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Chapter Thirteen: The Little Companion
William sat inside a small tent in the frozen pine forest, a tiny fire warming him from the cold. He was writing his mission report, documenting everything he had done over the past few days.
This mission stirred strange emotions in him. Sometimes excitement, sometimes sadness, sometimes curiosity—and at times, conflicting feelings. Overall, it had been a joyful experience in his otherwise monotonous life.
He sent the report to Merlin and requested a week of rest in this quiet place. Alone here, he felt a rare sense of peace.
Sitting by the firewood, he stared into the red flames, reflecting on his thoughts. From the day he woke up, not knowing who or where he was, without a family, he had come to consider the Kingsmen as his home. They had taught him many things, though he had never been fond of killing. He didn't seek thrill; deep down, he yearned for a calm life. Yet, in these past days, he realized that to achieve that peace, he had to work for it.
He was no ordinary man. Perhaps in his forgotten past he had been, but now, in this moment, he had to shoulder the responsibilities of his power and skills.
William closed his eyes and took a short rest. Meat from a hunted rabbit roasted over the fire, filling the tent with the aroma of fresh food, bringing a rare pleasure during hunger. Once cooked, he sprinkled some salt over it, waited for it to cool slightly, and took a bite.
The joy of eating alone—there is nothing else like it. Juicy, savory, and delicious.
Ah… sometimes life in solitude gains color only through quiet moments with oneself.
Suddenly, in the frozen pine forest, a black-clad figure with snow-white hair ran at a moderate pace. William wanted to keep his body warm in this freezing air.
He reached a dark section of the forest, hearing the sounds of conflict and animal growls. He stopped, listened, and calculated his direction carefully.
Following the sounds, he saw a massive bear fighting a lone wolf. The wolf's body was covered in large blood patches, and beside it, a newborn pup lay on the snow, panting weakly, occasionally whining—waiting for its mother's milk.
From the signs, William realized the mother wolf had been giving birth and was at her most vulnerable when the white bear attacked. She had fought with all her strength to protect her pup.
William had no intention of intervening. From his experience in the Amazon, he never had a good relationship with wild animals. Tigers had tormented him to the brink of death.
At the final moment, the wolf mustered all her strength and bit the bear's neck. The bear struck with its full force, slamming the wolf's belly, yet the wolf did not let go. After about ten minutes, the wolf finally subdued the bear, releasing it and collapsing onto the snow. Deep wounds weakened her quickly.
The cries of her pup compelled her to rise. Struggling, she approached her child and lay down so the pup could feed—but it couldn't find the teat, instead licking her wounds. The wolf groaned in pain, placing her last hope for her child on the two-legged stranger who had been observing the battle for a long time.
William was deeply moved. He sensed the sadness and desperate plea in the mother's gaze. He was amazed at the wolf's instinct, realizing why she entrusted her pup to a human: there was no other choice. He was her only hope.
Rising, William approached the mother wolf. She was enormous—twice the size of ordinary wolves, a member of the royal Dierewolf lineage, strong, intelligent, and majestic—but luck had turned against her.
William sat beside her, understanding her intent. He drew his dagger, cut his palm, and smeared his blood on the wolf's forehead, then touched her blood to his own. Locking eyes with her, he swore to protect her pup.
The wolf seemed to understand, relaxing as a deep, primal howl echoed through the frozen pine forest. This majestic winter wolf passed with dignity.
William carefully split the wolf's chest, extracted a small amount of warm milk, and fed it to the pup. Freed from hunger, the pup sighed in relief and drifted off to sleep.
He placed the pup in his bag among his clothes, naming him Beta. He stroked Beta gently, a faint smile forming. "I am no longer alone," William thought.
He dulled the wolf's teeth to create a keepsake for Beta, then covered her body with small and medium-sized stones. On the dagger, he inscribed the name Alpha—the mother of Beta—honoring his promise.
He used the bear's hide he had taken to make a soft, warm bed for Beta. Next, he needed to solve the issue of feeding the pup, but overall, William was very satisfied with his new companion.
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