Chapter 5

Abella watched the wolf pluck at her fur as deftly as if she had never been human after having a nice bath and filling dinner.

The wolf casually cuddled up on her bed and gave her lots of nuzzles.

“They’re adorable.”

The notion that a wolf could transform into a person is absurd. Who the hell are these people?

I found the realistic ideas that immediately came to mind unsettling.

I was at a loss on how to handle this small human-wolf hybrid.

Abella let out a deep sigh, and the wolf’s ears stood erect. He had been busy plucking at his fur just a moment ago, but now he was staring at her as if he wanted to know why she was sighing. Abella did not look away.

The tiny wolf pup, barely the length of her forearm, could easily be mistaken for a puppy if not for its sharp fangs. Unlike her, burdened with many thoughts, the wolf didn’t seem to have any worries.

Abella wondered if there were any wolves in the world who were worried.

Sitting still and staring at the black pile of fur, Abella called out to the wolf.

“Baby.”

As if responding to her call, the wolf tilted its head in a questioning manner.

“What’s your name?”

The wolf paused for a moment, as if trying to understand the question, and then shook its head slightly.

“Name, name. You don’t know your name?”

She asked again, and he shook his head once more.

“Hmmm…. Do you understand me?”

Abella softly petted the wolf’s head. The soft fur felt nice under her fingers.

“Sweetie, do you want to become a human again?”

Surprisingly, the wolf seemed to get Abella’s words. It hesitated, then seemed to realize something it didn’t like, moving backward.

“What’s wrong, don’t you like it?”

“Ugh…”

“But I can’t talk to you when you’re a wolf…”

Even when he was in his human form, all he could say was “mommy” repeatedly. But she figured anything was better than being a wolf.

After thinking a lot, Abella put her arm through the wolf’s front paws and lifted it. The wolf’s eyes widened in surprise, and it made a whimpering sound.

“Sweetie, can you change into a human?”

“Kink… kink, kink…”

The wolf vigorously shook its head, refusing.

Abella was certain now. The wolf had kind of understood her—more like a glance than a full understanding of human language.

There was a strange feeling in her stomach, but she dismissed it. Yes, there was nothing to be embarrassed about with this little one.

Abella moved her arm away, and the now free wolf crouched down, breathing heavily. It seemed like…

“Huh?

It seemed like it was trying to hide its middle.

Abella observed the wolf from a distance, then cautiously inquired,

“Do you think…?”

“Uh-huh…”

“Did I scare you earlier with that.….. thing of yours?”

Abella asked, and the wolf looked up at her cautiously. It seemed like it was responding to her question, even though it was just through eye contact.

Suddenly, Abella recalled her reaction earlier. She had let out a squeal and hardened her expression, so the unfamiliar wolf had every reason to be shy due to her unexpected response.

“It certainly… startled me a bit.”

But in all my life, I’ve never seen something so hideous.

Abella shook her head, pushed away the lumps of flesh that seemed like they may come loose, and spoke in a soothing, quiet voice.

“Honey, I’m sorry about earlier, it’s just that I’ve never seen anything like that…… before.”

But the wolf was unmoved by Abella’s apology.

The wolf gave her an odd look after hearing the remainder of her statement. He seemed to be warning her not to tell lies.

“I.”

Abella apologized, admitting that when she said she wouldn’t be surprised, she wasn’t entirely sure. However, she thought that if she went in expecting the unexpected, she could avoid screaming.

The wolf remained cautious and didn’t seem convinced.

“I mean, seriously… I’m not scared! I’ll even get you some pants, so don’t worry… Huh? Do you want to become a human?”

As she dug through her dresser and found a pair of underwear to wear beneath her skirt, Abella murmured. The wolf glanced back and forth between them and Abella as she held them out to him, wondering if she had managed to get her doubts out of her system.

Then he started to gently change, maybe deterred by her refusal to give in.

The pointed ears had vanished, and the shaggy fur had gradually vanished.

The wolf soon became completely human.

The wolf picked up a pair of underwear and put them on since he was too afraid to transform into a human.

“Are you able to put on pants?

For a moment, it felt odd.

“No, Mommy!”

The wolf—or rather, the child—looked at Abella, eyes wide. Its blood-red eyes sparkled with a gleam.

“Can you understand me?”

Abella inquired, but the child didn’t respond, only stared.

“Can you understand a bit?”

She asked, forming the shape of a little with her thumb and forefinger. The child nodded.

“What about your name? Do you know your name?” This time, the little head moved from side to side, indicating that he didn’t know.

“How do I spell it…”

Abella scratched her cheek in embarrassment. “What about your parents?” At the mention of parents, the child’s face stiffened. It happened so fast that Abella didn’t catch the change in expression, but…

The child just shook their head, appearing innocent as if to say, “When did I do that?”

The child’s body was marked with scars, including the deep one on their chest that Abella had noticed when they first met, along with several smaller scars.

Looking at the child’s face, Abella considered, “He looks like a nobleman…”

She paused, uncertain about what to do with this child.

He wasn’t entirely wolf-like, making it challenging to teach him how to hunt for survival in the mountains, yet he wasn’t fully human either, complicating his adaptation to human society.

“How old are you, little one?” Abella asked. He shook his head, indicating he didn’t know his age. It wasn’t much of a conversation.

Abella sighed quietly and gazed at the child. “Name…” she pondered. “Ma?” the child suggested innocently. Abella insisted, “Even a wolf needs a name, right?”

The child wriggled against Abella’s one-piece pajamas with an innocent expression. “How about Carlisle?” she suggested.

“Huh?”

“Carlisle is your name from now on, because we’re going to be living together, and I don’t want you to leave without a name…”

“Carlisle.”

“Carl was the color red, and Lyle was the name of the mountain where I first met you.”

“Is it too nice..? But it’s better than a dog name like Alfredo or Patrache.”

Abella grunted, expressing frustration with her naming skills. “Carlisle. Do you not like it?” When he didn’t answer, she hastily suggested a few more names. “Or Alfredo? Patrache? Coco?”

As she continued, the child’s eyes narrowed, and his expression quickly darkened. He opened his tiny mouth and repeated Abella’s words, “Carai.”

“Carai? Oh, Carlisle, is that your favorite?” The child nodded quickly, perhaps worried that she might suggest another one of those awful names. Abella smiled and patted him on the head.

“Okay, then, from now on, your name is Carlisle.”

It felt a bit much to give him a name when she wasn’t planning to be responsible for him for the rest of his life, but Abella smiled nonetheless. It gave her a strangely proud feeling.

“That’s going to pay the bills for a while…” she remarked.

She smirked, but there was also a faint worry in her smile. After all, wolves were carnivores, which meant it would cost even more money.

Upon hearing Abella’s words, Carlisle looked up at her for a long moment, a subtle expression on his face. Abella, feeling genuinely concerned, burrowed under the covers. Tired from the day’s commotion, she fell asleep fairly easily.

Carlisle transformed back into his wolf form and curled up next to her. Night had fallen, and it was well past midnight. The tumultuous day seemed to have passed without incident, at least until the wolf, who thought he was asleep, stirred once more.