CHAPTER 3. TRAPPED

In a small room of haphazardly arranged wooden planks, Diego has lived alone for centuries. As the second prince of the werewolf nation, it was a private room full of mystery. In the center of the room, a pile of scattered cloths served as his bedding. Sandra lay among the fabrics, wearing a wet dress that clung to her body.

"Wake up! I know you're alive," Diego's hoarse voice broke the silence, crouching at Sandra's side. One of his hands gently patted the woman's scratch-covered cheek.

After a while, Diego's efforts paid off. Sandra's eyelids moved slowly and opened. Blurred vision enveloped her eyes as he woke up in a strange place. Trapped in an atmosphere that her mind could not explain.

Her body felt weak even when she tried to move. Her hands and feet felt stiff and frozen. Sandra decided to overcome her fear and confusion while taking in her surroundings. She tried to figure out where she was.

Sandra looked away from the curly-haired stranger with a cold stare. In the dim light, there was something strange and mysterious in those silver eyes, something that could not be described in words.

"Finally, you're awake," Diego's voice sounded sharp and unexpected. It was as if it came from a different dimension. "Fortunately, I'm currently a vegetarian. So, you don't get eaten."

Sandra gathered courage, her voice trembling as she asked, "Who are you? And where is this?"

Diego responded with a smile, which looked more like a grin to Sandra. "I am Diego. The second prince of the werewolf nation, and this place is the world called the Place of Prohibition."

Sandra felt her heartbeat speed up. It was like being trapped in a fantasy fairy tale. "Werewolves? The place of Prohibition? I have no idea what you're talking about!"

However, Diego did not immediately answer Sandra's question. Instead, the man's eyes remained fixed while sniffing out the scent emanating from the woman next to him. This situation made Sandra feel uncomfortable.

"What are you doing?" asked Sandra, shifting her sitting position away.

"The scent of your body, of what kind of creature? Very fragrant," Diego unconsciously sniffed too close to kiss the skin of Sandra's neck. Sandra spontaneously pushed Diego's face and screamed in fear.

"Get away from me! My meat is bad, and there's not enough of it," Sandra said frantically. "But if you want, I can give you plenty of delicious meat."

Diego was originally about to get angry, preparing to change his true form in front of the woman who had been rude to him. However, his intention was interrupted by a seductive offer from Sandra. Diego's face suddenly softened.

"Really? You can provide delicious meat?"

"Of course. I'm the daughter of a famous businessman in this country. My family's business is spread all over the world," Sandra explains proudly. "It's not hard for me to give you plenty of meat."

Diego grinned as he envisioned the massive amounts of delicious meat he could get his hands on. Sandra could see saliva almost dripping from the man's mouth. However, Diego soon woke up to reality, his face turning cold and looking annoyed.

"You're lying!"

"Of course not! I can, indeed. As long as you don't kill me." Cold sweat began to pour from Sandra's forehead. She was afraid that Diego would attack her like the monstrous creature before. Sandra was wary of the threat.

"But here, you can't do anything. This place is like a punishment prison for sinners," Diego said hoarsely.

Sandra was confused, feeling innocent of anything. 'But I didn't do anything bad. The guilty ones are Alex and Sarah. They should be the ones here. It's not fair!'

While Sandra contemplated her situation, the unpleasant odor from the pile of cloth disturbed her sense of smell. "What is this stench?" Sandra covered her nose with her hand, trying to avoid the unpleasant smell. Sandra searched for the origin of the foul smell and found that it came from a pile of cloth around her.

This situation was particularly agonizing for Sandra, who loves cleanliness. "You dirty demon!"

"Are you telling me I'm a slob?" asked Diego, unhappy.

"I can see clearly. It's like you never clean up after yourself," Sandra said with a mocking expression.

"You're unhygienic!"

Diego tugged at the corner of his lips as he pulled Sandra's arm closer. "Just so you know, I am the cleanest, most organized, and handsome wolf among my kind."

'Wow! So out of touch with reality.' Sandra thought. While giving a doubtful look. Diego narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what the woman in front of him was thinking.

"Alright, let's just say I trust you. But can you help me get home? So that I can keep my promise to you," Sandra said hopefully.

Diego's laughter rang through the room. Sandra felt increasingly annoyed with the man's attitude. "Don't you know? If I could leave here, I would have run away long ago. Unfortunately, that's impossible!"

"Maybe it's different this time," Sandra said hesitantly.

"Oh, really? Tell me creatures don't have names! What makes it different this time?" Diego felt the need to awaken the beautiful-faced creature.

"Sandra, my name is. I'm not a sinner, so I can get out of this place."

Diego chuckled softly. "Overconfidence is not good. But you can try it yourself," he said. "Go towards the North! If you're lucky, you'll find the exit."

Sandra felt challenged. She left immediately without wanting to waste any more time. The woman went on foot through an unknown forest.

Five hours later.

Sandra sat limply, leaning against a large tree in the middle of the forest. She looked tired, with sweat pouring down his forehead and all over his body.

"Did he trick me?" she muttered as she pushed her curls back. "I shouldn't have trusted that strange man so much." Sandra continued to grumble, while looking for a comfortable seating position.

"Go towards the North! If you're lucky, you'll find the exit."

Diego's words kept spinning in her mind like a crumpled cassette tape. It made her even more anxious, and she began to doubt herself. Could it be that he is also a sinner? If so, what sins had she committed to be trapped in such a creepy place? She even met a creature from another world. In hindsight, she was just a victim of evil people who wanted her dead.

While Sandra pondered the situation, she was getting more and more sleepy. The breeze made her eyes feel heavy, bringing a sense of comfort along with her confusion.

In a different place, Diego sat crouched on a rock by the river. His eyes repeatedly fixated on the trajectory that he hoped Sandra would take.

"Why hasn't that woman shown up yet?" he muttered in annoyance.

The sunlight slowly dipping to the horizon turned its color to golden red, creating longer shadows in the forest. Suddenly, however, an unusual flash caught his attention. Her skin suddenly crawled when she realized that something strange was happening.

"Has the creature awakened from its sleep? It means that the woman is in danger."

In an instant, Diego's boredom turned into deep anxiety. He quickly got up, leaving his place with quick steps.