Sylvia looked at the young woman, Kel, who glanced back at her shyly every now and then. “Do you both usually attend these Lycan festivals?” She probed her.

“Ah… Ah… We don’t. Umm… I mean we do but… Ah… Sorry. I need to go somewhere now. Aha ha ha.” As her golden eyes glowed brightly, Kel turned around and ran away. 

She was so flustered that she almost bumped into a pillar on her way. She even turned back to check if Sylvia saw that and Sylvia did, which made her more flustered. 

Even from the distance, her entire face had turned beet red as she speedily shuffled her feet and ran away in the opposite direction.

Huh? Sylvia gaped at the young woman with her mouth wide open. 

She didn’t think she would ever meet someone more clumsy and awkward than her own self but that myth was busted today.

She didn’t know what else to do but smile at what just happened.

It seemed like the two sisters were quite different from each other. She shrugged and continued following the group of people as they walked out of the palace.

This time they didn’t exit through the entrance, rather this seemed to be diagonally opposite to the entrance, so probably a back exit. 

The Lycan palace was much simpler in design than the Draconian palace which was why Sylvia was able to decipher even if this piece of information.

And to her surprise, she found herself unusually calm as she looked around, observing and appreciating the artworks and the magnificence of the palace around her.

She still had no idea what was about to happen but just how bad could it be?

Sylvia calmed strolled out of the palace and stopped when the Lycan elders in front of her stopped and Roman and Melissa also stopped.

It looked like they were standing on a vast ground with lush trees and plants. 

She didn’t get a good look yet because of the crowd in front of her but soon the crowd dispersed and everybody quickly assembled in what looked like a predetermined order.

And just as they did…

Sylvia almost gasped. Currently, only Roman, Melissa, and herself were standing at the head of the gathering, if that was even an apt description of the affair.

Spread out in front of her without any end in sight was a huge crowd. Hundreds? Probably thousands?

And they all seemed to have coarse hair on most of their hands and legs, wearing only minimal clothing. Just the mere sight was a huge culture shock to Sylvia as she had never ever seen anything like that.

Just what did I get myself into? She gulped.

She had never seen so many bare-chested men in her life, and the women… most of them were very fit and their bodies very proportional and aesthetically pleasing.

For a second, she couldn’t help but wonder if the night was going to take a really weird turn. She had heard rumors in her town about certain immoral adult gatherings. 

This harvest moon festival couldn’t be something like that right? She gulped awkwardly, her cheeks blushing. 

With these thoughts in her head, she couldn’t even look straight at anyone and kept her gaze down, already planning her escape route in her mind.

If she shifts, she would most definitely faint and that should be her fastest get away from this bizarre festival? 

Sylvia silently let out a deep breath and calmed herself down. She gave Melissa a sideways glance, cursing her inwardly for putting them both in this situation.

Well, it didn’t matter. I can deal with Melissa later. 

Sylvia was about to initiate her crazy escape/faint plan when luckily before things could get out of control, Roman’s deep voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Greetings, Lycan clan members. The Moon Goddess has blessed us today with her tender love and care and also her strength and power.” His voice reverberated as he addressed the huge gathering.

“With the immense greatness she has bestowed upon us, it is our duty to maintain the peace and balance in these blessed lands. I wish you all good luck in your hunt today.”

“Go forth and be kind and merciful to our friends and ruthless and unyielding to our enemies. May the Goddess watch over us tonight.”

Ahh… Sylvia was now more calm as she heard the Lord’s speech. Cough. Cough. She quickly forgot about the weird conclusions she had jumped to. 

So this was a literal hunt? She nodded in understanding and watched Roman as he finished saying his few words.

However, the very next instant, without any warning, he stretched his back and his entire body shifted into a huge snow-white wolf, blue runes covering him from top to bottom. 

His clothes dropped down on the ground and he snapped his canines, meeting Sylvia’s gaze. She quickly turned away and looked up ahead, but that only startled her even more.

Similar cracking noises echoed from the crowd as the Lycan clan people shifted onto their all fours one by one. It was truly a sight to see as their figure disappeared like dominoes in order.

In just a few seconds, an army of wolves was standing majestically in front of her and their Lord, the snow-white wolf howled in vigor. 

The other wolves immediately responded to this by howling in return. The entire forest was filled with their battle cries. 

The air thrummed with a strange energy and Sylvia felt it resonate with her. She could feel it in her blood, in her bones. Her own beast was craving attention.

Her body started prickling uncomfortably. Even though right now, she was simply standing she felt as if she was being heavily weighed down by an anchor, as if she was shackled.

Her very soul begged her to set the beast free. Sylvia hugged her body tightly, trying to calm herself down but the beast howls were not making it any easier.

Standing next to her, Melissa glanced at her with a hidden glint in her eyes. The next second….