As the mistress and the servant put on a dog fight, Lora turned sideways and curled up her lips.

In the end, Elsa was carried down the mountain and had a high fever. Bedridden, she screamed from nightmares from time to time.

During the trip downhill, Mrs. Reed had a fall. Lying in the room, Elsa and she groaned in pain.

Since they were reduced to this, the others from the Wood family also drooped.

Taking the chance, Lora snuck out of the village and ran up the mountain again. Halfway up, she ran into two villagers coming down and hid in the shadows.

"Tiger Cole has been leading his men to search the mountain for two days. Who are they looking for?"

"Rumor has it he's looking for a kid named Cowboy from Grimsby Village. Who knows how he offended Tiger Cole?"

"Tiger Cole is not a good man. If that kid is found, he might skin him."

"Alas, the Cowboy is a pitiful kid. His parents died a long time ago, and he was raised by his mean uncle and aunt as hard labor..."

The voices became more and more distant before vanishing into thin air. Lora came out and continued her way deep into the mountains.

Cowboy? She didn't expect the tough man to be a poor thing. But it made sense now. If he was not pitiful, he wouldn't have been picked up by her.

Tracking the traces left by Gray, Lora found a covert cave. As soon as she got in, she saw the confrontation between a man and a wolf. The air was tense.

Half leaning against the cave wall, the man hid in the shadows. His figure was not distinct, but the air about him was awful. The coldness of a sharp blade permeated the cave.

Gray was also poised to attack. Half crawling on the ground, it bared its sharp fangs, claws, and growled grumpily.

Beasts had more acute senses than humans. When Lora came in, Gray should have found her, but a husky male voice came over first.

"Leave!"

Following the voice. A streak of light darted towards Gray in the dim cave. The man moved as fast as lightning.

Gray also jumped up and pounced on the man. The latter rolled neatly on the ground and dodged under the wolf. Like an agile leopard, he quickly turned and made a defensive stance. A stream of blood was trickling down a shiny dagger in his hand.

Owooooah...

Gray didn't get the man and was slashed by his blade. When it trod on the mountain rock and turned back, it became more agitated and snarled at the man. Scratched by its sharp claws, dust came off the wall.

"Get out!"

Evan Scott saw Lora dazed at the entrance and snarled again. As he tightened his grip on the dagger, blue veins were popping up from his well-defined wrist. His penetrating gaze never left Gray who was ready to attack.

Lora was stunned to see their bout in a split second. Awakened by his snarl, she saw Gray howling and getting ready to pounce on the man again. In a hurry, Lora rushed up.

"Stop, both of you!"

The girl's voice was clear. Although she was berating them, her gentle voice echoed in the cave.

His brows furrowing, Evan saw a slender figure rushing towards the ferocious wolf before he could stop her. To his surprise, the girl was not torn to pieces.

On the contrary, the wolf jumped off the rock and stood in front of the girl. Bending its body, it bared its fangs to warn the man.

It was a protective gesture!

A flicker of rare surprise flashed across Evan's eyes, "Your wolf?"

He slightly cast his eyes up and looked at Lora.

Hands on hips, the girl glared at him with her shiny almond eyes.

She pursed her red lips and questioned, "Cowboy! How could you bite the hand that feeds you? If Gray didn't carry you to escape, Cole should have caught you and had you minced!"

This douche bag failed to appreciate her kindness. Last night he strangled her and stole her first kiss. Today, he slashed Gray!