Archie's POV
I had fantasized countless times about what my mate had described as her wolf. I wondered what it would look like. Now I knew. It was the most wonderful creature in the world, a gift from Moon Goodness to this world. Moonlight fell on its pure white fur, making it shimmer as if it had walked out of a fairy tale.
I opened my mouth, staring motionlessly at the white wolf not far ahead. Its eyes, as clear and beautiful as jewels, met mine, and a breeze carried a delightful scent from its fur. It was the light in this dark world.
With just one glance, I knew it must be Alisha's wolf. It couldn't be wrong, it must be it, and only it.
I couldn't believe I was encountering it here. It was the most adorable creature in the world, and no wolf could be more beautiful.
All the pain, anger, and desires for violence that had filled me earlier vanished in that instant of seeing it. Now, all I wanted was for it to come to me, let me touch it.
Nervously, I gazed at it and then slowly crouched down, reaching out to it. Even though I faced the most formidable enemies without fear, in front of this white wolf, I was incredibly nervous, afraid that my actions might startle it and make it retreat.
The white wolf saw my movement but didn't react, just tilted its head slightly.
Its simple gesture made my heart race. I swallowed, opened my mouth, and in the gentlest tone I could muster, I called to it, "Come here, cutie."
After a moment, it sniffed the air, then gracefully took a step toward me. In the moonlight, it looked pure and beautiful, and my heart felt like it was melting.
However, before I could revel in this joy for too long, my own wolf, who had been sleeping in the bay, suddenly sensed something, went crazy with excitement, and appeared in the real world without my order.
Its first words upon appearing were a shout, "Mate!" and it was about to charge towards the white wolf.
Upon seeing my wolf, the white wolf immediately withdrew the step it took, took two steps back, and then revealed sharp fangs, emitting a threatening growl.
I froze, instantly grabbing the fur on my wolf's neck to prevent it from approaching the white wolf. "Stop, you idiot! You scared her!"
In my grip, the black wolf, which had been struggling, seemed to sense the white wolf's resistance and hostility. It suddenly stopped struggling and, in a sickeningly sweet voice, shouted to the white wolf, "Darling, don't be afraid! I love you! I..."
Before it could finish, I covered its mouth with my hand.
For the first time in my life, I had the impulse to kill my own wolf, who was too shameless!
Upon hearing my wolf's words, the white wolf's expression became even more ferocious. It took a step forward forcefully, claws digging into the ground, kicking up a spray of soil.
I quickly explained, "Don't be nervous; we mean no harm. My wolf has a problem in its head, don't mind him. I'm Archie, and I..." I was cut off as the white wolf spoke, "I know you, the man who betrayed my master Alisha."
At the moment it spoke, I felt immense joy and satisfaction. There was another person in the world like me, someone who had their own wolf, independent and able to talk. I wasn't a freak after all. Moon Goodness had indeed prepared a partner for me, my unique mate.
It was as if I, a lone traveler in a world of ice and snow, had traversed frost and snow alone, facing everything in the silent world. Finally, one day, I met another companion, letting me know that I wasn't alone, that there existed such a warm presence in the world. The long wait had become a kind of happiness for me, as long as I had the opportunity to meet her.
Yet, before I could fully enjoy this joy, the white wolf's words pierced into my heart like arrows. I stood there dumbfounded, even releasing my grip on my wolf. The black wolf, freed from my restraint, didn't rush toward the white wolf as before but anxiously circled in place.
I didn't know how to respond to the white wolf's words. I opened my mouth, but my throat was inexplicably dry, and I couldn't say anything. At this moment, my wolf suddenly spoke, "Dear, all those bad things were done by Archie; it is his fault, not mine!"
I instantly turned back to look at my wolf, glaring at it in disbelief. I am his master. How could he abandon me immediately after seeing this white wolf? This bastard!
However, my wolf paid no attention, wagging its tail, attempting to get closer to the white wolf. It even continued speaking as it walked forward, "Really, I advised Archie, but he is a fool, doesn't listen to me. Although he is bad, I'm good. Please don't reject me because of him!"
Upon hearing my wolf's shameless words, I couldn't help but roar, "I haven't! I have never betrayed Alisha! I... I..." But, in the past, I hadn't treated Alisha well, hadn't protected her, causing her a lot of suffering.
The white wolf looked at us and spoke again, "Don't play tricks, Archie! You and Erma had an affair, betrayed your marriage with Alisha. Although I didn't stay with Alisha before, when I returned to Alisha's body, I could feel all the shame and harm you caused her!"
Upon hearing the white wolf's words, both my wolf and I were stunned. I widened my eyes, unable to believe what I had just heard. Me and Erma? How could that be? It was absurd!
My wolf anxiously clarified, "Impossible! My master Archie, although a fool who doesn't know how to love, is arrogant, and annoying, he absolutely did not betray Alisha! I wouldn't lie to you, believe me, dear!"
Upon hearing the first half of my wolf's words, I immediately felt the urge to kill the wolf again, but as I heard the rest, I held back.
The white wolf, hearing my wolf, tilted its head, "But in Alisha's memories, I saw Erma telling Alisha herself that she and Archie were together, and she was pregnant."
"Impossible!" my wolf shouted, "Absolutely impossible! Archie never intended for anyone else to bear his child."
At this point, I realized that Erma, this vile person, seemed to be deliberately sowing discord between Alisha and me. She fabricated lies, undermining Alisha's trust in me. How dare she?!
"Why then do you treat Erma so well? You even took Alisha's song and gave it to Erma; you attended Gray's Alpha ceremony with her while Alisha had only Brad and others accompanying her. You even refused to let Alisha conceive your child! When Alisha needed someone to help treat Magaly, you made sure the doctor stayed by Erma's side!" The white wolf looked at me, each question piercing like a bullet.
I wanted to explain, but I found my feeble words couldn't change the harm I had caused Alisha. I could only repeat, over and over, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
My wolf, at the side, was anxiously saying, "We took care of Erma because she is Alisha's servant! When Archie and I went back to the tree hollow to find Alisha before, it was empty. All we found was blood and unconscious Erma. To get more clues, Archie brought Erma back to Golden Crest.When she woke up, she said Alisha's pack had been attacked and wiped out. She and Alisha fled, but unexpectedly got kidnapped and taken to the Dark Forest. To protect Alisha, she was attacked by rogues, and Alisha was taken away, whereabouts unknown."
"Nonsense! She is lying! It is her collusion with the enemy that led to Alisha's kidnapping! She is in cahoots with those rogues! She has betrayed Alisha!"
"Oh! We don't know this at all! She begged us to shelter her. We often took her to the Dark Forest and other places, searching for clues about you two. Archie never had any romantic feelings for her. We were all deceived by her!"
My wolf, after a hurried explanation, turned to me and said, "Say something, quick! What's the use of just apologizing? Your mouth is good for nothing!"
I looked at the white wolf not far away, opened my mouth to say something, but before I could, it seemed to sense something and immediately turned its head in another direction, then bolted away.
My wolf, seeing the white wolf disappear from our sight, also decisively followed. I followed suit.
But I noticed that the white wolf was heading toward Blood Dawn. Thinking about what Orathe and Gray had said during the day, I furrowed my brow and felt a pang of sadness.
When the white wolf, like the best assassin, entered the territory of Blood Dawn, my wolf also unhesitatingly followed. I, too, stealthily followed them, infiltrating Blood Dawn.
We didn't alert the patrolling guards, but even after entering Blood Dawn, my wolf was still obsessively trying to follow the white wolf, while I hoped to go in Alisha's direction. Obviously, we couldn't reach an agreement, so I left them both behind, searching for Alisha on my own.