Gareth halted in his steps and waited until Willow stood right beside him.
But instead of saying anything, she hugged him from behind, burying her face against his cloak before muttering, “I’m sorry, Gareth…” Gareth’s body stiffened when she hugged him like this.
It reminded him of how Lily liked to tickle-hug him from behind whenever he was working, usually as a joke.
He could only stand there like an idiot because he was always afraid of hurting Lily if he struggled too much to break free.
Willow was around the same height as Lily, and although she was a wolf beastwoman, which meant she was much stronger than Lily, she was still far weaker than him in the end.
Thus, he did nothing as Willow squeezed his waist and continued, “I should’ve done something too back then.
But the others really said that you had abandoned us all, so I cried for days and nights thinking about it instead of finding out the truth.” Gareth sighed.
“It’s not your fault.
You have no authority around the castle, after all.
It was Roland and the elders who deliberately swept the matter under the rug.” “Mm, but I was shocked when I heard that you lost your wolf because of a poison.
It’s too bizarre,” Willow mentioned.
She paused for a second before asking, “Do you have any idea who the culprit might be?
I’ve never heard of that kind of poison before in my life.” “I also have no idea.
But whoever it is, I need to eliminate the threat immediately,” Gareth said grimly.
“But I’ve always wondered…
could it be that the one who wants to kill you is a moonless wolf?” Willow suggested.
“Impossible.
I’ve investigated a moonless wolf before.
The curse simply makes them revert to their primal instincts, turning them into mad predators that attack anyone in sight,” Gareth denied.
“They’ve basically lost their minds once they become cursed.
There’s no correlation between them and the poison I drank.” Gareth recalled the moonless wolves who were currently imprisoned or had already been executed.
After the Moon Priestess vanished, all the territories in the beast realm had been afflicted with the Moonless Curse.
The curse varied from one territory to another, and for the West Wolf Pack, a strange disease had begun spreading slowly among the wolves.
It was akin to a parasite that ate away at the minds of wolf beastfolks.
At first, the afflicted would faint.
Then, they would become trapped inside a nightmare for ten days straight before finally opening their eyes.
Once they woke from their nightmare, their minds had regressed to that of a mad wolf, causing them to attack anyone they saw.
Families had been broken, innocents had been killed, and countless lives had been ruined because of this curse.
Gareth had ordered anyone afflicted by the curse to be isolated, then imprisoned or executed if they had killed someone.
Yet there was nothing more he could do about it for now, because it was not an illness that could be treated with medicine.
It was a curse that only the Moon Priestess could dispel.
“I see…” Willow slowly let go of her hug.
She took a step back and said, “I’m sorry for not being helpful, Gareth.” “Don’t beat yourself up over it.
I’m already glad that you’re still healthy and safe.” Gareth looked over his shoulder and smiled at Willow.
“You should go back to your room and prepare your belongings.
We’re leaving for the Lake of Fate tomorrow.
It’ll be a long journey ahead.” “Mm!
And where are you going, Gareth?” she asked.
“To Klaus’s grave.” — Four days had passed since Lily became stuck with Ren and the Fox Clan.
They had managed to rebuild the camp only a day after it was destroyed.
The fox beastfolks were hard workers, continuing without complaint despite having their camp and supplies scorched by their own king.
Even after everything that happened, they still did their best to provide for Ren.
Lily had just finished hunting and cooking her own meal.
The Fox Lord had refused to hunt for her again, telling her to simply let the fox beastfolks hunt and cook for her instead.
But seeing how busy and exhausted they were, Lily did not have the heart to order them around and simply decided to prepare everything herself.
She had worked at the barn for an entire decade, after all.
She was more than capable of taking care of herself.
As she returned to Ren’s side, however, she could not help but scowl when she saw how heartless he was toward his own people.
Just like right now.
Ren was lounging leisurely on a chair that had recently been made by the foxes, while a servant delivered him a bowl of grapes for him to snack on as he watched the foxes prepare the carriage.
They were scheduled to depart for the Lake of Fate tomorrow morning.
Lily sat down right beside him, eating a bowl of mushroom soup that she had prepared in a large batch for the foxes as well.
Since the fox cooks had been busy helping the soldiers rebuild everything for the past four days, Lily thought that she should at least contribute by cooking for them.
Which she did.
For the past three days, Lily had practically become the cook for the fox beastfolks.
The foxes were insanely grateful to her, even going as far as kneeling and crying dramatically while eating whatever food she had prepared for them.
Her heart ached whenever she saw the fox beastfolks being so humble and hardworking.
Then she looked at the man sitting right beside her, and her expression immediately turned ugly.
Ren’s eyes flicked toward her.
He studied her for a brief moment out of curiosity before scoffing.
“Can you stop giving me that look?
You look like you’d hate me for breathing.” “I should,” Lily rolled her eyes.
“Your people are working themselves to the bone after you ruined the camp, yet you’re lounging here like you don’t have arms and legs.
Do you not feel pity for them?” Ren casually threw a grape into the air and caught it in his mouth before replying, “They are my kin, my people.
It’s their job to serve me.” CREATORS’ THOUGHTS Apup Thank you for reading!
Please add this to your library if you like the story!