Chapter 196: Never Leaving You in This Lifetime
Gideon Larkin grinned, simply sitting down beside her.
"Next time we encounter a big bird like that, I’ll dig out my heart for you!"
This remark elicited a few light laughs, easing the atmosphere.
Fine rain gradually drifted in from the horizon, transforming into a thin layer of mist that enveloped the surroundings.
At dusk, Wyatt Yardley walked ahead, carrying Seraphina Caldwell.
The person in his arms was very light, but he held her tightly.
The foot of the slope was filled with waist-high shrubs, perfect for blocking the sweeping wind and rain.
The wind was mostly intercepted by the shrubs when it passed through the low-lying area.
The few people standing there already felt much better than outside.
"Let’s do it here."
Wyatt Yardley put Seraphina Caldwell down and lightly tapped the earth wall with his fingers.
"The dirt is thick enough to make a hole without leaks; it’ll hold up for a night."
He bent down to carefully check the texture of the wall, confirming the clay was sticky enough not to collapse from digging.
At the foot, piles of fallen leaves indicated that there hadn’t been large beasts passing through for a long time.
He stepped back and roughly estimated the space inside the cave.
"You two start digging, Gideon Larkin will clear the loose topsoil, Kaelan Hawthorne will refine the inner walls, trying to make it as wide as possible."
The division of labor was based on their respective strengths.
Gideon Larkin was strong, suitable for breaking ground.
Kaelan Hawthorne was delicate, able to handle the finer details.
As soon as he finished speaking, Gideon immediately responded, plunging his hands into the slope, and with a swoosh, he lifted a pile of yellow mud that splashed all over his hands and face.
Yet he acted as if nothing happened, his head down, focused on working hard.
The turned soil revealed a deeper layer of brown earth.
He used his fingertips to grip the edge of the soil block and forcefully peeled it away.
With his body leaning forward, his shoulders drove his arms to keep exerting force.
Kaelan Hawthorne also crawled into the freshly dug pit, scraping the walls with his nails.
He removed protruding soil block by block to smooth the walls further.
He crouched in a corner, using the dim light to assess the wall’s flatness.
His palms rubbed over the rough surface, causing a slight stinging, but he didn’t stop.
Indeed, he had a talent for digging.
But his strength was only Yellow Rank, so after working for a while, he needed to catch his breath.
Wyatt Yardley saw this and asked Gideon Larkin to wait until Kaelan finished before continuing to dig.
Each time Kaelan Hawthorne paused for a break, Wyatt Yardley would pass him a water pouch to soothe his throat.
Once Kaelan Hawthorne recovered, he’d lightly nod to signal the work’s resumption.
Evan Orwell didn’t stand idle; he turned and flew into the forest to gather firewood, bringing back a pile of dry branches and straw.
Isaac Vaughn was also busy; he used spiritual power to bind nearby shrubs into a low wall, further blocking the cold wind and drizzle from the side.
The dry wood was stacked on the left side of the cave’s entrance, sorted by length for easy access.
Isaac Vaughn’s spiritual power acted like an invisible hand, guiding movements through the air.
Once the low wall formed, the raindrops that once drifted into the cave noticeably decreased.
Seraphina Caldwell sat on a nearby rock watching everyone rush around.
"I can’t just sit here doing nothing; let me lend a hand."
She tried to stand, a bit unsteady on her feet.
She hadn’t made it a step when Wyatt Yardley’s gaze stopped her.
"Wait until there’s not a single male left around you to say that. Now? Don’t move."
There were still people in the team who could work; it wasn’t her place to exert herself.
Seraphina Caldwell opened her mouth but ultimately settled back down.
She leaned back against the rock again, hugging her knees.
Though unable to help, seeing everyone perform their duties filled her with reassurance.
This feeling of being protected was rare.
When it was completely dark.
They finally made a cave barely big enough for five people.
The last shovelful of dirt was cleared from the entrance, defining the internal space.
The entrance was just the right size for Gideon Larkin to transform into a beast and go in and out.
Inside was strewn with the dry grass Evan Orwell had brought back, making it dry and comfortable.
Isaac Vaughn even condensed a faint spiritual barrier at the entrance to block out the mist.
The barrier’s ripples were faint, almost unnoticeable, but the blocking effect was felt instantly upon contact.
The moisture in the air was effectively obstructed, making the cave’s temperature higher than outside.
"Exhausted!"
Gideon Larkin reverted to human form, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and collapsed onto the pile of grass, unwilling to get up.
The continuous high-intensity work drained his physical strength, even making talking seem a chore.
Kaelan Hawthorne also returned to human form, his face a bit pale.
Once he closed his eyes, sweat appeared on his forehead, indicating his body was nearing its limit.
Wyatt Yardley glanced at the two without saying much.
He pulled out the leftover meat chunks from the Beast Skin bag.
This meal tonight was his responsibility.
Seraphina Caldwell noticed the meat chunks were a bit less, so she quickly dug out some red berries and potato fruits from her backpack, pushing them over.
"Let’s make soup, warm up a bit."
The firelight reflected on their faces, casting a flickering shadow on the stone wall behind.
Wyatt Yardley accepted them, feeling the berries’ soft skin with his fingertips, lifted his eyes to glance at her.
"Okay, do as you say. Let’s boil a pot of soup."
He pulled a small stone pot from the Beast Skin bag and set it securely on the fire, then ladled in water.
Seraphina Caldwell was watching him cook for the first time, squatting beside him, her eyes wide open.
She saw him first cut the meat into neat small pieces, even removing the tendons completely.
Then he squeezed the berries, and their skin cracked open.
Revealing the bright red pulp inside, he cut it into chunks.
The potato fruits were no exception; he peeled off their skin and threw them all into the pot.
The sound of the meat falling into the water was crisp.
After the fruit entered the pot, it soon became enveloped by the hot water, and its color gradually deepened.
Soon, bubbles began to pop from the bottom of the pot.
The meat flavor mixed with the berries’ sweetness wafted out, tantalizing Gideon Larkin’s nose.
"Wow, smells great..."
He quietly scooted closer, only to be noticed by Seraphina Caldwell, who pushed him with her hand.
Watching his agile movements, Seraphina Caldwell couldn’t hold back.
"How come you’re so handy now?"
Wyatt Yardley was stirring the soup with a wooden spoon. Hearing her question, he turned to look at her, raised a hand, and nudged her with his finger.
Seraphina Caldwell squinted instinctively, her cheeks flushed.
"Because a little one said, cooking involves shedding blood?"
After saying this, he withdrew his hand and continued to stir the pot of soup.
She suddenly recalled that among the Beast Husbands, Wyatt Yardley was the least willing to make her bleed.
Each time she was about to do so, he would dodge.
At the time, she thought he was being awkward and didn’t understand his intent.
Now thinking back, it was clearly intentional avoidance.
Wyatt Yardley saw her freeze as if guessing her thoughts; he put down the spoon.
"What are you daydreaming about? Are you wondering when I decided not to break the contract?"
He turned around, facing her, supporting his body with both knees.
Seraphina Caldwell instinctively nodded. Could he really guess that?
"Since I went into heat. Then I couldn’t help myself and kissed you. I thought you’d be mad and curse me, but you didn’t slap me; instead, you comforted me. At that moment, I decided not to ever part from you in this lifetime."
The flames crackled, embers flew up then settled down again.
He had decided to give up breaking the contract long ago.
She had thought it was just him losing control.
Without realizing, he had feared he’d never part.
She had been too afraid of the book’s ending, panicked, inadvertently missing so much sincerity.