Something Different

Leon gently washed Gretta's arm wound before bandaging it. Gretta looked at the man's face, which was very different from Leon's, who had previously beaten all the wolves.

Leon reapplied the coat to Gretta's body after wrapping it.

Leon sighed as he noticed a scratch on the girl's cheek. He smoothed it slowly after it had been completely covered with plaster.

"Stings?" he inquired.

Gretta shook her head, not feeling it. It might leave a scar, but Gretta didn't have to worry about that. He was thankful that he could still breathe.

Shan had tied Colin to the center post of the house. Leon did not kill her, she was only injured and passed out.

"How is your wound doing?" Leon inquired of Shan, who was busy tying Colin.

Nothing major, just minor scratches from wolf fights. The wound does not heal in hours.

"Please come out; I need to speak with you for a moment." Leon was the first to emerge, followed by Shan from behind.

"I don't want to cast suspicion on both my deputy and my friend; what is the real reason you've come to see me, Shan?"

Leon was alone in the front yard of the house, talking to Shan, while Gretta was still inside, staring out the window.

Leon had been suspicious of Shan since his appearance in the Rhone valley. His unexpected appearance was followed by Colin, who appeared in his place. Even though, as far as Leon knows, Mat is the only werewolf who knows where he is.

Also, why did Shan appear after Mat died and had to spend more time in Orlin? What exactly is Shan after? Leon added the oddity because he couldn't read Shan's expression as well as usual. This obviously has something to do with Rhys.

"What does this have to do with Rhys?" Leon locked his gaze on Shan, who was also staring at him.

"You can't just leave Rhys like that unless he asks you to, Shan. "No one knows Rhys like I do."

Leon will realize it sooner or later, and Shan is already aware of it. Shan cannot fool Leon's sensibility in any way. Furthermore, because Shan has been by Leon's side for a long time, any attitude displayed by Shan will be easily detected by the man.

"I didn't come to track you down or hurt you. "I came to see Gretta."

"What is so special about that girl that you're all after her?" Leon exploded. He despised the fact that all the werewolves were after the girl, and that Mat had killed both of the girl's parents.

"I believe you know more than I do, Leon." "You've been with him longer than I have," Shan admitted half-desperately.

Leon had a feeling there was something off about Gretta from the start, but he wasn't sure what it was. Furthermore, his feelings were hazy at the time, perhaps even more so now, but they couldn't persuade him.

"She's nothing special; she's just an ordinary girl obsessed with exacting her revenge." Leon responded firmly.

Leon gives Shan the option of staying with him or returning to the palace. He's free if Shan truly wants to stay with him and spy for Mat, but no matter what he does, he can't bring Gretta before Mat.

"I can't come back empty-handed, nor can I continue to be Mat's information source." Shan takes his spear from the palace, breaks it, and discards it.

"I'll come with you, even if it means becoming Orlin's fugitive."

Leon looked at him, unable to believe it, but he had already given Shan a choice. There are no restrictions or threats, so Shan can do whatever he wants. Leon would not be drawn into Rhys and Mat's game of causing harm to his own friend.

Leon returned to the house, where Gretta stood back and watched Colin from a distance.

"Don't pay too much attention to him; he can hypnotize you if you stare at them too long."

"Can he also become human?" Gretta inquired based on what was on her mind.

"Perhaps after the wound has healed." Shan provided the answer this time.

"This is my first encounter with a female werewolf; the shape is similar, but the size is different. If you notice, Shan, it's the same size as you."

"Hm, I know my body is more midget than most," Shan said, slightly annoyed. It is a fact, albeit a painful one.

Shan then walked over to Gretta and sat next to her.

"What about your wound?" Gretta inquired.

Shan shows previously injured body parts, showing that the wounds have healed and there is no need to be concerned.

While the two of them sat in silence, Leon was doing something in his room. They intended to leave before sunrise, because Mat would almost certainly be there to find Colin.

"Gretta," Shan says, drawing the girl's attention to herself. "Are you certain you can kill Mat?" He, like Leon, is an Alpha; even a fellow werewolf is difficult to deal with, let alone an ordinary human."

"I believe I'll definitely get it," Gretta stated emphatically.

Colin's condition has improved; she has not regained consciousness, but her wounds are healing. At the same time, Leon, Shan, and Gretta left the room after Colin was placed on the sofa. It wasn't yet time to confront Matt.

They walked to the south, past the hills below which lay a valley with a river flowing eastward. The valley separates the Wadegan Wilds from the Orlin section of Vollericham.

Their current destination was the city; mixing with the locals would provide them with up-to-date information on Orlin.

Gretta realized Shan had no spear in his hand at that point. However, as long as they were together, the spear was almost never out of his grasp.

"Do you have your spear?"

"I left it," Shan said flatly.

"Why? Is that not yours?"

"No, it belongs to the palace, and I gave it back."

Gretta nodded in agreement.

Gretta wore a thick coat to protect herself on this trip. Leon's thick coat was larger than her entire body. Gretta had to lift the coat slightly as it shuffled behind her.

As before, Leon was leading the way while Shan stood guard. Shan was a little down on Gretta as the one who stood behind her.

He felt bad for her having to drag his coat, but he couldn't help her.

"I thought you might be able to assist me in lifting the hem of the coat a little, Shan." Gretta decided to come to a halt because she could sense Shan watching her every move.

Shan reluctantly agrees to assist him. Lifting the coat tail to allow Gretta to walk more freely. As a result, they could run faster and catch up to Leon.

At the same time, Leon turned to look at the two of them.

"You...,"

"Why?"

"Like a retreating Brontosaurus," Leon continued, emphasizing the height difference between Gretta and Shan.

"If you don't want to help, at least you don't have to mock," Gretta joked.

Leon, as if innocent, laughed at Gretta and Shan's expressions.

Meanwhile, Mat arrives at Leon's house and discovers his sister asleep on the sofa. It's in good condition, but Mat is enraged by the bloodstains and tears on Colin's shirt.

"Are you trying to kill Colin now?" he grumbled to himself.