MTMLF CH 08

Chapter 8 

Alex’s Emergency Food

“Yawn…”

The next morning, Jania woke up and blinked in surprise as she looked at herself.

Her body was perfectly fine. She was still in her pajamas, properly dressed.

Even stranger, she had gone to bed feeling exhausted and heavy, but now all her pain was completely gone—like she had taken medicine in her sleep.

‘But that’s not the real problem…’

Jania’s face grew wary. She quickly scanned the room, but no one was there.

She even checked the corners of the house.

“That man… what was he?”

It was strange to dream of a man she didn’t know—not once, but twice.

No, she was certain now. That man had been here.

Clenching her fists, she whispered,

“Who could he be…?”

The first thing she remembered was his deep voice—low and heavy, but strangely comforting.

Then those large hands, the muscles that wrapped around her… His face had been hidden in shadow, but…

“…He did seem handsome, maybe.”

Muttering to herself, Jania quickly shook her head.

She couldn’t even tell if it was a dream or reality. Was she going crazy?

“Either way, this isn’t good.”

If some stranger really entered her house while she slept, this was a serious problem.

Jania hurried outside after changing clothes.

Alex was already awake, lying calmly in the yard.

“Alex!”

“…?”

The wolf tilted his head at Jania’s pale, nervous face.

“Did someone come in here last night?” she asked seriously.

“….”

Of course, Alex didn’t answer. No matter how smart he was, he was still a wolf. He couldn’t understand questions like that.

Jania sighed, shaking her head.

“That’s weird. If there was an intruder, Alex wouldn’t have stayed quiet…”

“….”

Alex quietly lowered his head and looked away.

Jania followed his gaze toward the tall walls and the firmly locked gate.

“Could anyone even get through that…?”

It didn’t make sense. Unless that man was a powerful sorcerer or a sword master, breaking in was impossible.

And why would someone like that show up in this remote forest?

“Maybe it really was a dream…”

Still, uneasiness lingered.

“Ugh, I need to get out and meet people more often.”

Living alone in such an isolated place must have made her imagination go wild.

Dreaming about some random man twice… A man with a handsome face and a strong body, no less.

She quickly cleared her throat.

“Anyway… Alex, are you hungry?”

“Grr.”

“Sorry, let’s go for a walk.”

“Woof!”

Embarrassed, Jania grabbed her things and went out with him, starting another day.

***

On their walk, Jania gasped.

“Wow, Alex, look at this!”

She had found a wild blueberry bush, heavy with bright berries.

“Blueberries! They look so good.”

“Grr.”

Laughing, she filled her basket with them. The berries were small and uneven since they weren’t farmed, and many had already been eaten by animals. Still, finding them was lucky.

“Do you like blueberries too, Alex?”

“Woof, woof!”

He barked like he was excited.

Jania gave him a few, and he ate them just as happily as he had eaten apples before.

“But don’t eat too many, okay? Just in case.”

She knew dogs could eat apples and blueberries, so it should be fine for a wolf too—but better to be careful.

By the time she got home, the basket was full.

“Go hunt well, Alex.”

“Woof!”

After seeing him off, Jania locked the gate tightly. Being alone made her uneasy.

She ate her meal, then waited for Alex to return. Near sunset, she heard a thump at the gate.

“Alex?”

“Grr.”

Relieved at the sound, she opened the door. Alex came inside proudly with the look of a successful hunter.

But something was strange. His mouth was moving, like he was chewing something.

“What are you eating?”

He didn’t answer, just kept chewing.

Alarmed, Jania rushed to him.

“Spit it out, Alex!”

He turned his head away stubbornly.

“Come on, spit it out right now!”

After a moment, Alex seemed to hesitate… then dropped something onto the ground.

“…What’s this? Cotton?”

It looked like a messy ball of white fluff, soaked in drool. But then—

“Eep, eep!”

It twitched.

Jania’s eyes widened.

“…A rabbit?!”

It was tiny, no bigger than her palm. Its wet fur stuck together, but its long ears perked up, and its little paws flailed.

A snow-white baby rabbit.

“Alex! I told you not to hunt babies!”

“….”

The wolf looked away like he didn’t know what she was talking about.

Sighing, Jania gently picked the rabbit up.

It whimpered softly, struggling to open its eyes. Two jewel-like pink eyes blinked up at her.

‘Pink eyes? That’s unusual… Rabbits usually have red eyes with white fur.’

The baby squeaked again, almost like it was whining for its mother.

Jania’s heart softened.

“There, there… It’s okay.”

She carefully stroked its wet fur, trying to comfort it.

“Eep, eep.”

“That must have been scary, huh?”

Of course it was—being in the mouth of a wolf! But the rabbit slowly calmed down under her gentle touch.

“Better now?” she whispered, smiling as it relaxed.

The rabbit didn’t seem hurt—just soaked in drool.

Still, Jania frowned. How had it survived those sharp wolf fangs?

She turned to Alex. He was lying in the sun, pretending not to care.

‘Wait… maybe he didn’t mean to eat it?’

Normally, predators killed prey instantly. But Alex had carried the rabbit back unharmed, even though it was small enough to swallow whole.

An ironic thought crossed Jania’s mind:
‘Sometimes, the safest place is inside the predator’s mouth—if he doesn’t intend to eat you.’

Smiling faintly, Jania stepped closer to Alex.