When a Well-Raised Son Grows Up - Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Revisiting that terrible day brought back so much pain that Carlisle questioned his will to live. He bit his lip, turning it white, and furrowed his brow.

“In my youth, I was foolish enough to endure it in silence, and I almost died. I won’t be deceived again.”

In his half-wolf form, Carlisle bared his fangs. He intended to take the person from Esha’s arms, drag them outside, and rip them apart. However, Esha, who believed she was sound asleep, suddenly opened her eyes.

Her closed eyelids opened, revealing her fluttering eyes. Carlisle panicked and bared his teeth as he retreated, attempting to hide in the shadows. However, Esha was quicker and wasted no time in lighting the lamp.

Carlisle couldn’t hide his features in the sudden light. He panicked and stood frozen, like a tree rooted to the ground.

“Wolf?”

Carlisle gasped. He quickly concealed his fangs.

“This is not good.”

He must have seen me in his mother’s herb shop…

“You, you…” she said.

“The wolf Abella was looking after.”

Esha quickly recognized Carlisle as a wolf.

“But how?”

Carlisle was flustered and remained motionless when asked how Esha knew.

Esha gave him a cautious look as he stood still, possibly sensing a problem.

“What are you going to do to Leo?”

She grabbed the candlestick from the nightstand and prepared to use it as a weapon. A large man or wolf entering her home in the middle of the night posed a threat, especially to Esha, who lived alone.

Esha was scared when she saw the intruder, who was connected to Abella. If the intruder had not been connected to Abella, Esha might have started a fight on the spot.

She even hid Leo behind her back and held him tightly to protect him. Carlisle was surprised by what he saw.

“It’s not even funny.”

She wrapped her arms around him, not realizing how much of a jerk he was.

Carlisle couldn’t help but smile as he chuckled. He realized that the sly fox was always playing games. Upon this realization, he eased up on the intense aura he had been projecting. However, Esha remained cautious. Although an ancient candlestick held no danger for Carlisle, Esha clutched it tightly, her knuckles turning pale.

“I will call Abella immediately,” she said.

Esha wrapped her arms tighter around Leo, her anger directed at Carlisle.

When she mentioned Abella, Carlisle came to his senses with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“I have to get out of here.”

He decided to go back to his bedroom, pretend nothing happened, and fall asleep with his mother. Everything would be fine.

“What if she tells my mom about what happened today?”

“She’ll believe me, and I’ll just go back to sleep and wake up with her like I always do.”

Realizing that staying there was pointless, Carlisle abruptly turned away from Esha. Although it pained him to spare one of his own, it wasn’t necessary. They were all ailing and vulnerable creatures, and he could strike at any moment.

Carlisle gave Redden a stern look of warning. Redden, the intended recipient, had been unknowingly shielded by Esha. Carlisle reluctantly acknowledged his good luck.

“Lucky guy”

Carlisle muttered to himself. He swiftly pivoted and stormed out, slamming the small wooden door behind him. He was determined to cover his tracks and stomped away towards where Abella lay asleep.

Carlisle considered whether Esha was following him, but she stayed behind.

Carlisle wondered why Esha had figured out he was a wolf so quickly. He suspected that his kin had revealed too much information about their kind. Redden had transformed into a wolf pup, but Esha had effortlessly circled him without a second thought when he shifted back to human form.

Carlisle narrowed his eyes and smiled mischievously, finding a certain irony in the situation.

Upon returning home, Abella was peacefully asleep and completely unaware of the recent events. Carlisle breathed a sigh of relief and transformed into his wolf form, settling into his customary spot in the corner of the bed.

He reassured himself that nothing had happened. enveloped him in its quiet embrace.

* * *

“……oh.”

“Ugh…….”

“Sweetheart?”

Carlisle’s eyes shot open, taken aback by the recognizable voice. The first sight that greeted him was a cascade of vibrant pink hair.

For a considerable moment after waking up, Carlisle remained oblivious to his surroundings, simply staring in confusion.

Abella, with a quizzical expression and wide-eyed disbelief, tilted her head at him.

“Why are you still in bed at this hour? Did you sleep late?” Carlisle mumbled, attempting to process the situation.

At the mention of sleeping in, Carlisle glanced at the wall clock. Typically an early riser, he would head to the mountains and prepare breakfast for Abella. However, judging by the time, it seemed he was running late not just for his mountain routine but also for opening the herb shop.

“I apologize, Mother, for being so late. I am sorry for my behavior.”

Surprised, Carlisle quickly got out of bed and tried to fix his tousled hair. He gathered his clothes from the chair and smoothed them down, ready to head to the store at a moment’s notice.

Abella observed quietly, then boldly touched Carlisle’s forehead.

“Sweetheart, are you sick?”

“Oh, no, not at all.”

“It’s okay to stay up a little longer. Is everything alright? You overslept, which is unusual.”

Carlisle was surprised by her sincere concern. His face turned red up to his ears as he stumbled over his words.

He said, “I didn’t mean to.”

“You don’t have a fever?” Abella gently cupped his forehead with her slender, pale hand, her fingers tracing down to his cheek.

“Darling, you look so red.”

Abella raised her toes to meet Carlisle’s eye level, causing him to stagger backward.

“Mother, just give me a moment.”

Abella detected the enticing scent of the flesh she craved. Carlisle shut his eyes tightly, resisting the temptation to meet her gaze.

He said, “I must have been a bit tired.” He clenched his fists, trying to calm his racing heart. Abella looked concerned, but Carlisle reassured her with a smile as if everything were okay.

I’m sorry for making you late to the store because of me.”

“No, sweetheart. Your well-being is more important than going to the store.”

“But I still feel bad…”

If you are feeling unwell, please inform me. Do not keep it to yourself. Do you understand?

“Yes, I promise. I really will.”

Abella extended her pinky and squared her shoulders to solidify the agreement.

Carlisle gazed at the extended hand. He smirked and hooked his pinky around hers. He pressed his thumb firmly against it to solidify the deal before speaking again.

“I promise, so don’t worry.”

“I’ll trust you, sweetheart.”

Abella smiled. Carlisle smiled back. He decided to keep last night’s events to himself and not disclose them to her.

* * *

Carlisle was trimming herbs in a corner of the shop quietly. He acted as if the events of the previous night had never occurred. A few customers came and went, accompanied by the gentle chime of bells, and Abella seemed quite occupied.

He wanted to stay near her, but he knew he couldn’t interrupt her work. He watched as she bustled around the shop, fixating on her petite figure as she moved about.

After lunchtime, the shop’s pace slowed down, and Carlisle waited for a break in customer traffic before approaching Abella to speak with her.

However, as he was about to speak to her, the shop’s doorbell rang again. They both turned to look at the entrance.

“Welcome”

Abella’s cheerful greeting revived the shop’s atmosphere. However, the visitor was not a customer.

“Abella!”

It was Esha, the one who had witnessed Carlisle breaking into his cabin the previous night.