Archie’s POV
As Alisha's words reached my ears, a surge of resistance welled up within me, fueled by the vehement protest of my wolf. Its howl echoed in my mind, vehemently rejecting the idea of consuming anything tainted with the pungent aroma of garlic.“Absolutely not! Archie, don't eat it! I would rather eat shit than ever smell garlic again."
A retort formed in my mind right now, battling my wolf's protest. "While the smell of garlic is indeed revolting, resorting to eating excrement might be also a bad choice."
My wolf's response was stubborn, unyielding. "I don't care. If you dare subject me to garlic, I'll eat shit next time to disgust you! I'll make sure you experience the same level of disgust with my choice!"
Hearing my wolf's words, I felt that garlic was truly terrifying- its scent alone could drive my wolf into madness. Neither garlic nor shit would I want to eat, so I must refuse this damn sausage. Why did Louie and Gray enjoy delicious apple pie while I had to eat the fucking garlic dish!
Before I could voice my adamant refusal, Samuel, the venerable butler who stood attentively behind Shaunda, intervened. I knew he was conveying Shaunda's words. Absolutely, Samuel said to Alisha: "Luna, I remember Alpha has been hating garlic since he was a child. Why does he suddenly develop a taste for it?"
Hearing Samuel's question, I took a sigh of relief secretly. And in my heart, I said sincerely, "Grandma, thank you so much for you! You remember my preferences, which might help me stop my wolf to eat shit."
Alisha didn’t get panic. She blinked, then cleared her throat and in a sugary-sweet tone said, "Grandma, actually, Archie is doing it all for me! At first, Archie did indeed avoid food with garlic flavor, but after we got married, because I enjoy garlic-flavored dishes so much, he has been accommodating me and eating them with me. Over time, perhaps influenced by me, he has grown to like that taste and now he wants to eat it every day. So, for the next few days, I'll continue making garlic-flavored dishes for him to ensure he enjoys his meals every day!" Alisha, with her little tricks, concocted a narrative that left me momentarily stunned.
As Alisha's gaze shifted toward me, accompanied by that endearing smile, I couldn't help but acknowledge her cunning play. I knew she was teasing me, for the sparkle in her eyes betrayed her amusement, leaving me no choice but to play along with her narrative, in case of making Shaunda notice our problems. With a faint smile and a nod, I allowed Alisha's crafty tale to stand unchallenged, all the while acknowledging the unspoken battle of wits between us.
As Alisha's words weaved their magic, a ripple of reactions coursed through our small gathering. Shaunda initially displayed a surprised expression, which then transformed into happiness as she continuously nodded and smiled. Even though Samuel didn't say anything and Shaunda didn't use mindlink, everyone present could tell that she felt happy with Alisha's reply and was extremely pleased for us, knowing that we were getting along so well.
However, my wolf was far from pleased. Within the recesses of my mind, my wolf's tumultuous protests had transformed into a resolute struggle. It was like a wild creature confined in a cage, fervently seeking an escape from the oppressive grip of garlic's scent. I was afraid that it might want to run out of the Bay.
My wolf's cries echoed in my thoughts, desperate and unrelenting. " Every day? Absolutely impossible! We cannot tolerate this! Archie, you must not listen to Alisha this time! We'll both be suffocated by the smell of garlic! Hurry up, while Shaunda is here, tell her that you don't like garlic at all! Or open up the mindlink, I'll tell her myself!"
The idea of being immersed in a sea of garlic day in and day out was undoubtedly horrifying. I didn't want to smell garlic again either; it was akin to hell, and I would rather go fight in the Dark Forest than eating garlic. Yet, as my eyes rested upon Alisha's countenance, ablaze with mischief and triumph, I hesitated. Her joy was palpable, her mischievous charm magnetic. I knew Alisha was sure that I wouldn't tarnish the impression of our loving marriage in front of Shaunda. It had been a while since I'd seen her this lively and cheerful, even if she was intentionally making trouble for me. But the joy radiating from the corners of her eyes and her smile stirred a warmth within me. I didn't want to shatter that.
So, I didn't expose Alisha's lie. I lowered my head, held my breath, and silently began to battle with the disgustingly garlicky sausages on the plate.
“No, buddy!”my wolf shouted desperately.
“Calm down! It is said that the garlic is very healthy. We … we should learn to have it.”
“Don’t sacrifice my nose to please your wife!”
Ignoring my wolf’s proposal, I plunged up my encourage to pick up a slice of garlic sausage. In an attempt to minimize the smell of garlic, I even swallowed the sausage whole without chewing after putting it in my mouth. With each bite I took, my wolf let out a howl. Towards the end, it seemed to have even lost the strength to howl, probably overwhelmed by the fumes. I was lost in the battle between my senses and my emotions raged on.
Alisha's astonishment at my perseverance was a bittersweet victory. I quickly finished the entire plate of sausages and then excused myself to the bathroom. In reality, I headed to the garden to breathe in some floral scents; otherwise, I might have been overwhelmed by the garlic.
That omnipresent garlic smell seemed to have seeped into my body, tainting my breath with a terrible odor. Just as I was feeling nauseated and about to throw up, I heard footsteps approaching. I frowned and looked at the newcomer—it was Louie, holding a glass of cold water. He raised the glass and said to me in a lighthearted tone, "I think you need to rinse your mouth and have some water right now."
"Why did you come here?"
"If I tell you that Alisha asked me to come, would you believe it?"