Julian's POV
"Master Czarnel! Wake up!"
I groaned as my body was being shaken aggressively. I finally regained consciousness and swatted his hands away.
When my eyes flickered open, I could see Jakub staring back at me. His wary look shifted to relief as I lifted myself from the floor.
"I'm glad that you're safe!"
"I–"
There was a sudden pang at the back of my head and I uttered a curse word.
"Where the fuck am I?" I grumbled. From what I had seen here, I was in an unfamiliar room that I didn't even remember stepping into this room at all.
The throbbing pain hadn't receded as I lifted my arm and rubbed the back of my head. When I felt cold liquid, my eyes snapped open.
It broke off my drowsiness as I stared at my bloodied hand—more specifically, specks of dry blood and I knew that the wound was slowly closing.
How was it possible that I got knocked unconscious? I was always on guard during my sleep.
But then I remembered.
During the Red Moon, I finally found my fated mate. A human, of all species that the prophecy provided for me. After meeting her. for the first time in decades, I, too, was intoxicated by the Red Moon's spell.
Then she struck me before I could make her mine.
When Jakub saw the wound on the top of my head, his brows knitted together as he gritted his teeth.
"Who did this to you? W-was that the human girl who knocked one of the ogres and stole his clothes earlier?"
"She did?"
"It was caught in the surveillance cameras."
I was a bit impressed. She took advantage of Red Moon to escape while we were spellbound. Not going to lie, that was admirable of her…for a human.
"Did you catch her scent? A name, even?" Jakub asked, sternly.
A name. What was her name? Then, I remember her cunning smile before I blacked out.
"Audrey Hepburn. That's her—" Then something clicks. A small mistake that even I, Julian Czarnel, hadn't realized too soon.
"No, of course not…" I muttered, shaking my head.
She outsmarted me, not just once but twice.
"S-sir?" Confused, Jakub stared at me while I laughed like a madman. "Shall I go find this Audrey Hepburn? That human disrespected you and deserved to be tortured!"
"No," shaking my head, I turned to him with a sly grin. "That is not her real name." I got up, adjusting my suit. I see a shattered lampshade on the floor—the main cause of my unconsciousness. "I remember now. Audrey Hepburn was the name of an infamous actress during Hollywood's prime. She…was a lovely, sophisticated human I had the pleasure meeting that night."
"What? Then Audrey Hepburn should be a hundred years old! A human can't look young at a hundred, right, sir?" Jakub was still as oblivious as ever. I wondered why despite decades of working under me, he remained so naïve and clueless.
"That girl who used Audrey Hepburn's name used it as an alias to catch me off-guard before she could strike me unconscious—whether it was intentional or not, it was impressive that she could knock a High Vampire such as myself."
"Then, give us your orders and we will find and kill her, sir."
I glared at Jakub. His naivety is making my patience thin. "That girl is my fated wife. The future mother of my heir."
"What?!" Today, Jakub was acting less than his usual calm, somber demeanor that his voice is octave higher than before. "That can't be, Master! That woman is a human and if she's a human here within the Slumber Hound City, that would mean—"
"Indeed, fate brought me to a human from Slumber Hound City. The irony of it all. I'm fated to be the descendant of the humans involved in the war."
I remember the way she moaned when I touched her, the way her spirit hadn't wavered despite my forceful claim to her body. She may be human but after seeing her eyes, her smile after she dared slamming that vase on my head while I was under the influence, I could tell she was a force to be reckoned with.
"Let's stay here in Slumber Hound City." Smirking while picking up the discarded torn panty she left, I have already memorized her scent by now. "Jakub, I want our men to investigate all the theater troupes—renowned or not. Also, delete the footage of her appearance. No one outside this room should know about her…yet."
Jakub looked more puzzled than ever before but decided not to question me. "Absolutely, sir."
As he left, I turned to face back at the view of the orgy that wouldn't ever end until sunrise. The sight alone should be repulsive for me yet now, it was like watching a magnificent theater play and, you, the audience, danced along with it.
I chuckled to myself.
"I would love to get to "know" my future wife first before meeting you. I hope you don't disappoint me with your predictable theatrics, you Audrey Hepburn impostor."
===============
A few days later, the citizens of Slumber Hound City all gathered to see the commotion at the town hall. The walls were filled with wanted posters—from a petty thief to a heinous crook. But what shocked the passersby was when Noah Bates, the Alpha from the werewolf pack who leads the pack and in-charge-of the humans, placed the huge poster on his own.
It wasn't the huge tarpaulin that covered the entire wall that made everyone's jaw drop. And it wasn't because of the young woman's face—radiantly beautiful while dressed in a mismatched dress and military boots and carrying a rugged bag, either.
It was the bounty price.
WANTED: ALIVE
NAME: ???
Bounty: $30,000,000
"What the fuck did this woman ever do to get this bounty?" One of them whistled in appreciation. "I bet she pisses one of the wolves or the ogres!"
"She's human, right? Such a waste of beauty if she's a criminal."
"No name but a face. She looks familiar, though. But they want her alive…not dead. So, we have a chance to get that 30 grand!"
Meanwhile, they all stared at the large poster, little Randy took this opportunity to pickpocket defenseless bystanders. He had stolen at least three wallets and placed them all under his hat. But when he saw the wanted poster, he froze.
"Sis L-Lyra?"