Ch 40: My Wolf Husband

The last rays of daylight had long since faded, and in the shifting clouds of the night sky, the full moon hung like a mirror.

Lin Shuishi, drawing in sharp breaths of the cool air, stared in shock at the massive beast before him.

It was a white wolf, even larger than the grizzly bear. Its four claws were as sharp as blades, and the fur on its tendons flowed like clouds beneath its feet. The creature’s body was sleek and muscular, with an especially long mane around its neck that resembled the wild, unrestrained hair of a man.

But the wolf only showed its back to Lin Shuishi, never once turning to look at him.

Its presence sent the wolf pack into a frenzy, making them even more savage and brutal. They tore apart the still-struggling shaman, scattering blood and entrails across the ground.

The giant white wolf was even more ferocious and wild. It adjusted its stance slightly, dug its hind legs into the ground, and with a thunderous roar, charged at the grizzly bear that had killed so many. The bear, now wounded, was driven mad by the pain and the scent of blood, and despite the odds, it charged forward to meet its foe.

This kind of battle between beasts was something no human could interfere with. They clashed with their powerful bodies and sharp fangs, rolling and slamming into the ground. In moments, they had flattened a section of the forest, leaving broken trees and branches scattered everywhere. The grizzly bear’s flesh was torn by the giant wolf’s bites, its blood splattering the ground.

The villagers of Rehe, hiding behind rocks in the distance, had already been paralyzed with fear when they saw the wolves tear apart the shaman. Now, witnessing this battle between colossal beasts, they trembled uncontrollably. Even the experienced hunters from the Zheng family stood frozen in terror.

This was not a scene from the human world.

In just a few exchanges, the grizzly bear was covered in blood, its flesh hanging in shreds. The fear of death finally sobered it, and it tried to flee. But the giant wolf, with bloodied fangs, lunged at the bear’s spine. With a bone-chilling crack, the once-dominant beast suddenly went limp.

Lin Shuishi thought it was over, but to his horror, the giant wolf clenched its fangs and, with a powerful jerk of its head, tore out the bear’s entire spine, muscles and all, sending blood and flesh flying in every direction. The sight was terrifying beyond words.

A battle between beasts of this magnitude was not something a “human” could interfere with. They clashed with their powerful bodies and deadly claws, rolling and crashing into the trees. In just a short time, the forest around them was flattened, and the ground was littered with broken branches and chunks of bear flesh ripped off by the giant wolf.

Lin Shuishi’s teeth chattered, and he leaned against a tree for support, barely able to stand. His throat dry, he managed to croak out a few words, “Fu… Fuli?”

The giant wolf’s ears twitched. Still holding the bloodied spine in its mouth, it suddenly turned to look at Lin Shuishi. And for the first time, the small human leaning against the tree saw the wolf’s eyes clearly.

Those eyes were blood-red, filled with nothing but murderous intent and madness, a sight that sent chills down his spine. Two streaks of golden fur ran from the wolf’s eyes to its ears, adding to its menacing and overpowering appearance.

The giant wolf stood in place, panting heavily, and finally let go. The bear’s spine fell to the ground with a thud, echoing the fear in everyone’s hearts. No one doubted that the next one to be torn apart could be them.

But the wolf seemed to come to some realization. The cold, white moonlight illuminated the forest, casting the bloody scene into sharp relief. It finally understood that it was nothing more than a wild beast, unworthy of any delusions. No “human” would ever become a companion to a beast. It couldn’t suppress the brutality and savagery in its blood; it would end up tearing its moon apart.

The giant wolf panted, its mouth filled with the taste of blood. It cast one last, heavy glance at the small, pale-faced human standing under the tree, as if trying to etch him into its memory.

Then, with a low growl, it turned and bolted toward Dongshan mountains, disappearing in an instant. It had no lingering attachments; it didn’t belong in this world. There was no place for it among humans, nor in the eastern mountains. It would take its savagery and destruction and end it all.

Lin Shuishi watched as the terrifying giant beast gazed at him, its eyes shifting from blood-red to dark gold and back to blood-red, before finally turning away and leaping into the forest.

That last look was utterly decisive. Lin Shuishi silently sensed that if he didn’t follow, he would never see Fuli again. He would spend the rest of his life in this quiet village in the strange world, forever separated from that person.

Lin Shuishi trembled as he gasped for breath, standing alone in the dark and blood-soaked forest, bathed in the cold moonlight. His mind flashed through memories of his past and present lives, realizing that all his deepest emotions were tied to that person.

But in the end, he couldn’t even recall Fuli’s face; all he could remember was the scent of him, a scent that had imprinted itself on his soul—a scent that was strong, brooding, wild, turbulent, and sincere…

A cold wind swept through, jolting Lin Shuishi awake. He saw the Zheng family cautiously approaching in the distance, careful and wary. Uncle Zheng, as dependable as a father, was calling out to him, beckoning him to return to Rehe, to return to the human world.

But Lin Shuishi found himself unconsciously stepping back, retreating into the shadows where the moonlight couldn’t reach.

From a distance, Old Man Zheng watched as the boy, pale and dazed, shook his head while backing away into the forest. Finally, Lin Shuishi knelt down, bowed deeply, and then disappeared into the woods, running in the direction where the giant wolf had vanished.

Dongsheng was still shouting, “Shuishi, come back!” but was pulled back by Old Man Zheng. The old man’s face, illuminated by the faint moonlight, held a deep and knowing expression as he gazed into the forest. He understood many things. Ever since that imposing and unusual man appeared, he knew this day would inevitably come.

In the courtyard on the slope lived a young wolf from the mountains, a king of wild horses from the plains, a fat ram from the surrounding forests that had never been seen before—all were extraordinary creatures that did not belong to this humble mountain village. In the end, they were all destined to return to the mysterious and loving embrace of Dongshan Mountain. He had brought that child out of the mountains, allowing him to see the human world for a brief moment, and then, the child returned to the wilderness.

The night fell, the frost spread, and as Lin Shuishi stumbled and pushed on, love and fear coexisted in his heart.

Exhausted, with his hands and face scratched by dense branches and his knees scraped on the rough path, there was still a light in his eyes.

Finally, as more wolves gathered around him, they led Lin Shuishi to a quiet pool of water. He searched frantically, even shouting, calling out the name of the wild beast—Ashina Fuli.

Suddenly, the bushes behind him rustled, and a massive figure burst out, roaring as it pinned Lin Shuishi down in the shallow water, sending ripples that shattered the reflection of the moon in the center of the pool.

Half of Lin Shuishi’s body was submerged in the water, and a sharp wolf claw pressed against his heart. A slight increase in pressure could make this small human disappear into the water.

The giant beast couldn’t suppress its rage, roaring threateningly at Lin Shuishi, with its sharp teeth already against his throat. Lin Shuishi’s heart raced, the sound and rhythm of his heartbeat transmitting through the beast’s claw on his chest. His throat was dry, and his teeth clenched tightly, but when he looked up, he saw the wolf’s eyes slowly turning golden.

Breathing heavily, Lin Shuishi stared into those golden eyes, and suddenly, he lifted his arm, wrapped it around the wolf’s neck, and kissed its head.

Startled, the beast recoiled. It hesitated, caught between its human and animal instincts, and was about to flee.

But Lin Shuishi rose first, his lower body still soaked in the cold water, shivering uncontrollably. Facing the giant beast before him, he cried out.

“Fuli! I know it’s you. Don’t go.” Whether it was from the cold or from overwhelming shyness and emotion, his voice trembled, “No matter what you are! I… I’ll follow you. I understand you, submit to you, and am loyal to you, but please don’t leave.”

He had run through the desolate forest, accompanied by the howls of the mountain wolves, and love had triumphed over fear.

The beast was begging for death, all that it could not express hidden in those golden, slit-pupiled eyes.

Finally, the beast surrendered. It cautiously approached the fragile human as if afraid to breathe, panting heavily, and pressed its head against Lin Shuishi’s chest, listening to the strong heartbeat within the small body. The giant wolf carried Lin Shuishi out of the pool, and Fuli lifted his moon out of the water.

Fuli brought Lin Shuishi to the top of a cliff. He used his sharp teeth to tear away the wet clothes clinging to Lin Shuishi, curling around him, warming him with his strong wolf body and the soft fur of his belly.

Lin Shuishi lay against the wolf’s body, speaking softly, “Yes, just like this, let me slowly get used to this version of you.”

As dawn gradually broke over the cliff, Lin Shuishi leaned against the giant wolf, his eyes half-open, watching the rising red sun on the horizon with Fuli.

In his heart, he thought, this is a dangerous beast.

But it is my beast.