The Wolf King's Martial Arts Lover

Chapter Eight: Mutual Care

Elena's incoherent ramblings and flailing arms indicated her lingering distress from the recent battle. The wolf, aware that inducing nightmares in the woman was not a good omen, gnashed its teeth and nudged her, attempting to rouse her from her slumber. However, after a while, Elena showed no signs of awakening.

The wolf's howls failed to awaken Elena, but startled the elf ferret at her feet. The ferret immediately jumped up, its round eyes alert, scanning the surroundings for any danger. Satisfied that there was no imminent threat, the ferret turned to the stoic wolf beside it and chirped inquisitively, questioning the need for its awakening.

Glancing at the disgruntled ferret, the wolf, uncharacteristically, chose not to engage. Its entire focus was now on the unconscious woman. A mere small creature could not divert its attention now.

Following the wolf's gaze, the ferret finally noticed Elena's condition. With a leap, it stood beside her, reaching out to test her forehead. The feverish temperature caused it to retract its paw swiftly. The ferret seemed to realize the seriousness of its master's condition and gently tapped Elena's face.

Elena remained motionless.

It then licked her ear, but still there was no response.

At that moment, a strange sound echoed from the depths of the quiet forest. The wolf, never before appreciating such beauty in the sound, recognized it as the call of a rooster, different yet harmonious from the usual rural rooster crowing. It was a sound that heralded the dawn, as consistent as the rising sun.

Previously resenting the moment the sun rose or set, the wolf now rejoiced that the day had finally arrived.

Aaoo... Aaoo...

The howls continued.

In the wolf's green eyes, there was pain. Its bones felt as though they were being crushed by hammers, and its flesh sliced by dull knives. The agony shook its very soul, with the sound of bones creaking in its ears and its howls growing increasingly desperate. It wasn't a matter of endurance; it was impossible to bear no matter how hard it tried.

The wolf's body was enveloped in white light, its fangs shrinking, and its face transforming into the familiar face of the elf ferret. The deep green eyes gradually faded, yet did not transform into the color they ought to be. The howls gradually ceased, replaced by heavy breaths. It felt like an eternity, yet also like a mere moment. The wolf, lying on the ground, had transformed into the man Elena met yesterday, his face drenched in sweat, his body trembling from the recent intense pain. With his eyes slightly closed, he slowly opened them, sitting up and looking at the stunned ferret and... the wide-eyed woman.

Luke's initially dazed eyes suddenly turned cold as he looked at the woman and the ferret, a fierce aura emanating momentarily. If she feared him, what harm would there be in killing this woman and the ferret? Even if he was now slightly interested in her, if she harbored typical maidenly thoughts, he would sever his interest in her.

"How...how...did this happen?" The flush faded from Elena's face, leaving behind a pallor as she stammered, "It must have been very painful?"

Luke's ferocious gaze shattered at her next words, transforming into one of astonishment. He had expected her to be shocked or beg for mercy, never imagining that she would look at him with such tenderness, not pity or sympathy, but a kind of compassion he had never seen in anyone before.

For the first time in his life, Luke was thrown off balance. He dumbfoundedly asked, "Did you see everything just now?"

It sounded like an offhand question, yet it seemed he didn't care about her answer. But the pounding of his heart told Luke that he wasn't as indifferent as he pretended.

Elena nodded, choking out, "Yes, I saw it all. Are you okay now?"

The ferocity in Luke's eyes shattered at her next sentence, slowly morphing into astonishment. He had expected her to be terrified or to plead for mercy, but he never imagined that she would look at him with such tender eyes, not pity or sympathy, but a compassion he had never seen before in another person.

Luke was momentarily stunned, his usually composed demeanor faltering. He gently asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Um, my head hurts," Elena murmured, looking at the handsome man before her.

She was completely unaware of the fact that she was lying in someone else's arms. She felt like she was in a dream, being spoken to by a celestial being. So, devoid of her usual nervousness, she complained softly.

Listening to Elena's childish words, Luke couldn't help but laugh. He reached out and touched her head, finding the acupoints and gently massaging them. Although he had never cared for someone like this before, for someone as naturally intelligent as him, everything was so simple.

Luke's technique was excellent, relieving Elena's pain. She fell into a deep sleep once again. Seeing her breathing steady, Luke laid her on the grass, instructing the petrified ferret nearby, "Watch over her. If anything goes wrong, you can imagine the consequences."

With that said, Luke limped in the direction Elena had gone last night.

The ferret watched the man's tall figure, nodding its head.

After a long while, the light and heavy footsteps gradually faded. Watching her master and the imposing man, the empathetic ferret shook its head. These two were indeed inseparable, always helping each other, whether it was gathering herbs or healing each other.

After much rustling, Luke finally brewed the herbs. Fortunately, he found an old iron bowl left behind by someone in the cave she discovered yesterday. Luke, limping, approached Elena with the potion.

"Wake up..." Luke nudged Elena, realizing that this method of calling her was ineffective.

After a moment of thought, Luke half-lifted Elena. He took a sip of the potion, then gently covered Elena's lips with it. The scalding heat felt like it was seeping into the depths of his heart all at once, causing his heart to pound faster, as if the warmth could be contagious. A blush adorned Luke's usually cold face, contrasting with the rosy hue on the face of the person lying in his arms, captivating to behold.

With the tip of his tongue, Luke delicately parted Elena's lips and administered the potion. He then used his tongue to press against her teeth, preventing her from spitting it out. With a gulp, Luke breathed a sigh of relief, a smile blossoming on his face, happier than if he had won a great victory. This smile, like melting snow, caused even the heavens and earth to change color.

"Squeak, squeak..." The scene of intimacy nearby inadvertently widened the eyes of the elf ferret, who understood human nature well. It squeaked in admiration and envy, its expression entirely longing for the man kissing its master.