"Isaac, have you gone mad?"
Wyatt's words carried a biting chill.
His pupils narrowed, and his fingers unconsciously tightened around the hilt of his knife.
"If you want to kill someone, don't drag us down with you!"
"You know the consequences! If you really kill her, all of us will be buried with you!"
There is an iron rule in this world.
If a female is killed by her own contract mate.
All males who have ever formed a Beast Contract with her will suffer backlash from the Beast Seal at the same moment.
Isaac didn't turn around, his back straight as a pole.
His gaze was locked onto Seraphina's curled up figure on the ground.
Those crimson beast eyes were devoid of any warmth.
After a few moments, he abruptly released his grip, turned, and strode out of the cave.
The heavy footsteps echoed between the cave walls.
The green Beast Ring on his ankle flickered gently with his steps.
Wyatt watched his departing direction, his brows knotted tightly.
The wind from the cave entrance blew in, disheveling the hair on his forehead.
He knew how much Isaac hated.
Those past events, had it been anyone else, they might have gone mad long ago.
Seraphina had once personally pinned him to the altar, using a Silver Blade to scrape off his Dragon Scales slice by slice.
Such pain, such betrayal, anyone would find it unbearable.
But today's Seraphina... indeed seemed somewhat off.
Her eyes were unfocused, her movements sluggish.
It didn't seem like a disguise, more like she was controlled by something.
He turned his head, his gaze falling on Seraphina, who was still coughing and wheezing.
She was curled on the ground, her face pale, her lips purplish, her consciousness not yet fully returned.
It was likely that Isaac had just used spiritual power to suppress her, forcibly invading her consciousness.
Dragging her out of that bizarre state, leaving her in a half-dream, half-awake daze.
The tears at the corner of her eyes hadn't dried, sliding down her cheeks and mingling with the grass and dust on the ground.
Amidst her dishevelment lay a vulnerability never seen before.
Wyatt's gaze fell on her hand lying beside her.
The cut from the necklace was still open, the flesh turned outward, the edges already red and swollen.
He remained silent for a moment, then unconsciously squatted down.
He didn't speak, just took out a small handful of dried Blood Stopping Grass from his pocket.
It was given to him by Evan earlier, noted for its miraculous effect on external injuries.
He had always kept it close, reluctant to use it.
Wyatt put the grass into his mouth, slowly chewing it to a pulp.
The rough grass stems snapped between his teeth, the bitterness quickly spreading across his tongue, with a slight fishy taste that almost made him gag.
He reached out to lift Seraphina's hand, gently applying the herbal paste from his mouth onto her wound bit by bit.
The cooling sensation made Seraphina shudder.
Her lashes fluttered slightly, but she didn't open her eyes.
Wyatt paused, his fingertips tensed slightly.
He took a deep breath, then tore off a relatively clean piece of Beast Skin, clumsily wrapping it around her finger.
Finally, he tied a knot.
He stared at the knot, watching it for a long time before slowly releasing his hand.
The cave was silent, with only the faint sound of Seraphina's breathing.
After finishing these, he looked down at the grass remnants on his hand, suddenly feeling a pang of discomfort in his heart.
After that, he quickly walked to the cave entrance.
Seraphina was awakened by the dry itch in her throat.
That itch pierced deep into her trachea like fine needles, making her unable to resist a light cough.
As soon as she opened her eyes, a throbbing pain spread from her neck to her shoulders.
A slight movement made her whole body go numb, leaving her arms powerless.
She bit her teeth, enduring the discomfort, propping herself up with her elbows, inch by inch.
She wanted to call out "water," but the sound that came out was so hoarse it was frightening.
Even she was startled, momentarily stunned.
"Hiss..."
She drew in a sharp breath, her brows furrowed tightly, her hand unconsciously reaching for her neck.
Upon closer inspection, she found it noticeably swollen, and pressing down lightly caused a slight pain.
Her brows knitted tighter and tighter, unease welling up inside her.
What happened?
She only remembered falling asleep exhausted in a corner, knowing nothing of what happened afterward.
She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, but her mind remained foggy.
Seraphina wobbled over to the clay pot.
She bent down and leaned close to the water's surface, wanting to see her own reflection.
The water in the pot was murky, tinged with a faint earthy yellow, her shadow blurry.
She squinted, trying hard to discern, only to see a red ring around her neck.
It looked as if someone had gripped it forcefully, but she couldn't see clearly beyond that.
"Probably caught a chill last night,"
she muttered to herself, her voice still hoarse, but smoother than before.
She scooped a handful of water to splash on her face, the icy liquid slid down her cheeks, dampening the stray hairs on her forehead.
In this place, there were neither doctors nor medicine, even a common cold could be life-threatening.
Mild cases would leave you dizzy, with weak limbs; severe cases could cause high fever.
She was well aware of the dangers.
The thought of her father being in danger left her unable to lie down in peace.
Her father was her only hope now.
He was the closest person she had in this world and her last reliance.
If anything happened to him, she wouldn't know how to continue living.
Even if there was thunder and rain outside, today she had to be on her way.
She bit her lip, her gaze gradually becoming resolute.
She rinsed her mouth with cold water several times, finally easing the dryness in her throat.
She washed her face again, letting the icy water drip from her chin.
The biting coldness made her fully awake.
As she lifted her hand, her fingers accidentally brushed against a rough cord.
She stopped for a moment, realizing only then that the place where she was scratched by the branch yesterday was already bandaged.
The wound had scabbed over, the color dark, the edges already starting to heal.
What surprised her even more was the cool sensation beneath the Beast Skin.
Not only was there no inflammation, but there was no pain at all.
Seraphina was stunned, her eyes fixed on the bandaged wound, her heart skipping a beat.
Who did this?
She remembered sleeping curled up last night.
Could it have been one of the Beast Husbands?
She instinctively turned back to look at the figure at the entrance.
The person still stood there quietly, back to her, broad shoulders, a solitary and cold silhouette.
Yet at this moment, a subtle ripple stirred in her heart.
No matter which Beast Husband, this action was commendable.
Not only did they handle her wound in time but also used herbs that relieved pain and swelling, showing some medical knowledge and thoughtfulness.
In this world of the survival of the fittest, where everyone fends for themselves, such actions were indeed rare.
Compliment them to their face, and they would be more willing to take care of her.
This point, Seraphina understood well.
Seraphina walked to the cave entrance and called out brightly, "Come in for a moment."
The wind blew in from outside the cave, ruffling the stray hairs on her forehead.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stand straight.
As soon as she spoke, people started coming in one after another.
Five Beast Husbands entered the cave one after another, their gaze falling uniformly on her neck.
Especially noticing the spot where the wound was.
If it had been just a bit deeper, she might have been gone.
Evan's eyelashes fluttered lightly, the herbal package in his hand gripped even tighter.
He was usually calm, his joy and anger not shown openly.
But at this moment, the rise and fall of his chest betrayed his emotions.