When a Well-Raised Son Grows Up - Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Technically, it was the scent of a wolf, not a dog, but Carlisle deliberately referred to it as a dog to disparage its owner.
His bloodshot eyes narrowed, and he menacingly bared his teeth.
“Mother” Abella urgently called out, sensing a tense situation unfolding.
“Carlisle!” His expression remained unyielding at the reassurance, and he furrowed his brow, continued to bare his teeth, and snorted, as if nudging Abella, who was enveloped in the scent of the dog.
“Do I smell like another wolf?” Abella questioned, met with silence.
“My friend mentioned that she rescued an injured wolf in the nearby town, so… I’ve been taking care of it,” she explained quickly before Carlisle could misinterpret.
“Sweetheart, it’s not what you might be imagining.”
“What do you mean—what I’m imagining?” he inquired.
“I didn’t come there to meet someone like you or anything,” Abella reassured, impatiently cupping his cheek.
“Yes, ease up. Are you going to give me such a scary expression?”
“Ah…”
Carlisle’s furrowed brow smoothed, and he pouted a bit.
“Don’t worry, I’m not keeping anything from you.”
“I know,” he responded.
“I’ll inform you if I have any doubts.”
Carlisle glanced away as Abella gently stroked his hair, treating him almost like a child. While he appreciated her openness, there was a lingering feeling.
“Huh? Do you believe me, sweetheart?” Abella questioned.
“Yes, I trust you,” he confirmed.
She planted a soft kiss on his cheek, feeling a small hand delicately caressing his face.
Despite that, he couldn’t disregard the discomfort that her touch, usually infused with her scent, now carried a hint of another male.
‘But Mom’s scent isn’t like that of an ordinary wolf.’
Carlisle playfully squinted his eyes and crinkled his nose.
The familiar scent coming from Abella’s hand reassured him.
“They’re still alive—a family member who wasn’t supposed to survive.”
* * *
Carlisle had a solemn demeanor throughout dinner that evening, and Abella was quick to observe.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“…”
“Sweetheart?”
“Oh, yes. Mother, did you need me?”
“What’s on your mind?”
She was concerned that he had been stirring his stew with a perplexed look on his face the entire time.
“Is that wolf bothering you?”
Carlisle paused, then let out a gentle sigh, speaking openly.
“I guess, to be honest.”
“Well, but don’t let it trouble you too much,” Abella reassured.
Abella uttered this as she lifted a sizable piece of meat from her stew and fed it to Carlisle.
“Honestly, I’m unsure if that wolf will make it. His injuries are severe, and it’s between life and death.”
Carlisle squinted at Abella’s statement. “Between life and… death.”
“Yes,” she replied.
Contemplating for a moment, he pondered, ‘It’s been almost six months since I took the lives of my kind.’
‘I was rescued by Abella on that very day, so even if my wounds had been tended to before they worsened, how did he manage to survive? How did he endure all that time and still get noticed by humans with his wounds not fully healed?’There were numerous puzzling aspects to it.
“Mom.”
“Yes, sweetheart.”
“The wolf.”
“Yes.”
“Could I see… just once?”
Carlisle inquired hesitantly, casting his eyes downward. His voice retained its usual softness.
Though not explicitly expressed, he wrestled with the emotions that were on the verge of emerging from the depths of his throat at any moment.
-What the heck, you jerk, you’re not dead yet; should I try rolling over a higher cliff next time?
-Why don’t you simply cut off that lame limb now? You don’t need it anyway.
-I could bite it off for you, hmmm.
-If I’m starving in the winter, I’ll just rip that asshole’s leg off.
-Ah, food for emergencies, huh?
Carlisle clenched his lip fiercely as memories reverberated in his thoughts. He felt tainted, and then a comforting voice echoed in his ears.
“If the wolf’s injuries are mended, shall we visit him? How does that sound?”
“Okay, mom. Thanks.”
Abella smiled with a hint of sadness, noting that his mood was more serious than usual. After tidying up the last bits of the stew, she carefully embraced Carlisle—given his size, it was more of a hug than a cradle.
“Mom.”
“Yes, sweetheart.”
Carlisle held onto her waist firmly, resting his cheek against the back of her neck.
“Mom will be there for me, no matter what, won’t she?”
“Absolutely.”
Abella comforted him, gently patting his back as she detected a touch of sadness. Her petite hands maintained a steady rhythm on his broad back.
“I want you to be by my side, no matter what decisions I make.”
“Don’t fret. I’ll be here for you, no matter what.”
Observing him engage playfully with his mother today heightened her sense of remorse for him. In response, Abella deliberately spoke in a cheerful tone to reassure Carlisle.
“Darling, since you’ve completed your dinner, would you like to take a bath with me? Abella suggested, giving him a peck on her slightly pouting lips.
“Hmm? Go ahead, freshen up, and get some rest. We’ll be back at the store tomorrow.”
Watching her, Carlisle reluctantly managed a smile.
“Alright, I’ll fetch some water.”
* * *
Immersed in the hot bath, Abella sensed the comfort of Carlisle’s firm body against her back.
Carlisle held the slender woman close, playfully nudging her side. Normally, Abella would have pushed him away, telling him to stop, but today, feeling sorry for him, she didn’t bother.
“You know…”
“Hmm?”
“What if… let’s say hypothetically, what if that wolf belongs to my kind? What would you do?”
Carlisle murmured, rubbing his nose against the soft area between Abella’s stomach and chest.
“A relative who mistreated my child and was unkind to her?”
“Yes.”
Abella emitted a grunt, a sound of distress, while Carlisle’s hands continued to explore her body.
“If it’s one of your kind, I won’t let them off the hook. I’ll teach them a lesson.”
“How?”
“I don’t know; I’ll find a way.”
The words sounded earnest to Abella, but for a moment, Carlisle couldn’t help but laugh.
“Why are you laughing?”
“No, it’s nothing. I just… like it.”
“Well, just saying it won’t be sufficient to teach him a lesson, right? I’ll make sure he learns, and then I’ll bite him right on the back of the neck.”
“Then he’ll die, won’t he?”
Carlisle squinted his eyes, a bit taken aback by the intense remark that ensued. He hadn’t expected Abella to express such sentiments; even the little creatures in the forest held value for her.
“Die. You oppressor of my children, you’re still alive.”
Through clenched teeth, Abella remarked, recalling the numerous wounds, both significant and minor, scattered across Carlisle’s body.
Her reaction was so unexpected that Carlisle could only gaze in astonishment.
Whether she was aware of her expression or not, Abella continued to grumble and express her frustration towards his kind.
“He deserves to die. If you can’t kill him, sweetheart, I can help you.”
Abella attempted to protest, but Carlisle, unable to suppress his intense emotions, abruptly embraced her more tightly.
“Mommy…!”
Nuzzling into the nape of Abella’s neck, she planted kisses on her lips.
“I love you.”
“You do?”
“I love you immensely.”
Abella purred, as though the sudden display of affection was something new or unfamiliar.
“Why all of a sudden?”
“It’s not sudden.”
“I love you too.”
“I love you even more.”
Carlisle softly kissed the back of her neck, a gentle touch tracing up her cheek, and then a large hand cupped her chin, gently pulling her backward.
“Carlisle…”
Before she could say his name, Abella sealed her lips.
“…”
The actions didn’t stop there; Carlisle gently bit her lip, trying to coax her into parting her lips.
“Ugh…”
Abella tried to push him away, sensing something was off, but he held her in the tight tub like a rat caught in poison.
A heated lump of flesh pressed between her open lips as she was doing it.
She recognized that it was Carlisle’s tongue and that what they were doing was not typical of a mother-son relationship.
“Ugh……!”
Carlisle’s hand went to her br**st, as if to warn her not to, while Abella wriggled. Surprised, she trembled and tried harder.
I’ve warned you before; don’t touch me here!
Translator
