Mommy Wolf: Raise A Cub, Claimed By His Beast Daddy-Chapter 76: Sleep Powder (II)

"O-oh, please don’t worry about it, miss. We were sorry for trying to catch you last night as well. You must’ve been terrified," Grishaw apologized in return.

He wasn’t sure of this woman’s standing in the Beast King’s eyes, but since she was allowed to share a cave with the little prince, it was safe to say that the prince trusted her deeply, and the Beast King tolerated her despite everything that happened last night.

Naturally, she earned their respect this way.

"My name is Grishaw, miss. Since Our King treats you fairly, we shall do the same. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything. We will do our utmost to fulfill it."

"Then please accept this, so we can make peace," Sisi said with a smile as she hurriedly pressed the venison into Grishaw’s hands. "Your King wasn’t very happy when I asked for a share of his hunt, so please eat it well. It would be a waste otherwise."

She glanced at Marik, who was still hanging upside down and unconscious, and asked, "How is he? Is he still alive?"

"This tiger beastman is very resilient," Grishaw replied carefully. "He’s still alive despite being heavily injured."

He didn’t know the exact relationship between the woman and the tiger, but judging from their closeness last night, they seemed intimate. Based on what he had observed while they lived in the old cave, Grishaw even suspected they might be lovers, a human and a tiger beastman, strange as that seemed.

Yet either his assumption was wrong, or this woman was far colder than he expected. She showed little reaction to the tiger beastman’s condition.

Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done. The tiger would be tortured and executed once they returned to the kingdom.

"Will he even survive the long journey back to your kingdom?" Sisi asked. "He looks... like he’s dying."

"We force him to drink, but we don’t feed him," Grishaw explained. "He’ll stay alive until we arrive, but he won’t be strong enough to break free or escape."

"I see." Sisi smiled faintly. "Then be careful not to feed him, or he might thrash around and escape"

She stepped back. "Enjoy your food."

"Yes, miss. Thank you for your kindness!" Grishaw nodded before eating the meat hunted by their king. It was a great honor in the beastman culture, even if the circumstances were unconventional.

He ate it with his subordinate, making sure not to leave even a small chunk, knowing that their king caught this deer.

After making sure that the eagles ate the venison, Sisi returned to the cave and saw Jojo eating beside his father.

The boy claimed he was full after finishing nearly an entire yearling, but perhaps the exhausting night had increased his appetite.

’Or maybe he’s just growing,’ Sisi thought. ’Either way, it’s a good sign.’

Kael wiped the blood from his mouth and said, "We’ll leave as soon as Jojo finishes eating. Pack your belongings. If there’s anything heavy, give it to the eagle beastmen."

Sisi sighed. "I packed quite a lot, but everything except what’s in my pouch is probably lost in the snow last night."

Kael recalled the two large leather bags hanging from the tiger’s waist the night before. They must have slowed him down.

In a way, Kael should’ve thanked her. Her belongings had allowed him to catch up faster. Had the tiger been unburdened, Kael might have chased him all the way to Jing Forest or even lost track completely, since that tiger seemed to have extensive knowledge about Roc Forest.

"Then that’s fine," Kael said. "If you need anything, tell me... or the eagle beastmen."

"If you keep treating me like this. I’ll start to feel like a guest instead of a—"

A prisoner on death row.

She stopped herself when she noticed Jojo watching them. She guessed that Jojo must’ve thought they had make peace, and his threat from last night was just a mere threat.

Little did the boy know that his Sisi would still get executed, eventually.

"I don’t have any baggage, but... can we stay another day before leaving?" she asked instead.

Kael eyed her suspiciously. "Don’t try to bide your time and escape. I won’t let you go."

"No, that’s not it. I have a small problem—"

Sisi removed her cloak and unfastened the top button of her long tunic.

Kael froze.

He should have looked away. He should have reprimanded her.

But he felt that he had been hypnotized, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Instead, his gaze lingered—on her pale neck, her slender shoulder, her exposed skin.

"Y-you—! Hold on, N-not in front of Jojo—"

Ignoring his reaction, Sisi revealed her bruised shoulder.

Jojo gasped. "Sisi! Your shoulder is so purple!"

"Yes. I injured it last night," Sisi explained calmly. "It hurts badly. I need to find a specific mushroom to grind into a paste. It reduces swelling and eases pain."

She sighed. "I had medicine in my larger bag, but... well."

Kael’s expression turned solemn as he stared at the bruises.

He cursed himself for reacting to her bare skin. That wasn’t like him, women threw themselves at him every day in the Beast Kingdom.

And yet...

He was entranced over an exposed shoulder, like a teenage wolf.

’This damned witch must’ve done something crazy with her body, how come I get heated up all because a little skin? There are so many women running with barely any clothing in the Beast Kingdom to get my attention,’ Kael cursed in his heart. ’How come I only react when seeing her skin?’

Other than that, he also felt guilt gnawing inside him.

He had caused those bruises. He hadn’t controlled his strength when he grabbed her in his fury.

But it was because, she had shown power that could have killed anyone else except him. So, he couldn’t afford to be gentle.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Kael asked, "What’s the mushroom called? I’ll have Grishaw search for it."

"It’ll work better if I find it myself," Sisi replied as she covered her shoulder again. "I can sense plants nearby. I just need some time."

She met his gaze. "The treatment takes a full night. That’s why I’m asking to stay."

Kael considered briefly. "Fine. We’ll rest here today and leave at dawn tomorrow."

"Good," Sisi said, smiling faintly. "That’s enough time to heal."