Free Web NovelChapter 197: Chapter 184: The Two "Puppies" Made Their Choice
A wolf tried to step forward, but a look from Vine stopped it.
"Whether Cook goes with you or not is for him to decide." Barto looked at Vine coldly. "He’s an adult. Even if Kaper were standing here, he wouldn’t have the right to control what Cook thinks."
As Barto spoke, his gaze fell on Gu Ning.
Gu Ning let out a sigh of relief when she saw him arrive and stood up.
Barto walked toward Vine and placed the box he was holding on the coffee table.
"The lion asked me to bring this on my way." Barto opened the box and pushed it toward Vine. "Not a single one is missing."
Gu Ning’s eyes widened when she saw the box full of Blue Gold Inhibitors.
’So many? There must be around twenty of them, right?’
Vine looked down, took three Inhibitors from the box, then closed it and handed it to a subordinate before offering the Inhibitors in his hand to Gu Ning and the others.
"From what Andrew said, the idea is for you to come with us to Zone 5 to stabilize your aberration levels first."
Gu Ning didn’t move. She wouldn’t accept a reward for no reason. Even if Vine’s intentions were good, the offer was an afterthought meant for her. She couldn’t take advantage of the care meant for Cook.
Besides, in everyone else’s eyes, she belonged to Alex’s pack now. Wolves were proud and loyal creatures. If she accepted something from Vine, especially something so valuable, it would be a slap in the face to Alex.
’I can’t do that.’
’And besides, Andrew was the one who had Barto deliver this box of Inhibitors.’
Gu Ning lowered her eyes in thought as an idea surfaced in her mind.
Vine was a little surprised to see that the little Mixed Breed wasn’t tempted by the Blue Gold Inhibitors.
"Who wants your charity?" Barto slapped Vine’s hand away.
Cook let out a couple of low, displeased growls at Vine. Even if Kaper was friendly with them, Cook wouldn’t be polite if they made Ningning and Barto unhappy.
"Let’s go. We’re heading back."
Barto walked over to Gu Ning, grabbed her by the wrist with one hand and Cook’s tail with the other, and firmly pulled them away.
Watching the strange sight of three different types of Mixed Breeds sticking together, Vine stood up and followed them.
Outside the building, Gu Ning saw Seth and the other young wolves waiting. The other pups, who had been hostile toward Seth’s group when they first arrived, were now keeping a wide berth, staying far away as if something terrifying was there.
Seeing Gu Ning come out, Seth yipped happily but stayed put obediently.
Cook, on the other hand, happily ran over to play with him.
He had been cooped up for days in a room that was too small for him, so Gu Ning was happy to see him run off to play for a while and make more friends.
As for Cook’s choice of a pack, Barto’s earlier words had reminded her: Cook was an adult and could make his own decisions, even if he was still just a pup.
Just then, an enormous, eye-catching black figure completely blocked Gu Ning’s line of sight.
Seeing the giant black wolf that had appeared before her, Gu Ning pulled back the foot she was about to step off the stairs with.
’Alex?’
The black wolf walked toward Gu Ning and stopped about a meter in front of her. He leaned his head forward slightly to sniff her scent before lowering it and moving to her side.
Gu Ning, who had been about to raise her hand, quietly lowered it when she saw his movement.
Barto looked at Alex, who had taken his beast form, with some confusion.
’What is he trying to do?’
A cold snort interrupted his and Gu Ning’s thoughts.
The two of them turned around at the same time. Oh, it was Vine.
’Looks like this is a dispute between wolf packs,’ the human and the fox thought in unison.
Vine stepped forward, looked at Alex, and said coldly, "You haven’t joined the Military Department yet. That Zone 5 attitude won’t work here."
After speaking, he turned to the young wolves cowering in the corner, terrified by Alex, and roared, "What are you doing with your tails between your legs! Are you dogs?!"
Gu Ning was startled by his sudden shout and moved a little closer to Alex.
Noticing her small movement to get closer to Alex, Vine felt an inexplicable sense of displeasure. He frowned and said, "You’re even scared of a loud voice. How did Alex raise you to be so timid?"
Gu Ning pressed even closer to Alex.
’No sense in fighting a wolf. I still have to get back and work on my video.’
"Your pack of wolves isn’t much braver than she is." Barto’s gaze swept over the young wolves separated from Alex’s pack, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Hearing his words, the wolves from Vine’s pack bared their teeth at him in displeasure, throwing their heads back and yipping.
As soon as they yipped, Alex’s pack, not to be outdone, howled even louder. The sound from Vine’s pack was drowned out, so they raised their heads to the sky and let out a long howl, "AWOO— WOO— WOOOOO—"
The packs, which had formed a semicircle, split into two sides, left and right, and began barking insults at each other.
