People with disabilities don't want to be looked at differently—not with disgust, pity, curiosity, or surprise.
A wolf with a disability was probably no exception.
Behind the male wolf, Annie pointed angrily at Evie. "Lord of the Wolves, I had my dad catch Evie and bring him back!"
Holly Wyatt blinked. It all clicked into place.
'So this one-armed wolf is the one the old Wizard said only had a one percent chance of survival.'
'With my two percent chance, I should be able to heal him, right?'
'Hmph! Serves that little brat right. How dare he have designs on my cub! Is finding a mate something to joke about?! Hmph! He needs to be taught a lesson!'
Silas Thornton's eyes darkened, and his expression grew cold.
His long, black-furred tail shot straight up, its proud and majestic tip held high as if looking down upon the other wolves.
Holly Wyatt pushed all thoughts of healing aside, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
'How can the King of Wolves be so adorable!'
She rubbed her fingertips together, fighting the urge to pet it...
But Evie and the others had said that only a mate was allowed to touch it.
Holly Wyatt...
"AHHH!! Dad! Dad! Put me down!" Evie flailed his limbs wildly. "I just gave the human cub some snacks! I didn't do anything else! Let me go!"
When Holly Wyatt looked over, Evie instantly settled down.
He covered his face with his hands, his ears folding flat against his head. He even wrapped his tail around the one-armed wolf's arm to hide it.
The tips of his ears and tail flushed bright red.
The one-armed wolf set Evie down and tapped the back of his head. "You should know what giving food signifies. We just went over it in class a few days ago. Go apologize to the human cub."
Evie remained curled in a ball, hiding his face completely.
Holly Wyatt pursed her lips and shook her head gently. She took out her drawing board. "It's okay. He's just a kid."
"You're a kid, too," Silas Thornton said, frowning. He glanced at the board in disapproval. "Choosing a mate is a very serious matter. And it's precisely because they're children that they need to apologize and take responsibility when they do something wrong."
'My cub seems to know very little about mates, and she's so casual about it. This won't do! I have to teach her a proper lesson! A mate is an incredibly important partner. A wolf has only one mate in their lifetime and is responsible for them forever. This is an extremely serious matter! It can't be taken lightly or joked about! But the human world isn't like that... What if my cub's future mate is some fickle, two-timing man...'
'No! Absolutely not! In the future, my cub's mate will have to be thoroughly vetted. Only the most loyal man will do!'
Holly Wyatt's ears grew hot. She pressed her lips together, realizing just how seriously the wolves treated the concept of a mate. She set down her drawing board and didn't argue.
Silas Thornton lifted his chin slightly, his gaze landing on the one-armed wolf and the short-haired female wolf beside him. "They're Annie and Evie's parents."
The one-armed wolf raised his right hand and gave a stiff, awkward wave, trying to imitate a human greeting. "I'm Theo Thornton."
The short-haired female wolf beside him twitched her brown ears, a hint of tenderness flashing across her otherwise cool expression. "I'm Chester Thornton."
Holly Wyatt nodded and gave a small smile, considering them introduced.
Theo Thornton nudged Evie. "Evie! Apologize!"
Holly Wyatt watched as Evie reluctantly uncurled his tail. With his ears drooping and eyes downcast, he shuffled over to her, looked up, and said with great sincerity, "I'm sorry, Holly Wyatt."
Holly Wyatt shook her head, wiped her board clean, and wrote, "It's okay."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Theo Thornton's and Chester Thornton's expressions relax considerably. Even Silas Thornton's face softened.
'The little wolf cub's attitude is acceptable. Still, I need to gather all the young ones and give them a proper lesson. The matter of mates is important! Very important! Extremely important! You have to say important things three times!'
Holly Wyatt pursed her lips and glanced around at the wolves in the living room.
They seemed to be extremely cautious about courtship and finding a mate.
It was not a topic for children to joke about, and doing so would earn them a harsh lesson.
Holly Wyatt lowered her eyes, committing this lesson to memory.
"Someone get in here and help! There are too many wolves in the manor today, and I can't keep up," an old male wolf with salt-and-pepper hair and a steady gait called out as he walked out of the kitchen.
His ears and tail were also grayish-white.
He wore an apron printed with a group of cartoon wolf cubs. The apron looked new, yet it was riddled with holes.
New, yet old... It was a strange sight.
Holly Wyatt looked at the old wolf with curiosity, then tilted her head toward Silas Thornton, her unspoken question obvious.
Silas Thornton lowered his head slightly and told Holly Wyatt, "He's the elder who manages the daily life of the Wolf Clan. His name is Master Thornton."
He glanced at the elder wolf's battle-damaged apron, and his eye twitched.
'The destructive power of these little cubs is astonishing. I remember Master Thornton just bought that apron. How is it in shreds already? *Sigh*... My cub is still the best—well-behaved, soft, and not nearly so mischievous. Tsk, she's just a bit thin. How can I get some meat on her bones...'
Holly Wyatt deliberately ignored Silas Thornton's chattering inner monologue, her attention captivated by Master Thornton's apron.
The apron had a frilly border, though it had now been shredded into tassels.
'Indeed... The little cubs' destructive power was astonishing.'
She subconsciously nodded in agreement.
Master Thornton noticed the small, petite Holly Wyatt among the pack of wolves. He raised an eyebrow. "Is that the human cub the Lord of the Wolves brought back?"
He exaggerated his mouth movements, using what seemed like every muscle in his face, as if he was afraid Holly Wyatt wouldn't be able to read his lips.
Holly Wyatt swallowed, clutching her drawing board as she nodded lightly.
Master Thornton continued, "What does the little cub want to eat? Can she eat the food of the Wolf Clan?"
Holly Wyatt blinked and quickly wrote, "What is the Wolf Clan's food?"
"Lamb, beef, and pork, all stewed together in one pot."
'How could my cub eat the Wolf Clan's food? It's so coarse! Besides, humans don't like gamy tastes. Don't let her get even thinner!'
Holly Wyatt hesitated, pressing her lips together.
'All stewed in one pot... Do they add seasoning?'
'Can the Wolf Clan eat seasonings?'
'Is it like with cats and dogs, where seasonings put a strain on their kidneys?'
'But Silas Thornton ate all that human breakfast this morning, so he must be able to eat seasonings, right?'
'I wonder which tastes better: Wolf Clan food or human food?'
Holly Wyatt licked her lips and looked at Silas Thornton, her round eyes full of anticipation as she wrote, "Can I try the wolf food?"
Silas Thornton glanced at the board, his expression growing even more severe, but inwardly, he was screaming.
'The cub is asking for my opinion!!?? AHAHAHA! It's like my own kid is checking with me before doing something! This feels amazing! So this is what raising a child is like?! Ooh, this feeling is addicting!'
Holly Wyatt lowered her eyes in silence, a helpless smile gracing her lips.
Silas Thornton leaned down and explained softly, "The Wolf Clan's food is very gamy. You wouldn't be used to the taste."
Holly Wyatt nodded obediently and held up her board. "I know how to cook. Let me help."
She set down her board and was about to head to the kitchen.
'No! My cub can't go in the kitchen! It's dangerous in there! AHHH!! Come back! COME BACK!'