously, torn between the dire need to protect Seth's secret and the instinctual urge to save herself. Her throat was dry, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find the right words amidst the overwhelming fear.

"Just tell me the truth, and I'll let you go. If you don't, I won't hesitate to tear you apart," Seonghwa's voice was a chilling promise, each word resonating with a deadly seriousness that made Yu-ri's blood run cold.

The sheer gravity of Seonghwa's threat paralyzed her. Her survival instincts screamed at her to flee, but her mind was locked in a vicious cycle of indecision. In a desperate bid for survival, Yu-ri bolted, her fear driving her into the night with reckless speed.

Seonghwa's reaction was immediate. He closed his eyes briefly, a sigh escaping his lips as he felt a wave of disappointment wash over him. The thrill of the hunt was what he had anticipated, but the reality was proving to be more tedious. With a swift motion, he launched himself after Yu-ri, his movements a blur of grace and speed. His agility made him a formidable predator, each step a testament to his lethal prowess.

Yu-ri pushed herself beyond her limits, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she glanced back, seeing Seonghwa closing in on her with relentless determination. Panic surged through her veins, making her legs feel like lead. Her strength faltered, and despite her best efforts, her pace slowed. The cold, unforgiving night seemed to close in around her as exhaustion took its toll.

Finally, her body could no longer keep up. She collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath, her strength spent. The forest around her seemed to spin as she struggled to catch her breath, her fear morphing into a crushing weight on her chest.

Seonghwa came to a halt just behind her, his presence looming like a dark specter. The moonlight cast eerie shadows across his face, his expression a mask of unyielding resolve. "Running away was a bad choice," he remarked, his tone cold and devoid of sympathy. The words hung in the air, a final judgment on her desperate attempt to escape.

Yu-ri managed a weak smile through her heavy breaths, her spirit flickering with a stubborn defiance. She pushed herself to her feet, meeting Seonghwa's piercing gaze with a sense of reluctant pride. "Or maybe it was the right choice," she said, her voice carrying a hint of resilience despite her obvious fatigue.