Chapter 451 - 448: A Scalding Heart

Chapter 451: Chapter 448: A Scalding Heart

One afternoon, the snow let up for a while, and the light inside the cave grew a little brighter.

Bai Wanwan took out a piece of deerskin that had been tanned until it was reasonably soft, along with a few smooth, polished Bone Needles and some twisted animal sinew for thread.

She sat by the fire pit, spreading the deerskin across her lap. She clumsily estimated the size of her cubs, then began to laboriously poke at it with a Bone Needle.

She wanted to make something for her children with her own hands, even if it was just a small Beast Skin Skirt.

The moment the tip of the needle pierced the edge of the leather, Hua Han appeared at her side.

"Wanwan!" He immediately rushed over and snatched the deerskin and Bone Needle into his arms, his movements so fast they stirred a gust of wind.

"This will strain your eyes! And look how sharp this Bone Needle is. What if you prick your hand? Let me do it. I’ll make them for the cubs!"

"Hua Han, I have to learn to do these things myself. I can’t rely on you for everything..." She reached out to take it back.

"Why can’t you rely on us for everything? We’re right here beside you. Wanwan, you can try to depend on us..."

As he spoke, his alluring eyes sparkled.

Bai Wanwan was no fool. Hua Han had been so obvious lately; there was no way she didn’t know how he felt about her.

She didn’t mind his little ploys, but she wasn’t ready to accept another Beast Husband.

She already had enough Beast Husbands. Any more, and they would start fighting amongst themselves.

So, she looked away, pretending she hadn’t caught his underlying meaning.

The light in Hua Han’s eyes dimmed. ’What a heartless female...’ he thought. ’But what can I do? She’s the one I like.’

Hua Han sighed in resignation, lowered his head, and began sewing the leather skirts for the cubs.

Suddenly, his eyelids twitched.

Having had her task snatched away again, Bai Wanwan had no choice but to start organizing the other animal hides.

By the time she finished, just as she was walking around the fire pit, she heard a sharp intake of breath—stifled, but still clear. "HISS!"

She followed the sound and saw Hua Han clutching the deerskin, smiling at her.

Bai Wanwan’s gaze fell on the hand he was trying to hide. Without a word, she slowly walked toward him.

"Show me your hand."

At her words, Hua Han’s grip on the deerskin tightened.

"Let me see," she repeated.

Hua Han’s handsome, fox-like eyes flickered. "It’s nothing, Wanwan."

As he spoke, Bai Wanwan firmly but gently grabbed the wrist he was trying to hide behind his back and pulled it in front of her.

The deerskin fell to the floor. Hua Han kept his hand in a fist, trying to distract her. "Wanwan, the cubs need you..."

Without even turning her head, Bai Wanwan applied a bit of pressure with her fingers and forced his clenched fist open.

Her eyes narrowed. On his well-defined, lightly calloused fingers—especially his index finger and thumb—were several needle pricks, both deep and shallow. A bead of blood was slowly seeping from the newest wound, looking exceptionally crimson in the firelight.

Next to it were several other red, swollen spots, clearly the marks of repeated stabs from the needle.

"You..." Bai Wanwan’s brow furrowed.

Hua Han quickly snatched his hand back and haphazardly wiped away the bead of blood with his other thumb, a reassuring smile on his handsome face.

"Hey, it’s nothing! I’m tough, it doesn’t hurt at all. Really! See? I’ll just make a few more for the cubs. Practice makes perfect, and I’ll get the hang of it soon enough..."

Eager to prove himself, he reached for the Bone Needle and deerskin again.

"Don’t move!" She grabbed his injured hand again, this time more forcefully, leaving him no room to pull away.

She pulled him over to the best-lit spot by the fire pit and pretended to pull some golden sore medicine from her Beast Skin Skirt.

Head bowed, she dipped a clean, soft cloth into the ointment. Her cool fingertips gently dabbed the medicine onto his tiny wounds.

Her movements were focused and gentle, her long eyelashes casting small shadows in the firelight.

Any words Hua Han might have said were caught in his throat.

He could only stare, mesmerized, at her face, which was now just inches from his own.

The flickering firelight gilded her gentle features with a warm, golden edge. Her slightly furrowed brow and concentrated gaze were more captivating than any treasure in the Beast World.

She was so close that he could smell the faint, clean scent of herbs in her hair, mingled with the unique milky smell of the cubs.

Each time her gentle breath brushed against his injured fingertips, the faint warmth felt like a wildfire, instantly searing through his limbs and straight to his heart.

His heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a searing hand, each beat heavy and hot.

An unprecedented impulse and desire, like awakening magma, swelled deep in his chest, threatening to burst through the dam of his reason.

His gaze grew uncontrollably deep, like a bottomless, cold spring, yet a fervent, unyielding light churned within its depths.

’Wanwan, no matter the cost, no matter the hardship, I will become your Beast Husband in this lifetime!’

’I will take care of you, protect you and your cubs, and stay by your side forever—openly and rightfully!’

"There."

Having applied the ointment, Bai Wanwan gently blew on his fingertips, trying to help the cool medicine absorb faster.

She had been squatting for too long. As she abruptly stood up, her vision suddenly went black. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she staggered, about to fall backward.

"Wanwan...!"

An instant later, a pair of strong, powerful arms wrapped around her.

Hua Han had acted on pure instinct, pulling her into his arms and holding her tight.

His embrace was scorching with masculine heat, enveloping her instantly like an inescapable net.

Bai Wanwan’s cheek pressed against his hard, warm chest. She was instantly enveloped by his unique scent—a mixture of ice, snow, pine, and the faint smell of blood.

The sudden intimacy sent Hua Han’s heart into a frenzy. A blush instantly colored his face, and his arms tightened around her unconsciously.

Bai Wanwan froze for a moment. Noticing his reaction, she patted his arm. "Hua Han, I’m okay now. You can let go..."

However, the arms wrapped around her waist and shoulders didn’t loosen. Instead, they held her even tighter.

She could clearly feel the wild, thunderous beat of his heart against his ribs, each thump pounding against her ear.

Hua Han lowered his head, his hot breath brushing against her ear. The desire he had suppressed and nurtured for so long finally broke through all his reservations. With the trembling courage of one who has everything on the line, his words exploded clearly in her ear:

"Wanwan!"

His voice was terribly hoarse, as if scraped by sandpaper. "I love you! Let me become your Beast Husband, so I can take care of you and protect you and your cubs, openly and rightfully. Please?"

That final word was as light as a sigh, yet it carried the weight of a mountain. With it, he laid his entire, scalding heart bare before her.

The only sounds left in the cave were the CRACKLE of firewood in the pit and his thunderous heartbeat, infinitely amplified in the silence.