The Cursed Prince's Strange Bride

Alicia turned to look at Paulina, who was still shaking in fear where she was seated. Unlike Alicia who had come to terms with the whole werewolf stuff because she had watched movies and read books about werewolves and vampires, Paulina had likely never heard of them before.

She didn't even know they existed until that day, so she was still in shock at discovering that people could turn into wild animals, especially people she knew.

Knowing that she had almost been attacked by such a creature did not do anything to ease her fear. The world suddenly seemed very unsafe.

Paulina looked at Alicia when she covered her trembling hands with hers and said, "Everything will be fine. We will be safe," she said quietly, trying to be strong for her. However, the look in Paulina's eyes told her that the girl didn't believe her one bit.

"Alvin!"

They both turned to the window when they heard Harold call in an alarmed voice before they heard the loud neigh of horses and everything came to a halt including the carriage, making them jolt forward.

Alicia opened the window in alarm, wondering what had happened but she could not see anything.

"I think the poison is spreading," Harvey said, sounding concerned.

"Speak to me. Can you get down?"

Alicia frowned when she heard Harold's voice again since she could tell that was how he sounded when he was worried.

She immediately opened the carriage door and as she tried to step out, Paulina held her arm, looking frightened.

"It's fine. You can stay inside." Alicia assured her before jumping down.

She almost gasped when she saw Alvin. He looked very pale and sickly and his eyes were closing involuntarily. It looked like he was going to fall off the horse but Harold and Harvey were holding him still, looking worried.

Harold's eyes locked with hers as she rushed to their side, and he was surprised to see her outside, but Alvin's painful cough with blood coming out of his mouth took Harold's attention back to him.

"How could you let him ride in this condition?" Alicia asked in horror when she got to where they were, surprising Harvey who turned to look at her. He had not expected her to recover so fast from the shock.

Damian remained on his horse as he observed them with annoyance.

"Let's help him inside the carriage," Alicia suggested with a sense of urgency, snapping the two men out of their worried states, and they helped Alvin get down even though he kept insisting weakly that he was fine and could continue on his horse.

"This is not the time to be embarrassed!" Harold snapped at Alvin, who obviously hated how he was being treated right now.

When he was set on his feet with his body leaning on Harold, Harvey raised Alvin's shirt and almost did a double take when he saw the wound but quickly put the shirt down so that Alicia wouldn't see it. He looked at Harold and shook his head.

Alicia noticed the exchange and turned to Harvey. "He... is going to survive before we get to the palace... right?" She asked hopefully, but the look on both Harold and Harvey's faces told her they were not so sure about it.

It seemed like it would take a miracle for him to survive it.

"What... is wrong with... him?" Paulina's fearful voice asked behind Alicia as she peeked at them from beside the carriage.

Although she was still scared of them, Alvin had always treated her well since she joined them in the kingdom. From the moment he saved her from Beth's strangle to when he helped her treat the burn under her feet. Even though he made her embarrassed sometimes and she was scared of him sometimes too, she believed he was a nice person. So seeing him look deathly was very strange and frightening.

As soon as they all turned their eyes on her, she withdrew into the carriage and hid inside, burying her face in her hands.

"Alvin, stay awake," Harold ordered as he gently slapped his face when Alvin began to close his eyes.

Alicia could see the flood of emotion on Harold's face as he turned his gaze from Alvin to her. He was scared that Alvin might die.

Seeing him look so worried, Alicia tried to touch him but at the last moment, she withdrew her hand while he turned to look at her with a gaze she could not read.

"Let's get him into the carriage and hurry so we can get to the palace on time," She said, and immediately Harold and Harvey carried Alvin into the carriage, where Paulina was frightfully seated by the edge with her eyes tightly shut so she wouldn't look at any of them, especially Harold.

Placing him inside the carriage was another problem because Alvin wasn't as tiny as the girls. And they had to make sure he was lying on his stomach so he wouldn't hurt his back further. But they did their best to get him inside and as soon as he was in, they heard the distant sound of horses approaching at full speed.

Immediately, Harvey took a fighting stance and unsheathed his sword while Harold still kept his eyes on Alvin, who was struggling to breathe, as he tried to make him comfortable inside the carriage. This time, Harold was pleading with him to endure it for a while.

Paulina could not help but take a peek at Harold, observing how he was acting like a normal human being at that moment who was worried about his friend. She had never seen him look that way before.

But she could understand why. Seeing Alvin like this, even she could not stop the tears in her eyes from flowing. She didn't want him to die.

The horses got closer and three horses with three riders came into view. Two were dressed as guards while one was dressed as a physician.

The guard's outfits weren't the same ones the royal guards wore. The uniform belonged to the guards from the queen's brother's household and both Harvey and Alicia recognized them.

"On Lady Susan's orders, we brought the antidote for Sir Harvey," One of the guards said in a loud voice before the physician climbed down from the horse.

"Sir Harvey?" Harold asked, immediately withdrawing himself from the carriage.

Alicia and Harvey also looked confused but then it occurred to them that Susan had sent the antidote for Alvin but most likely couldn't say so since her parents may not let their guards leave for the sake of Alvin, but would be willing to let them leave for Harvey who was her supposed betrothed.

Harold looked at Harvey, and understanding what was happening, Harvey received the antidote and quickly hurried inside the carriage with the physician following behind.

Meanwhile, Damian just watched from his horse with keen interest.