Chapter 226: The Mad Horse
Hayley’s POV:
The change happened so quickly. Without thinking, I instinctively tightened my grip on the reins, trying to control the horse's speed, but it was completely out of control. The horse galloped forward, frantically racing ahead. I was jolted on its back, the speed increasing with each stride. My stomach churned in discomfort.
“Stop! Stop, please!” I pulled on the reins, trying desperately to control the horse beneath me. But the horse wouldn’t listen, fighting against me, twisting its body as if it wanted to throw me off.
“Hayley, let go of your body!” Hera called to me.
I hesitated. Johnny had set a rule at his stable: no werewolf, regardless of rank, was allowed to shift into their wolf form while riding, to avoid frightening the horses. If I gave in to Hera now, I would break that rule.
“Help! Somebody!” I rejected Hera’s call and shouted for help, but no one seemed to hear me. The horse galloped on, twisting and jerking, just barely keeping me from being thrown. I had no choice but to hold on tightly, wrapping my arms around the horse as it ran wild. The wind whipped past my ears, and my face stung with pain. I held on, not knowing how much longer I could last.
Benjamin’s POV:
I slowed my horse and waited for Hayley for a long time, but she still hadn’t caught up. Worry began to creep in. After greeting Johnny, I turned back, deciding to look for her. Just then, my own horse suddenly went out of control. With a loud cry, it charged forward, racing ahead with no sign of slowing down.
Horace, riding next to me, seemed completely unfazed. He asked, “Mr. Southwell, what’s wrong with your horse?”
“Mr. Southwell, wait for me! Don’t go so fast!”
Horace’s voice faded as he moved ahead, but a sense of unease settled in my gut. I’d ridden horses many times before, but I’d never encountered a situation like this.
Gripping the horse’s neck tightly, I let it run, but my eyes scanned the surroundings. Then, I saw a thick patch of grass up ahead. An idea formed in my mind. Without hesitation, I leapt from the horse, rolling onto the grass. I tumbled several times before finally coming to a stop.
A familiar, urgent voice reached my ears. “Benjamin, move! Get out of the way!” It was Hayley! I looked up and saw her horse charging directly toward me, out of control! It was heading straight for me, and in that moment, I froze as I couldn’t pass the control to Lawrence.
Hayley was terrified too. She desperately pulled hard on the reins, kicking the horse’s side. Then, she was thrown off, landing right on top of me.
Hayley’s POV:
The out-of-control horse was charging straight for us. Instinctively, I moved to shield Benjamin, bracing for the worst and closing my eyes. But the pain I expected never came. When I opened my eyes, I saw the horse veering away, racing in the opposite direction. My mind couldn’t quite process what had just happened.
Benjamin asked me worriedly, “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Seeing him there, I don’t know why, but I instinctively reached out and threw myself into his arms. That moment had been so terrifying, but holding onto Benjamin gave me a sense of safety I hadn’t expected. Benjamin was stunned, but instead of pushing me away, he held me even tighter.
Inside, Hera was almost vibrating with excitement, but I felt an overwhelming sense of calm. “It’s okay; you’re safe now,” Benjamin reassured me after a while. I slowly began to collect myself.
I pulled away from him quickly and said, “I’m fine. It’s just… what happened to that horse? Why did it suddenly go crazy?” I tried to push myself off the ground; then my right foot gave way, and I stumbled forward.