Winter Wolf - Chapter 10. Part 1

Chapter 10. Part 1

The next morning, Lysithea woke up in Terrence’s arms.

“Terrence,” she whispered.

Terrence held Lysithea tightly in his arms, providing her with warmth and comfort. She shifted slightly, but he remained asleep, murmuring.

‘He always woke up early.’

She usually slept in after their s*x. Terrence was never asleep beside her in the mornings. He would either leave early to prepare breakfast or stay and enjoy her presence until she woke up.

‘You don’t seem unwell.’

Given the many nights they had spent together, it seemed unlikely that he was sick. Lysithea pushed his arm away and got out of bed.

This was her opportunity to return the care he’d shown her.

***

Terrence entered the kitchen and was surprised to find Lysithea cooking.

“Liz?”

He was surprised by her sudden turn and looked puzzled.

“What are you making?”

“Tomato stew, using the recipe you gave me last time.”

“That feels like ages ago. How’s it coming along?”

“Well, sort of.”

Lysithea focused on the chopping board. Her voice trailed off. Terrence moved closer and looked at the tomatoes she was cutting with a concerned expression.

“You’re cutting raw tomatoes without blanching them first?”

“Yeah, I was waiting for the water to boil, but it’s taking a while.”

Should we slice it first and then blanch it? Terrence paused, and Lysithea’s hand holding the knife stopped.

“Do you have to follow the steps exactly? Boiling them later will have the same outcome, right?”

“Yes, but the taste, texture, and consistency will be different.”

Lysithea looked at the cutting board and saw the tomatoes that had been chopped.

“Should I throw it away and make it again?”

“No, we don’t need to. You’re right, they’re all good to eat anyway, and if they don’t taste good after cooking, we can feed them to the detective.”

Lysithea smiled wryly at his casual pampering of Gray.

“Mr. Hoflander was saved by us, even though you dislike him.”

“Do you like him, even though he might give away your identity?”

“Well, I am concerned, but why are you so suspicious of Mr. Hoflander? Yesterday, I spoke with him, and he appeared to be a nice guy.”Because he’s a wolf.”

Lysithea looked up at him, momentarily confused. ‘Is that what people say when they’re jealous? He’s a wolf.’

“What does that mean?”

“The wolf I shot and killed.”

Terrence spoke in a cold voice, causing Lysithea’s eyes to widen in anticipation.

“To me, there is no difference between him and that man. They are both free to do as they please. However, this ultimately disrupts my work and delays our plans. It is clear that this is the case.”

Lysithea slowed her hand as she chopped the tomatoes. She muttered with a frown.

“Of course, contracts are essential to you.”

She cringed. Her eyes burned, even though she wasn’t using onions. Terrence stared at Lysithea’s face, and he asked.

“So, why did you suddenly decide to cook and look like a real wife?”

“I wanted to make you something.”

Lysithea mumbled. She stared down at her chopping board, wondering what kind of look he was giving her. However, she did not want to check.

“Besides, I have debts to pay, and now that I’ve learned how to shoot a gun, I need to make you a meal like I promised, though I’m still training.”

Terrence looked at her from the corner of his eye and then reached for her hand.

“Give me the knife.”

He casually took the knife from her hand. Lysithea hesitantly backed away as he quickly cleaned up the messy cutting board and began chopping the ingredients.

“Now watch and learn. You are a quick learner.”

Terrence’s hands moved neatly and furiously as she watched.

He only lost his cool when she rescued Gray. It appears that it took that much to upset him.

He couldn’t take back something unpredictable and off-plan.

“Here.”

She stood silently as the food was prepared. Terrence scooped the stew into a small spoon, whisked it, and offered it to her.

“Oh, it’s hot.”

“Do not bite down too hard.”

He smiled and blew on the steaming stew a few more times. Lysithea tasted it with the tip of her tongue.

The stew was delicious, perhaps due to the pepper added in the middle or the flavor of the tomatoes.

“Just this much, later.”

“Lysithea, that’s a lot to ask.”

Lysithea thought to herself, ‘That’s too much to ask for,’ and took the bread silently.

Gray did not show up in the kitchen for some reason. The two had their first meal together in a long time.

***

Lysithea saw Gray again at dawn.

She practiced cooking in the kitchen all day. As she headed up to the second floor, she met him on the stairs as he came down from the third floor.

“Mr. Hoflander, have you been exploring the third floor?”

Lysithea called out to him. Her face was brighter than it had been yesterday. Thanks to Gray’s advice, she was able to show Terrence her feelings.

Even if her heart was rejected.

“Yes, I have been exploring. The mansion’s most significant things are all on the third floor, which is more than I expected.”

Gray looked amused. Lysithea asked, puzzled and unaware.

“What did you think of the third floor?”

“There were many interesting things, some of which I would like to keep. By the way.”

Gray approached Lysithea after stopping his amusing conversation. He looked around as if he were about to share a secret, then spoke to her in a low voice.

“Madam, have you ever been up to the third floor?”

“Yes, once….”

“Did you go through all the rooms?”

“I only opened some of the rooms, not all of them. Why?”

“Did you notice anything unusual?”

“If you think the rooms were strange, then all I saw were strange rooms.”

“Well, I asked the wrong question. Let me rephrase it.”

Gray asked, lowering his voice even further.

“Did anything strange happen?”

Lysithea hesitated and was unable to speak immediately. She should have said that nothing had happened.

A scratching sound emanated from the floor of the torture chamber.

She remembered it again, and her heart raced. She was near.

She remembered, and her heart raced. Gray watched her carefully as she pursed her parched lips.

“Was there something there?”

“No, it was.” I wasn’t feeling well at the time, so it was probably just an illusion.”

” What happened to you? Are you experiencing delusions?”

“Nothing, really, nothing.”

Gray rushed to Lysithea’s side, his blue eyes shining.

Lysithea stepped back and stopped dead in her tracks.

“Ah…!”