<Episode 24>
"For now, we're gonna focus on gathering up all the fake Blue Moon the leopards are using and studying it."
"Haha, guess that's the only way to go, huh?"
Hogwood let out a big laugh and replied to Caris. That ended the heavy conversation, which felt out of place in the bright, glass greenhouse.
Jackal and Caris snuck a look at the next table. They were looking at Kittia, who was sitting upright like a doll.
The other wolves at the table and Hogwood had to stifle their laughter at their behavior.
And they said she was only a temporarily adopted daughter until she grows up.
The Gridwolves were paying more attention to Kittia, who'd only been at the mansion for less than a month, than to Theo and Deon.
It was expected that the couple, having experienced a stillbirth, would have a big change of heart adopting the little cat girl.
But the Gridwolves' love for their adopted daughter was already bordering on obsession.
"Hogwood. Ethan keeps talking to Kitty."
Jackal said sternly. 'Talking? Of course he can talk.' Hogwood shrugged and joked.
"It's in wolves' nature to talk to someone they're interested in…"
Hogwood couldn't finish. The Gridwolves were glaring at him, their eyes practically shaking. Jackal shot back, like that could never happen.
"Interest?"
"No, well… Kitty is cute, you know."
"That’s right."
Jackal looked weirdly proud, even though he was just stating the obvious. Caris, who always made sure to say 'temporary adoption' whenever she mentioned Kitty, was the same way.
‘If that’s the case, why do they even say ‘temporary’?’
Hogwood was just dumbfounded. He couldn't tell if the Gridwolves had lost it, or if the little cat was just playing them.
“……”
Just then, Kitty sent a desperate SOS to the Gridwolves. Jackal jumped up like he'd been waiting for it and went over to Ethan.
"Ethan."
Jackal messed up Ethan's hair with his big hand. Ethan's normally neat hair was instantly a rat's nest.
Hogwood could only laugh.
"Haha, seriously..."
He knew it was a wolf dad thing to block guys interested in their daughters, but he didn't expect Jackal to be like this after only temporarily adopting her for less than a month.
Even though she wouldn't get married until after the temporary adoption was over and she was grown, Jackal was dead set on blocking any guys.
'I don't know who the poor sap is who ends up marrying Kittia, but he's in for a rough time.'
Hogwood chuckled to himself.
Soon, Jackal returned to the adult wolves’ seats, holding Kitty in his arms.
Hogwood clicked his tongue again. Jackal was holding his adopted daughter instead of just getting a chair for her.
"I'd like to introduce our adopted daughter, who'll be living with us at the wolf mansion until she's grown."
Caris said, trying to look indifferent. But the other wolves could tell her voice was just as thrilled as when she'd announced her pregnancy a long time ago.
‘Just how much did she want a daughter?’
Hogwood stared at Kitty. Jackal gently held the child, showing her off to everyone like he was bragging.
"Hi everyone! I'm Kittia, and I'm a baby wolf who's been temporarily adopted into the Gridwolf family."
It was adorable how she spoke so clearly, trying to hide her missing tooth. Every time her small lips moved, her hat wiggled as if her cat ears were twitching.
A few of the wolf ladies cooed as Kitty bravely introduced herself.
"Kittia, we got the invitation you sent to our mansion. It had that cute paw print on it!"
"Ah!"
Kitty beamed, clearly happy they noticed. She smiled so big you could count every one of her teeth, even her tiny fangs.
"I'm glad you liked my paw print!"
Seeing the cat so genuinely happy, the wolves couldn't help but smile. Jackal added in a serious voice.
"Her nickname is Soft Paw."
Kitty nodded and held out her palm. One of the wolf ladies nearby shook Kitty's hand and then pressed her lips together tightly.
"Oh my goodness... you wrote such pretty letters with this tiny hand?"
"Yes! I learned from Theo and Deon oppa. Caris wrote the letters big so I could copy them."
"Oh my goodness… Even the heart drawing next to it?"
"Ah, I did that too!"
The wolves kept piling on the praise, wanting to see Kitty wag her tail. Kitty was in heaven, not even realizing her tail had popped out.
Hogwood had to rethink things as he watched.
'I thought the Gridwolves had lost their minds, but this cat is seriously cute.'
And Hogwood, thinking the same thing, had that typical pleased dad-wolf smile on his face.
"Young lady, you worked hard. The guests were praising you until the very end."
Lena said in a kind voice as she dried my hair. The wolf guests finished up everything, starting with the tea party, and left this afternoon.
At the small dance, we danced waltzes and stomps as much as we wanted. Caris and Jackal called in a painter halfway through and had him paint me, Theo, and Deon.
‘I couldn’t push for the meow dance, but holding hands with them and jumping around was really fun.’
Ethan, who'd gone back to the Weebis mansion to pack, didn't spill the beans about me being a cat the whole time. It seems like my efforts to look good paid off.
Just thinking about having to suck up to Ethan during our lessons made me tired.
Lena picked me up and laid me on the bed, tilting her head.
"Young lady, are you worried about something?"
"Well... I was wondering when I'm gonna get bigger."
"If I were big and strong, Ethan would be too scared to expose my secret. I wouldn't need to use my tiny-animal survival skills."
"I eat tons of salmon flakes and milk, but I'm still tiny."
"You’ll start growing taller after you gain muscle and fat. You’re still too skinny, young lady, so don’t worry."
"But…"
"If you really want to grow faster, I can teach you some stretches."
"Stretches?"
"Yeah. My kids do these every day, and they grew up to be big wolves like Jackal."
"Oh, then yes, please!"
Lena lightly stomped her feet and transformed into a wolf. I was a little surprised when she suddenly turned into a big wolf, but I changed into my animal form too, like she told me.
"Like this, stretch your front paws out—."
"Streeeetch..."
I stretched out my paws, following Lena's instructions. I flipped over, belly up to the ceiling, and stretched out my tail and ears, too.
My body felt all stiff from being still all day, so it felt good to loosen up.
Streeeetch!
"Wow, you stretch like cheese!"
"Oh, I guess it's 'cause I'm a baby wolf and I'm flexible."
"Lift your hips higher and straighten your tail."
I followed the stretches Lena taught me carefully. After I memorized all the moves, I got under the covers and thought for a bit with my eyes closed.
Not just because of Ethan, but I needed to become stronger and scarier. To get revenge on Jerian for my mom, just growing up wouldn't be enough.
‘Jerian’s subordinates also have incredibly thick front paws.’
I figured it'd be good to start learning how to fight, little by little. Theo said that moving my body would help me gain muscle faster.
And I heard Theo and Deon do martial arts training every day in the mansion's training grounds.
‘It’s a bit much for a temporarily adopted kid to ask for a martial arts teacher…’
I already have Ethan as a teacher, so asking for someone to teach me fighting too felt like I'd be asking for too much.
The Gridwolves were already spending so much money on me.
Trying to think of a good plan, I decided to wake up early tomorrow and follow along with Theo and Deon's class.
If I hid in the bushes and secretly copied their class, it'd be a win-win: no extra money, and my skills would get better.
"I have to wake up early tomorrow."
I said to the pillow three times and then went to sleep.
The next morning.
I woke up early, did the stretches, and then got dressed right away. Thanks to Mom teaching me step-by-step a while back, I could get dressed all by myself.
Lena heard me moving around and brought in breakfast.
"You missed the first button."
"Ah."
How embarrassing.
I munched on toast while Lena re-buttoned my buttons. Lena squinted at me, noticing I was in a hurry.
"You got plans this morning?"
"Nothing like that. I was just gonna take a little walk."
"Where are you going?"
"I heard there’s pretty foxtail grass in the training grounds."
"Be back before lunchtime, okay?"
Lena made sure to tell me again and again, and then tied up my hair. I nodded and then hurried over to the training grounds.
The hill was steep, but I was thinking about learning how to get stronger, so it didn't feel hard at all.
I hid in the bushes where I had a good view of Theo and Deon, crouched down, and spied on their class.
Just like I thought, Theo and Deon got there first and were being taught by Sir Elliot. Jackal watched them without blinking.
"Then, prepare for sparring."
When Sir Elliot said that, Theo and Deon held up their wooden swords and shouted.
Awoo-oo!
It was a loud wolf howl. When those two howled, the other wolves around joined in, one by one.
The howling spread wide and loud like an echo. Going along with it, I tried to do a wolf howl too, but really quietly.
"Nyawoo-oong—"
Then, all the wolves in the training grounds suddenly stopped howling and turned to look at me.
