Ch 85: My Wolf Husband

Lin Shuishi watched in horror as the massive wolf hurtled toward him, a dark swarm of enraged bees trailing closely behind.

He gasped sharply and turned to jump into the water behind him.

But before he could take the plunge, the giant wolf reached him first. Clamping down on a honeycomb the size of a cartwheel, Fuli stretched out a paw and scooped Lin Shuishi up, pressing him tightly against his thick, fluffy chest. The fur there was incredibly dense and long, completely engulfing Lin Shuishi, shielding him from the stray bees that had managed to catch up.

Buried in the wolf’s fur, Lin Shuishi couldn’t see anything. He could only hear the menacing buzzing of the swarm growing louder, sending a chill down his spine.

What he didn’t know was that every single bee that got too close was swiftly swept away by Fuli’s tail. The flicks were just strong enough to daze them, making them lose their balance and tumble helplessly to the ground.

Clearly, this wasn’t the first time he had done something like this.

Moments later, Fuli reached the end of the flower field. As soon as he crossed into the dense forest, the bees abandoned the chase. After all, in this season of abundant nectar, losing a single honeycomb wasn’t worth pursuing a thief into the predator-filled woods.

They were far too busy to waste time on a notorious honey thief.

A thief they had already grown accustomed to.

But Lin Shuishi was not accustomed to any of this!

By the time they reached the wooded plains, Fuli finally set Lin Shuishi down and proudly presented the massive honeycomb, thick with golden nectar.

Lin Shuishi steadied his breathing, then reached up and yanked on the wolf’s whiskers.

“Are you out of your mind?! You could’ve gotten yourself killed!”

If those bees had stung through his fur or gotten him in the face, nose, or eyes, the venom could have been serious.

Fuli’s golden-tipped ears twitched. He flicked away a few wild bees that had followed them, exhaled a long breath, and stomped his massive paw with deliberate slowness. Then, after circling Lin Shuishi, he carefully placed the honeycomb on a tree branch and pressed his damp nose against Lin Shuishi’s belly, staying completely still.

A very good apology posture.

Lin Shuishi, catching the scent of honey mixed with the wolf’s warm breath, sighed and laughed. He cupped the large snout and planted a kiss on it, tasting the lingering sweetness of honey and the floral milkiness of the nectar.

---

Since the honeycomb Fuli had brought back was enormous, even after filling every ceramic jar in the den, there was still a large portion left.

That evening, as the setting sun cast a warm glow over the mountain ridge, the entire wolf den was filled with the light, sweet aroma of honey.

Every little wolf pup received a piece of honeycomb. They abandoned their usual milk, puckering their tiny mouths and sucking greedily on the honey, their eager slurps echoing around the den. Their tails wagged in pure delight.

The young white wolf, proud of its prize, clamped its jaws around a honeycomb nearly as big as its own face and strutted down the ridge, determined to share a taste with its poor black bear friend.

But when it reached the grasslands, it was met with an astonishing sight—

The little black bear was already feasting on honey.

Absolutely devouring it.

The young wolf froze. Oh, wow. Just—wow.

That bear’s honeycomb was even bigger than its own!

---

Back on the mountain, Lin Shuishi was completely unaware that certain little ones were experiencing a minor crisis of unfair distribution.

He was happily grilling skewers of meat over red-hot charcoal, listening to them sizzle as he brushed a layer of honey glaze over them. The rich, sweet aroma drifted through the air.

The moment they smelled it, the wolf pups suddenly found that their honey wasn’t quite as appealing anymore.

Lin Shuishi blew on a piece of honey-glazed roasted meat before feeding it to Fuli. The man immediately bared his teeth in a grimace—the heat caught him off guard.

Seeing Fuli’s expression, Lin Shuishi took a bite himself.

“Huh? It’s not hot at all.”

Maybe Fuli just wasn’t used to warm food. Lin Shuishi chuckled to himself. Hah. Typical canines!

Still, he blew on the next piece extra long before handing it over again. Watching Fuli eat whatever he was given while staring off into the distance, Lin Shuishi frowned.

“What’s wrong? You don’t like the barbecue? It’s amazing—come on!”

Fuli, however, raised his hand and pointed to the sky, his brows slightly furrowed. “Tomorrow… there may be thunder.”

“Thunderstorms? That’s normal for this season. What’s so unusual about it?”

What kind of thunder? Lin Shuishi’s mind couldn’t help but finish the phrase—Thundering heaven and earth, the mighty Golden Hammer…

He looked out at the sky. The setting sun bathed the rolling clouds in a breathtaking blend of crimson and violet, casting a golden glow over the entire grassland and mountain ridge. The world was bathed in a mystical sunset, both stunning and ominous.

Fuli shook his head, uncertain. He turned back to his meal, tearing off another bite of grilled meat with his sharp teeth, chewing slowly. Later, he would have the wolves patrol more thoroughly.

Lin Shuishi, noticing how much Fuli seemed to enjoy the honey-glazed meat, turned back to the fire. He cut a few more pieces of venison, seasoned them, and set them aside for later.

Tonight, he planned to roast some chestnuts over the fire and enjoy them with the meat as a late-night snack.

His belly had grown significantly larger, and the baby inside was increasingly active. His appetite had grown, too—he now ate at least five meals a day, with an ever-increasing craving for meat.

Lin Shuishi gently patted his stomach and smiled. “Hey, little one. You’re eating all my food! You better grow up strong and healthy!”

But as his belly grew, so did his anxieties. Some nights, he found himself unable to sleep.

After all, he had never given birth before! He had never even seen a man give birth! And this wasn’t just a normal pregnancy—it was cross-species! Who knew what would come out of him—a baby? A pup?

Lying in bed, Lin Shuishi weighed his current physical condition and tried to reassure himself. It’ll be fine. Don’t panic. You’ve got this.

Eventually, lost in his own thoughts, he drifted into sleep.

Until he woke up starving.

Fuli wrapped him snugly in a blanket before heading outside to light a fire. By now, the man had grown quite skilled in handling flames—something most beasts instinctively feared. He had even learned how to cook meat evenly on both sides, mimicking the careful methods Lin Shuishi had shown him.

Following his mate’s example, he dipped a leaf into the honey jar and carefully brushed a thin layer over the meat.

Lin Shuishi, still wrapped in furs, lay at the den’s entrance, resting on his side. One hand propped up his chin as he watched the firelight cast flickering shadows over the strong figure tending to the meal.

As he watched Fuli move, tending to the fire and food, a warmth spread through his chest.

He turned onto his back, his heart full, and sighed happily.

I love him so much.

This man was his anchor—the only thing keeping him grounded in this strange world.

He was like a small bird, carried by the winds of fate, drifting through a world not his own. And now, at last, he had found a safe place to land.

The wild beast had accepted him. Had carefully, tenderly drawn him close, holding him in its den, guarding him with unwavering devotion.

The air was humid, and as Lin Shuishi lay there, he slowly drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

Until— CRACK!

A deafening clap of thunder shattered the silence, jolting him awake.

Lin Shuishi’s eyes snapped open to find Fuli already at his side, watching the sky intently.

“What was that? It’s raining already?”

Before Lin Shuishi could finish his sentence, a bolt of lightning tore across the sky like a dragon’s claw, stretching across the entire stormy expanse.

For an instant, the entire mountain range was illuminated in a blinding flash, shocking the wild animals into silence before plunging the world back into darkness.

Lin Shuishi was left speechless, his breath caught in his throat.

Then—warm hands covered his ears.

But even through the thick palms, the next thunderclap roared through the valley, shaking the very ground beneath them.

Fuli’s expression turned serious as he gently rubbed Lin Shuishi’s ears.

“That… was terrifying,” Lin Shuishi admitted, his voice small.

Nature’s power was overwhelming.

And this was just the beginning.

Fuli looked down at his mate, who was gazing up at him with an inexplicable expression. The flickering lightning illuminated Lin Shuishi’s delicate face in stark white light as he muttered something strange.

“…This—this isn’t your heavenly tribulation, is it?!”

He had suspected for a while that this man—shifting between human and wolf—wasn’t quite normal. He wanted to point at Fuli and shout, Demon! I knew it! You’re not human! Your tribulation has come!

“Look up! The divine thunder of the heavens! Only the truly powerful endure such calamity!”

Fuli didn’t understand what this little one was rambling about, only assuming he had been scared senseless. So, he pulled him tighter into his embrace.

But Lin Shuishi, amidst the boom boom boom of the thunder, remained deadly serious.

“Don’t be afraid! The novels all say that heavenly tribulations don’t strike ordinary people. I’ll protect you!”

Fuli tilted his head, instinctively sensing that whatever had just been said wasn’t particularly flattering. Clicking his tongue, he pinched Lin Shuishi’s cheek before rubbing the restless swell of his belly, soothing the little one inside who had also been startled by the storm.

Outside, the wind howled stronger and stronger. The wolf den, nestled in a sheltered position, remained relatively calm, but out in the open, sand and debris swirled wildly, beginning to form spiraling drafts.

Small animals scurried frantically for shelter, while herds of cattle and sheep huddled together, using the strength of their numbers to withstand the raging winds.

Thus, in the early summer of Dongshan, a night of dry lightning raged across the mountains—thunder without rain.

Meanwhile, Lin Shuishi had long since been carried back to bed, wrapped securely in a warm embrace, fast asleep.

No matter how fiercely the lightning flashed outside, Fuli’s chest was always the safest place to be.

---

Among the wolves, the White Wolf King stood unshaken atop the highest ridge, gazing into the storm with focused, unwavering blue eyes. Its fur whipped wildly in the wind, revealing a long, narrow scar on its belly—one usually hidden beneath its thick coat.

Fuli murmured into Lin Shuishi’s ear, “I’m going out to check. Stay here. Don’t go outside.”

Lin Shuishi drowsily nodded, and Fuli carefully shifted him off his chest, tucking him snugly into the furs before heading out.

Raising a hand to the White Wolf King, Fuli leapt down from the ridge, leading a dozen large white wolves into the night for patrol.

---

Back in the den, Lin Shuishi’s sleep grew increasingly restless. His body grew hot, beads of sweat forming on his skin. His dreams became tangled and suffocating—no matter how hard he tried to call out, no sound came.

Finally, he jolted awake, gasping for breath. Struggling to sit up, he called out, “Fuli?“

No response.

Holding his belly, he made his way to the entrance of the den—only to find that the area around his cave was heavily guarded by white wolves.

The wind howled outside, but the wolf pups had been safely secured. Some had even been carried to his den’s entrance, huddled together, letting out soft whimpering cries.

Because to the wolf pack, the safest place in a storm was the leader’s den. If they couldn’t enter, then at least placing the pups nearby was better than nothing.

Lin Shuishi wiped the sweat from his brow and pulled his clothes tighter around himself. He stepped out and, one by one, carried the little pups inside, settling them onto the warm furs.

With Fuli gone, Lin Shuishi scanned the wolves around him—many familiar figures from the usual patrol teams were missing. The Wolf King was also absent.

He had a vague idea of what was happening.

So he sat inside, surrounded by a pile of wolf pups, waiting.

But his eyelid kept twitching.

A sense of unease crept into his chest.

He reassured himself—he had experienced thunderstorms before. Mountain storms were common. This is normal.

But after pacing the den several times, he finally couldn’t resist anymore.

Wrapping himself up against the wind, he stepped outside, flanked immediately by protective wolves.

When he reached the ridge, the sight in the distance made his heart stop.

Far on the horizon, the sky was ablaze with a deep red glow.

Thick, rolling white fog billowed into the sky, obscuring the view.

Lin Shuishi took a deep breath, narrowing his eyes against the wind.

No—it wasn’t fog.

It was smoke.

Dense, choking smoke, carried by the wind.

The mountain forests, thick with dried leaves and grass, had been struck by a lightning bolt.

And now, they were burning.