Chapter 2 The Wolf Who Found Me

• The pool rippled with each breath I took, its glow subtle beneath the waist-deep waters. Even without moving, the cave felt like it held its breath with me. And then—
• He stepped inside.
• Silver and storm entered my sanctuary.
• Tall, broad, and graceful in a way I’d only seen in apex predators, the male beastman stilled at the threshold like he belonged there all along. His silver hair shimmered like molten frost, tousled by wind and sweat from exertion. It framed a face that was unforgivingly handsome—angular jawline, a strong nose, and eyes the color of a frozen lake, sharp and clear beneath his wolf ears. His tanned skin, unmarred by fur, stretched over honed muscle. He wore a leather harness across his chest, paired with dark pants tucked into boots, a long knife strapped at his hip. A thick silver tail swayed behind him, tense with awareness.
• His eyes landed on me.
• And stayed.
• I stood still in the sacred water, naked but unflinching. My hair drifted like ink around me, shimmering in the soft light, my golden eyes locked on his as if daring him to speak first. The fur-wrapped band on my wrist and the leather holster at my thigh were the only remnants of what I once was—and I didn’t even know what that meant anymore.
• He didn’t ogle.
• But he looked.
• Like I was a question he’d been trying to answer in a language he hadn’t learned yet.
• [Species Identified: Wolf Beastman — Age: 317 — Rank: Village Leader]
• [Candidate for Mate Bond: Compatibility Link Detected]
• I dismissed the prompt, heart steady despite the implications. I didn’t have the luxury of reacting. Not yet.
• He stepped forward slowly, movements deliberate. Then, in silence, he shrugged off the heavy fur cloak from his shoulder and offered it with both hands. No words. No demand. Just instinctive decency.
• I took it.
• The fur was warm against my damp skin, carrying his scent—pine, smoke, and something wild. I wrapped it around me, not out of shame, but because it created distance I could control.
• He watched me emerge from the pool, and I felt the shift.
• Not lust. Not shock.
• Reverence.
• I stepped barefoot across the stone floor, water dripping from my legs. The fur draped just past mid-thigh, brushing against me as I walked.
• “My name is Ravnir,” he said, voice deep and quiet. “Leader of Frostwind Village.”
• “Xueya,” I replied simply, offering nothing more.
• He didn’t ask about the name.
• Instead, his gaze lingered on the pool behind me, then returned to my face. “Where did you come from?”
• My breath caught.
• [Warning Previously Issued: Disclosure of origin or System identity to unauthorized individuals may result in system-lock penalties or interference with host progression.]
• My lashes lowered.
• “I don’t remember,” I answered truthfully. Or at least partially. The weight of too many lives—past, present, and unfinished—pressed against my ribs like a secret begging to be kept.
• Ravnir’s expression didn’t change, but something behind his eyes softened.
• “You don’t have to,” he said, then hesitated. “Would you like to come with me?”
• That question…
• It was simple. Yet it carved out the ache in my chest.
• Yes. I didn’t want to be alone. But more than that—I needed to understand this world. And he… he felt grounded. Like a tree rooted in deep soil.
• “Where is your village?” I asked.
• “North of here. We’ll reach it by dusk if we leave soon.”
• I glanced toward the mouth of the cave, where golden light bled in. I was reluctant to move. The pool felt like a shield, even as its power ebbed.
• Still…
• I nodded. “I’ll go with you.”
• His nod was slow, accepting. “I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
• For a while, silence reigned. Not awkward. Just thoughtful.
• I gathered the rest of my hair from the water and twisted it over one shoulder. Ravnir turned away, giving me space while I adjusted the fur cloak into something closer to a makeshift dress. The carved bone clasp on my wristband snapped as I secured it tightly, followed by the leather strap around my thigh. My hands moved with muscle memory, quick and practiced.
• [Host Inventory: Enchanted Weapons Located]
• [Reminder: Return functionality enabled for all marked weapons.]
• I rolled my wrist. Good.
• When I stepped beside him, he gave a faint nod. Wordless approval. And we walked side by side into the daylight.
• The moment my foot touched the grass outside—
• [System Update: Primary Pool of Mirrors successfully integrated into Host System.]
• [Note: This location is now sealed to all others. The Pool will appear only when Host requires sanctuary. Functionality includes restoration, spiritual replenishment, and trauma purging.]
• I paused.
• The cave behind us… gone. Not hidden. Not faded.
• Gone.
• Ravnir didn’t seem surprised. As if it was simply swallowed by the forest like everything else.
• But I knew.
• This realm—this world—was tied to me. Not just as a visitor. As something more.
• I didn’t speak about it.
• Instead, I adjusted the fur again and glanced at Ravnir. “Lead the way.”
• He gave me one last look. As if to ask if I’d vanish too.
• I didn’t.
• So he turned and led me into the trees.