Winter Wolf - Chapter 3. Part 1

Chapter 3. Part 1

There was only one horse in the stable at the back of the mansion.

Lysithea entered with the lamp on. The white horse pricked up its ears and stared at her.

“He’s nice.”

Lysithea approached the horse and pulled its weighty harness. However, the horse seemed startled or unfamiliar with her, as it reacted with unease to her labored words.

“Ugh… !”

Until now, Lysithea had only ridden horses that were prepared by coachmen and brokers. She had never had to prepare a horse herself. The leather saddle was lifted for the first time in her life, and it was so heavy that even raising it to her waist was difficult.

The saddle was lifted clumsily, and as it brushed against the horse’s side, it became restless and began to move anxiously.

“I cannot do it. Making a mistake might get me kicked.”

Lysithea gave up on riding and left the stable because she felt threatened by the horse.

The air was cold, and the snowstorm had subsided, making it suitable for walking. Lysithea opened the map again to determine the direction. The nearest inn to the mansion appeared to be a few hours’ walk away.

“There is no indication that this inn provides horses. However, if I take a long break here and set off, I might be able to walk to the inn that Terrence had mentioned. Then, I can ride a horse to the port.”

Although the plan was risky, it had several advantages. By escaping secretly, Lysithea could avoid paying Terrence the brokerage fee. This would allow her to afford a more comfortable night at an ordinary inn instead of staying in the unsettling mansion.

If this doesn’t work, it will be challenging. I have two options: admit defeat and get swindled, or endure it and risk going mad.

Lysithea stepped into the snow.

She tried to shake off the eerie memories from her dream and kept walking. As the thought of the phantom chasing her came to mind, she quickened her steps.

“omg… omg….”

Winter’s long nights meant that there were no stars to guide her. She didn’t have a compass, either. Her only reference was to glance back at the mansion. As she descended the shallow hill, the mansion quickly vanished from sight, leaving only the snowy expanse ahead.

‘I can go; I can do it.’

Lysithea pressed on, using her footprints as a makeshift guide in the dark. The snowfall and lack of sunlight made it even more challenging. To make matters worse, she stumbled and spilled an oil lamp, causing its light to flicker.

Impatience crept in as she gazed at the pitch-black night sky. The lamp out, her steps naturally slowed. She needed more courage than one could imagine to navigate the desolate plains, relying on the faint glow of her eyes in the darkness.

Even if she looked at the map, she couldn’t tell where she was in her current state.

‘Maybe I’m almost there’

All she could rely on was unfounded confidence. As her eyelids grew heavy once again, Lysithea paused to catch her breath and glanced behind her. The footprints were concealed beneath pristine white snow, erasing any trace of her previous path.

“The direction should be correct. I’ll keep moving straight ahead.”

With that thought in mind, Lysithea spotted a pair of lights gleaming in the distance. A joyful smile appeared on her face as she briskly advanced. Soon, the lights approached her.

A person hurriedly walked towards her, casting a scrutinizing glare in her direction.

“Aah!”

When faced with the wolf, Lysithea turned quickly and tried to run. However, the wolf closed in and grabbed her shawl in an instant. Lysithea fell to her knees, quickly untied the shawl knot, and crept backward along her previous path.

The wolf growled as it held the shawl in its jaws. It then lunged again, this time grabbing her skirt and tugging at it.

Lysithea turned around, quickly swung her luggage, and hit the wolf on the head. However, it did not faint. Her breath was taken away by a flashing light in her eyes.

bang!

A gunshot rang out, and the wolf’s body was thrown to the side.

The wolf was killed with a single shot directly to the head. Lysithea stood still, looking at the lifeless body.

Lysithea saw the blood on the snow and remembered the torture room. She felt lightheaded, and her vision blurred. She fell to the snowy ground.

In the distance, Lysithea heard the crack of a horsewhip and the muffled thud of a horse’s hooves. She turned her head to see a man approaching.

The man, wrapped in thick black fur, jumped from his horse. He used his hunting rifle to dispatch the wolf with a single shot, emitting a chilling metallic sound. He walked towards Lysithea and stood beside her, looking down at her. His imposing figure, resembling a formidable beast, was cloaked in fur, casting a dark shadow over her.

Lysithea gazed into his eyes, captivated by the glint resembling brass, sparkling like that of a wolf.

“Terrence… .”

Terrence, the man who had been following her, watched silently as she lay in the snow. He saw her red hair scattered on the snowy field, her white fists clenched in distress, and her delicate form exposed through the parted cloak.

“Lysithea.”

Terrence leaned in closer.

“Why did you run away?”

She felt a strange mix of embarrassment, shame, and relief as his breath, visible in the cold air, wafted over her chest.

However, Lysithea still felt a sense of pride that she could not deny.

“Me? Running away?”

Her body was cold and fatigued, causing her voice to quiver. Terrence assessed her condition for a moment before tucking his gun behind his waist. He held Lysithea’s chilled body in his strong arms, and when she felt the warmth penetrate her clothes, she instinctively pressed her cheek against his chest.

He spoke to her as he walked towards the horse, accusing her of dishonesty. Lysithea tried to respond, but she fell unconscious once again. This time, she slipped into a deep sleep without any nightmares.

Upon awakening, she felt a comforting warmth surrounding her body. She opened her eyes to find a blazing bonfire in front of her, and the uneven walls surrounding her suggested that she might be inside a cave. She opened her eyes to find a blazing bonfire in front of her, and the uneven walls surrounding her suggested that she might be inside a cave.

Lysithea turned around, startled by the voice in her ear.

Terrence held her tightly, his n*k*d body warming her inside the blanket. Her face blushed as she realized that the warmth of the blanket wrapped around her was actually his n*k*d body.

“Let go, let go.”

“Wait a minute, just wait a moment. If you keep moving like that, you’ll get stimulated.”

Terrence held Lysithea close. His strong arms wrapped around her, comforting her like a restless lamb. Lysithea gasped as her muscles moved and her bare skin rubbed against itself. She was only wearing her underwear.

Terrence casually wrapped his strong arms around her waist and shoulders.

She said, “Why am I like this, with you.”

Terrance laughed briefly as she stuttered, appearing dumbfounded.

” Why am I naked like this in this cold weather, I don’t know.”

She was unaware of it. Lysithea became dazed, recalling memories of her earlier before she fainted.

Leaving the mansion, she was nervous and anxious. This state of mind turned out to be more than just an incident; it was a life-threatening ordeal.  Lysithea remembered the threatening teeth of the wolf, the intensity in its eyes, and the look of Teren as he stood over her.

A quiet gaze stared at her.

“Why are you staying here instead of going back to the mansion immediately?”

“Your body feels so cold. I thought you might die if I didn’t warm your body immediately. I believe my decision was correct.”

While Lysithea was unconscious, Terrence went through a lot of trouble for her. She felt both sorry and grateful for it.

“Terrence, thank you for saving me, Etch!”

Before she could speak, she sneezed loudly. Her body was still cooler than his. She was unsure how long they had been there.

“I’m sorry for coughing.  ”

Lysithea coughed hard and shook her body. Terrence watched quietly and reached out his hand behind her.

He took a crude water bottle from his simple backpack.

“Drink. “I guess it’s still warm.”

“Thank you…”

Lysithea took the bottle he offered and drank the lukewarm liquid.

Her throat burned as if there were a thousand dollars on fire inside.

“Ugh, it’s alcohol!”