"Come back!" Xue Yao shouted inwardly.
Unfortunately, no matter how many times she called, Tian Lan showed no intention of reappearing.
Xue Yao almost vomited blood from frustration.
The mountain gate continued opening wider and wider until a massive entrance appeared before them. Beyond it was a road carved directly into the mountain, large enough for dozens of wolves to pass through side by side.
The wolves surrounding them immediately straightened their backs and lowered their heads slightly.
Even the atmosphere became more solemn.
Xue Yao's heart sank. She didn't know why, but she suddenly had the feeling that once she stepped through that gate, escaping would become ten times more difficult.
"Xue Yao..." Honghong's voice trembled slightly. "Maybe we should make one last attempt."
"Attempt what?"
"Running."
Xue Yao stared at her.
Honghong stared back.
They both sighed at the same time. Neither of them could think of a single way to escape.
The rope around Xue Yao's wrists suddenly tightened again. "Move." The red wolf growled.
Xue Yao stumbled forward before shooting him a glare. "You are very rude."
The red wolf ignored her completely. Soon, they passed through the entrance.
The moment Xue Yao stepped inside, her eyes widened. The space beyond the gate was far larger than she had imagined.
Countless stone buildings stood throughout the valley. Some were built into the mountainsides, while others stood proudly on open ground. Wolves moved about everywhere carrying prey, tools, baskets, and weapons.
It felt like another world of its own. Pups chased each other around open courtyards. Their little tails, wagging in the air.
Several elderly wolves sat beneath large trees. Along the streets, merchants displayed strange beast parts on wooden stalls.
And smoke rose from countless chimneys. And for a brief moment, Xue Yao forgot she was a prisoner.
"Mother of all drumsticks..." she muttered under her breath.
This place was huge. Far bigger than anything she had expected. Her eyes darted left and right, absorbing everything she could.
Then her expression changed the moment she realized the wolves were staring at her. Every single one of them. Even the children had stopped playing.
The merchants stopped talking, and the elderly wolves lifted their heads. Hundreds of pairs of eyes landed directly on her, and they all held anger, disgust… and hatred.
Xue Yao immediately lowered her head. The confidence she had gathered earlier evaporated like smoke.
"Why are they all looking at me?" she whispered.
Honghong swallowed nervously. "Because you kidnapped their Alpha."
"Can you stop reminding me?"
"You did."
"Honghong."
"You really did… or maybe they are thinking of ways to cook us and eat us, who knows, maybe they would release us only for them to hunt us again, I heard they get excited from that, or perhaps they would release us just to teach the pups how to hunt…"
Xue Yao felt a headache coming, both from her ranting and the possibility that what she said could be true.
The procession continued moving through the village. Whispers gradually spread among the wolves.
Many of them pointed in her direction. The pups appeared curious, while the others looked angry.
A few looked as though they wanted to rip her apart immediately.
The further they walked, the more uneasy Xue Yao became. She was beginning to understand just how serious her situation was. At first, she thought she had merely offended a powerful beast. Now she was realizing she had offended an entire clan.
A large plaza soon appeared before them. At the center stood an enormous stone structure. Compared to the other buildings, it looked more like a fortress.
The wolves immediately stopped, and the white wolf slowly walked forward. His golden eyes swept across the crowd.
Silence instantly descended. No one dared make a sound.
Xue Yao secretly observed him, that was the best she could do… and she could only wonder if there was any possibility of winning this grumpy wolf's heart… not that she wanted to!
The more she watched, the more confused she became. Why was someone this powerful fighting alone against the Rock Rabbit King?
Before she could think further, the white wolf's body suddenly became engulfed in silver light.
Xue Yao froze.
The surrounding wolves lowered their heads. The silver light gradually expanded before slowly shrinking.
Then a tall figure emerged from within.
Xue Yao's mouth slowly fell open.
Long silver hair cascaded down his back like moonlight. Sharp brows framed a pair of cold golden eyes. Well sculpted jawline, well chiseled chest, his lightly tanned skin made her think of caramel, drippy and smooth.
His features were handsome enough to make people forget how to breathe, cause she did.
The simple black clothing he wore did little to hide the powerful aura surrounding him. For a brief moment, Xue Yao completely forgot she was in danger.
Her eyes widened. 'This...'
She swallowed. 'This is unfair.'
The brown-haired wolf from earlier was already considered handsome. This one was on an entirely different level.
No wonder Tian Lan had spoken nonsense about capturing his heart. If looks alone were enough, many people would probably volunteer.
Unfortunately, Xue Yao quickly remembered his personality. The admiration in her eyes immediately disappeared.
'Still grumpy.'
The silver-haired man slowly turned his gaze toward her.
Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, she felt current running through her spine.
Xue Yao immediately looked away. She wasn't scared…Absolutely not. She simply didn't want him thinking she was staring.
"Take the bird to the chefs," he said calmly.
Several wolves immediately stepped forward, ready to drag Honghong away.
Honghong's eyes widened. "Xue Yao!" Honghong instantly panicked. She struggled wildly, trying to break free. "Don't leave me alone!"
"I don't have a choice!" Xue Yao shouted back.
"Save me!"
"You save me!"
The wolves dragged Honghong away. Her miserable cries echoed through the plaza. "Master! Sister Xue Yao! Save me!"
"I'll remember you in my heart, Honghong!" Xue Yao shouted, her hands clenching tightly. She had to find a way to stop them from throwing her bird in the pot.