Yosh, we"re unto the final chapter…finally.

On that note if you like (or dislike) this story it would be very nice if you left a review for this story on NU. It currently has only two and it seems a bit sad. My policy as the translator is to not review my own projects, but I like every review they get be they positive or negative towards the story itself. Cuz, it"s not like I wrote the story or anything.

Other than that, please enjoy the last chapter of Book 1.

~^.^~

Chapter 7

Maybe because his face that had been hit by Wolfgang had swelled up, that day Arthur had not done anything.

It was the first time the man had especially come to the "Forest House", and had returned without making a move on him.

While Eugene had been treating him the man had silently watched over him, and when it had been done had made Takahito go up to the second floor "Go to your room and rest." After that it seemed he"d had some sort of deep talk with Eugene in the lounge.

An hour later, Arthur made an appearance in Takahito"s room. He said to Takahito who was icing his injury on the sofa "From what Eugene said, it looks like it will swell even more tomorrow. For a little while you"ll have to be docile. Until the bruise heals you are also forbidden to go for walks."

Having ordered so, he closed the door.

After a few minutes, the fading sound of a car could be heard from the window with lowered slatted shutters, and Takahito knew that Arthur had left the "Forest House".

"…he went back."

That made the mood a little bit anticlimactic.

He did not know how much time it took from Cotswold to here, but amidst his busyness, Arthur probably spent so much time and labour in visiting this place to fulfil his duty as an Alpha.

The task of making him pregnant as soon as possible.

It was clear that for Arthur it was currently his top priority.

That"s why even though there was a little accident, Takahito thought the man would execute his task.

(Is it because my face had swollen?)

Arthur had asked Eugene about his condition, and had been told that he"d received a slight concussion when he"d been hit, was that the reason? The man was probably persuaded by Eugene that it would be better for him to rest today.

At any rate, that tyrant Arthur had readily pulled back.

It was unexpected that the man worried about him like that.

No…speaking of that, there was that "hand".

Remembering that large hand that had touched him as if to heal him, as if to soothe him, Takahito"s mood became agitated.

Because since they first met he"d been treated roughly without the man caring about Takahito"s intentions, when the man was as kind as this, he did not know what to do.

(Even so…)

Arthur"s anger towards Wolfgang had been terrific. When he"d been explaining the situation to Eugene, the resentment had not yet lessened.

He"d been so angry Takahito had become worried if it was fine to show such hostility towards one"s own packmate.

Trying to touch my things is an absolutely impermissible thing.

Arthur"s voice resounded in Takahito"s ear.

"…my…thing" [1]

[1] I just thought it be appropriate to mention here that this sounds slightly more romantic in j.a.panese. You"ll see mono "thing" used a lot in romance manga, etc. as a qualifier. Arthur is just declaring that Takahito is "his" not that he is a "thing".

Immediately after the words came out of his mouth, slowly but steadily a sweet feeling spread out.

That time too when he"d chanced upon Arthur"s utterance, his heart had suddenly become unsettled…

"What? Why?"

This is the first time something like this has happened.

When he thinks of his family and Tachibana, his chest does get warm and fluffy, but sweet like this…

As Takahito was bewildered by the new sensation, a knock resounded.

"Ah, yes…please."

With a clank the door opened, and Eugene turned up.

"How is your head?"

"I iced it for a long time, so the pain ebbed away."

"That"s good. As much as possible, it"s better to not drink painkillers."

His family doctor Mizukawa also did not prescribe medicine unless it was something big. That was because the effect human-use medicine had on werewolves was mostly unknown.

Sitting next to him on the sofa, Eugene checked the affected part and said "It"s still swollen."

"Let"s stick a cooling bandage [2] on it, shall we?"

[2] I don"t know if they actually have such stuff in England? I"ve never seen them down here in my country, but both cooling and heating bandages are really popular in j.a.pan. I"ve used a menthol heating one for some back pain once, when I was in j.a.pan.

While he was applying the bandage on Takahito"s cheek, Eugene murmured apologetically.

"You went through something awful. I had thought it would be nice if your walk was relaxing, but…all the more, I"m sorry."

"It"s not Eugene"s fault. Moreover…it ended with just an attempt."

"I"m really glad Arthur arrived at the right time."

"But because of that, those two"s feelings will become somewhat perilous."

"…from the start Wolfgang has had complex feelings towards Arthur. Age wise he is much older, and he"s been a member of the pack longer as well. However, the one Oswald chose was Arthur."

Because from his speech and conduct Takahito had received the impression that the man had great confidence in himself, there was no doubt that Wolfgang thought that the designation was humiliating. To say nothing of contending himself with the position of not even being an adjutant, but being the third one, the present condition of which he was probably quite unwilling to do.

"Wolfgang had said that if I give birth to his child, he could become Alpha."

"The fact that he is harbouring such ambitions became clear today. The fact that he"s been unsatisfied with the present hierarchy, because it has been here and there oozing from his speech and conduct for some time, it looked like Arthur had realized it as well.”

As Eugene spoke of that his expression was listless.

"But…I think Wolfgang does not have the capacity to be an Alpha. His narcissism is strong, and he lacks restraint. I also understood it from today"s matter that he prioritizes his own desires over the needs of all members of the pack. Our grandfather had also probably belived as such."

"…"

It seemed that the Gosford Family that appeared to be tightly united was also not a monolith, and there were various internal conditions.

"Today Wolfgang pulled away; he wanted to avoid a direct confrontation. Since it looks like Arthur also strictly warned him, it would be good if he didn"t get any strange thoughts a second time, but…"

…

With that three days pa.s.sed without Arthur making an appearance at the "Forest House."

Even without visiting, it was clear he was contacting with Eugene. No doubt, listening to his older brother, he was trying to grasp the progress of Takahito"s injury.

Maybe because he had acted docile like Arthur had told him to, the swelling itself has faded in half a day, and the purple bruise like internal bleeding had also faded rapidly, and at the end of the second day the its state had turned almost invisible.

The fact that the swelling had gone and that the internal bleeding had disappeared so quickly was probably the influence of the moon that was approaching fullness.

In cadence with the fullness of the moon, he felt his body br.i.m.m.i.n.g with power. His appet.i.te had also increased, and he completely consumed the three meals prepared for him, making Eugene happy.

During evening meal, he had tried to indirectly ask whether Arthur will come this evening, and the answer had been "Since he hasn"t contacted me until now, at this point he"s probably not coming today."

Right, he clutched his fists inside his heart.

After the evening meal, while he was reading a book in the lounge, Takahito waited for Eugene to retire to his own room.

The albino Eugene had no stamina; he did not have the const.i.tution to be able to keep late hours. It was the twelfth day of the moon cycle so it was clear he had more power than usual, but as expected his duty of watching Takahito was probably mentally exhausting. "Good night," he said and withdrew to his own room at 10 o"clock.

Takahito also climbed to the second floor as if following after him.

There were still 3 days till full moon.

For carrying out his escape, the best would the full moon night when he was filled with power to the max.

If perhaps he failed, the surveillance would become stricter than it was currently. When he considered that, he would only have one chance. For the sake of making sure that one time would succeed, a preliminary inspection was required beforehand. Last time he had only been able to walk up to the gate. Tonight, he wanted to inspect beyond that point.

Because during this period he did not need much sleep, it is possible for him to keep running through the night - although he would have to return before the night dawned.

Valuing his time, as soon as he returned to the room he took off his clothes. Although he was nude he practically did not feel the cold.

He descended the stairs with stealthy steps. Last night, after Eugene had fallen asleep he had checked every nook and cranny inside the house, there was a back room near the kitchen door, and he had completely confirmed that it was the only place not locked.

Entering the back room, he completely opened the egress window that was installed at his feet. Lying on the floor on his belly, he narrowly slipped through the s.p.a.ce that was about 20 centimetres high and 50 centimetres wide.

Standing on the other side of the building, in a state of being burrowed nearly to his thighs in snow he transformed.

Maybe because the moon was full, he could complete it more smoothly than the last time.

The transformed Takahito first advanced towards the front entrance by pus.h.i.+ng his way through the snow. Covered entirely in snow, he emerged on the porch that was in front of the entranceway. After shaking off the snow that was clinging to his winter fur while s.h.i.+vering, he started running on the private road.

He arrived at the iron gate in about five minutes. Whether he can jump over this gate or not, this was one of the touchstones of his escape.

Retreating for about 10 metres, he jumped taking an adequate approach run. The first try he fell missing merely by 10 centimetres. Learning from that failure, on the second try he took a longer approach run, and somehow was able to jump over it.

The moment he landed on the opposite side of the gate, the liberating feeling of escaping the Gosford Family"s private property impelled him to want to howl, but of course he restrained himself.

Will he be able to run away like this?

He was spurred on by such temptation as well, but because there was still a day till the full moon, he did not know how long he would be able to keep the wolf form. It would be the worst if he got lost and in the end returned to his human form. Rather than braving danger, it was better to devote himself to preliminary arrangements today. That was the judgement he made.

Although he"d escaped the Gosford property, the deep forest continued. On the way he caught sight of mountain hares and foxes. However, he did not come across any wide roads or private houses. There was also no human "scent".

He also did not know where he was. Eugene had said that it was next to a National Park, but had he already entered inside that National Park?

At any rate, he had to try to go as far as he could. As for returning, it would be simple if he followed the footprints he"d clearly left in the snow.

Once again beginning to run, Takahito suddenly stopped after a short while.

Aooo… Ooooo…

Breaking the stillness - the fur all over his body stood on end at the sonorous howling.

(Arthur!)

Arthur has come for a surprise attack. Realizing that Takahito was not in his room, he had probably transformed and followed after him.

Even though he had not yet completed the inspection, Arthur had learned of the fact that he"d escaped the mansion!

(What should I do?)

Aooo… Oooo…

Just like that time Arthur was calling him.

Where are you? Immediately return to my side.

Despite his only choice being to run away from here now, he was drawn towards the howling…

While he was perplexed by himself the howling paused, and in its stead the sound of snow being paddled could be heard.

In front of Takahito who had turned around in surprise, a large figure of a wolf appeared from amongst the fallen snow.

Tufty fur that shone in the moonlight. Piercingly glowing eyes. A jutting muzzle, sharp ears. A firmly muscled body. Solid, long limbs.

The tensely standing tail was the proof of an Alpha.

He was once again overwhelmed by monarch-like appearance that differed from his own even judging from the skeletal structure.

When he"d first squared off against the transformed Arthur, he had recklessly challenged him to a fight, and had been thoroughly knocked down.

His superiority or inferiority as a wolf, his body had been taught that by means of pain.

When he recalled the fear ingrained in his body at that time…when he became aware of it, he unconsciously fell prostrate.

As he laid down his ears, lowered his back and curled up his tail to indicate his submission, Arthur bared his fangs and growled "Uuu…"

The man was probably angry at him for leaving the Gosford Family"s private property. At last Arthur began running towards him.

Is he going to snap at him? Is he going to charge and head-b.u.t.t him?

He had prepared himself for some sort of attack as corporal punishment, but unexpectedly he slipped past Takahito and went ahead of him. After the man overtook him by about 10 metres his feet stopped, and he looked back at Takahito. Arthur intently gazed at him with glowing eyes.

(Does he want me to…follow him?)

As if urging him to comply Arthur pointed his muzzle forwards. Lured in by Arthur beginning to run, Takahito also broke into a run amidst the snow.

From there on he took a position behind the sprinting Arthur, and did nothing but dash across the snowy ground at night.

(So far! So far!)

It was evidently an appropriate speed for what one could call sprinting.

He eagerly followed after him so that he would not be left behind, but from the start their leg strength was different so gradually they were pulled apart.

Each time that happened Arthur slowed his pace, and waited until Takahito had caught up.

Little by little Takahito also got used to the snow, and was able to keep up with Arthur.

Two wolves free of any obstructive thoughts continued to run through the snow field that glowed faintly white under the moonlight of the night.

They just ran. Even though they were doing only that, there was a great feeling of liberation.

That"s right. …they were born to run.

Chasing after prey, howling at the moon and das.h.i.+ng across the land - those are namely proof of being alive.

Takahito felt that the memories of his wolf origin that had been sleeping deep inside of him had awakened.

Before he noticed the path underfoot had inclined, and it let him know that they had entered a mountain.

Running up the mountain trail in front of him, Arthur suddenly stopped.

The man was staring straight ahead, and Takahito noticed the silhouette of a large animal on top of the protruding rock.

Four long, slender legs and a head with magnificent horns.

A deer!

He had seen mountain hares and foxes during fieldwork in his childhood, but not a wild deer.

Growls spilled from the excited Takahito"s throat "Uuuu…"

The deer stirred in surprise.

(Oh, no!)

The moment he thought that, the deer nimbly turned around and ran up the rocky mountain.

The two wolves ran after the escaping deer.

This was an instinctual wolf thing.

Stimulated by the hunting instincts of a predator animal, Takahito felt himself become as excited as he"d never been before in any of his memories.

The deer was cleverer than he had thought. While it pranced and changed its course in zigzags, soon it went down the rocky mountain.

Arthur raised his speed and howled "Uuuu…" He faced towards a direction that was 90 degrees to the deer, and went down a sudden slope. It seemed he planned to take a detour and go round to cut in in front of the deer. Something like a pincer attack probably.

Understanding his plan, Takahito pursued the deer that continued to pull away. As if feeling the signs of Takahito approaching it from behind, the deer attempted a do-or-die escape.

On the lower left side, between the protruding rocks and overhanging tree branches Arthur"s figure appeared and disappeared. Furthermore from Arthur"s side the sound of water could be heard, it seemed there was a river flowing in the place where the slope descended.

Matching Arthur who was closing in on the deer while concealing the sound of his footsteps, Takahito also sped up. Little by little they shortened the distance.

Thereupon, Arthur who had taken a roundabout path forwards jumped in front of the deer.

"Uuuu…"

With a start the deer cowered with fright at the wolf that had suddenly appeared in front of it. Not missing the moment when the deer had stood up on its hind legs, Arthur bit at it windpipe as he leaped upon it from below.

"Kiii…!"

He bit into the deer that struggled like it had gone mad and did not let go, and like that pulled it down with great strength.

With a thud the deer collapsed on the snow, and Arthur too laid down his body. Even though it was releasing screams of death agony, he continued to tightly hold the deer with the strength of his jaw. After a while the twitching deer finally stopped moving and twitched no more.

(…Amazing!)

Because of the exaltation of witnessing a real predator in action for the first time in his life, Takahito felt his blood simmering.

(Amazing! Amazing!)

As Arthur pulled away his fangs that had been biting into the deer, a strong smell of blood wafted. Like he was being lured by that smell, Takahito rushed over to Arthur"s side.

He was too impatient wanting to arrive by the man"s side as soon as possible, and his jumping feet slipped on the bare rock he was using as a foothold. In confusion he scratched with his claws, but was unable to hold on and his body fell from the rock.

"Kyaa…"

While he was flapping his limbs in the air he fell nearly ten meters. With a splash he fell into the river backwards. He made his body that had momentarily sunk to the bottom of the river rise to the surface, desperately paddling in the water with both his front and back legs.

However, the current in the river was faster than he had imagined. Before he could rearrange his posture, he was washed away.

His winter fur was thick to preserve his body temperature, but in that state of being full of water it was heavy. His wet body did not move according to his thoughts.

The ice cold water entered his mouth. Making a gurgling sound air spilled out.

(Painful…)

Was he going to die like this?

Ooooo…

With one corner of his fading consciousness, Takahito heard a howling voice call out to him.

Next part in a week. There"s only two left so theoretically speaking we should be done with this book before the end of May.

Now I"m gonna go to my doctor"s appointment. Need to do an allergy test, have quite a few of those, but it"s been a few years since the last one I"ve done.

And tomorrow – gonna go see that Live Action Pokemon movie in my local cinema. G.o.ds hope I"m not gonna be the only semi-adult with no children attached there. But I have to see Ryan Reynold"s voicing of Pikachu – it"s PikapoolchuXD

G.o.ds, I"m such a nerd.

Anyways, till next time~

…

If you like my work consider supporting me on ko-fi~

…