“Thank you, Kael,” I said softly to him.
Beyond gratitude, I also felt a deep sense of guilt toward Kael.
Reflecting on the misunderstandings from before, shame clawed at me.
I had once thought of Kael as a heinous werewolf, guilty of unspeakable crimes.
But now, I realized not all werewolves were bad. Some were good.
At least, from my interactions with Kael and Marek, they seemed kind and trustworthy.
Yet, it was precisely because of this that my past actions toward them weighed so heavily on me.
“Don’t worry about it, Seraphina. I’m really fine. I have no reason to lie to you.”
Kael’s face lit up with a radiant smile.
But I could tell his smile was forced. It felt as though he no longer had the strength to keep smiling, yet he tried anyway-just to reassure me.
I couldn’t describe how I felt in that moment. Sadness and guilt consumed me, tightening their grip.
A sense of helplessness overwhelmed me, teetering me on the edge of collapse.
My body trembled as I clutched Kael’s hand tightly, terrified that he might disappear before my eyes.
“Kael, how can I help you?”
Kael looked at me, sighed softly, and said, “How about… you kiss me? If you kiss me, I’ll be fine.”
I froze, taken aback by his suggestion.
“Really?”
“Yes. If I remember correctly, kissing stimulates the brain, releases dopamine, and can elevate one’s mood and even alleviate pain.”
He spoke calmly, with that same faint smile.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I leaned in and kissed Kael on the lips.
I carefully positioned myself on top of him, mindful not to touch the wounds on his body.
This time, I took the initiative.
At first, I only intended for a brief kiss before pulling away, worried about aggravating his injuries.
But the next moment, Kael pressed his hand against the back of my head, and his other hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me down onto him.
I tried to speak, but his tongue slipped into my mouth, brushing against my teeth and entwining with my tongue.
His teeth nipped at my lips.
In that instant, a tingling sensation coursed through me, as if an electric current sparked from where our lips met and surged through my body.
I felt my body grow warm, my reactions intensifying, and my strength fading.
Dizzied by his kiss, I didn’t come back to my senses until Kael’s hand slid beneath my shirt, touching my breast.
“Wait… you’re injured…” I stammered.
“I’m fine now,” Kael chuckled softly, leaning in to kiss me again.
But I couldn’t relax. I pushed him away and immediately lifted his shirt to inspect his body.
Sure enough, the wounds that had once marred him were gone, leaving behind only faint traces of blood.
The skin beneath was smooth and unblemished, as though he had never been injured.
I ran my fingers over his skin, unable to find even a trace of the injuries.
It was astonishing.
There had been similar instances before, but only with minor wounds.
This time, Kael had been gravely injured, yet his body had healed completely.
No wonder Magnus harbored such an obsession with werewolves.
Magnus, an exceptional medical student destined to become a brilliant doctor, knew that no matter how skilled a physician, no one could heal wounds instantly.
But werewolves could.
“Are you invincible? Do you never get hurt or die?” I asked, marveling.
“Of course not,” Kael replied. “If we suffer fatal injuries, we can’t recover. Only non-lethal wounds can heal like this.”
So that’s how it worked.
My gaze lingered on Kael’s body, taking in the miraculous transformation.
“Are you planning to stay on top of me forever? I wouldn’t mind if we took this further, especially out here in the wild,” Kael teased, his voice playful.
It was then I realized I was still lying on top of him.
I had been so focused on him that I’d forgotten my position.
I jumped off him immediately, flustered. “Sorry, sorry! I forgot… Are you alright?”
Kael stood up as well, looking entirely unscathed. His complexion had returned to normal.
Seeing my panic, he reassured me, “I’m fine now.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Kael was okay, that was all that mattered.
Kael walked over to the teleportation array nearby, studying it intently.
“Such an advanced teleportation array… The werewolf who created this must be quite skilled,” he remarked.
I didn’t understand what he meant, but Leo’s parting words echoed in my mind, filling me with unease.
“What does he want with me? I heard him say something about taking me to see a witch. What witch?”
Kael turned and approached me, placing his hands on my shoulders.
His deep brown eyes held a seriousness that made my heart race.
“Seraphina, I need you to remember my warning. You’re in danger. The scent you carry attracts all kinds of monsters.”
“Monsters?” I murmured, thinking of Marek, the creature in the forest, and now Leo.
What else awaited me?
My body began to tremble uncontrollably.
The thought of what might come next filled me with dread.
“Why are they after me? Am I not an ordinary human? If I were a werewolf, I wouldn’t have so many monsters chasing me… Would I?”
Kael was a werewolf, yet he didn’t face the same dangers I did.
So what made me different?
“I’m not entirely sure,” Kael admitted. “But I’ll keep investigating. Seraphina, don’t be afraid. No matter what, I’ll protect you. Like I did this time, I’ll always protect you.”
Seeing how frightened I was, Kael pulled me into his arms and held me tightly.
In his embrace, my fear began to subside, and I felt myself calming down.
“But I still don’t understand,” I whispered, the fear of the unknown gnawing at me.
Would more monsters come for me? What was I, really?
Why was all of this happening?
Questions swirled in my mind, suffocating me.